The Social Democrats have announced that activist and teacher Alan Curran is to be co-opted to the vacant seat on Galway City Council.
The replacement candidate is being announced after Councillor Owen Hanley stepped down in January following allegations made against him.
With the announcement of the news on Twitter, Alan Curran said that he was “Apprehensive, but excited to the starting this new journey.”
Curran is the co-founder of Galway Cycle Bus, a dedicated school cycle bus serving the community of Knocknacarra.
Niall Ó Tuathail, a Galway West candidate for the party, said that Curran has had an “incredible impact as an activist”, and that the party are looking forward to seeing what he can achieve as a public representative.
Galway West @SocDems had the great honour of nominating Alan Curran (@acurno), co-founder of @cycle_bus to be co-opted to @GalwayCityCo. He has had incredible impact as an activist and we can’t wait to see his impact as a public representative. pic.twitter.com/iGS7qLkcLn
The RNLI is seeking more volunteers to join their fundraising teams in Galway, Clifden, and the Aran Islands.
Just like the charity’s lifeboats, the RNLI’s fundraising team need a dedicated volunteer crew to help keep their lifesaving services going.
There are many ways people can give a little or a lot of their time to support the RNLI and make their own lifesaving difference.
Mary McDonagh is the souvenir secretary on the Clifden/Connemara RNLI Fundraising Branch, and volunteers her time for a range of fundraising events throughout the year.
She got involved four years ago. “I lost two brothers at sea and I wanted to help out the crew who were there for us when we needed them, I wanted to give back.”
“Those crew are all volunteers and their lifesaving work is reliant on the donations raised through fundraising and they really deserve it.”
Mary McDonagh
Mary says she loves being a part of the fundraising crew and finds reward in knowing the work of the branch makes a difference.
“I love it all, the meetings, the events and all the people. The lifeboat crew support us all the time, they find time and they are special people.”
“I find it rewarding that I am trying to do something that will help the crew such as providing them with the right kit and equipment to carry out their work at sea.”
She is encouraging others to get involved, speaking of the sense of fulfilment that comes from such important work, and how it can honour the memory of loved ones lost at sea.
Mary Creedon, RNLI Fundraising Partnership Lead hails the work of volunteers like Mary, stating that without them, the charity simply wouldn’t be able to operate as it does.
More than 90% of the charity’s income come from donations, and volunteers make up some 95% of its staff.
“Thousands of community fundraising volunteers organise a wide range of activities and events each year, contributing their time, energy and skills to raise money to save lives at sea.”
“Some of our fundraisers have been volunteering for many years while some just join us for a few months in the year depending on what their commitments allow.”
To find out more about how you can sign up to be a fundraising volunteer at the RNLI in Galway City, Clifden/Connemara or Aran Islands, or to apply, go to rnli.org/OneCrewVolunteers.
Some traffic disruption is expected in Loughrea for the next month and a half while footpath works are taking place.
The county council is replacing footpaths at two locations in Loughrea, with work taking from Wednesday, March 1 to Friday, April 14.
The works that will have the greatest impact on traffic in town will be taking place on Bride Street, starting from the junction with Moore Street and continuing for 140m.
The council will be laying new kerbs and replacing the footpaths along the street, with traffic calming and drainage works also being carried out.
A stop-go system will be in operation, along with diversions of traffic and pedestrians at times.
To minimize disruption, the contractor will endeavor to manage traffic flows around school drop-off and pick-up times.
The council is also resurfacing and upgrading the footpaths at Corry’s Field, by the lake, with the work carried out in Phases to minimise disruption to for pedestrians.
For the first phase of the works, the path at the car park entrance will be closed, with various other sections of paths in the park closed during later phases.
There were 70 people waiting on trolleys in Galway’s hospitals this morning, with UHG the third most overcrowded in Ireland.
INMO figures show that there were 61 patients without a bed at University Hospital Galway at 8am, while nine more people were on trolleys at Portiuncula Hospital
At UHG, there were 50 people on trolleys in the emergency department, and another 11 without a bed in the wards.
There were 575 people on trolleys in Irish hospitals today, with the worst affected being University Hospital Limerick, where 84 people were without a bed.
The second most overcrowded hospital in the State was Cork University Hospital, with 65 people on trolleys.
Construction works on a new grass football pitch in Corrib Park in Galway City are set to begin in the next two weeks.
The pitch is expected to be completed by June, but it will not be ready to be played on for around ten months to allow for the grass to grow.
ML & S Boland Civil Engineering Ltd., on behalf of Galway City Council, will carry out the construction works on the new pitch, which will be used for soccer and other sporting activities.
There will be new temporary access built from the Seamus Quirke Road as indicated on map below.
Access to driveway entrances shall be maintained at all times, and existing trees removed to facilitate the temporary access will be replaced with new trees.
Normal working hours will be: 8am to 6am from Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.
Galway City Council has apologised for any inconvenience the works may cause to residents.
Photo: Magdalena Hajdukiewicz, University of Galway.
University of Galway is calling all wannabe engineers to participate in a free family event this weekend.
The ‘Engineering Our Future: Family Fun Day’ event will take place on Saturday, March 4 from 10am to 4pm in the Alice Perry Engineering Building on the University campus.
Organised as part of Engineers Week 2023, which celebrates engineering across Ireland, the event will provide plenty of science and engineering shows, film screenings, workshops and hands-on activities that will inspire both the young and the old.
Families can attend two film screenings – Dream Big: Engineering Our World and John Phillip Holland: Submarine Inventor.
Professor Jamie Goggins, School of Engineering at University of Galway, said that children are natural engineers as they love to design and build things, using whatever they can get their hands on.
“With knowledge, innovation and creativity, engineers change the reality and future of all human beings,” said Prof Goggins.
“We want to see as many families join us for the day-long events to help mark and celebrate Engineers Week and explore engineering through exciting and fun, hands-on activities and shows, as well as meeting with practising engineers to better learn about the world around us, understand the role of engineering in our lives and its impact on our future.”
A total of 3,801 patients left the emergency department at University Hospital Galway last year without being seen – a significant increase on the 2020 figure of 1,057.
Statistics obtained by Aontú show that the number of people who did not wait to be seen in EDs in Saolta hospitals reached a record high of over 11,000 in 2022.
At Portiuncula Hospital some 1,526 patients left without being seen last year, up from 813 in 2021.
The Aontú representative for Tuam, Luke Silke says the figures are a “damning indictment on the Health Service”.
He said that these are really awful figures which highlight all the more the need for proper investment in healthcare in the county.
“We need a proper time frame on the completion of construction in the ED in Galway – at the moment it seems half hospital, half building site,” he said.
“I was recently in there myself and the atmosphere and conditions inside can only be described as chaotic – nurses are at their wits end with staffing shortages and stress.”
Silke said that it is “only a matter of time before lives are lost, or irreparably damaged”.
Pictured at the launch of a national awareness campaign for Public Participation Networks (PPNs) are Brian Doherty, Zendile Ndlovu and Oana Nicoara from Galway City Community Network with Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development, Charities and Integration, Joe O’Brien TD.
Galway’s Public Participation Networks (PPNs) have today issued an invitation to community and voluntary groups in Galway to join their local PPN and help build a better future for the county.
Galway County PPN is associated with the Galway County Council area while Galway City Community Network is the Public Participation Network in Galway City.
Nationally, more than 18,000 community and voluntary groups are currently members of a PPN.
Public Participation Networks allow local authorities to connect with community groups around their county. They give people a greater say in local government decisions that affect their communities.
Vincent Lyons from Galway County PPN Secretariat said they strive to make community involvement more relevant by providing a platform for information sharing about events happening that are relevant to the groups.
“Training is a key part of our brief and tailoring that training to meet the requirements of the groups,” said Mr Lyons.
“An area for development within PPNs is to work on delivering local policy change through the Local Authority structures to deliver change that benefits the communities long term.
“We will continue to help our reps to make their roles more meaningful so that the PPN is the go-to brand for engagement both from central government and through our local structures making a difference for the people of County Galway.”
Speaking at the launch of the PPNs’ new national brand identity and awareness campaign, Minister O’Brien encouraged volunteer-led groups around the country, and particularly young people, to join their local PPN.
“Public Participation Networks give communities across Ireland a voice in local decision-making and bring valuable on-the-ground, experience and expertise into local and national policy development,” he said.
The Department of Transport has announced the renewal of the eSPSV Grant Scheme for taxis, hackneys and limousines in 2023, with a budget of €15 million allocated.
The scheme is designed to assist owners of small public service vehicles (SPSVs), such as taxis, in the transition to electric vehicles.
Eligible applicants can receive up to €10,000 in grants for the purchase of a new, full battery eSPSV, with an additional €2,500 available for models that are wheelchair accessible.
SPSV owners are eligible for double the normal grant when they scrap an older, more polluting, or high mileage vehicle and switch to electric.
The grant can reach up to €20,000 for a new, fully electric SPSV, and €25,000 for a wheelchair-accessible electric vehicle.
In addition to these grants, SPSV owners who switch to an EV can also avail of VRT relief (up to €5,000), the Domestic Charger Scheme (up to €600), and annual toll refunds (up to €1,000).
These incentives, coupled with fuel savings and lower maintenance costs, make electric models an attractive option.
(Left to Right): Imogen O’Flaherty Falconer, Barry Ó Siochrú and Sai Gujulla (University of Galway Students’ Union)
University of Galway Student’ Union has today launched its Seachtain na Gaeilge events which run from Wednesday 1 March right up to Saint Patrick’s Day.
The events will encourage students and staff across the University to use whatever level of Gaeilge they have at fun, free, inclusive events.Â
There will be an Irish culture night celebrating the talents of the University’s staff and students in poetry, song, prose and dance as Gaeilge.
The SU will also be highlighting campaigns focused on Irish language rights such as An Dream Dearg, and The ever popular Gaeilge 101 class will be back to give people a taste of the Irish Language.Â
Students’ Union President Sai Gujulla said: “We are delighted to launch our Seachtain na Gaeilge events to get our University community speaking more Irish in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
“We are the first Students’ Union in the country to have a full time Gaeilge Officer and these events are a huge part of our Irish language strategy.”
Students’ Union Vice President for the Irish Language Barry Ó Siochrú added: “We are really looking forward to turning campus into a Gaeilge haven for Seachtain na Gaeilge.
Construction works on the new outpatient building at Merlin Park Hospital will begin in the next two weeks.
Local TD Sean Canney, who received confirmation that the works are to begin in March, said the facility will provide outpatient facilities in line with the best international standards.
The building is designed to improve patient access, flow, achieve segregation of patients and improved safety for patients.
The project will begin construction in the coming weeks and will alleviate pressure at the UHG including access and car parking for patients.
“It is important that healthcare facilities are delivered in a timely fashion in order to be able to deliver the best care possible for the region,” said Deputy Canney.
The next few days will see colder weather across the country, with temperatures around freezing forecast in the West for the next few nights.
Met Éireann has forecast a settled and dry week though, as high pressure will be positioned near Ireland.
It will be cold tonight with some clear spells, allowing for a slight frost to develop. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +2 degrees are forecast in light, mainly easterly breezes.
It will be dry again tomorrow with a mix of cloud and bright or sunny spells. Highest temperatures will be between 7 and 9 degrees in light to moderate east or southeast breezes.
The rest of the week will likely be similar, with settled conditions set to last until into next week.
Next weekend will also be dry, with a mix of cloud and clear spells along with highs of 6 to 8 degrees in mostly light breezes or calm conditions.
A Lotto player in Galway was just one number away from sharing the €5.6 million jackpot in last night’s draw.
The winning match 5 + bonus ticket, worth €27,537, was sold at XL Headlines in Corrib Shopping Centre.
The €5.6 million jackpot was won by someone in Limerick, who became Ireland’s ninth lottery millionaire of 2023.
The winning ticket was purchased online or on the National Lottery app.
The winning numbers for Saturday’s (25 February) draw were: 4, 6, 14, 20, 22, 33 and the bonus 45.
The National Lottery is urging all Lotto players to urgently check their tickets to see if they are the winners of the €5.6 million jackpot or Match 5 plus bonus prizes of €27,537.
The winners should make contact with the National Lottery prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie and arrangements will be made for them to claim their prize.
A National Lottery spokesperson this morning said: ”What an amazing weekend for one of our online players Limerick who now has a Lotto ticket worth over €5.6 million in their possession! It’s the second Lotto Jackpot win for the Treaty this year so far.
“Also, two players from Galway and Dublin matched five numbers and the bonus winning €27,537 each!
“This morning, we are appealing to all our players to check their tickets carefully and if you are the winner, sign the back of the ticket and contact our prize claims team as soon as possible.
“This latest Limerick winner is the 3rd Lotto Jackpot winner of the year and 9th National Lottery millionaire of 2023.”
The Irish Writers Centre and Galway City Arts Office has invited writers in Galway to apply for the National Mentoring Programme 2023.
The programme is an opportunity for selected writers across the island of Ireland to receive sustained creative and professional mentoring from an established Irish writer of their choice.
One mentoring relationship is on offer through the 2023 National Mentoring Programme.
Closing date for applications is Thursday, 2 March 2023.
The opportunity is available to writers of literary fiction, creative non-fiction, children’s or young adult fiction and poetry.
Researchers at University of Galway have compiled a report on the language used when talking about institutions historically known as Mother and Baby Homes and County Homes.
The project sets out guidance for the public and those in power in relation to education, awareness, and actions which can be taken in response to hurt and offence caused by language used to describe experiences.
Based mostly on the testimonies of people who have direct experience of the institutions, either as mothers or from their childhood, the report provides guidance to tackle and eradicate the use of stigmatising language.
This language includes ‘unmarried mother’ and ‘illegitimate child’, which still cause hurt and offence today even though no longer officially in use.
The study identified many other words that should not be used like describing the institutions as ‘homes’ or people who spent time there as ‘residents’.
The study found terminology of ‘victim’ and ‘survivor’ very contested and complicated, with some people identifying with this and others finding it offensive.
Many saw the need to have an alternative terminology, with one suggestion referring to persons as ‘separated’ – using ‘scaradh’, as Gaeilge – and the word ‘citizen’ promoted as a more acceptable term.
Highlighting the complex and diverse views of people, many different words that are used to describe mothers, and those who spent time in institutions in their childhood, are criticised.
The report has many examples of how use and misuse of stigmatising language by those in power has such an impact and needed to be changed.
It shows how those with power to influence often misrepresented, disrespected and reinforced stigma by their use of language.
Welcoming the launch of the report, authors Caroline McGregor, Carmel Devaney and Sarah-Anne Buckley commended the participants who contributed to the study.
Professor Caroline McGregor said: “Participants who contributed to this research project have given us a unique and in-depth understanding of the power of words and the hurt they can cause. As one person put it: ‘words are like weapons’.
“We thank all of the participants and steering group members especially the collaborative forum representatives for their significant contribution to this project.”
Roscommon-Galway TD Claire Kerrane has called for a significant investment package from Government for the West of Ireland.
Deputy Kerrane raised the matter with the Minister for Rural Development in the Dáil this week, flagging the need for positive discrimination in the region.
She also said that there must be an introduction of a rural-proofing mechanism to ensure communities in the West and north-west do not fall any further behind.
CSO data highlighted by the Northern & Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) shows that regional inequalities continue to rise in Ireland.
The NRWA said that this is due to a lack of investment in infrastructure, a weak urban structure, a below average proportion of high valued jobs and an under-investment in research and development.
Deputy Kerrane, with her exchange with Minister Heather Humphreys in the Dáil, said that the utilisation of a rural-proofing mechanism would ensure that Government decisions do not disproportionately impact rural communities.
“We now need urgent investment and commitment to rural-proofing policies from Government. We need a regional stimulus package for the West and North West Region and a policy of positive discrimination if we are to reverse this seriously alarming trend.”
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has clarified that greenway plans in Co. Galway will not interfere in the future with any plans for rail development.
Minister Ryan announced funding for the greenway between Tuam and Athenry last week, which Senator Sean Kyne said caused confusion over whether that would be a greenway on the railway line.
Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Kyne told Minister Ryan that some people in the west of Ireland seem to be of the view that we cannot have a rail line, a greenway and a motorway.
“Why should we not have all three in the west? I ask the Minister to confirm that the western rail corridor is to be protected for rail and that a greenway will be built alongside, in the vicinity or in a different area.”
Senator Kyne also acknowledged the work of the West on Track campaign group which for a year has fought the fight for the western rail corridor.
“It was a difficult fight to maintain the line when alternative uses were being suggested for it. Part of that campaign on social media was quite nasty,” he said.
The local senator asked Minister Ryan for confirmation because of confusion from parts of the media in Galway on the issue.
In response, the Minister said that greenway plans will not get in the way of any plans for a rail line in the future.
“To answer Senator Kyne’s concern about services from Tuam to Athenry, nothing we do is going to get in the way of holding the line for rail development,” the Minister for Transport said.
“Any other greenway development or ancillary works are not going to interfere with the potential for us to restore a railway service on that section between Claremorris and Athenry.”
New data shows that the number of arrivals from Ukraine to Galway has risen to 4,421.
A total of 74,458 Ukrainians have now arrived in Ireland, one year on since the start of the war.
Galway City Central has the most Ukrainians of any area in the county, with a quarter of all arrivals.
In the Tuam electoral area, just 155 refugees from Ukraine were registered.
Nationally, women and men over the age of 20 made up 46% and 21% respectively of arrivals to date. One third were people aged under 20.
Of all arrivals aged 18 and over, 62% of males and 47% of females were married or cohabiting.
There were 12,622 arrivals enrolled in further education and training courses on 1 February, of which 10,680 enrolled in further education English language courses.
As of 12 February 2023, 28,774 arrivals had attended an employment support event arranged by Intreo Public Employment Services.
Of those 70% noted that English language proficiency was a challenge in securing employment.
The most popular baby names in Ireland in 2022 have been revealed by the Central Statistics Office.
Jack was the most popular name for baby boys in Galway county, while Muhammad was the most common name in Galway city last year.
For girls, Éabha topped the list in Galway county, and Lily and Saoirse were the most popular names in the city.
Nationwide, Jack, Noah, James, RÃan and Charlie were the top five baby names for boys, while Emily, Grace, Fiadh, Sophie and Lily were the most common girls names.
The top risers in 2022 were Tomás, up 42 places to 77th place, and Éala, up 86 places to 91st place.
Blake and Cody entered the top 100 for boys and Hailey, Phoebe, Ayda and Éala were new entries for girls.
The CSO treats different spellings of a name have been treated as separate names.
For example, while there were 55 boys named Eoin, another 48 had the alternate spelling Eoghan.
Similarly, in 2022, if you combine the number of girls’ named Hanna (28) and Hannah (248) then it would fall into 6th place, replacing Éabha.
Variants of names and abbreviations were also treated as separate names. For example, Jack, Seán, John and Sean account for 1,088 boys.
Galway primary pupils whose schools are competing in the search for ‘Ireland’s Fittest School’ are being encouraged to keep going over the coming weeks.
The contest’s patrons, Olympians David Gillick and Phil Healy, have told pupils to ‘double-down’ on their exercise and fitness routines as the event heads towards its March 31 finishing line.
The winner of the six-month programme will be announced in April.
Pupils from 150 schools in 24 counties are competing in this year’s programme, which is supported by Fyffes and administered online.
Its purpose is to promote the importance of exercise, fitness and healthy eating amongst young people.
Last year’s winner was Scoil Na Croise Naofa in Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal.
From hundreds of entries, the shortlists for this year’s AIB Portrait Prize and AIB Young Portrait Prize have been announced by the National Gallery...
