Paddy’s Day junkets for ministers should be a thing of the past says PBP

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February 20, 2023

galway daily news tourism figures from britain to ireland

The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has again expressed concerns that a potential increase in tourism VAT would undermine the recovery in Irish tourism.

The federation was responding to figures from Fáilte Ireland this morning which show substantial decreases in visitors from key overseas markets in 2022 compared to 2019.

Passenger arrivals for last year from Britain and the US were down 21% and 20% respectively when compared to 2019.

Denyse Campbell, IHF President, said that with these figures, the government cannot justify increasing Ireland’s tourism VAT rate, making it the third highest in Europe.

“A tourism VAT rate of 13.5% would undermine our competitiveness and result in people paying an additional €400m more in taxes each year on everything from the price of a cup of coffee, to the price of a meal out, a stay in a hotel and the cost of a wedding,” she said.

“That’s a 50% increase in consumer taxes for Irish tourism services during a cost-of-living crisis when both Irish consumers and overseas visitors are under enormous financial pressure.”

Ms Campbell said hoteliers and tourism operators are particularly concerned about the UK market for 2023 and beyond, with the country facing a bleak economic outlook with inflation hitting a four-decade high.

“Our main focus should be on securing the recovery over the next 12 months – doing everything we can to safeguard livelihoods and the long-term prospects for our industry.

“We should do nothing to put the recovery in tourism at risk and are urging the Government to retain the 9% VAT rate.”

Initiatives to support health and wellbeing of Ukrainian refugees

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February 20, 2023

galway daily news ukrainian refugee projects

A number of initiatives to support the health and wellbeing of Ukrainian refugees will be supported by the Community Response Forum.

The forum was created by Galway City Council to assist Ukrainian refugees living in Galway city.

Galway Sports Partnership, Healthy Galway City, the Galway City Council Arts Office, in partnership with Galway City Partnership and Volunteer Galway, are collaborating to offer projects based on the local needs of individuals and families who have been displaced.

A broad range of projects are being rolled out to support participation in recreational, physical, creative, social and cultural activities to assist Ukrainian refugees to adapt to their new surroundings.

A number of programmes will be accessible for both Ukrainians and local residents.

A series of activities are planned for children, adults and families including physical activities and adapted sessions for older adults, Woodlands for Health, circus skills workshops, excursions and family fun days.

Projects will also offer therapeutic interventions to provide support in coping with the trauma of war and displacement, including trauma-informed workshops, music and art therapy courses.

Galway City Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from Ukrainian persons living in Galway City who have been displaced due to the war.

Those interested in attending any of these activities or events should complete the EOI from by visiting https://www.galwaycity.ie/UkrainianWellbeing

For more information, contact Healthy Galway City Coordinator Aisling Colreavy (Tel: 085 821 7547 / email: aisling.colreavy@galwaycity.ie

Two new outdoor gyms unveiled at University of Galway

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February 20, 2023

galway daily news university of galway new outdoor gym unveiled — At the official opening of the new outdoor gyms at University of Galway were students and staff members, from left, Nike Monisola Awoyemi, student; Ande Eglite, General Operative, Anas Malamel Salim, student; Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, University of Galway President; Virginia Connolly, Supervisor, Facilities Services; Tom Kind, Capital Projects Officer; Bernie Lambe, General Operative; David Donnolly, Gardner; and Diarmaid Mahon, Supervisor, Grounds and Landscaping. Credit – Aengus McMahon.

Two new outdoor gyms have been created on the University of Galway campus – one on College Green opposite the Quadrangle, and a second in front of the Arts Millennium Building.

The all-weather gyms include exercise bikes, leg press, chest press and shoulder press, a pull down rowing machine, cross trainers, walkers, steppers, and hand bikes and shoulder wheel stations, along with seating areas and water fountains.

A quarter of the fitness equipment has been specially designed to accommodate the needs and requirements of people with a physical disability.

The gym equipment forms part of a wider Sports For All initiative which is being rolled out to provide modern, outdoor fitness facilities for students, staff, members of the public and visitors to campus.

President of University of Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said: “In line with our value of openness, we want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to improve their physical health while making our campus a more open and inviting environment for everyone.

“The space is accessible to all, is for everyone to share, and it will offer people a welcome opportunity to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing.

“We hope our university community and the wider community makes the most of the facilities as we develop plans to build on this across campus.”

Sai Gujulla, President of University of Galway Students’ Union, said that outdoor gyms are a fantastic way of staying active and at the same time spending time with your friends.

“It’s a great initiative by University of Galway offering this facility for free for students on campus.”

Connemara artistic duo bringing spectacle to Cairde Sligo Arts Festival

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February 20, 2023

Connemara based Twisted Lane Productions are bringing their breathtaking brand of spectacle theatre to Cairde Sligo Arts Festival this summer.

Aoife and Mark Curry always aim to excite, intrigue and astonish audiences with the highest quality, one of a kind spectacle experience.

The duo have been working internationally on large scale circus and spectacle shows since 2014 and have worked with companies such as Cirque Du Soleil, Franco Dragone and MGM.

They are excited to bring this extensive experience in large scale spectacle into their own work and to the Irish audience.

The artists will be in residence in the lead up to and during the festival which gives them time and space to research and develop the creation of a spectacle performance.

Twisted Lane’s work will be inspired by a traditional circus, and set in a mature forest.

This is part of a longer creation process and Sligo audiences will have the opportunity to see the work in progress at this year’s arts festival.

Cairde Festival Director Tara McGowan said, “We are excited to work with Aoife and Mark who we have been developing a relationship with since their return to Ireland in 2021.”

“We are very interested in their artistic background and experience; their way of working, their connection with landscape and their artistic ideas.”

Cairde Sligo Arts Festival is one of two Irish festivals leading projects as part of EFFEA – the European Festival Fund for Emerging Artists.

It is this European funding which has allowed the festival to host the Connemara artists in residence.

“The EFFEA award provides a perfect opportunity for us to support them at the starting point of the development of a large-scale piece of work,” Tara explained.

Cairde has also partnered with PASSAGE Festival in Helsingør, Denmark – one of Northern Europe’s largest street theatre festivals and Oerol Festival on the island of Terschelling in the Netherlands.

The latter has come to be known as one of the most exceptional landscape arts festivals in Europe.

It has been described as ‘Imagine the Edinburgh Fringe Festival marooned on an island in the North Sea’.

Mark and Aoife’s work will be showcased at both of those festivals once it is completed in 2024/25.

Almost 90 patients on trolleys in Galway hospitals today

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February 20, 2023

There are almost 90 people waiting on trolleys in Galway’s hospitals today, with UHG the third most overcrowded in Ireland.

INMO Trolley/Ward Watch figures show that there are 56 patients without a bed at University Hospital Galway today.

Of those, there are 43 people on trolleys in the emergency department, and another 13 without a bed in the wards.

Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe is also experiencing a bad day for overcrowding, with 30 people on trolleys.

There are 20 people waiting for a bed in the emergency department, and 10 more in the wards with no bed available.

According to INMO figures there are a total of 655 people on trolleys in Irish hospitals today.

The worst affected by this overcrowding are University Hospital Limerick, where 109 people are waiting for a bed; Cork, where 63 are on trolleys, and UHG.

Housing Minister issues draft directions to change City Development Plan

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February 20, 2023

The Minister for Housing has issued draft directions to the city council to make a number of changes to the new city development plan.

The draft directions to the city council come on the basis of recommendations made by the Office of the Planning Regulator.

Acting on these recommendations, Minister Eamon Ryan has issued notice for 25 changes to be made to the Galway City Development Plan 2023-2029.

This includes reinstating 14 zoning objectives to the draft GCDP, and removing another 11 zoning objectives from the plan.

The Minister has decided not to follow one recommendation made by the OPR that lands in Rahoon should revert from Residential zoning to Agricultural in the new plan.

This is due to the fact that Irish Water has confirmed that the subject lands are serviced by public water and wastewater services, making them suitable for housing development.

They are also contiguous to other residential zoned land, and next to the already developed area of Galway City, “thereby the zoning of these lands for residential development is
reasonable in a city context”.

The Office of the Planning Regulator was set up in 2019 based on recommendations by the Mahon Tribunal.

Its job is to ensure that local authorities and An Bord Pleanála’s actions support and implement government policy.

Galway allocated over €45 million for major roads and greenways projects

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February 20, 2023

Galway Daily news City and County Galway allocated over €45 million for major roads and greenways projects

More than €45 million has been allocated for national roads and greenways projects in Galway for the year 2023.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan announced that a total of €554 million is being allocated to local authorities through Transport Infrastructure Ireland this year.

In Galway, the single biggest allocation is €25 million for ongoing “construction, land, and supervision” costs of the Moycullen Bypass.

A further €3 million has been allocated to the county council for the N6 Galway City Ring Road project.

This is for “committed land payments and costs associated with dealing with the decision of the Board and further environmental analysis”.

Planning permission for the Ring Road was struck down due to environmental regulations which had not been considered, and is being resubmitted to the Board.

Other projects funded this year include €1 million for work on the N59 Oughterard Bridge, and another €1 million for Traffic Calming & Pavement works on the N83 in Claregalway.

The total allocation to Galway County Council through TII this year is €44,566,418, which also includes €4.65 million for Greenways, and over €10 million for active travel.

Among the Greenways projects, €3.7 million will be spend on two stretches of the Connemara Greenway, between Clifden and Recess and from Galway to Oughterard.

The City Council has been allocated €647,989, roughly two thirds of which is for active travel measures, with the remainder for maintenance of national roads.

On the national roads allocation, Minister Eamon Ryan said, “These allocations are an important step in a pathway of planned investment in our national road network over the remainder of this decade.”

“As ever, there are competing demands for funding allocations for national roads and we had twice as many applications as we had budget for.”

He said that the investment in bypass roads will help to remove “choking traffic” from town centres, “giving them back to residents, to school children, to shoppers and visitors”.

“It will also provide scope for greater active travel options, walking and cycling, in town centres,” Eamon Ryan added.

“This will be transformative for town centres, providing an opportunity to meet our housing challenges and our environmental targets.”

Funding of approximately €63 million through TII’s Greenway Programme will see the ongoing development of around 70 Greenway projects around the country.

Council rejects plans for Lidl supermarket in Claregalway

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February 20, 2023

galway daily news new Council rejects plans for Lidl supermarket in Claregalway

Galway County Council has refused planning permission for the construction of a new Lidl supermarket in Claregalway.

Lidl sought approval to build a supermarket on a 0.75ha greenfield site in the village centre, on the eastern side of the N83.

Lidl had said that when completed, the supermarket would create 30 new jobs in the town, along with supporting 100 construction jobs when being built.

The county council refused planning permission for the new supermarket due to concerns about flooding, road safety, and the scale of the project.

The decision said that the council was not satisfied that the site is not at risk of flooding, and that potential flooding could pose a conservation hazard.

The proposed entrance onto the N83 was also raised as a potential traffic hazard, being on a “heavily trafficked route where the 50km/h speed limit applies”.

That proposed entrance also “significantly contravenes” an already approved planning application for the upgrading of the N83.

Lastly the council said that the supermarket “fails to adequately reflect or reinforce the existing urban form of the town centre” in Claregalway due to its design, scale, bulk, and layout.

The Big Gig in Galway for earthquake victims in Türkiye & Syria

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February 19, 2023

Mary Coughlan, organiser of the Big Gig. Photo credit Frank Miller

A special concert will take place in Salthill next weekend to raise funds for victims of the recent earthquake in Türkiye & Syria.

The Big Gig will feature Kíla, Mary Coughlan, Sharon Shannon, Liam O’Maonlai & friends, Tracy Bruen, Ultan Conlon, Susan O’Neill, Frances Black, Mundy & MC Hector.

The concert will take place in Leisureland, Salthill next Saturday, February 25.

After hearing Anne O’Rourke on RTE News speaking from a TIAFI Syrian refugee camp, singer Mary Coughlan decided she needed to do something and this is how The Big Gig came about.

“I’ve been talking to Anne every day since and it’s getting worse at the TIAFA camp. Everyone involved is giving their services for this concert for free. Please support it”

Team International Assistance for Integration or TIAFI ( in Turkish: Uluslararası Yardımlaşma ve Entegrasyon Derneği) is a registered charity working in Turkey.

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They act to empower the most vulnerable refugees, women and children, so that they can find the peace, security and respect they deserve.

Loads of raffle prizes to be won on the night.

Tickets, €40 from roisindubh.net and Ticketmaster.ie. For more on the charity TIAFI check out https://tiafi.org/.

Pedestrian killed in traffic collision on the N84

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February 19, 2023

Galway Daily news missing teen found safe

A man in his 30s has died after a collision involving a car and a pedestrian on the N84 in Galway this morning.

Shortly before 6:30am this morning, Gardaí were alerted to the collision at Carrowbrowne on the N84 Headford Road.

The pedestrian, a man in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision.

He has since been removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Galway (UHG) where a post-mortem examination will be arranged.

The driver of the car was taken to hospital for assessment only.

The road at the crash site remains closed for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Local diversions are currently in place on the N84.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to come forward.

Road users with camera footage (including dash cam) who were travelling in the area at the time are asked to make it available to investigating Gardaí.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Gaillimh Garda Station on 091 538000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

Gardaí at the scene of crash on the N84

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February 19, 2023

Gardaí and emergency services are at the scene of a road traffic collision on the N84 in Galway today.

The collision occurred at approximately 6:30am this morning.

The road is currently closed in the area of Ballindooley Cross, with local diversions in place.

No further information is available at this time.

New daily London service starting at Knock Airport

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February 19, 2023

Knock Airport will be running a new year-round, daily service to London Heathrow Airport with Aer Lingus from next month.

Starting on March 26, Aer Lingus will operate daily flights to London Heathrow, London’s biggest and most well connected and closest airport to central London.

This new service will provide a major boost for the airport and the region as it is the first time in the airports 37-year history that the airport will be connected to one of Europe’s major international airport hubs.

Joe Gilmore, Managing Director, Ireland West Airport said, “This is a major development for the West and Northwest regions as it opens up key onward connectivity, through one of Europe’s biggest hubs, to over 80 destinations worldwide.”

“The hub status of Heathrow for business and leisure passengers to connect with the global marketplace is a potential game changer for this region”.

He added that, “from a tourism perspective the service will deliver a significant increase in tourism visits from all corners of the globe.”

On top of the direct travel between Ireland and London, the new service will also see U.S services return to the west of Ireland, as passengers will be able to book flights from Knock to multiple American destinations via Heathrow.

The new route will replace the current Aer Lingus service to London Gatwick, which will cease operations on March 25.

Customers already booked on this route will be automatically rebooked on a same day flight.

Reid Moody Chief Strategy and Planning Officer at Aer Lingus said: “Our new route from Ireland West Airport to London Heathrow, accompanied with further network connectivity for our customers, is exciting for Aer Lingus and for the West of Ireland.”

“As well as direct connectivity to London Heathrow, there are significant onward connections now open to customers to North America and beyond.”

“The service will also drive inbound tourism at a time when interest in visiting the West of Ireland is very high, with the Oscar nominated Banshees of Inisherin showcasing the beauty of the West of Ireland to millions of people globally.”

Watch Cillian Murphy in the mesmerising Misterman at home

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February 19, 2023

Watch Cillian Murphy in the mesmerising Misterman at home

Watch Cillian Murphy’s electric turn on stage in the Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival production of Misterman, coming directly to people’s homes in March.

Misterman received huge critical and popular acclaim when it premiered at the Black Box Theatre as part of GIAF 2011.

The play marked Cillian Murphy’s return to the stage and he gave a tour-de-force performance in this dark, dangerous and blisteringly funny tale of one man and his judgement day.

The play, directed by the award winning Enda Walsh, collaborating with Cillian Murphy once again, went on tour after its runaway success in Galway.

It showcased at the National Theatre in London, as well as in St Ann’s Warehouse in New York. It was in London where the National Theatre at Home performance of this play was filmed.

Now audiences will have another chance to see Misterman when it is streamed on NT at Home from March 14.

Producers Anne Clarke of Landmark Productions and Paul Fahy of Galway International Arts Festival said, “Misterman was a special production for many reasons.”

“We will always remember the stunned silence at the end of the first preview in the Black Box Theatre in Galway, which was broken by a thunderous roar and the sound of an entire audience leaping to their feet as one.”

“The show signalled the start of a hugely significant relationship for both companies with the work of Enda Walsh, one of the greatest writers working today.”

“Since then, Landmark and GIAF have co-produced the world premieres of Walsh’s major plays Ballyturk, Arlington and Medicine,”

“We are thrilled that audiences around the world will now have the opportunity to see Cillian’s extraordinary performance in the show that started it all, thanks to NT at Home.”

National Theatre at Home is the flagship streaming platform of the National Theatre of Great Britain – making unmissable theatre available to watch anytime, anywhere.

Featuring over 60 plays and with more added every month, NT at Home offers a huge selection and variety of theatre available exclusively to stream or rent online.

All productions on NT at Home are available with captions, with some titles also available with audio-description or British Sign Language (BSL).

Membership starts from only £9.99 a month or an annual subscription for £99.99, at 12 months for the price of 10.

Lough Derg RNLI thank retiring volunteer for years of service

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February 19, 2023

Galway Daily news Lough Derg RNLI thank retiring volunteer for years of service

The Lough Derg RNLI gave their thanks to volunteer Catherine Gleeson, retiring after five years of service as Deputy Launching Authority.

Following their February monthly meeting, volunteers at Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat Station held a party for Catherine to mark her departure.

Catherine, a lawyer by profession, said that she was sad to be leaving. She said it had been a, “great honour to volunteer at the Station for the past five years”.

She said she was “in awe of the dedication of the crew” and has “enormous respect for your bravery out on a Shout”.

Catherine added that it was a, “unique privilege when on duty to monitor and log the radio communications between the crew, the Coast Guard and casualty vessels”.

Christine O’Malley, Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM) at Lough Derg RNLI said that both she and Catherine joined the lifeboat Operations Team at the same time.

Christine said she valued Catherine as a friend and fellow volunteer who offered sage advice as Christine took up the role of LOM at the station.

On behalf of the crew and Operations Team, helm Eleanor Hooker presented Catherine with the gift of an oil painting by Tipperary artist Áine Quinlan.

Eleanor thanked Catherine for all her hard work on behalf of the volunteers, her positivity and her brilliant sense of humour.

Galway consortium makes bid for EU Urban Innovation funding

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February 18, 2023

Galway Daily news Galway consortium makes bid for EU Urban Innovation funding

Galway City Council is leading a bid to secure EU funding from a €50 million pot to help revamp the old city centre.

A consortium of interests is making an application to the EU Urban Innovation Fund for a pilot project.

The goal of the project would be to reimagine the city centre by re-purposing existing buildings and under-utilised spaces to help address the vacancy problem in Galway.

Galway City Council has partnered in a consortium with the Atlantic Technological University, Galway Chamber of Commerce, Galway Culture Company, Northern & Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) and University of Galway to make this bid.

“Urban regeneration is complex but it is key to the sustainable development of Galway city,” says Dave Hickey, a former president of Galway Chamber, who chairs the team which put together the bid.

“A cornerstone of this project and the funding behind it will be ‘place-based participation’ – that is the involvement of the community throughout any urban redevelopment process.”

“If the community is not engaged and interacting with a project, it will not achieve its goals,” he added.

This is the first time such a wide-ranging partnership has come together to bid for EU funding aimed specifically at sustainable urban development in Galway.

CEO of Galway City Council, Brendan McGrath said that unlocking the potential of urban spaces is key to the sustainable growth of cities.

“Each of the partners brings different capabilities to the consortium which gives us a better chance of success in securing EU funding, in a highly competitive process.”

The NWRA has hitherto unused insights, he added, while the Culture Company places creativity at the heart of the project, and the two universities have experience in applying for EU funding.

Call for full report on cost of converting Martin Roundabout

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February 18, 2023

Galway Daily traffic Call for full report on cost of converting Martin Roundabout

A full financial breakdown should be provided of the money spent converting the Martin Roundabout to a signalised junction.

City Councillor Alan Cheevers requested a full financial report on the project, with a breakdown of its costs, at a recent meeting of the city council.

“At the end of the day this is taxpayers money,” Alan Cheevers said. “This construction project was supposed to be finished last August we are now six months over the end date.”

In a recent update, the city council said that it is now expected that the signalised junction will be completed by April.

The work will convert the existing Martin roundabout to a 4-arm traffic light controlled junction, along with other upgrades.

These will include the provision of cycle lanes, bus priority measures, footpaths and associated landscaping.

What was most concerning to Cllr Cheevers was the fact that the contract issued for the project contained no penalty clause.

“So, effectively, what we have done is given the contractor an open cheque book, which is concerning.”

Cllr Cheevers said that he believes the project will go over its original €5 million budget, and emphasised that this situation should not recur in any future contracts issued.

The financial report on the Martin Roundabout/Junction project is expected to be ready within two weeks.

Caitríona weaves a story of woe to earn sympathy in Ros na Rún

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February 18, 2023

Galway Daily television Caitríona weaves a story of woe to earn sympathy in Ros na Rún

Caitríona plays up the drama to get sympathy, Bobbi Lee plans to knock Crystal down a peg, and Tadhg gets a shock from Sonny in Ros na Rún.

Caitríona, desperate to get back into the house, pretends to all that she has slept in her car. In actual fact, she spent the night in a hotel.

But will this ruse work, and can she keep the story going or will Caitríona find herself without a roof over her head once again.

Bobbi Lee thinks Crystal is overstepping the mark and wanting to take her down a peg or two makes a phone call.

Tadhg is shocked when Sonny offers to sell him his land back. But is there a poisoned apple hidden in the bushel?

When Mack overreacts with Sonia and Sam, she start to question if she should continue her relationship with him.

And when Maeve fears for her mother’s safety, it’s Caitríona who has to find a way to alleviate her fears.

Catch up on the latest drama, intrigue, secrets and more that come busting out the seams of Ros na Rún at 7:30pm this Sunday on TG4.

Interfaith memorial service to support families experiencing grief

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February 18, 2023

galway daily news Galway University Hospitals holding Memorial Service

An interfaith memorial service will be held to support families experiencing grief on Thursday, 2 March at 7pm in the Ardilaun House Hotel in Galway City.

Hosted by Galway University Hospitals’ End of Life Care Committee, the annual service provides a spiritual space to support families in a supportive and empathetic environment.

It will also be an opportunity to meet other families and staff members who have shared the same journey.

Anne McKeown, End of Life Care Coordinator at GUH, explained that the theme for this year’s service is Le Chèile (together).

The service will be led by hospital staff who will share a selection of readings and reflections and songs.

“Galway University Hospitals cares for patients from a wide geographical area and we want to reach out and acknowledge the loss felt by all families and friends who have been bereaved,” said Anne McKeown.

“We hope that the bereaved will take some solace in knowing that their loved one has not been forgotten.”

For further information and to confirm attendance, contact Vivian Roche Fahy, Bereavement Liaison Officer on 091 544823 or 087 9684 271 or Anne McKeown, End of Life Care Coordinator on 091 893718 or 087 4418574.

Please confirm attendance as there is limited space in the venue.

Council refuses to extend planning for Galway City hotel

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February 18, 2023