Some 400 homes and businesses in the Tully area remain unable to drink their water after more than a month, as a Do Not Consume notice remains in place.

Uisce Eireann issued the prohibition for the Tully / Tullycross Public Water Supply on July 24 in response to elevated manganese levels on the network.

Uisce Eireann has said that ongoing operational and accredited monitoring indicate that the manganese values are starting to improve in the network.

However, these have not yet returned to compliant levels to allow the notice to be lifted.

Flushing and scouring of the network is currently continuing to help reduce the network manganese levels, and Uisce Éireann is regularly providing updates to the EPA and HSE.

The Do Not Consume Notice will only be lifted following a return to compliance for manganese levels and agreement with the HSE to lift the notice.

Uisce Éireann reminds customers that this is not a Boil Water Notice. Boiling the water is not a suitable measure to make the water safe to consume.

It is especially important that mains drinking water is not given to bottle fed infants.

Thomas Gibbons of Uisce Éireann has assured affected customers that all efforts are being made to lift the notice as soon as possible.

“Uisce Éireann understands the impact a Do Not Consume Notice has on the community and we can assure impacted customers that we are working to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Thomas.

Alternative Water Supplies remain in place and are being replenished daily at the following locations:

• Derryinver Bridge
• Tullycross Church
• Tullycross Community Hall
• Tully National School
• Rogan’s shop, Tully

The public water supply should not be used for: 

• Drinking
• Drinks made with water
• Food preparation, washing or cooking of food
• Brushing of teeth
• Making of ice
• Infant formula

The water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry and washing of utensils.

Croí Heart & Stroke Charity, is pleased to announce that the Connacht Hospitality Group, as part of their corporate social responsibility programme, will be kindly supporting the Croí Connects Helpline.

Croí Connects is a vital lifeline for people living with, or affected by, heart disease and stroke.

This free Croí service offers direct access to a specialist health team, including an experienced Cardiac Nurse Specialist, who provides confidential advice, guidance, and support.

Whether you need help understanding your diagnosis, advice on lifestyle changes, or reassurance during a challenging time, Croí Connects is here for you.

In addition to the telephone helpline, Croí Connects also hosts weekly online health chats, offering a welcoming space for people to learn more about heart and stroke health, ask questions, and connect with others.

These online sessions will resume on Tuesday, 2nd September, and are open to everyone with an interest in cardiovascular health.

“At Connacht Hospitality Group, we believe in supporting initiatives that make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Brian Lynch, Group Director of Finance at Connacht Hospitality Group.

“Our team is committed to giving back, and this partnership with Croí is a meaningful way for us to contribute to the health and wellbeing of those around us.”

The support from Connacht Hospitality Group will help ensure that Croí Connects remains accessible to those who need it most, continuing to make a difference in communities across the region and beyond.

Croí Connects is available weekdays from 9 am – 5:30 pm on 091 544310 or by email at healthteam@croi.ie

Lotto excitement is sweeping the nation this morning after one online player matched all six numbers and the bonus in last night’s draw.

The lucky player has won an astonishing €17,008,295. This jaw dropping win now ranks as the third largest Lotto jackpot ever won in Ireland!

Since the Lotto game launched in 1988, only two jackpots more than €17 million have ever been won, which means last night’s Lotto jackpot winner has become Ireland’s third largest jackpot winner in the history of the game, winning an incredible €17,008,295.

The online winner also becomes the 7th jackpot winner of 2025, joining a winning line up from Louth, Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Kilkenny, and Waterford.

And that’s not all, this win also crowns them the 17th National Lottery millionaire of the year!

The winning numbers from Wednesday’s (27th August) Lotto draw were: 2, 6, 20, 22, 26, 39 and the Bonus was 5.

The National Lottery will confirm the county where the winning online ticket was purchased tomorrow, Friday, August 29.

The National Lottery has confirmed that a notification and an email has been sent to the online player.

The winner is advised to make contact with the National Lottery prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie to arrange the collection of your prize.

Darragh O’Dwyer, National Lottery spokesperson, said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that the third largest Lotto jackpot ever, an incredible €17,008,295, has been won by an online player.”

“This marks the 7th Lotto jackpot win of 2025, following a roll that began after a €4,038,682 win in Tramore, Co. Waterford back in April.”

“And with this win, we now celebrate our 17th National Lottery millionaire of the year! As well as our jackpot winner, in total over 93,000 players won prizes in the Lotto and Lotto plus draws.”

Gardaí have seized over €165,000 cannabis and cocaine and arrested a man following searches in Galway and Westmeath yesterday evening.

As part of a joint operation between Galway and Westmeath Drugs Units, Gardaí stopped a van on the Old Ballybane Road in Galway city at approximately 7:00pm on Wednesday.

Gardaí conducted a search of the vehicle and discovered approximately €35,000 suspected cocaine.

The driver, a male in his 40s, was arrested and is currently detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Garda station in the North Western Region.

Simultaneously, a search warrant was executed at a residence in Athlone, Co. Westmeath.

During the search, Gardaí found approximately €80,000 cannabis herb, €11,400 cannabis resin and a further €40,000 cocaine.

A hydraulic press and other drug paraphernalia were also seized. The drugs seized will be forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland for full analysis.

With university offers pouring in, Gardaí are cautioning young people to be wary of accommodation fraud, which is on the increase this year.

So far in the first six months of 2025, reports of accommodation fraud are up by 22%, with approximately 160 cases recorded by An Garda Síochána.

Reported losses from this fraud total €385,000, compared with €617,000 for the full year of 2024.

2024 records show that approximately one third of all accommodation fraud reports occur during August and September each year.

The return to college timeframe, between August and October, always sees a spike in accommodation fraud reports.

Approximately a third of victims of accommodation fraud are under 25, and 66% of victims are under 33 years. Of those victims, 54% are male and 46% are female.

Gardaí are advising people to be wary of rental scams, particularly at this time of year when students are returning to college.

Rental fraud occurs when a victim pays money to rent accommodation (typically in the form of a deposit) and subsequently discovers that the transaction was fraudulent.

Examples of rental fraud include:

• The fraudster claims to be out of the country and cannot show the renter the property unless they pay a deposit. The victim pays the deposit and is at the loss of the deposit.
• The fraudster is living in the property and shows a number of people the property, gets a deposit from several people and then disappears with the money.
• The transaction appears normal until the renter finds that the property doesn’t exist, is already occupied, or the keys do not work, and the landlord has disappeared.

Reservation fraud occurs when a person pays for a hotel/guesthouse room and subsequently discovers that the transaction was fraudulent. For example, the property doesn’t exist, or staff at the property have no record of the booking.

The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) advises that there are a number of red flags/warning signs:

• If the rent seems too good to be true, then it probably is. There’s no such thing as cheap accommodation, especially in urban areas.
• It’s only advertised through social media or the person letting the location will only communicate via Messenger or WhatsApp. You should push for direct answers and if responses are vague, disengage immediately.
• Where your knowledge of it came from an unsolicited contact / social media feed / pop-up advert, or where the contact appears to be based in other jurisdictions.
• There is a sense of urgency, like “a one-time offer”.
• The listing contains grammar or spelling mistakes, and/or there are very limited details or pictures of the property.
• The landlord is unable to meet up to show you the property in person.
• When communication is only through text / WhatsApp or other social media platforms.
• When the property is offered with no questions asked, and payment is demanded immediately before signing the lease.
• When you are asked to pay cash, cryptocurrency or money via a non-bank transfer (such as a wire transfer).
• Where the bank account you are asked to send the money to is in a different country.

University of Galway has issued offers to more than 3,800 new students for the 2025/26 academic year.

With a record level of applications to the CAO in 2025, University of Galway is offering 3,871 places to first year undergraduate students.

Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said, “Each and every student who completed their school years this year deserves a very warm welcome, and the best of good wishes, for the next step on their journey – Comhghairdeas to the Leaving Cert class of 2025.”

“These students will no doubt recall the challenges of their school years, from the pandemic, to the state exams, to the questions posed by grade inflation.”

“What they should always remember is the tremendous amount they have achieved already, and that they are now set on a path towards further development and achievement, and the opening up of exciting new horizons.”

“Our admissions team at the University of Galway is once again doing stellar work to facilitate such huge numbers of students, and we look forward to offering them the very best in education and an unrivalled student experience at the University.”

Some two-thirds of undergraduate courses at University of Galway for the 2025/26 academic year have seen their points requirements increase.

All major subject areas experienced this trend, with the largest jumps evident in flagship omnibus programmes in Arts, Science and Business – BA Joint Honours up 50 points; Bachelor of Science up 40; Bachelor of Commerce up 24 points – pointing to increased popularity in flexible programmes that offer opportunities to specialise later.

As expected, Medicine is random allocation (728 points).

Pharmacy (MPharm), a new 5 year undergrad course at University of Galway, is also random allocation (601 points), with 40 places on offer.

The course will expand to offer 75 places in September 2026, responding to the need for qualified pharmacists nationally and the demand for the career.

Reflecting the national trend in CAO applications for healthcare courses, many of University of Galway’s degrees in health and biosciences experienced strong growth – Biotechnology up 28 points; Biopharmaceutical Chemistry up 22; and a significant rise in points across all three nursing programmes.

All Engineering programmes are above 500 points, emphasising the significance of sectors such as medtech in the region and strong career opportunities for graduates.

Similar to the national trend of a 20% increase in CAO applications for Maths and Statistics courses, there has been an increase in the cut-off points for Mathematical Science up 32 points; Physics up 21 points; and Financial Mathematics and Economics up 36 points. These fields feed directly into high-demand careers in data analytics, AI and fintech.

Environmental Science has seen the cut-off points level up by 35 to more than 400 while Marine Science and Earth and Ocean Science are also above 400 points.

BComm (Accounting) rose by 21 points, reflecting the opportunities amidst a well-documented shortfall of professionals in finance and audit sectors. Commerce with Gaeilge was up 33 points.

Courses linked to societal impact also showed increased demand – BA Government (Politics, Economics and Law) is up 61 points; Human Rights up 55 points; BA (Child, Youth and Family, Policy and Practice) up 51 points and all Law programmes continuing to cut off well over 500 CAO points, including Law and Human Rights, up 14 points.

Galway RNLI is looking to fill a number of volunteer roles including new trainee lifeboat crew, additional Launch Authority positions and a new Lifeboat Operations Manager.

For the past 30 years the Galway RNLI crew has provided search and rescue cover on Galway Bay to the east of a line between Blackhead in County Clare and Spiddal, County Galway.

The station currently operates an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat which is 8.44m in length and has a top speed of 35 knots.

The roles that are currently being recruited will support the lifeboat station to continue the RNLI’s work as the charity that save lives at sea.

Amy O’Connor, RNLI Area Operations Manager, said, “Being part of the crew at the Galway station gives you the opportunity to make a difference in your local community, to save lives and be part of the larger RNLI family.”

“The lifeboat crew are all volunteers, headed up by the Lifeboat Operations Manager and Launch Authorities and supported by a Shore Crew team.”

“All lifeboat and shore crew follow the RNLI’s Operational Competence Framework and respond to pagers when there is a request to launch the lifeboats.”

The Operations Manager is in charge of providing leadership for the operations and shoreside team to ensure that everything is always ready to launch at a moment’s notice.

They are in charge of the day-to-day management of the lifeboat station, managing the volunteers, and liaising with all local emergency services.

“The ideal candidate will be a team player and a good communicator with leadership skills. While full training is provided for the role, having some RNLI knowledge along with IT literate skills is an advantage,” Amy said.

The Launch Authority is the person in charge of approving the launch of lifeboats in line with RNLI procedures.

The role also involves working with the operations team in maintaining station activities, requiring good communication skills.

Amy added, “We are also looking for new lifeboat crew to help us save lives at sea by crewing the lifeboat on service and exercise, under the command of the helm.”

“Lifeboat crew also make sure the lifeboat is ready to go on service and contribute to the overall upkeep of the station.”

“We provide all the necessary training. For new lifeboat crew, you don’t need a seagoing background. Only 1 in 10 lifeboat crew members has professional maritime experience – that’s where crew training comes in.”

“We plan training and exercises for trainees so they have a clearly laid out training pathway and knowledge, skills and experience are gained in a logical order.”

“Training exercises focus on teamwork, technical competence and safe operating procedures covering everything from boat-handling, search and rescue, and navigation, to radar training, radio communications and casualty care.”

These positions are best suited for people living or working within the Galway City area.

An international team of astronomers, co-led by researchers at University of Galway, has made the unexpected discovery of a new planet.

Detected at an early stage of formation around a young analog of our own Sun, the planet is estimated to be about 5 million years-old and most likely a gas giant of similar size to Jupiter.

The ground-breaking discovery was made using one of the world’s most advanced observatories – the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) in the Atacama Desert in Chile.

Dr Christian Ginski, lecturer at the School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway and second author of the study, said: “We used these really short snapshot observations of many young stars – only a few minutes per object – to determine if we could see a little dot of light next to them that is caused by a planet.”

“However, in the case of this star, we instead detected a completely unexpected and exceptionally beautiful multi-ringed dust disk.”

“When we saw this multi-ringed disk for the first time, we knew we had to try and see if we could detect a planet within it, so we quickly asked for follow-up observations.”

It is only the second time a confirmed planet has been detected at this early evolutionary stage around a young version of our Sun. The first one was discovered in 2018, by a research team also involving Dr Ginski.

WISPIT 2b is also the first unambiguous planet detection in a multi-ringed disk, making it the ideal laboratory to study planet-disk interaction and subsequent evolution.

The planet was captured in near infrared light – the type of view that someone would see when using night-vision goggles – as it is still glowing and hot after its initial formation phase.

The team at Leiden University and University of Galway captured a spectacular, clear image of the young proto-planet embedded in a disk gap. They also confirmed that the planet is orbiting its host star.

The planet was also detected in visible light by a team from the University of Arizona using a specially designed instrument. This detection at a specific wavelength or colour of light indicates that the planet is still actively accreting gas as it is forming its atmosphere.

WISPIT 2b was detected as part of a five-year observational research project during which the international team sought to establish whether wide orbit gas giant planets are more common around younger or older stars. This led to the unexpected discovery of the new planet.

Dust and gas rich disks around young stars are the birth cradles of planets. They can look quite spectacular with many different structures such as rings and spiral arms, which researchers believe are related to planets forming within them.

The disk around WISPIT 2b has a radius of 380 astronomical units – about 380 times the distance between Earth and the Sun.

Dr Ginski added, “Capturing an image of these forming planets has proven extremely challenging and it gives us a real chance to understand why the many thousands of older exoplanet systems out there look so diverse and so different from our own solar system.”

“I think many of our colleagues who study planet formation will take a close look at this system in the years to come.”

The study was led by an early career PhD student, Richelle van Capelleveen from Leiden University and co-led by a graduate student team at University of Galway.

Chloe Lawlor, PhD student in Physics with a specialisation in Astrophysics at University of Galway, said: “I feel incredibly fortunate to be involved in such an exciting and potentially career defining discovery.”

“WISPIT 2b, with its position within its birth disk, is a beautiful example of a planet that can be used to explore current planet formation models.”

Jake Byrne, MSc student in Physics with a specialisation in Astrophysics at University of Galway, said, “The planet is a remarkable discovery. I could hardly believe it was a real detection when Dr Ginski first showed me the image.”

“It’s a big one – that’s sure to spark discussion within the research community and advance our understanding of planet formation.”

Dan McLachlan, MSc student in Physics with a specialisation in Astrophysics at University of Galway, added, “In my experience so far working in astronomy, sometimes you can get so focused on a small task and you forget about the big picture, and when you zoom out and take in the magnitude of what you are working on it shocks you.”

“This was one such project, an exoplanet direct detection, and it was such a mind-blowing thing to be a part of.”

UHG is cancelling some elective procedures today amid extremely heavy overcrowding at the hospital’s emergency department.

On Monday, 304 people attended the Emergency Department, resulting in 59 admissions.

As of this morning, there are currently 26 patients in the Emergency Department and a further 12 patients on trolleys at ward level.

Additional surge beds have also been opened yesterday and will be in use again today.

The hospital is advising that patients who attend the ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times.

Due to these ongoing pressures and the lack of bed capacity, the hospital is postponing some elective procedures.

Urgent and time-sensitive procedures are being prioritised. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is being postponed.

UHG has said in a statement that all available beds in the hospital are currently in use, resulting in long waiting times for people to be admitted to a ward.

Efforts are being made to discharge patients home to free up bed space amid the overcrowding.

“The hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the Emergency Department; people who are seriously injured or ill are assessed and treated as a priority and those who do not require urgent care may be waiting longer.”

“We continue to request that people only attend the Emergency Department at the hospital if it is an emergency situation. We ask that people attend their GP or out of hours service in the first instance if possible.”

“The Roscommon Injury Unit is also open from 8am to 8pm daily, to treat a range of injuries in both adults and children over the age of five.”

Douglas Berg from Wisconsin, USA, but with Irish connections, is the owner of a magnificent 3-bedroom luxurious duplex apartment in Clifden after winning the hugely exciting Win a Home in Clifden fundraising draw.

The 59-year-old’s ticket was the first out of the drum at the big finale at the magnificent Clifden Station House Theatre on Thursday night.

“I just couldn’t believe it when I got the call. It’s a fantastic apartment in such a beautiful location. It’s always been a dream of mine to buy a property in Ireland,” said Douglas.

This new home is a return to Douglas’ family roots, as his great-great-great-grandfather was Robert Barry from Carna, his great-great-grandmother was Barbara Conneely from Lettermullan, and great-grandfather was William Barry from Inverin.

Douglas has been to Ireland numerous times over the years and is a regular visitor and friend of the Emigrants and Diaspora Centre in Carna, which is run by well known Galway journalist Máirtín Ó Catháin, a cousin of the winner who was in the audience for the big draw finale.

In just over four months, Connemara Chamber raised over €1.8 million which has proved to be one of the most successful fundraising draws ever to take place on this Island.

“I just want to thank everybody who supported us and bought tickets since we launched our campaign last April. The response locally, nationally and overseas has just been incredible,” said John Sweeney, Chairperson of Connemara Chamber and the Win A Home in Clifden project.

All proceeds from the draw are going towards the development of a state-of-the-art community and enterprise hub in the centre of Clifden, a project led by the Connemara Chamber.

The hub will provide vital professional resources and support to local businesses, fostering efficiency, productivity and innovation, and creating new opportunities for the entire community.

“I’d also like to thank our members and all the local businesses who helped us along the way. But a special word of thanks to the brilliant team who worked tirelessly on this draw in Terry O’Toole, Damien Joyce, Simon Ashe, Conall Joyce, Sadhbh O’Gorman, Bernie Collins, Nicole Bann, Michelle Price, Aidan Brady (Aidan Brady & Co. Ltd), Cormac Donoghue (JEL Marketing) and Paul Byrnes Media,” added John.

Tickets were bought in all 32 counties and in 40 countries around the world, including the UK, across Europe & Asia. Tickets were also sold in Australia and in all 50 American states.

The Hare’s Corner biodiversity initiative is marking its 5th anniversary by creating a projected 1,600 habitats for biodiversity in six counties this year.

The Hare’s Corner takes its name from the old farming expression for an awkward section of a field which wasn’t intensively farmed and was therefore left to nature.

This year, landowners in Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Meath, Offaly and Carlow are being supported in the creation of wildlife ponds, mini-woodlands, hedgerows, mini-orchards and plans for nature on their land through the initiative.

To mark the project’s fifth anniversary, The Hare’s Corner launched a dedicated website this week (www.theharescorner.ie) complete with practical tips, infographics and short videos aimed at helping people to create their own Hare’s Corners.

Examples of the practical tips on creating Hare’s Corners include ‘how to plant a native tree’, ‘how to create a pond for wildlife’, ‘how to create a dead hedge habitat’, ‘how to create a wildflower meadow’ and many more.

The project delivered 100 Hare’s Corners in Clare in its first year, 2021. This increased to 900 in four counties in 2024, and it is already well on the way to meeting its projection of 1,600 in six counties this year.

The delivery of the habitats has also become more economical with the expansion of the project, with an average price per habitat of €500 in 2021 projected to be halved to €250 this year.

The Hare’s Corner is coordinated by Burrenbeo Trust, a national non-profit organisation that supports people to take positive action for their local landscapes.

Its flagship programmes – ‘Farming for Nature’, ‘Heritage Keepers’ and ‘The Hare’s Corner’ – initiated in and inspired by the Burren are spreading across the country due to their proven efficacy and demand.

The Hare’s Corner project offers landowners practical support to carry out simple but impactful actions for nature in the form of materials (mixed species of common and rare native trees and heritage apple trees), micro-funding (towards machinery costs for pond digging), and professional services (such as input from a hydrologist or ecologist).

This year, Burrenbeo Trust has partnered with biodiversity officers in counties Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Meath, Offaly, Carlow and Galway city to deliver Hare’s Corners.

The initiative is being funded through a combination of public and private sector funding, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Local Biodiversity Action Fund and is an action of the National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023 – 2030.

Private funders include the Life’s2Good Foundation, SSE Generation Green Fund, NTR PLC, Greencoat Renewables PLC, ESB, 123.ie, and Aldi Stores Ltd.

The project plans to expand its reach in 2026 with the ambition of ultimately going nationwide and welcomes interest from private and public funders to help achieve this.

It is also interested in hearing from ecologists and hydrologists who have hands-on experience of working with people and nature and who would like to join The Hare’s Corner team as freelance advisors in their own counties.

Lee Worrell, The Hare’s Corner Coordinator, says, “We believe that by enabling thousands of small, tangible actions for nature we can have the collective impact that we need to turn the tide on biodiversity loss.”

“It has been heartening to see the demand out there for making space for nature, for taking the steps that have proven benefits not just for biodiversity but also for climate resilience and for the wellbeing of participants.”

“The Hare’s Corner has been oversubscribed each year, which clearly demonstrates the public appetite for becoming involved in biodiversity initiatives.”

“We would be delighted to welcome new sponsors interested in helping us to expand the reach of The Hare’s Corner next year.”

Sparkcatchers! is set to present Tiny Mutiny ‘25, a free family-friendly arts event showcasing the creative talents of young artists from across County Galway.

The event forms part of this year’s Clifden Arts Festival and celebrates the next generation of filmmakers, musicians, dancers, writers and animators.

Tiny Mutiny ‘25 highlights the achievements of teenagers recognised through the Tiny Mutiny Project Awards and First Sparks Bursaries.

The production provides a platform for young artists to shine, offering both stage and screen opportunities to present their work to the public.

The event features a stop motion animation by Dean Oates, live music from singer-songwriter Millie Ross, a reading by writer and illustrator Aiobhín-Lily Ralph, and a comedy film from Bog Standard Films, the creative team of Colm O’Neill, Conor O’Brien, Luca Newell and Connor Gurney.

Digital animator Michelle Jennings and contemporary dancer Amy Lazor will share works in progress developed through their First Sparks Bursaries.

The programme concludes with a panel discussion where the young artists and their mentors reflect on their creative journeys over the four-month Tiny Mutiny programme.

Now in its second year, Tiny Mutiny continues to nurture young talent across County Galway, offering mentorship from professional artists and helping participants to explore, develop and realise their creative ambitions.

The project is commissioned by Galway County Council Arts Office in partnership with Sparkcatchers! and supported by Galway County Council and The Arts Council.

Admission is free and this will all take place on Saturday, September 20 in The Town Hall, Clifden at 4pm.

Gardaí are appealing for information after six cars were stolen in a burglary near Ennis, Co. Clare on Friday.

Gardaí received a report of a burglary at a commercial premises in Darragh, Co. Clare that occurred in the early hours of Friday, August 22.

Six vehicles were reported as stolen. One of these vehicles has since been recovered and seized by Gardaí.

The remaining stolen vehicles are as follows:

• 2014 blue Audi S3 Saloon
• 2017 navy Mercedes CLA180
• 2015 black Volkswagen Golf
• 2014 white Volkswagen Golf
• 2018 white Toyota CHR

A technical examination of the scene has since been conducted by the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the area to contact them.

Any road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling on the N68 between 1:00am and 5:00am on Friday 22nd August 2025 are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

In addition, Gardaí are requesting members of the public to be vigilant for any vehicle matching those described above, which may be offered for sale, or which may be parked up in public carparks, housing estates, etc.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

Garavan’s Bar in Galway City was crowned one of the best in Ireland at the 2025 Irish Bar of the Year Awards this week.

Garavan’s, located on William Street in the city centre, took home City Bar of the Year at the awards, seeing off incredible competition from across the country.

“For us, this award is about much more than recognition at a national level; it’s a huge honour for our team, who work tirelessly to make Garavan’s a warm, welcoming space, and for the customers who have supported us for generations,” said Emma Dooley, Marketing Manager for Garavan’s.

“Since opening in 1937, Garavan’s has become known for its whiskey expertise, its hospitality, and its role in Galway’s cultural life, and this award really feels like a celebration of all of that.”

Galway also took home one Silver and four Bronze Medals at the awards at the Clayton Hotel on Monday night.

Blake’s Bar on Eglinton Street, Galway City, went home with the Silver in the Bar Food of the Year category.

Bronze medals went to Tigh Nora in Galway City for Gin Bar of the Year, Peggy’s Bar and Restaurant in Claregalway for Local Bar of the Year, An Púcán in Galway City for Tourist Bar of the Year, and Sonny Molloy’s in Galway City for Whiskey Bar of the Year.

Amid a stellar field of contenders, the most outstanding bars have been honoured for their remarkable impact on the hospitality scene.

These venues have redefined excellence in mixology, atmosphere, and guest service, leaving lasting impressions on all who visit.

“This year’s winners have not just excelled in mixology and service, but have done so while navigating an exceptionally challenging landscape,” said Jill Thornton, Senior Event Manager for the Irish Bar of the Year Awards.

The overall winner on the night was Bar 1661 in Dublin, which took home the Cocktail Bar of the Year, Innovative Bar of the Year, and the top prize of Bar of the Year.

It’s a big day for Galway students with 3,588 young people receiving their Leaving Cert results today.

Some students will be disappointed as grades this year have been deflated to bring them down from years of grade inflation as a result of the disruption from the COVID pandemic.

The State Examinations Commission has said that this post marking adjustment is meant to bring grades as a whole broadly midway between the 2020 and 2021 levels.

A total of 65,44 students across the country are receiving their examination results today.

Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee congratulated the students receiving their Leaving Cert results today, saying that it marks a “significant milestone” in their lives.

“It is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and commitment from you. I’d like to congratulate every one of you on your achievements.”

“This occasion can be one of emotion, reflection and of hope for the future. I hope you can enjoy the time and recognise all you have accomplished, the friendships and memories you have made and how you much you have brought to the life of your school community.”

“No matter what your results are, today is the beginning of a new journey. There are now more ways than ever to build a career and a life that suits you.”

“Whether you go on to further or higher education, an apprenticeship, work, or take other pathways, you will have so many opportunities.”

“What matters most is finding something you enjoy and care about. There are so many chances ahead to learn, grow, and make a difference. All my very best wishes for everything to come.”