Enjoying a night of great music, fun, and prizes, with Musical Bingo at An Púcán next week. Like normal Bingo only better!
Taking place next Wednesday, October 12 at the beloved Galway City bar, you’ll be treated to a night of craic and the chance to win a host of prizes, starting off in style with a complimentary drink on arrival.
Kicking off at 9:30pm this is the first night of its kind in An Púcán but wont be the last from what we are hearing.
The concept is just so simple and fun! Music Bingo is a new type of bingo game that combines both. No more numbers – numbers are replaced with popular music clips.
The game is designed to entertain guests with a broad range of tastes. With a customised selection of songs that everyone will know – anyone can play and win!
An Pucan is the home of live music 7 nights a week so the Forster Street venue is the perfect location for this great night.
Entry is free so come on your own or bring a few friends to join in. The game generally lasts 90 minutes, so make sure to get in early to guarantee a seat.
An Pucan General Manager Conor Moloney is delighted to be hosting this fun event, and reassures that you don’t need to be a music expert to join in the entertainment on the evening.
For more information keep an eye on An Pucan social media.
With the year slowly coming to an end, winter is also just around the corner. As with every season, winter brings with it unique phenomena, experiences, opportunities and challenges. As this article from Princeton highlights, although there has been a general uptick in freak weather phenomena and erratic weather patterns throughout the globe, rainfall and sunlight seem to have been affected the most.
Doomsday Prep
Cold temperatures, combined with more hail, snow and reduced sunlight, cause frequent damage to crops and the breaking down of transportation infrastructure. Even in areas that have historically experienced harsh winters, it is likely that they might become harsher. And with the health crisis that is facing the world recently, it’s all the more imperative to take all important things into account. Being prepared for blackouts, power cuts and other emergencies is also necessary, which is why it’s unsurprising that an increasing number of people are resorting to doomsday prep with emergency kits.
For example, ExpressVPN’s tech kit guide offers all the information needed to assemble an emergency kit for important technology, documents, and the like. This is so that, in a hypothetical emergency situation, a person has all the important resources to hand so that they can deal with a situation effectively. From spare USBs with copies of identification documents like passports to spare batteries and chargers, this equipment is imperative for any tech-savvy individual in the digital era.
Having enough warm, loose clothing with good insulation before winter comes around is important. There are common health and hygiene issues that people often face in the winter. Apart from pneumonia, the common cold and flu, dry skin is another problem that people often have. Keeping your skin moisturised and avoiding hot baths is a good way to keep dry skin at bay.
If you live in an area where it snows a fair bit, it’s also essential to be careful while shovelling it. Shovelling snow is a physically intensive activity that can cause back injuries, fatigue, and dehydration. It is critical to take breaks in between. Dehydration is also something to keep in check; it’s a pressing issue in the winter and summer.
The season can also affect your work life. Early sunsets and the dark ambience can contribute to seasonal depression, which is something a lot of people struggle with. Commuting to work can be made difficult by sleet or snow on the roads, which should be taken into account. Getting snow chains might be a good investment, along with a jumper pack, cables, and a collapsible shovel.
It is also important to know the signs of cold stress and the safety precautions that can be taken to avoid it. There should be proper communication among members of an organisation about pressing workplace safety concerns. As Best Life outlines in their article, there are a lot of injuries due to falling on account of ice, sleet, and snow.
Keeping an emergency kit at home could also come in handy, especially if you live in an area where power cuts and being snowed in are regular occurrences. It could be helpful to have a few gallons of water, a small supply of canned food, tools like wrenches and pliers, and medicine for common ailments at your disposal in case it’s not possible to go outside or to reach a store or medical facility.
Winter also doesn’t need to be all doom and gloom, there are plenty of fun things to do too! If it snows where you live, making snowmen and snow angels are a classic way to pass time. Ice skating is another fun activity. It’s also the perfect time to bake cookies and make hot chocolate. Jigsaw puzzles and board games with friends and family are a delight. After all, it’s up to us whether we have a good time.
An Bord Pleanála has upheld planning permission for the construction of 22 houses in Oughterard.
The Bord rejected an appeal against Hyman Properties plans for a residential development at Cregg, Kilcummin Field, Oughterard.
The estate will comprise a mix of detached, semi-detached, and terraced houses, with home sizes ranging from two to four bed units.
The 0.69ha site is an undeveloped brownfield site. Access to the next estate will be via the existing Kilcummin Field estate access road.
Planning permission was granted by Galway County Council in April of 2021, with sixteen conditions attached.
The county county council received eleven objections to the project from local residents at this stage, with concerns about traffic, and the proposal to remove two unused tanks in the field.
The council’s decision was appealed by a resident of the neighboring estate, on grounds related to traffic, right of way, and flooding.
It claimed that the developer had not shown they have a right of way to gain access to the site, or to connect to water services.
The appeal also argued that this development would lead to increased traffic levels, posing a safety hazard to children, and that flooding occurs in the area.
Hyman Properties submitted legal documentation stating that when they purchased the land, the agreement included right of way for the access road and water services.
The developer also said that this is a modest project, which will not result in increased traffic, and that a Flood Risk Assessment was submitted to the county council after being requested.
An Bord Pleanála allowed the development to go ahead, with 18 revised conditions attached to the grant of planning permission.
Business driven tourism will contribute at least €7.6 million to the economy in Galway this year, extending the tourist season outside of the summer.
The Galway Convention Bureau, a non-profit that aims to sell Galway as a destination for international conferences and events, is looking for people throughout Galway to become its ambassadors.
An ambassador for Galway is a person who loves Galway and has membership of international professional, corporate and industry associations and also has the influence to bring an international conference home.
So far for 2022, there is a confirmed €7.6 million business for Galway in MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference, Events) led revenue.
“There are so many things that make Galway a unique and special MICE destination,” said Niamh Stack of Galway Convention Bureau. “Galway is a vibrant, thriving city with lots of different options to offer our Meetings and Events visitors.”
“Galway is a compact and walkable city, we have world class conference facilities along with a host of stunning venues to choose from.”
“We are a city of festivals, culture and arts and we are home to some of the World’s top Medical Device and ICT Companies. Our stunning scenery is the perfect backdrop for any conference or event.”
Fáilte Ireland says that business visitors can be worth up to three times as much as leisure tourist to the economy.
Galway City, Galway, delegates enjoying a city break. Failte Ireland, Business Tourism Project Galway.
One big coup over the summer for such business tourism was the 11th European Solid Mechanics Conference, which took place over 5 days in July.
This conference at University of Galway was attended by over 1,200 delegates, making it the largest international conference ever to take place on the campus.
Better for Galway, it’s estimated that the impact of that conference to the local area came to almost €2 million.
“This conference is a fantastic win for Galway and a massive boost for the economy in the city and across the county,” Niamh said
She added that Galway Convention Bureau will continue to work with Fáilte Ireland to attract more conferences and business events to Galway.
Paul Mockler, head of Commercial Development, Fáilte Ireland said “Each conference delegate is worth €1600 to the Irish economy, up to three times the value of a leisure visitor.”
He added, “By bringing international thought leaders to Ireland for their events, we demonstrate Ireland’s prowess in many fields while at the same time learning from global leaders.”
Many events and conferences also take place outside of the summer months, extending the tourist season in Galway.
Darragh O’Connor, Chairperson of Galway Convention Bureau said “Galway is not just a City on the Edge of the Atlantic but it is on the Cutting Edge of so much more.”
“High quality accommodation, event centres that can cater for up to 1000 delegates and hospitality like no other, Galway is at the forefront for Academic, Med tech and International Association based conferences.
Now that all of us are back in our workspaces, it is essential to get hold of the right resources which can automatically help you to work better.
Today we will be talking about one of the best aids that will make your presentation much more promising and appealing to the clients, and that is none other than the AV control system.
Very often, you will see that the presentations do not have any parity, and that is because of the poor-quality control system that does not work correctly.
Audio Visual Control System from Biamp Solutions Making Experiences Worthwhile:
The best that you can get in this case is from the house of Biamp Solutions, and these are the best in the market currently.
One of the most important reasons you need to invest in these particular audio-visual control systems is because of the experience it offers to not only you but also those sitting for the presentation. None of us likes to watch a lagging presentation, and a poor control system makes it worse.
When you get in touch with us at Biamp Solutions, we always try to make sure that we understand what you are looking for and then suggest the option that is going to be best suited for you.
There are many options for AV control systems, and we try to narrow down the search depending on your requirements. The most important thing about our control systems is that they are not only excellent in quality but at the same time affordable.
Conclusion
One of the most important reasons why the audio-visual control system is excellent for your office is because you will see that there are no lags at all.
The visual experience it creates will automatically have a lasting impact on the viewer. Since its inception, the primary focus of Biamp Solutions has been to ensure that we can get you some of the best AV control systems and enhance the experience of our client’s manifold.
Read more about AV control systems and incorporate the same for all your meetings moving forward.
All football fans are looking forward to November and December when the World Cup kicks off in Qatar. An unprecedented winter tournament means that many of the national squad will get some time off their day jobs. But unfortunately the Boys in Green will not be competing.
Ireland failed to qualify for the World Cup and missed out on a third consecutive major international tournament. In fact, Ireland have not featured on theVegas sportsbooks World Cup markets for 20 years now. But, as the world settles down to watch the best in the world challenge for the biggest prize in international football, Irish fans will be wondering whether they will get the chance to go to Euro 2024 in Germany.
Recent Results
Qualifying for Qatar from a group that included Serbia and Portugal was always going to be tough. But only winning two out of eight games didn’t help – and the early home defeat to Luxembourg was a sign of things to come. The final group games at the end of last year were a little more encouraging though.
The Nations League campaign didn’t go exactly to plan and Ireland, once again, finished third in the group to stay in the second tier. A nervy final day win over Armenia consolidated our position and left Ireland in pot 3 for the Euro 2024 qualifying group draw.
Qualifying Group
It could have gone worse is the main thought to take away from the draw. Ireland have been grouped with the Netherlands and France in a format where only the top two automatically qualify for the finals in Germany. There are playoff spots to go for as well – although some of those are already reserved for teams that did better in the recent Nations League campaign.
Ireland also have to play Greece and Gibraltar. The former European champions are experiencing a particularly low point in their footballing history, but surely cannot be dismissed. The two games against Gibraltar should be won but also come with huge potential banana skin warnings.
What Needs to Go Right
It seems like Ireland will need a miracle to finish in the top two and book a place in Germany without the need for the playoffs. Taking some points from the four games against the Netherlands and France will definitely be needed – and that is still probably the case if Stephen Kenny’s men want to have a chance of making the playoff rounds.
Any slip up at all cannot be allowed in the two games against Gibraltar and four points from the two games against Greece is also a minimum requirement. The other thing that needs to go in Ireland’s favour is for most of the teams already assured a playoff place to qualify automatically. Then those playoff berths get pushed down the queue.
Will Irish fans be celebrating next year?
Where it All Could Go Wrong
Ireland kicks off the qualifying campaign with a home game against France. The next international break then brings back-to-back games against Greece away and Gibraltar at home. Losing both of them would be a disaster – especially with an away trip to France coming up after the summer break.
Defeat to Gibraltar doesn’t seem likely but not many fans thought thatArmenia would put up much of a fight in the Nations League campaign either. Ireland play the Netherlands twice in the autumn and winter of 2023, so points will need to be on the board before then.
Will We See the Boys in Green in Germany?
Even the most optimistic Ireland fan will surely think that qualifying for Euro 2024 is a tough task. There has been some improvement on the pitch in the last 12 months, but the squad was coming from a fairly low place before that. Stephen Kenny will now need his younger players to come through over the next year.
Finishing above the Netherlands and France doesn’t seem likely, so the playoff route will be the way for Ireland. A lot needs to happen with other nations for that to happen at all, so even that is looking a bit of a long shot. Strong performances are needed – and maybe some of the Irish luck that everyone always seems to go on about.
Ireland’s newest marine research vessel, the RV Tom Crean, has been commissioned today by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue.
The ship, named for the famed Irish explorer, will be based in Galway for the use of the Marine Institute in Oranmore.
Kerry man Tom Crean is known for his part in three ground-breaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early years of the 20th Century.
Minister McConalogue speaking at the commissioning said, “I don’t need to remind anyone here today that Irelands oceans are vital to our economy, our environment, and many aspects of our daily lives.”
He added that the vessel will be used for “essential scientific work” such as assessing fisheries, and supporting offshore renewable energy, climate change research, and protected marine areas.
The new research vessel is a silent vessel, capable of operating throughout the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and will replace the RV Celtic Voyager, which was Ireland’s first purpose-built research vessel which arrived in 1997.
The ship makes much less underwater noise than traditional vessels, reducing the effect of noise on fish populations while surveying and sampling, so that a more accurate stock assessment can be made.
The RV Tom Crean will be at sea for 300 operational days each year – heading to sea for at least 21 days at a time.
It aims to accommodate up to 3,000 scientist days annually, and is designed to operate in the harsh sea conditions of the Atlantic.
Dr Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute said, “We are delighted to name our new research vessel after Tom Crean as it gives recognition to an Irish explorer of international renown whose life was packed with amazing feats of Antarctic bravery, determination and courage.”
He added that they were pleased that the descendants of Tom Crean supported the Marine Institute in this decision.
“Our new multi-purpose research vessel will enhance Ireland’s capacity to undertake international collaborative research to acquire the ocean data and knowledge essential to managing our vast marine resources.”
The vessel design incorporates the latest proven technologies to ensure that it operates as efficiently as possible, with reduced fuel consumption and minimising its environmental impact and carbon footprint.
COPE Galway is extremely concerned about the record level of homelessness, with far more people in emergency accommodation than last year.
The record 10,805 people in Ireland living in emergency accommodation in August simply confirms the deteriorating situation, COPE has said, as the local charity responds to climbing numbers of people homeless in Galway.
Nationally, the number living in emergency accommodation in August 2022 is up 32% year on year compared to the same month in 2021.
In the west region, it is up by 17% including a 25% increase in the number of children without a permanent home.
“August of 2022 was different to any other we have experienced at COPE Galway,” explained Martin O’Connor, Assistant CEO of the local charity.
“There is usually some easing of the numbers presenting newly homeless in the month of August in Galway but not this year, quite the opposite in fact.”
“An additional five families came into emergency accommodation in Galway while the trend of a growing number of single people requiring emergency accommodation continued to climb.”
Dealing with this homelessness crisis, and bringing more social housing into use, must be a priority for the government, COPE has said.
More and more families cannot afford rent, and are being evicted from their rental housing, while the Housing For All plan is not meeting its targets.
COPE Galway are also growing increasingly concerned about a shortage of emergency accommodation options to meet the increasing numbers presenting as homeless in Galway.
“We are working in close cooperation with both Galway local authorities to ensure that there is an adequate supply of available emergency accommodation but the situation is challenging,” said Mr O’Connor.
“Our own emergency accommodation facilities are continuously full and the private emergency accommodation providers who work with us, including local B&Bs and hotels, are similarly at capacity on a near continuous basis”.
Too many people are unable to leave emergency accommodation as there isn’t enough rental accommodation available, he said.
“Through all of this, people who are homeless, most especially children, are living through what is a very stressful and damaging life experience through no fault of their own,” said Mr O’Connor.
The winter is likely to be extremely challenging due to the cost of living crisis, and the government must take action to stem the flow of people becoming homeless, COPE said.
Javier Bardem excels as a corporate boss, who will tell you he’s your best friend just as he’s stabbing you in the back, in the ruthlessly funny corporate satire The Good Boss.
Galway Film Society, back this season after a hiatus, presents The Good Boss at the Pálás cinema this weekend.
Winner of six Goya Awards including Best Picture, Director, and Actor, The Good Boss screen for two night at the Pálás this Sunday at 8pm, and on Monday evening at 6:30pm, October 9-10.
Blanco (Bardem) initially appears to be a kindly, if bland, owner of a factory. ‘Don’t treat me like a boss’, he gestures to his employees.
But behind the genial façade lies a selfish profiteer. Blanco is all smiles for a visiting journalist and is intent on keeping morale up so he can win a government award.
But when he makes a long-serving employee redundant and takes advantage of his latest intern, cracks start to appear in the industrialist’s world.
Fernando León de Aranoa previously worked with Bardem on the Escobar biopic Loving Pablo and the gentle drama Mondays in the Sun.
With The Good Boss, they change gear dramatically, skillfully balancing humour with a merciless critique of greed.
Blanco is emblematic of a wider malaise in society, of corporate executives enjoying the riches of others’ labour and abusing their position of power. And Bardem revels in the split nature of his character.
He conveys Blanco’s blandness with a watchability only a bona fide film star can bring to such a role while detailing the character’s mendacity in the way he treats everyone around him.
Bardem has previously portrayed a Bond villain and other psychopaths to winning effect and, thanks to his performance, Blanco sits comfortably amongst them.
Five changes have been made to the Connacht squad for this weekend’s Munster interpro, with Jack Carty making his first appearance of the season.
Friday’s home game against Munster will be the first at the Sportsground since the new state-of-the-art synthetic surface has been put in.
Fly-half Carty has recovered from wrist surgery to take his place in the starting team, while Shamus Hurley-Langton will be on the starting lineup for the first time.
The three other changes made to lineup are Gavin Thornbury, Byron Ralston and Conor Fitzgerald returning to the starting XV.
Fitzgerald is handed the number #15 jersey while David Hawkshaw starts at inside-centre. Kieran Marmion, Mack Hansen and John Porch make up the rest of the backs.
The experienced front row of Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham is unchanged, while Oisín Dowling partners Thornbury in the second row. Flanker Conor Oliver and number 8 Jarrad Butler complete the starting XV.
The management team have opted for a 6:2 split on the bench with back rowers Josh Murphy and Paul Boyle both among the replacements.
Director of Rugby Andy Friend said, “We won’t hide from the fact our performances and results haven’t been good enough. We’ve been guilty of too many unforced errors, and at this level you’re going to be punished.”
“As is always the case against Munster, the team who brings the greater level of physicality, linked with superior discipline and minimal error count is that team that usually comes out on top, so those three things are a key focus for us this week.”
“With the new pitch and our friends, family and supporters behind us, we’ll be doing everything in our power to get that first win of the season.”
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY SQUAD VS MUNSTER RUGBY
Friday 7th October 2022, 19:35 @ The Sportsground
A 59 year old man who has pleaded guilty to stealing more than €215,000 from a grocery in Connemara will be sentenced early next year.
Terry Knight, of Dr Mannix Road, Salthill appeared before Judge Brian O’Callaghan at Galway Circuit Court.
He confirmed a signed plea of guilty to 16 sample charges of theft from Letterfrack Country Shop, on which he had been sent forward from the District Court.
The charges to which he pleaded guilty occurred between April of 2013, and October of 2019, for amounts ranging from €836, to €4,985.
The guilty plea was accepted on a full facts basis, and it was agreed that the total amount stolen by Knight comes to just over €215,000.
Judge O’Callaghan granted a request for a probation report, and adjourned the case for sentencing on January 12 of 2023.
A victim impact statement will also be presented for the Circuit Court on that date.
Knight was remanded on continuing bail, with the same conditions as have already been set out.
The city council’s decision to refuse planning permission for a leisure centre in Salthill is being appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
Clearwater Ventures Ltd sought approval from the city council to convert a former driving range in Salthill, south of the caravan park.
The new leisure and wellness centre was to include gym and yoga facilities, as well as a new café and retail space.
Other construction work would have involved enclosing the driving range bays with windows and doors, and building an external sauna and decking.
The city council refused planning permission, noting that RA land zoning is “primarily for outdoor recreation”, and that it hadn’t been shown that the development wouldn’t prejudice the establishment of a greenway or cycleway.
That decision has now been appealed to An Bord Pleanála, which is due to make a ruling on the case by February 10 of next year.
Clearwater Ventures had said that the plans were a vast improvement over the current state of the site.
The Boil Water Notice affecting around 350 premises in Eyrecourt has been lifted with immediate effect.
The notice was issued by Irish Water in February after low levels of chlorine and coliform bacteria were detected in part of the Ballinasloe Public Water Supply due to a section of old cast iron main.
This has now been replaced and those affected by the notice can resume normal use of the water supply for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth.
Speaking about the lifting of the notice, Dr Pat O’Sullivan, Irish Water’s Drinking Water Compliance Specialist, that Irish Water acknowledges and understands the impact this Boil Water Notice had on the community, and that they sincerely regret the inconvenience.
“Our drinking water compliance and operational experts worked hard to resolve this issue as quickly and as safely as possible,” he said.
“We are grateful to the media, elected representatives and members of the public who shared the information. We would also like to thank Galway County Council and HSE for their input and support throughout the process.”
A woman in her 80s has died after being seriously injured in a car crash in the west of Ireland late last month.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a now-fatal traffic collision that occurred at Liscosker, Kilkelly, Co. Mayo on Saturday, September 24.
The two car collision occurred at around 4pm that day, and resulted in one of the cars being overturned onto its roof.
Both drivers and five passengers were removed from the scene and taken to Mayo General Hospital.
One passenger, a woman in her 80s, was in serious condition, and she passed away this week on Tuesday, October 4.
All of the other injured people have since been discharged from hospital.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to this crash to come forward and make contact with them.
They are particularly appealing to motorists who may have stopped at the scene of the collision prior to the arrival of Gardaí and Emergency Services.
Gardaí are also asking motorists with any video footage (including dash cam) who were travelling on the N17 at Liscosker, Kilkelly on Saturday afternoon, to make contact with investigating Gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Swinford Garda Station on 094 925 2990, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
Steve Fenton, MHL Collection – representing the Glenlo Abbey and The Galmont Hotel & Spa; Natasha Johnston, Tourism Ireland; Evon Sachdeva, Ember Lifestyle, at TFest in Dubai.
The MHL Collection – representing the Glenlo Abbey and The Galmont Hotel & Spa – is joining Tourism Ireland in Dubai this week for TFest – a luxury travel festival which connects influential luxury travel buyers with luxury hotels and suppliers.
The four-day event involves ‘matchmaking’ meetings set up using AI (artificial intelligence), helping to ensure the delegates meet, and connect with, the most appropriate contacts.
It also involves networking opportunities with around 200 influential luxury travel buyers from Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Asia and is a valuable opportunity to meet, and do business with, influential buyers who design unique, luxury travel itineraries for their high net-worth international clients.
Louise Finnegan, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Business Partnership, said: “TFest is an excellent platform to showcase our superb luxury tourism offering – from our boutique hotels, castles, luxury resorts and spas, to our rich culture and heritage, and not forgetting our world-class golf.
“The format of one-to-one appointments provides a valuable opportunity for Tourism Ireland and our partners to meet, and network with, some of the most influential luxury travel professionals and buyers from all over the world – ensuring the island of Ireland is ‘top of mind’ for them in 2023 when recommending destinations to their clients.”
University of Galway professor Breda Smyth will be appointed as Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, Minister Stephen Donnelly has announced.
Professor Smyth has been interim Chief Medical Officer in the department since July and has extensive clinical experience.
She has specialised in public health for the past 16 years and was Professor for Public Health Medicine at University of Galway and Consultant in Public Health in HSE West.
Professor Smyth said that this is a very proud day for her as well as her family.
She said that she is delighted to accept this role and is looking forward to working with her colleagues in the Department of Health, and across our health and social care service.
“The Chief Medical Officer has a primary role in implementing cross-government initiatives like Healthy Ireland and Sláintecare and I am excited by the challenge ahead,” said Professor Smyth.
“I am keen to use my term as Chief Medical Officer to support greater engagement with marginalised groups in society and address inequities in health by supporting the department’s work in improving the affordability and quality of our health service.”
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said he was pleased to announce the selection of Professor Breda Smyth for appointment as CMO.
He said that her experience, excellent leadership ability and extensive public health skill set will be a valuable asset to the department.
“The pandemic has placed a renewed spotlight on the importance of public health in our health and social care services and I very much look forward to working with Breda as we build on this important work and continue to facilitate increased access to the health service, as well as the quality of that service.”
