Pet owners invited to enter free draw for €1,500 Petmania gift card!

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July 7, 2022

Galway Daily news Rural regeneration projects in Galway receive over €6 million

Single people living in the Galway countryside are being invited to apply to an exciting new television dating show.

Kite Entertainment – the creators of Gogglebox Ireland and Ireland’s Fittest Family – are looking for several single people of all ages and orientations across rural Ireland who would love to meet someone special but have struggled to find the right person in their area.

The show aims to help the hard-working men and women of rural Ireland, as well as those that are feeling like they are not part of a singles social scene, to find true love.

For people who have struggled to find the right person because their career keeps them tied to the countryside, the show could be the perfect solution.

The programme will turn what was once a disadvantage of living in the beautiful countryside into a major advantage, by matching rural singles with several city-dwellers hoping for a taste of rural life and helping them find the person they are most compatible with.

The show also wants to meet city dwellers who would love to escape to the countryside for a change of life.

Casting of the show is ongoing throughout the summer.

Details of the show are being kept tightly under wraps at the moment with the name as yet unannounced.

Those interested in finding out more or taking part in the brand new show can contact creators Kite Entertainment by emailing countrylove@kiteentertainment.com or calling 083 045 7652

Two stunning exhibitions open on Inis Oirr this weekend

By

Ciaran Tierney

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July 7, 2022

galway daily news old aran islands colorised photo

Two exhibitions with very strong connections to the three Aran Islands are set to open at Áras Éanna Ionad Ealaíne, the arts centre on Inis Oírr, this weekend.

On Friday evening, one of Ireland’s most famous expressionist artists, Mick Mulcahy, will unveil a retrospective of his work – and new paintings from a recent residency on Inis Oírr – in the Áras Éanna art gallery.

The following day (Saturday, July 9) sees the launch of ‘Old Aran in Colour’ in the courtyard outside the arts centre with a special afternoon event which will include a musical performance by Inis Oírr-based composer MacDara Ó Conaola.

Based on the success of the books ‘Old Ireland in Colour’, NUI Galway academics and co-authors John Breslin and Sarah-Anne Buckley are bringing 20 colourised old photos from the three Aran Islands to an outdoor setting on the smallest of the three islands until the end of September.

Mulcahy was the first artist ever to hold an exhibition in the building which now hosts the most westerly arts centre in Europe.

After spending a winter on Inis Oírr in the late 1980s, he was inspired to showcase his work in the disused weaving factory which now houses Áras Éanna.

Mulcahy’s latest exhibition, entitled Nowhere to Hide at Sea, runs until July 31. He is also celebrating his 70th birthday this year.

“Maybe without Mick Mulcahy, there would be no arts centre here on Inis Oírr,” says Dara McGee, Artistic Director of Áras Éanna.

“Over 25 years ago, Mick rented out this building, which was a disused weaving factory, and used it as a studio. Out of that came the idea to locate an arts centre here. Mick wandered back to Inis Oírr again last summer, coinciding with our 21st birthday.

“We struck up a great bond between the arts centre and Mick which resulted in Mick spending a month here on a residency in February of this year, preparing work for this exhibition and for a retrospective that is on in Dublin later next month.

“We are delighted to have Mick here. He is such a flamboyant, colourful character and that comes out in his art works.”

On Saturday afternoon, the launch of the ‘Old Aran in Colour’ exhibition will include a talk by Breslin and Buckley, with accompanying music by local composer Ó Conaola for the occasion. The exhibition is co-funded by the Árainn Fund at NUI Galway and Áras Éanna Ionad Ealaine.

“This has come about from a partnership we launched last year with the University in Galway. We are hopefully going to see lots of projects between the university and Áras Éanna,” says McGee.

“It’s fantastic for us, as a small little arts centre on a small island, that we have this partnership with NUI Galway. This is our first partnership project with the University bar the Curacha exhibition which we staged in the University last year, which was a fantastic success.”

The Michael Mulcahy exhibition opens at Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr, on Friday, July 8, at 8pm and runs until Sunday, July 31.

The Old Aran in Colour exhibition opens in the courtyard outside Áras Éanna on Saturday, July 9, and runs until Friday, September 30.

Galway city centre blaze brought under control

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July 7, 2022

290968365_1475120932921882_7649146814214770881_n — Photo: Iva Flieglova

A fire at the old AIB building at the bottom of Eyre Square this morning has been brought under control by the fire brigade.

Smoke filled the sky across the city as the fire raged after 10.30am today.

Several fire engines and Gardaí attended the scene and the fire was brought under control before midday.

Hardiman’s Galway on Twitter praised the fire brigade for controlling the blaze so promptly.

Incredible job by Fire & Rescue Galway controlling the huge blaze in the Eyre Square AIB Building so swifty. 🔥 Photo: Michelle Barrett #Galway #EyreSquare pic.twitter.com/Tu3DjLg7GF

— Hardiman’s Galway (@HardimansGalway) July 7, 2022

Galway students awarded Gaisce Gold Medal

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July 7, 2022

Eight students at NUI Galway were among a special group of inspirational young people presented with the Gaisce Gold Award by President Michael D. Higgins for their civic engagement and personal development.

The students, Catherine Mohan, Ciara McDaid, Erin Shimizu, Jason Sherlock, Kirsty Moran, Odhran Wheelan, Sinéad Reidy, and Orla Masterson, have volunteered hundreds of hours with a variety of non-profit organisations.

These including Ability West, SVP, Barretstown Childrens Camps, Tidy Towns and Childline, as well as undertaking student leadership roles working towards inclusion and diversity.

Gaisce – the President’s Award aims to foster and develop the potential of young people aged 14 to 25.

It allows them to explore their natural skills and gain confidence and wellbeing through participation in personal, physical and community challenges.

“Gaisce – The President’s Award is unique in the sense that it encourages young people to set their own personal development goals within a framework that allows them to achieve them and contribute to their communities in their own way,” said the CEO of Gaisce, Yvonne McKenna.

“Every single day I am inspired by the courage, the energy and the commitment of young people doing their Gaisce Award, and I am so thrilled we are getting to celebrate the breadth of their achievements, from tackling global challenges like biodiversity to local supports for neighbours in need, young people are consistently push themselves for others.”

Lorraine Tansey, NUI Galway’s President’s Award Leader, said that throughout the pandemic, students committed to undertaking the Gaisce award challenge in their communities volunteering and building their mental and physical health skills.

“We are inspired by the commitment students made and look forward to building on their leadership offering students continued civic learning opportunities with our university community partners,” she said.

Public invited to free tours in Connemara and Galway city next week

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July 7, 2022

galway daily news tour of marconi station in connemara

Free tours in Connemara and Galway city will take place next Tuesday, 12 July as part of the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF) Summer School.

A free public walking tour and workshop will be held at the Marconi Wireless Station near Clifden in Connemara, and a tour of the Irish Pavilion from the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale will also take place in Galway city.

The IAF Summer School is tying in with the Galway Arts Festival exhibition ‘Entanglement’, which represented Ireland in 2021 at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

‘Entanglement’ Exhibition Tour will take place on Tuesday from 11am to 12 midday at Fairgreen Gallery, Fairgreen Road in Galway city.

Architect and ANNEX curatorial team member Donal Lally will lead the exhibition tour at the venue.

The workshop and walking tour at the Marconi station will take place on the same day, from 2pm to 6pm.

The meeting point is the ‘Entanglement’ exhibition, Fairgreen Gallery, where a complimentary bus will depart at 2.00pm and arrive at 3.15pm at the Marconi Wireless Station.

Cultural producer and arts educator Frank Monahan will facilitate site-specific creative challenges at the Marconi Wireless Station, Connemara, while leading Irish field archaeologist Michael Gibbons will lead a walking tour of the location.

An on-site workshop will take place from 3.15pm – 4.30pm, with attendees arriving back at Fairgreen Gallery in the city for 6pm.

Curated by ANNEX collective – a group of artists, architects and urban researchers – ‘Entanglement’ addresses the environmental, cultural and human impact of data, and aims to reframe the way we understand data production while exploring its impact on everyday life.

The events taking place as part of the IAF Summer School at ‘Entanglement’ are free and open to everyone.

The Sumer School is concluding with an online seminar on Thursday, 21st July, 1pm to 2.30pm, featuring members of the ANNEX curatorial team.

For more information and to book, go to https://architecturefoundation.ie/news/iaf-summer-school-2022/

Prof Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh named new President of Universities Ireland Council

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July 7, 2022

President of NUI Galway Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh has been announced as the new President of Universities Ireland Council.

Universities Ireland was founded in 2003 by the nine university presidents on the island of Ireland to promote and develop cooperation between their institutions on a cross-border basis.

Professor Ó hÓgartaigh’s appointment was confirmed at a meeting of the council at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin yesterday.

He takes on the role at a crucial time for the people living in both jurisdictions in Ireland, with continued challenges and opportunities which have shared solutions across the island in areas such as health, housing and the environment.

Professor Ó hÓgartaigh said that co-operation is central to the future of universities and their continued potential to make a difference to society and our economy, for the public good.

“Creating communities of scholars and students contributes to a greater understanding of each other’s challenges and a greater impetus to grasp together the opportunities that face us all,” he said.

“As we navigate a set of relationships in transition, we recognise that the issues we face are increasingly complex, cross-disciplinary and inter-generational.

“Research and teaching – universities on the island of Ireland – have a particular role to play in helping us to navigate social and economic change. These are better addressed together than apart.”

He said that we are a small island on the edge of Europe – but that we are at the centre of things, between continents.

“Valuing each other’s traditions, we look forward to working together – thegither – le chéile – with all our stakeholders, North and South, East and West, in further strengthening the ties that bind us and the future that we shape and share together.”

Prof Ó hÓgartaigh takes on the role at a crucial time for the populations in both jurisdictions in Ireland, with continued challenges and opportunities which have shared solutions on the island of Ireland in areas such as health, housing and the environment.

New local authority finances website launched by Galway researchers

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July 7, 2022

Galway daily news Lease approved for modular homes for Ukrainian refugees in Ballinasloe

Researchers from the Whitaker Institute at NUI Galway have launched the 2022 edition of the local authority finances website this week.

Compiled by economics lecturers Dr Gerard Turley and Stephen McNena, the 2022 local authority budgeted income and expenditure data are available on the online platform localauthorityfinances.com.

Aimed at improving the transparency and accountability of local authorities, visitors to the interactive website can discover the different sources of local council funding, from commercial rates, residential property tax, charges and fees, and central government grants.

Users can also see the services provided by the 31 local authorities, including, for example, spending on social housing, local and regional roads, fire and library services, and public parks and amenities.

They can then view the income and spending of their own local council, or they can compare to other local councils.

“Local authorities plan to spend over €6 billion in 2022. To date, this is the largest day-to-day spending by the local government sector in Ireland,” said Dr Gerard Turley.

“During the years of the Covid-19 pandemic, higher levels of council spending have been supported by central government grants, in the form of increased specific-purpose transfers but also compensation payments for loss of income from rates and charges adversely affected by government restrictions.

“The website allows citizens to see how this six billion euro of taxpayers’ money is spent locally.”

He said that a goal of any university is to contribute to place and to wider society.

“As NUI Galway’s mission is for the public good, this project is aimed at promoting more informed public policy choices and decisions, by making local authority budgets easier for voters and citizens to access and understand.”

Some of the highlights from the 2022 data include Dublin City Council’s revenue budget exceeding €1.1 billion, and expenditure per person varying from €794 for Kildare County Council to €2,038 for Dublin City Council.

To find out more about your local authority’s budget for 2022, visit localauthorityfinances.com.

Met Éireann’s blight warning extended until Friday night

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July 7, 2022

Galway Daily news blight warning for galway

Met Éireann’s status yellow warning for blight has been extended until this weekend, with crop growers being warned that weather conditions which could lead to the spread of the disease will last until Friday night.

The forecasters say that conditions conductive to potato blight will develop at times over the next two days, especially in coastal areas.

Met Éireann says that there will be opportunities for spraying on Thursday.

The warning for blight was first issued last weekend, with the latest update issued on Wednesday afternoon.

This status yellow warning will expire at 11.30pm on Friday night, 8 July.

As well as Galway, Met Éireann says that Donegal, Clare, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo are also at risk.

First wheelchair swing installed in Galway city

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July 6, 2022

galway daily news wheelchair swing in galway city

The first wheelchair swing in Galway city has been installed at Claude Toft Playground in Salthill.

Wheelchair swings allow for a wheelchair to roll onto a platform and the rider uses a bar to create the swinging motion.

Galway City Council says the swing is a step forward in inclusive play experiences, as it promotes social interaction for a inclusive experience by encouraging multiple children of all abilities to play together.

The council says that the swing is not segregated from the play space, and helps improves motor skills such as agility, balance, coordination, and upper body strength.

See the swing in action below

Carna Community Café presents €500 cheque to Conamara Athletics Club

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July 6, 2022

Galway daily news carna community cafe volunteers giving cheque to conamara athletics club members — Pictured at the cafe on Saturday accepting the donation are Conamara Athletics Club members Pauline Uí Mhurchú, Kate Énya Ní Cheallacháin, and Lilí Ní Mhaoilchiaráin with Caife Pobail Carna volunteers Mairín Ní Churraoin, Tom Lane, Máire Ní Domhnaill, Michele Dunckel, and Kate Mulkerrins.

Volunteers at the Caife Pobail Carna have handed over a cheque for €500 to Conamara Athletics Club last weekend, with the donation drawn from proceeds of their weekly Saturday morning café.

The latest donation brings the total raised and distributed to good causes by the café to €3,000 in just three months, with an additional €500 gifted to the Galway Hospice and €2,000 to the Red Cross.

Carna Community Café volunteer Siobhán Kennedy said that they are over the moon with how the café has been going.

“When we started it was really just because we wanted somewhere affordable for people in the village and surrounding area to socialise, but the fundraising has really been an added bonus,” she said.

“We’re particularly delighted this month to be donating to the local Conamara Athletics Club who are based in Carna – we are continuously bowled over by the generosity of this small but close-knit community.”

Collecting the cheque, Pauline Uí Mhurchú from the Conamara Athletics Club said: “As a club, we are so pleased with this support from the community café which we’ll put towards new equipment for club members who have additional needs, helping make sure everyone in the community can participate.

“We always love coming to the café after training on Saturday mornings and it’s great to see some of the money raised going back into the local community.”

Hosted at the Carna Bay Hotel, Caife Pobail Carna (Carna Community Cafe) is open to all and held every Saturday morning from 10am to 12.30pm.

Run by volunteer bakers and servers, every item – from cakes to quiche and cups of tea – is just €1.

Call for measures to tackle growing Covid numbers in hospitals

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July 6, 2022

Galway Daily news Cancer survival rates significantly higher in centralised unit in Galway

Nurses and midwives have called for new public health measures in Irish hospitals to tackle the sharp increase in Covid patients over the past month.

The INMO has said that between the end of May and this week, Covid hospitalisations increase from 198 to 885 – an increase of 347%.

University Hospital Galway has the third highest number of confirmed cases in the State, with 59, just behind University Hospital Limerick and Letterkenny University Hospital.

Yesterday, the INMO Executive called on the Government and HSE to introduce additional measures to alleviate the pressure on the health system.

These measures include the reintroduction of immediate Covid screening upon arrival of patients to EDs, strengthening advice around mask wearing, a second booster for healthcare workers and improved ventilation in healthcare settings.

INMO President, Karen McGowan, said that the pressure that all nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers are under at the moment is unsustainable.

She said that the rate at which we are seeing infections rise in hospitals is extremely worrying.

“As an INMO Executive, we know anecdotally that Covid is seriously impacting our rosters,” she said.

“But as the HSE no longer publish the levels of healthcare workers infected with COVID by profession this makes it impossible to know the exact scale of the problem.”

Ms McGowan said that they cannot adequately plan for what COVID might look like in hospitals during winter if they don’t know the scale of the problem now, during an abnormally busy time.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, added that nurses and midwives have an unsafe work environment in at the moment which is having implications for patient safety.

“Since the removal of the requirement to wear masks, we have seen over 39,861 people on trolleys in our hospitals while COVID cases are on the rise once again,” she said.

“While we understand that legislation is currently being prepared to legally underpin advice on mask-wearing, we cannot wait for the Oireachtas to pass legislation in the autumn.

“Unfortunately, COVID does not pay heed to the legislative agenda. Mask wearing in indoor and congregated settings must be introduced alongside a strong public health campaign.”

Phil Ní Sheaghdha said that it is ‘unfathomable’ to nurses that as COVID hospitalisations are increasing, immediate screening upon arrival to EDs has ceased.

Without screening upon arrival, we do not know the true scale of cases within our hospital system,” she said.

“All 29 emergency departments that nurses are currently working in are completely unsafe and overcrowded environment and not knowing the scale of COVID in our EDs is only making the situation worse. Screening upon arrival must be reintroduced for those presenting to EDs and same day admissions for elective care.”

Will Poulter returns to Galway Film Fleadh for Irish premiere of new heist film

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July 6, 2022

galway daily news will poulter in galway for new heist film the score

BAFTA-winning British actor Will Poulter is returning to the Galway Film Fleadh this year for the Irish premiere of his upcoming film The Score, directed by Malachi Smyth.

The musical heist film premieres this Saturday at 9pm in Pálás Cinema and the screening will be followed by a Q&A with Will Poulter and director Malachi Smyth.

The Score follows two small-time crooks, Mike (Johnny Flynn) and Troy (Will Poulter), who are on a mission to ‘score’ – which they believe will transform their circumstances.

At a roadside café, as they wait for the handover, Troy falls in love with the waitress, Gloria (Naomi Ackie), and begins to question his life choices while the threat of real danger is driving to meet them.

The Score combines real time heist-thriller suspense with offbeat romance and a killer soundtrack.

Poulter is no stranger to Galway – the actor first came during the 2014 Film Fleadh for the World Premiere of Glassland, in which he starred alongside Irish actor Jack Reynor.

Poulter stars in the Disney+ series Dopesick and the upcoming Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., and also starred in the acclaimed short film Bainne which took home the prize for Best Debut Fiction Short in 2019.

Poulter first gained recognition for his role in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010).

He received further praise for his starring role in the comedy film We’re the Millers (2013), for which he won the BAFTA Rising Star Award.

Poulter’s other film credits include the science fiction film The Maze Runner (2014), the period epic film The Revenant (2015), the interactive science fiction film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018), and the folk horror film Midsommar (2019).

The 34th Galway Film Fleadh takes place from 5th – 10th July in the Town Hall Theatre and Pálás Cinema, Galway.

Approval sought for Moycullen apartments & offices

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July 6, 2022

Galway Daily news Approval sought for Moycullen apartments & offices

Planning permission is being sought for a mixed-use development of 23 apartments and co-working offices in Moycullen.

Limekin construction is seeking approval to demolish two buildings at Cill Ráine, Moycullen, on the north west outskirts of the village along the Clifden Road.

One of the buildings to be demolished is a vacant bungalow, while the other is a commercial shed with forecourt, which has been out of use for some time.

In its place the developer intends to construct a three storey building over basement car parking.

This will include two co-working offices, along with 5 one-bedroom apartments, 15 two-bedroom apartments, and 3 three-bedroom units.

Landscaped communal open space will be located to the rear of the property, which will be served by a total of 35 car parking spaces and 50 bicycle spaces, in the basement and on the surface.

Planning permission had previously been granted by the county council for a mixed-used commercial, office, and residential development on this site, which has since expired.

Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this planning application by August of this year.

Budding writers compete in Film Fleadh pitching competition

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July 6, 2022

Galway Daily film Film Fleadh pitching competion

Ten finalists have been chosen for the Galway Film Fleadh Pitching Competition, giving writers a chance to get their foot in the door.

The annual competition asks writers to deliver a 90 second ‘Elevator Pitch’ of their idea to an audience, and a panel of industry judges.

The winner will receive a cash prize of €3,000. But perhaps the biggest benefit, for all of the finalists, will be the chance to showcase their ideas to a room of industry professionals.

Previous participants have cited: opening the door to producers, having their project optioned by producers, being invited on mentorships to hone their craft, bolstering their confidence, and providing the first opportunity for them to win over an audience.

2021’s winner Giles Brody said: “Winning was surreal…. I used some of the winnings to pay for a script editor which has been invaluable.”

“The Fleadh folks have been really helpful and encouraging, checking in on my progress and connecting me with the industry.”

“I’ve had some encouraging conversations with producers and agents. Everything is still in the early stages but the goal is to keep the momentum up and eventually debut the film at the Fleadh”

The Pitching Competition will take place on the closing day of the Film Fleadh, returning to a live audience this year, and the winner will be announced at the Festival’s awards ceremony.

The ten finalists are:

Jason Branagan for his horror film Crooked
Maeve Keane for her coming-of- age drama Emer
Brendan Boland for his heist romance Falling In Love Again
Conor Dowling for his drama The Family Band
Maureen O’Connell for her drama Haven
Megan Elle Day’s dramedy Late for the Sky
Eannai O Sullivan for her drama My Big Day Out
Nick Kelly for his drama The Sea Lion
Sean Mullan for his drama The Siege Of Tory Island
Ruth Earley for her psychological drama Wild Atlantic.

The Pitching Competition will take place on the July 10 in the Galmont Hotel at 12pm. This is a free event, but pre-registration is advised.

City council invites applications to lease allotments

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July 6, 2022

Galway City Council is inviting applications from people interested in leasing allotments over the next three years.

The City Council runs two sets of allotments at Merlin Woods and Shantalla, giving city residents a place to grow their own fruit, vegetables, or flower gardens.

The council is now inviting applications frok who wish to be considered for any vacant plots that may arise in these two sites, or any new developed sites, from 2022-2024.

Application forms can be found online, or are available from city hall in person, or by calling 091 536400, or emailing parks@galwaycity.ie.

People can only apply for a single location, on the east or west side of the city.

The closing date for applications is 4pm on Friday, July 22.

If there are more applications than available allotment plots, then a draw will take place for who receives one, and to place people on a waiting list.

More details about the scheme, and the full terms of compliance for those who lease allotments from the city council, can be downloaded from the council website.

Surge in COVID-19 cases at UHG in recent weeks

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July 6, 2022

galway daily news Just one COVID patient in the ICU at University Hospital Galway

University Hospital Galway has been dealing with a surge of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, leaving it one of the worst affected in the country.

But despite the surge in cases in recent weeks, the number of seriously ill patients in the ICU remains very low in Galway.

There were 59 confirmed cases at UHG as of Tuesday evening, with 18 new cases having been admitted in the past 24 hours.

This is a threefold increase in the number of COVID patients at the city hospital in the past three weeks.

UHG is currently dealing with the third highest number of cases in the country, but this is still down from a peak of 72 cases on June 30, when it was the worst affected hospital in Ireland.

At Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe there are nine confirmed cases, down from 13 in late June, but broadly steady in recent days.

However, despite the cases numbers, there is currently tow COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit at Portiuncula Hospital, and just one at UHG.

Nationwide there were 856 people hospitalised with COVID-19 as of Tuesday night, with 30 in the ICU.

SIPTU Community workers in Galway protesting today

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July 6, 2022

Galway Daily news Workers to ballot on industrial action in Clifden Hospital

Community sector workers in Galway are engaging in a one day strike today in response to a pay dispute in Galway.

SIPTU members in the community sector in Galway and multiple other counties, are striking to seek their first pay rise in 14 years.

This follows on from a strike by employees of the Irish Wheelchair Association on Tuesday, where they picketed in Galway, Clare, and Kerry.

SIPTU Organiser, Clem Shevlin highlighted the case of Galway Rape Crisis Centre, which suffered wage cuts in line with other Section 39 organisations in 2008, but was later placed under the remit of Tusla.

This changed the legislation its funding was governed under, meaning it was no longer considered part of the Section 39 category.

“This change in funding stream did not change the workers’ roles but did mean they did not receive pay restoration in line with their colleagues in Section 39 organisations in recent years,” Clem Shevlin said.

“SIPTU representatives have raised this anomaly with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, and other politicians but there has been no action to resolve the issue.”

He added that, “Our members in the GRCC provide vital services to vulnerable people in crisis.”

“They are completely committed to their work and clients but feel they have no option other taking a stand to highlight the injustice of the manner in which their claim for pay restoration has been handled.”

SIPTU says that successive government’s have failed to properly fund community organisations.

SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser Adrian Kane said, “This has resulted in our members being left way behind in terms of pay and conditions because of a break down in a previous link between their terms of employment with those of workers in the public sector.”

“This is despite many of these workers carrying out roles which are directly comparable to those of public servants and vital to their local communities.”

The union is seeking the establishment of a collective bargaining forum for workers in the community organisation sector.

NUI Galway and Galway International Arts Festival shortlisted for national award

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July 5, 2022

Galway Daily arts NUIG and Galway Arts Festival launch new Creative Arts programme

The longstanding partnership between NUI Galway and Galway International Arts Festival has been shortlisted for the Business to Arts Awards 2022.

The shortlist announced this morning sees them as one of four nominated for the Best Long-Term Partnership category.

The partners have collaborated on the creation and delivery of postgraduate courses in Creative Arts Management and the SELECTED internship programme, which educate the next generation of arts professionals.

The partnership also covers GIAF’s very successful volunteer programme, which, with a recruitment of 1,000 volunteers in a ‘normal’ year, is integral to the delivery of the festival.

CEO of the Arts Festival John Crumlish said, “We are delighted to be shortlisted for the award and have the partnership recognised in this way.”

“The relationship with NUI Galway is a very valuable one, which has grown significantly in recent years.”

“It plays a role in the development of the next generation of artists and arts producers while also facilitating the development of a best practice volunteer programme.”

“It provides a very valuable resource for GIAF and also helps inform our thinking as to what a festival can be.”

The partnership between the festival and university has also helped increase the cultural output of NUI Galway.

There have been an increasing number of productions presented on campus during the GIAF, and NUI Galway has been associated with award-winning productions, bringing an average of 80,000 visitors to campus each year.

NUI Galway Vice-Dean for Engagement, Patrick Lonergan said, “At a time when NUI Galway is focussing on the links between the arts, business, and our communities, our relationship with Galway International Arts Festival is ever more important.”

“Being shortlisted for a Business to Arts award is a huge honour – and a huge boost to our joint efforts to transform the cultural landscape of Galway, the west of Ireland, and the nation.”

NUI Galway also plays a key role in the long term history of Galway International Arts Festival, by holding the GIAF archives for posterity.

The partners are also collaborating to create oral histories of the festival, kicking off earlier this year with a podcast on the making and staging of GIAF’s major artwork Mirror Pavilion during the global COVID pandemic.

Galway International Arts Festival 2022 kicks off next Monday, July 11, taking over the streets of Galway once again as it returns to full scale.

Planning enforcement “virtually non-existent” due to underfunding of council

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July 5, 2022