A Street Feast for Galway’s westend

For most people, the garden is the perfect spot to retreat from the world, destress, and relax. According to research, being in nature or just looking at green spaces usually has a relaxation effect and a positive impact on mental health. This is why in this article, we have provided some simple tips to help you turn your garden into a calm and soothing sanctuary.

Keep your color schemes and layout simple

The simple layout and uncluttered color scheme have helped turn this small garden into a calm and soothing personal retreat.

Perhaps the single easiest and most integral aspect of creating a calm and cool personal oasis is keeping your color scheme simple. To achieve this, limit the planting to green and cream shades – enhanced by pale-colored garden furniture and raised beds. To bring the scene together, consider installing a fence and benches made from matching wood.

Go green

Green is one of the most soothing and comforting colors. This is mainly because it is the primary color that we associate with nature. Lawns, hedges, and topiary embellish structural elements with an all-year-round color.

Perennials include any plants that live for three years minimum. The term also refers to any herbaceous perennials that grow for many years. For reference: annual = one year, biennial = two years.

Perennials also provide seasonal accents. Subtle dashes of color prevent it from becoming overpowering.

Create a sense of enclosure

Trees, pleached trees, and screens like those shown above can help create a sense of privacy and enclosure.

Screening your garden for privacy

It is an innate desire of us as humans to feel enclosed and protected by our surroundings. There are different ways you can go about creating the perfect low-cost fence. You can then smother it with climbers to achieve a greener look. If the fence height doesn’t offer adequate privacy, you can plant some trees or add a trellis. Hedges and preached trees like the ones shown above have the added benefit of trapping noise and pollution. This not only helps to make your garden more peaceful but cleaner too.

Add water

Outdoor water features have the unique capability of making any garden magical. Their presence and sound give a sense of peace and tranquility. The dancing reflections, the patter of raindrops on a pond, and the beautiful wildlife it is bound to draw in will significantly contribute towards achieving your perfect oasis. So, why not consider adding a fountain or any other practical water feature?

Create an ideal space for wildlife

Watching butterflies, bees, and birds is one of the most captivating and lovely ways of spending time in your garden. So, consider planting some flowers to lure them in.

RHS for pollinators

To attract bee, butterflies, and birds, consider planting a lot of wildlife-friendly plants. Watching these beautiful creatures enjoy your garden can help keep your mind off the struggles of the real world. Our team has done a lot of research into the best types of plants for bees and other pollinating insects.

Set up a place to rest

One of the best ways to enjoy and take in your garden in all its glory is from somewhere comfortable you can sit, relax, and rest. So, make sure that you have garden furniture, both in the sun and shade. This way, you will be able to make the most of your garden and as regularly as you want. It is also important to consider the views from inside the house too – preferably from the living room, kitchen sink, or wherever you love watching the outdoors from. You just need to prioritize. Having a seat that is in full view from within the house is bound to draw you to it, encouraging you to visit the garden and make the most of it. It is also a good idea to place edible plants close by, that you can enjoy while taking in the surroundings.

Galway hospitals see 56 people on trolleys today

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July 1, 2022

There are 56 patients in Galway’s hospitals waiting on trolleys today, with UHG being the second most overcrowded hospital in Ireland once again.

There were 45 patients at University Hospital Galway without a bed this morning according to INMO Trolley/Ward Watch figures.

At Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, there are a further 11 people on trolleys, six in the Emergency Department and five in the wards.

Nationwide there were a total of 424 people in Ireland’s hospitals waiting on a bed this morning according to the INMO.

University Hospital Limerick is the worst affected in Ireland as usual, though the 56 patients on trolleys is not bad compared to recent days, when that number frequently tops a hundred.

UHG has also had to deal with a rapidly growing number of COVID patients once again, with 72 confirmed cases as of Thursday night.

Two become One crossing the Atlantic

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July 1, 2022

Galway Daily news Two become One crossing the Atlantic

The incredible undertaking of two men rowing across the Atlantic to Galway Bay has become even more challenging, as it is now down to a single man.

Fergus Farrell, one of two men making the 5,000km trip from New York to Galway as part of Project Empower, has had to leave for medical reasons.

Fergus and Damian Browne set off on their fundraising voyage across the Atlantic from New York just over two weeks ago.

However, after 13 successful days at sea, Fergus had been experiencing exhaustion, and was failing to recover despite plenty of rest.

He began to experience tightness on the left side of his chest, and had a very low blood oxygen level.

On June 26, after consultation with medical consultants and the US Coast Guard flight surgeon, it was decided that he had to be extracted from their boat Cushlamachree.

A Singapore flagged tanker, the Hafnia Shenzhen, was nearby and was able to bring Fergus aboard and transfer him to their medical room for observation and treatment, until it docked in New York.

This, however, is not the end of Project Empower, as Damian intends to continue the Trans-Atlantic voyage alone.

“Damian has chosen to remain with Cushlamachree and will now row her solo to Galway over the coming weeks,” a statement from MacDara Hosty of Project Empower said.

He has prior experience with such trips, having previously made a solo row across the Atlantic from the Canaries to Antigua.

“Project Empower wasn’t planned this way, and none of us wanted it to be this way. Gussy and Damian were supposed to do this together and row into Galway Docks together. We are all absolutely gutted that they won’t now get to complete it together.”

“Thankfully Damian has made incredible progress over the past couple of days, so much so that Cushlamachree has clocked her best distance days since the expedition began.”

“This is in no small part due to the massive contribution Fergus made to getting Cushlamachree into the Gulf Stream. Gussy’s immense contribution to Project Empower cannot be overstated.”

People can still donate to Project Empower to support the work of the Galway Simon Community, National Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, Ability West and Madra.

Free ice cream being served at the Spanish Arch tomorrow!

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July 1, 2022

galway daily news free tk maxx ice cream in galway

The TK Maxx Ice Cream Truck is hitting the road to deliver free ice cream across the country – and its first stop is the Spanish Arch tomorrow from midday.

The retailer has partnered with artisan ice cream experts Three Twenty to deliver great flavours for people in Galway to choose from on Saturday from 12pm until 8pm.

Self-proclaimed ice cream connoisseur Carl Mullan was the first to sample Three Twenty’s beautiful ice cream creations.

“We can’t rely on the Irish weather,” he said, “but the good news is that TK Maxx is delivering the heat with all your summer essentials at incredible prices in store!”

“Get down to the TK Maxx Ice Cream Truck in Galway for some delish ice cream and you might even win a shopping trip to treasure trove heaven – what more could you want from a summer day!”

The free ice cream truck will be at the Spanish Arch for eight hours and locals are invited to pop down and nab some scrumptious ice cream and fantastic prizes!

Skydive to raise funds for UHG intensive care unit in memory of Mary Kenny

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July 1, 2022

galway daily news mary kenny fundraiser for icu at uhg

Almost €11,000 has been raised so far in a fundraiser for the intensive care unit at University Hospital Galway in memory of Galway woman Mary Kenny who passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm in 2019.

In Mary’s memory, a group of close friends and family are doing a skydive on 7 August at the Irish Parachute Club in Offaly, with all funds raised going to the critical care unit at UHG.

The pandemic meant that they were unable to organise a fundraiser earlier, but now with the easing of restrictions they are able to give back to the amazing team at UHG.

In the official GoFundMe campaign (which can be found by clicking here) Mary’s sister Isabelle said that her untimely passing continues to be heartbreaking for all of her family and friends.

She said that Mary was a special person in so many ways, but above all she was a wonderful mother to Isabelle, a loving wife to John and an incredible sister and friend.

“Mary had an infectious smile that lit up every room, she had a brilliant sense of humour and her warm, kind-hearted nature brought her friends from far and wide,” Isabelle writes on the fundraising page.

“There was never a dull moment or a day without laughter spent with Mary. We are privileged to have had Mary in our lives for the time that we did and hold onto the memories that we shared together.”

Isabelle says that Mary always had a twinkle in her eye and loved nothing more than to be surrounded with family and friends, and that she remains forever in their hearts.

And she says that the doctors and nurses who cared for Mary in her final days showed true care and compassion, and they are forever indebted to them for this.

“The medical team supported us to make the final decision to entrust Mary to the angels and in doing so to make the decision to donate Marys organs saving three people’s lives across Ireland,” she writes.

“Throughout her life, Mary was always a very giving person and we know that this would have been her wish and are proud that we found the strength to take this step for her in her final hours.

“To this dedicated, professional, supportive and compassionate team – from our family to yours we say a heartfelt thank you.”

All donations will go directly to helping patients in the ICU at UHG.

To visit the fundraising page where you can donate, click here.

Galway weather: Sunny spells and scattered showers this weekend

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July 1, 2022

Galway Daily weather Falling temperatures and weekend rain mark weather for rest of the week

After a fairly rainy day across Co. Galway today, Met Éireann has forecast a much drier weekend, with some spells of sunshine on both Saturday and Sunday.

Tonight (Friday) will see the persistent rain gradually clearing, followed by a mix of clear spells and scattered showers.

The lowest temperatures will be 9 to 11 degrees with moderate southwesterly winds.

Saturday will bring a mix of sunshine and scattered showers across the West, but there will be some decent dry intervals, especially later in the afternoon.

Highest temperatures will range from 15 to 17 degrees in light to moderate westerly winds.

Sunday will be a mainly dry day for most of Co. Galway, with some sunny spells – mostly in the morning before cloud builds. Afternoon temperatures will again be around 15 to 17 degrees.

Met Éireann expects it to become gradually warmer from Tuesday as high pressure continues to build.

It will stay generally dry through the middle of next week, although there will be some showers at times.

Public meeting hears political will missing to solve housing crisis

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July 1, 2022

galway daily news sinn fein public meeting loughrea

A public meeting in Loughrea this week has heard that the political will is missing to resolve the housing emergency.

The well attended meeting was chaired by Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell and addressed by Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin.

Those in attendance heard that that large-scale delivery of social and affordable housing is needed to drive down house prices and rents.

Speakers also argued that the private market will not deliver affordable homes for the vast majority of people, and that it is time for the State to ramp up its direct delivery of new homes.

Sinn Féin’s representative in Galway East Louis O’Hara spoke at the event, saying that people are trapped into paying sky-high rents while their hopes of homeownership slip even further out of reach.

Speaking following the meeting, O’Hara said that this is confirmed by the latest Daft.ie report, showing that house prices in Galway are up 17% compared to this time last year.

The average price of a home in County Galway is now €263,000, and €353,000 in the city.

“The Government continue to implement the same failed private sector led approach of the previous government,” said O’Hara.

“Their target of 75 affordable homes per year for all of Galway City and County is nowhere near what is needed to address this crisis and pro-developer schemes like the Shared Equity First Home scheme will only inflate house prices further.”

He said that to help renters through this crisis, there must be a ban on rent increases on all existing and new tenancies.

O’Hara added that the Government needs to put money back in renters’ pockets through a refundable tax credit worth a month’s rent.

“The key message from this meeting was that the solutions to this crisis are there, all that is missing is the political will to introduce the kinds of policies that will reverse these trends,” he said.

Local TD criticises HSE for being only in “planning stage” of assessing Long Covid

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July 1, 2022

Galway daily news COVID-19 cases more than double at UHG

Galway-Roscommon TD Denis Naughten has criticised the HSE for being in the ‘planning stage’ of assessing the scale of Long Covid, despite up to 300,000 people suffering from its impact.

The Independent TD said that the HSE is only now planning an epidemiological survey to get an insight into and an understanding of Long Covid.

He described the HSE’s actions as ‘far too slow’, because “there is no doubt that there are thousands of people suffering from Long Covid.”

These people, he said, have been placed on waiting lists, adding to the huge delays in accessing hospital and outpatient appointments already.

“Officially there are over 1.5 million PCR confirmed Covid-19 cases which could leave up to 300,000 people suffering from Long Covid with many more people with a Covid infection who never had it verified by a PCR test,” said Deputy Naughten.

“The World Health Organisation has defined Long Covid as a condition that occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection, usually three months from the onset of COVID-19 with symptoms that last for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis.

“These effects appear to occur irrespective of the initial severity of the covid infection but occur more frequently in women, middle age and in those with more symptoms initially.”

Last September after Deputy Naughten questioned the Health Minister on the issue of treatment for Long Covid patients, he said that the HSE’s response was that it planned to establish specialist long Covid clinics,

“Today we are still waiting for this to happen,” he said.

“This is not only delaying treatments for these patients but pushing other patients waiting to see doctors further down the waiting list.

“Such an approach is causing chaos to our hospital waiting list and denying patients the vital and timely care that they need which cannot be allowed to continue.”

Ways the Internet Has Broken Down International Borders

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Thomas O'Brien

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July 1, 2022

Galway daily news mobile network in Galway riddled with blackspots

From the earliest days of the internet, the goal was always to break down barriers. The pioneers of the World Wide Web were vocal in their desire to see a digital space wholly unconstrained by national borders and geographic distance, where people anywhere could be brought together through a connection to the information superhighway.

While the era of the borderless internet may no longer be what it once was, we should not diminish the paradigm-shifting ways in which the internet actually did achieve those early goals. Let’s take a look at some of the ways the internet has broken down international borders and continues to do so.

Source: Unsplash

Global cultures

Nowhere has the border-erasing impact of the internet been made more apparent than in the realm of popular culture. Thanks to the internet, people everywhere can consume culture from a specific part of the world, bringing artists who might have remained unknown outside their country into the realm of global superstardom. For example, the phenomenon of K-Pop superstars would simply not have been possible without the internet. The same goes for the likes of Olivia Rodrigo or PinkPanteress, who turned their social media videos into global pop careers virtually overnight.

Global competitions

A more surprising way that the internet has broken down borders concerns certain events and competitions once considered to be strictly domestic affairs. Nowhere is this clearer than in the realm of the lottery. This game was once considered to be inextricably tied to its national context, no matter where you were. However, thanks to international lottery platforms such as Lottoland, you can play the lottery of any country anywhere and check the official lottery results from your smartphone.

Source: Unsplash

Global payments

One of the greatest impacts of the internet that is still unfolding is the impact it has had on the global financial system. Before the internet, sending money from, say, the UK to the US was a time-consuming and very expensive affair. However, the internet has enabled the rise of borderless payment apps such as PayPal, Revolut, Monzo, and Venmo, through which anyone can send money anywhere in any currency, often within seconds and without spending a penny.

Borderless friendships

Once upon a time, your friends were the people in your immediate physical surroundings. Friends came from our workplaces and our local social scenes, and only those with a pen pal or who spent time living abroad could claim to have friends in other countries. However, that has all changed forever. Nowadays, the majority of people have friends in other countries, many in places that they have never even visited. This is all thanks to the internet, with social media and blogging platforms allowing anyone to find connections, unconstrained by the old limits of geography.

It is difficult to quantify the impact that the internet has had on our lives. Of all the things that it has enabled, its ability to make our world a much smaller place is probably the most impactful.

Laughing all the way to The Kings Head with GIAF

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June 30, 2022

Galway Daily arts The best of Irish comedy at the King Head

The most intimate Festival comedy at its best will happen at The Kings Head this July!

The Kings Head has been a venue for lunchtime Comedy during Galway International Arts Festival for over 25 years.

This July you can catch some of Ireland’s best comedians up close and personal in the intimate surrounds of The Ruby Room on the top floor of the 800-year-old pub.

For many it’s a Festival within a Festival, with a different line up each day, it’s a rare chance to catch these stadium style comics in such an intimate setting. All this under the tutelage of host and MC Gerry Mallon.

The Laughter Loft at the Ruby Room for Galway International Arts Festival is what Galway festivals are all about. Spontaneity and fun.

Enjoy the comedy styling of top acts including Foil Arms and Hog, Deirdre O’Kane, Neil Delamere, Emma Doran, Colm O’Regan, Martin ‘Beanz’ Warde, Sinéad Quinlan, Shrinidhi Kalwad and many more. Shows take place daily from Monday 11th to Sunday 24th July. Doors open at 12:30pm with all shows starting at 1pm.

There is no pre booking, first come first served with Tickets available on the door only.

For all things The Kings Head check out www.thekingshead.ie, www.giaf.ie or get social @TheKingsHead.

Here is the Full Laughter Loft Lineup:

Monday July 11th: Karl Spain

Tuesday July 12th: John Colleary

Wednesday July 13th: Foil Arms and Hog , 2 shows 1pm and 3pm .

Thursday July 14th: Foil Arms and Hog , 2 shows, 1pm and 3pm .

Friday July 15th: Joe Rooney

Saturday July 16th: Emma Doran and Shrinidi Kalwad

Sunday July 17th: Patrick McDonnell

Monday July 18th: Kevin Gildea.

Tuesday July 19th: Neil Delamere

Wednesday July 20th: Danny O Brien,

Thursday July 21st: Sinead Quinlan and Ian Burke.

Friday July 22nd: Colm O Regan.

Saturday July 23rd: Martin ‘ Beanz ‘ Warde and Paul David Murphy.

Sunday July 24th: Deirdre O Kane

Free shuttle bus service for Galway Garden Festival

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June 30, 2022

Galway Daily news Free shuttle bus service for Galway Garden Festival

A free shuttle service will run from Galway City to Claregalway this weekend for the Galway Garden Festival.

The Galway Garden Festival will take place over two days this Saturday & Sunday, July 2-3 at Claregalway Castle.

For people getting to the festival, Bus Eireann will be running a free shuttle service from Ceannt Station to the castle.

The shuttle service will commence at 11am each morning, and buses will depart from the city each hour.

Return services will also run each hour, departing from Claregalway on the half hour mark. The final bus from Claregalway Castle to Ceannt Station at 4:30pm both days.

The Galway Garden Festival will include a Botanic Art Exhibition, but also many more activities besides.

Entertainment will include Nemo the Magician, ‘Yer Mans Puppets’ delightful new show, Guido Fanzini ‘s captivating circus act, Knights in medieval armour clash swords in a mini-tournament, and the re-enactment team from ‘Claoimh’ bringing history to life.

The day will also feature live music from Silver Moon Jazz Band, Galway’s much loved St Patricks Brass Band, the Barceló Brothers, Galway Baytones, Claregalway Community Choir and folk group ‘4 Shillings Short’.

Keeping people fed on the day will be fresh food from Handsome Burger, Castle Kitchen, Ember Firehouse, and more.

Entry to the Garden Festival costs €10 at the gate, and children go free.

COPE says rental vacancy rate of 38% beyond belief in homelessness crisis

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June 30, 2022

Galway Daily news Galway City Council has announced plans for a social housing development of 84 apartments and houses in Knocknacarra.

The number of families living in homelessness while Galway has such a high vacancy rate in the rental sector is beyond belief COPE Galway has said.

COPE is calling for an immediate ban on evictions, steps to bring vacant properties back into use, and action against the unsustainable level of short term lets in Galway.

The homelessness charity said that the number of families and children living in emergency accommodation is 24% higher than last year.

A one day snapshot survey by COPE found 84 families including 217 children living in emergency accommodation on June 21.

COPE Galway is highlighting the situation locally in Galway in response to the latest national figures for May 2022, which report numbers of homeless exceeding 10,000 for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Unfortunately we are fast approaching the high levels of family homelessness we saw locally pre-pandemic,” stated Martin O’Connor of COPE Galway.

“In early 2020 there were over 100 families living in emergency accommodation here in Galway.”

“The measures introduced at that point, such as a moratorium on evictions, meant the tap was largely turned off in terms of the numbers coming into homelessness.”

By March of 2021, the number of families in emergency accommodation had fallen significantly, but this began to climb again after the moratorium on evictions was lifted that April, he added.

“Fortunately, additional social housing coming on stream over the past 12 months has ensured that some families have left emergency accommodation, but this simply isn’t keeping pace with increasing evictions from the private rented sector.”

COPE Galway points to an acute shortage of available affordable rental accommodation in Galway as one of the main contributing factors to increasing homelessness.

This shortage also increases the length of time people remain in emergency accommodation when they become homeless.

The most recent Daft.ie survey found that rents in Galway had gone up by 13.8% in the first three months of 2022.

At the same time, preliminary figures from the CSO for this April showed that 38% of rental properties in Galway were vacant.

“This vacancy level in the middle of a homelessness crisis is simply beyond belief,” said Mr O’Connor.

Euromillions Jackpot headed to €200 million prize

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June 30, 2022

Galwat Daily news Euromillions Jackpot headed to €200 million prize — Spar store in the Ballybrit Technology Park in Parkmore, Co, Galway sell winning €1 million Euro EuroMillions Raffle Draw. Photo: Mac Innes Photography

This Friday’s Euromillions draw is headed towards an estimated staggering €200 million jackpot prize.

There have already been 14 lucky winners of Euromillions prizes worth €500k of more so far this year, totalling just under €40 million.

One of those lucky players was in Galway, one of three who became overnight millionaires after winning €1 million each in the special Raffle draw on January 21.

The Galway winner got their prize off a ticket bought at the Spar store in Parkmore, Ballybrit.

This was the second time this store, owned by Gerard Geraghty and managed by his brother John, had made someone a Lotto millionaire, after also selling a €1 million raffle ticket in 2018.

The main jackpot prize has also already been won once this year, by a Co. Clare family syndicate who scooped a life-changing €30.9 million.

They won their staggering prize with a ticket bought at Larkin’s Gala service station in Ballina on the border of Tipperary, Limerick and Clare.

Over the past year, the EuroMillions game has made nine millionaires in Ireland and has seen twenty-four players win the top prize of €500,000 each in the EuroMillions Plus draw.

Maternity leave for Councillors a “ground-breaking” change

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June 30, 2022

Galway Daily politics Maternity leave for Councillors a "ground-breaking" change

Planned legislation to allow Councillors to take maternity leave is a “ground-breaking” change for female public representatives, Galway Senator Aisling Dolan has said.

Minister of State Peter Burke brought plans before the Cabinet this week to entitle councilors to maternity leave, allowing them to appoint a temporary substitute in their place.

“For the first time in Ireland female public representatives in our Councils will now have be able to take maternity leave – this is ground-breaking for women,” Aisling Dolan said.

“Councillors usually are doing their roles and community work on top of a full-time job, now we have recognition for young women and balancing family-life, work-life and their public representative role.”

“It removes another barrier for women who want to participate more in our society and have their voices heard.”

Under the current framework, Councillors are not classified as employees, meaning that they do not enjoy some existing statutory protections.

The Cabinet has given its approval for Minister Burke to draft a legislative provision for female councillors to access maternity leave under the Maternity Protection Act 1994.

The scheme will be two-fold, allowing female councillors to appoint a substitute to attend meetings and vote on their behalf.

If they do not wish to appoint a substitute, new regulations will provide additional administrative support for the duration of their maternity leave.#

Commenting on the draft legislation, Minister Burke said “The decision allows us to address a deficit which should not exist in a 21st century workplace, to provide full maternity leave for our councillors.”

“Our rate of female participation in both local and national government is shamefully low, and I believe this measure will remove another obstacle and allow us to make the role of a councillor more accessible to half of our population.”

“For far too long, female politicians have been denied a basic right of maternity leave as our political system displayed an inherent design bias.”

He added that many Oireachtas members start their careers as local councillors, so this should also have a positive effect on the Dáil and Seanad.

The 2022 census showed that women make up 51% of Ireland’s population, but only 40% of the Seanad, and just 22% of Dáil Eireann.

Blue Teapot shines a light Into The Dark Woods

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June 30, 2022

Galway daily Theatre Shining a light headed Into the Dark Woods — Into the Dark Woods, Charlene Kelly, Blue Tea Pot. Theatre Company. Photo: Andrew Downes xposure

The award-winning Blue Teapot Theatre Company makes a welcome return to the stage this September with the world premiere of ‘Into The Dark Woods’ at Galway’s Black Box Theatre.

Written by debut playwright Charlene Kelly, Into The Dark Woods is a story told through the lens of intellectual disability, drawing on archetypes found in fairytale and nature and features an inclusive cast.

This production is a strategic ambition of Blue Teapot to stage a theatre production written by an artist from within the company.

Charlene Kelly’s play emerged from a series of creative writing initiatives with dramaturg Eileen Gibbons, leading to collaboration with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre, as co-producer.

Directed by Petal Pilley, the play tells the story of a Prince tired of being controlled by his father. Heartbroken he runs away, into the woods. Cold and alone he calls out for help.

A girl, also lost, is charmed into leaving a safe and familiar path. Hunted by darkness, their way out is uncertain.

Into The Dark Woods will run from Wednesday 14 until Saturday 17 of September in the Black Box Theatre, Galway at 8pm.

There will be additional day time shows for early audiences on Friday and Saturday, at 11am and 3pm respectively.

A Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture Commission. Tickets for Into The Dark Woods are now available online via www.tht.ie and from Town Hall Theatre Box Office 091 569777.

Water outages continuing in Headford area

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June 30, 2022

Galway Daily news Water outages in Moycullen

Water outages will continue in the Headford area until this evening, and traffic will be disrupted, due to a burst water mains.

People living in Headford, Cloughanover, Luggawannia, Liss, Ratesh, Shrule, Gurrane and surrounding areas have been experiencing water outages since Wednesday because of a burst pipe.

Irish Water has said that repairs are currently expected to be completed by 6pm on Thursday evening.

A traffic management plan will be in place while repair works are ongoing.

It can take 2-3 hours after repairs are completed before people see their full water supply restored, as the network refills.

Updates can be found on Irish Water’s Supply and Service website page.

Merlin College awarded DEIS status

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June 30, 2022

Galway Daily news Planning extension grant for Craughwell National School expansion

Merlin College in Doughiska has been awarded DEIS status by the Department of Education, Minister Norma Foley has confirmed.

Delivering Equality in Schools (DEIS) is a government initiative meant to provide additional support that will combat educational disadvantage, and promote inclusion in schools.

City Councillor Alan Cheevers said that the DEIS status will “make a big difference” for the school, and is something they have been trying to achieve since it was founded.

Merlin College secondary school was founded in 2013 to serve the growing population on the east side of the city.

Councillor Cheevers said that this is “one of the most diverse communities in the country”, with more than 42 nationalities represented in the over 700 students and their families.

SIPTU members in Community Organisations to strike next week

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June 30, 2022

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

Community Organisation workers in Galway are set to go on a one day strike next week over a pay dispute with the government.

SIPTU members in community organisations in Galway and Waterford have announced a 24 hour work stoppage to take place on Wednesday, July 6.

The strike is part of a wider campaign by workers in the sector seeking their first pay rise in 14 years.

The Galway groups involved in the work stoppage are Galway Rural Development, Galway Rape Crisis, EmployAbility, the Oranmore CE Scheme and the Claregalway/Annaghdown CE Scheme.

SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser, Adrian Kane, said “It is the Government which in the final instance controls the funding of these organisations and their ability to pay their workers fairly.”

“This situation is due to the failure of successive Governments to adequately fund the community sector and Section 39 organisations.”

“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 worsening cost-of-living crisis means our members either face being forced into the ranks of the working poor or making a stand now.”

“They have decided that for their own sakes and the future of the services they provide that taking action is the only option.”

He added that the government could resolve this dispute by establishing a collective bargaining forum for the sector.

Workers in other care and community organisations are also conducting ballots for industrial action as part of the Valuing Community campaign, which is supported by SIPTU, ICTU, Fórsa and the INMO.

Plans approved for Spiddal Primary Care Centre

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June 30, 2022