27 February 2022; Galway manager Henry Shefflin speaks with Kevin Cooney of Galway at half time of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A match between Galway and Wexford at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
Galway have confirmed the lineup of the senior hurling team that will face off against Wexford this afternoon.
Galway will kick off their Leinster Senior Hurling Championship at Chadwicks Wexford Park today at 4:30pm.
Match Tickets must be pre-purchased in advance, and can be bought online, as they will not be available at the venue.
The game will be broadcast live on SkySports.
The full Galway squad for the coming game is:
Éanna Murphy (Tommy Larkins)
Jack Grealish (Gort)
Daithí Burke (C) (Turloughmore)
Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields)
Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
Gearóid McInerny (Oranmore-Maree)
Fintan Burke (St Thomas’)
Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
Tom Monaghan (Craughwell)
Evan Niland (Clarinbridge)
Conor Cooney (St Thomas’)
Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan)
Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
Brian Concannon (Killimordaly)
Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
Darach Fahy (Ardrahan)
Declan Cronin (Cappataggle)
Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea)
TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge)
Shane Ryan (Clarinbridge)
David Burke (St Thomas’)
Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
Jack Hastings (Liam Mellows)
Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge)
Kevin Cooney (Sarsfields)
Eanna Burke (St Thomas’)
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While it may seem strange that all of the teams in the rebooted United States Football League are being headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the residents of the city are used to such arrangements. Since the World Football League attempted to challenge the NFL in the mid-1970s, most start-up leagues have incorporated the city in some manner or fashion.
While college football is king, there is an appreciation for the professional game in Birmingham. Just no league has been able to provide the city with a viable franchise of their own. Much like with online casinos, what it takes to maintain a successful franchise and make it profitable changes as does how fans consume games changes. Here’s a look at the experiments with professional football in Birmingham.
Worst championship celebration ever
Members of the Birmingham Americans didn’t have an opportunity to celebrate their 22-21 victory in World Bowl I over the Florida Blazers for long. After the championship ceremony, players returned to the locker room at Legion Field in Birmingham and found their uniforms, helmets, and all other team assets being seized by the IRS.
The issue was over $237,000 due to the IRS in tax debt. However, the government wasn’t the only entity with its hands out. Players for the Americans and Blazers hadn’t been played in weeks before the championship game. Birmingham finished the 1974 season with a 15-5 record.
Birmingham would be the lone champion in WFL history, as the 1975 season would be halted due to the league’s financial problems. The Americans had been replaced by another Birmingham-based team, the Vultures. Birmingham was 9-3 when the 1975 season was stopped and were declared league champions.
Stallions were one of USFL’s top horses
After going 9-9 in the 1983 season, Birmingham won its division championship in both 1984 and 1985. In both seasons, the Stallions would be taken down by the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars one round short of the USFL title game. Birmingham built its franchise around former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Cliff Stoudt.
Stoudt, who would later land with the St. Louis Cardinals before the franchise moved to Arizona, would have his two best seasons as a professional with the Stallions. In 1985, he passed for 3,121 yards and 26 touchdowns. The next year, Stoudt tossed 34 touchdowns for Birmingham.
The Stallions returned in 2022 as one of the members of a rebooted USFL.
Birmingham Goes European, then Canadian
The Birmingham Fire was part of the World League of American Football, the forerunner to NFL Europe from 1991 to 1992. The Fire won their division in their first year of existence, compiling a 5-5 record before leasing to the Barcelona Dragons in the semifinals. The next year, Birmingham compiled a 7-2-1 record and placed second in the North American West Division.
The Fire, however, once again fell short in the playoffs, taking a loss to the Orlando Thunder. Birmingham’s team folded when the NFL shut down the league following the 1992 season. Football would return to Birmingham once again in 1995 when the Canadian Football League expanded into the United States. The Birmingham Barracudas went 10-8 in its only season in the CFL.
The Barracudas would take a 42-9 loss to the San Antonio Texans in the playoffs. Birmingham’s ownership ran afoul of the CFL by suggesting many changes, including a shift of the season to the spring to avoid competition with college football and the NFL. However, the CFL declined the changes, and the team ultimately folded.
First, you have to change the name
The first iteration of the XFL was supposed to be extreme in every way. All of the teams in the league was supposed to have edgy nicknames. When the XFL decided to deem Birmingham the “Blast”, there was pushback due to the city’s ugly history of bombings. At the last minute, the team’s name was changed to Thunderbolts.
Birmingham’s team never quite found its identity during the league’s one-and-only season. The Thunderbolts started the year 2-1, before dropping their last seven games. Birmingham’s offense was atrocious, averaging 13.1 points per game. In two of the Thunderbolt’s final three games, Birmingham was shut out. The Thunderbolts had the league’s worst record.
The Tillage Incentive Scheme announced recently, while well intentioned, will barely cover rising costs Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice has said.
The government announced in recent weeks that, in order to encourage farmers to tillage crops this year, that a new subsidy will be paid a grant for each hectare above what they had previously planted of the eligible crops.
Farmers will receive a payment of €400 for each eligible hectare under the scheme, starting in December of this year.
The Russian invasion of the Ukraine has caused alarm over food supplies far and wide, as production in what has long been called the ‘breadbasket of Europe’ has been seriously affected by the war.
However, the crisis has also seen costs of fuel and fertiliser spiral, and Michael Fitzmaurice has said that the TIS payment will “barely cover” the rising cost of fertiliser and green diesel.
“Considering Ireland imports almost two thirds of its animal feedstuff, including in excess of 1.3 million tonnes of maize and 700,000 tonnes of soya in 2020, a scheme totalling €12 million will fall well short of what is needed.”
“As it stands, almost all types of fertiliser are costing in excess of €1,000 per tonne – that is if you are lucky enough to purchase some.”
While the payments under the scheme are not due to made until the end of this year, Deputy Fitzmaurice said that most farmers would need the money up front just to pay for getting the fields sown.
“Farmers are also concerned with the prospect of being left with a crop which makes a loss later in the year if the war in Ukraine subsides and it is able to resume its normal production levels of cereal.
“There is also the Irish weather to contend with and asking farmers who do not generally grow crops to take on this responsibility.”
He added that if the multi-species sward scheme was introduced in September, rather than now, it would make managing plots easier.
He concluded by saying that the Minister for Agriculture has difficult decisions to make if he wants to get farmers on board.
The Coast Guard, RNLI, and Water Safety Ireland have made a joint appeal for people to take precautions in the water this Easter weekend.
The three organisations are asking for people engaging in water based activities over the bank holiday weekend to take some basic precautions to stay safe.
Irish Coast Guard Operations Manager Micheál O’Toole said, “many people will take the opportunity of the Easter long weekend to visit the coast and take part in coastal or water-based activity.”
“Having some basic water safety knowledge in advance could make an enormous difference and even save a life.”
“People need to be mindful that the water is very cold at this time of year, and it is easy to be caught out by tides.”
“We extend a special welcome to members of the Ukrainian community, and we are mindful that they may be unfamiliar with Irish tides and local currents.”
“To that end we would encourage the wider public to be mindful of this risk and be alert to people recreating in unsuitable areas, especially in areas that can become isolated with changing tidal conditions.”
Water temperatures are still very cold at this time of year, and cold water shock can affect anyone.
To avoid this, people should acclimatise to the water slowly to get used to the temperature change.
RNLI Water Safety Lead, Kevin Rahill added “By taking a few simple steps, everyone can reduce the risk of an accident in or near the water.”
“If you fall in unexpectedly, remember to ‘Float to Live’ – lie on your back and spread your arms and legs, gently moving them to keep afloat.”
“Keep floating until you feel your breath coming back before calling for help or swimming ashore if nearby.”
Water Safety Ireland’s Acting CEO, Roger Sweeney said that many people may be going for their first swim of the year over the Easter period.
But he cautioned that lifeguards have yet to start their patrols that save so many each year, and urged people to excise caution.
Lifesaving tips from the three organisations for anyone on the water this weekend include:
If heading out on the water or visiting the coast:
Always check the weather and tides
Carry a reliable means of raising the alarm (i.e., phone or VHF radio)
Tell someone where you are going and what time you will be back
Wear a suitable Personal Flotation Device on the water
Watch out for incoming tides to avoid getting cut off
If you are swimming:
Water temperatures are still cold at this time of the year, consider wearing a wetsuit to stay warm
Acclimatise slowly
Wear a bright swimming cap and consider a tow float to increase your visibility
Never swim alone and always ensure that your activity is being monitored by a colleague
Caolin Blade is the only change being made to the starting Connacht side headed for their 2nd leg Champions Cup match against Leinster this evening.
The Monivea native is named at scrum-half with the remaining 14 players unchanged from the side that started the 1st leg at The Sportsground.
Kieran Marmion is named among the replacements while there’s two further changes on the bench, with the inclusion of Denis Buckley having returned from injury, and hooker Jonny Murphy. Conor Fitzgerald will make his 50th appearance for the province if called upon.
Connacht are headed to Leinster’s home ground at Aviva Stadium today, hoping for a better outcome in the Champions Cup knockout stages than they had last week.
Leinster edged out Connacht 26-21 at the Sportsground last Friday, after a physically intense confrontation.
Head Coach Andy Friend acknowledged that there was “a sense of disappointment” not having secured the win, despite a good performance overall.
“Having said that, I know this group can bring their performance on another level, which is essential if we’re to reach the last eight.”
A win of 6 points or more would see Connacht qualify for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup for the first time in their history.
“We’ve a good record in the Aviva over the last two years or so and it’s a pitch that suits our style of rugby. Coupled with a strong travelling support behind us it’s set to be another great occasion.”
Expecting large crowds travelling to the match in Dublin today, Irish Rail have added an extra evening service on Friday to accommodate returning fans.
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS LEINSTER RUGBY
Friday 15th April, 17:30 @ Aviva Stadium
Number/Name/Caps
15. Tiernan O’Halloran (204)
14. John Porch (55)
13. Tom Farrell (76)
12. Bundee Aki (116)
11. Mack Hansen (11)
10. Jack Carty (176) (C)
9. Caolin Blade (147)
1. Matthew Burke (37)
2. Dave Heffernan (161)
3. Finlay Bealham (171)
4. Gavin Thornbury (60)
5. Leva Fifita (12)
6. Cian Prendergast (27)
7. Conor Oliver (38)
8. Jarrad Butler (92)
L-R: Dermott Crombie, Aran Ferries, Lasta Mara Teoranta, Rory Monaghan, NUIG, Stephen Kent, CIE, Conor O’Dowd, Port Galway, Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Louise Glennon SSER, John O’Sullivan, SSER, Jarlath Conneely, Aer Arrann, Maurice O’Gorman, Port of Galway.
Galway will be the home of a massive new renewable Hydrogen energy hub under plans announced this week.
During a visit to the Port of Galway on Thursday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced the Galway Hydrogen Hub, a consortium of different industry sectors.
They will work together to create a Hydrogen Valley in Galway, similar to those in other countries bringing together hydrogen research, production, distribution, and transportation.
The GH2 consortium consists of NUI Galway, the Port of Galway, CIÉ Group and Bus Éireann, Aran Islands Ferries, Lasta Mara Teo, Aer Arann Islands, and SSE Renewables.
“It is proposed that the gas will eventually be used in transport, industry and within local communities in the greater Galway region,” Micheál Martin said.
He added that the full details of the project will be announced in the coming weeks.
“But I wanted to take the time, while I was physically here in Galway, to commend everyone involved for the ambition, creativity and forward thinking that you’re displaying in this project.”
It is anticipated that the hydrogen transportation hub could be operational by the second half of 2024.
John O’Sullivan, SSE Renewables’ Project Manager for GH2 said that green hydrogen is achieving international recognition as a way to decarbonise “heavy duty and long-distance transport” as well as industry.
“The development of Ireland’s first Hydrogen Valley in Galway Harbour will allow us to utilise indigenous renewable energy to produce green hydrogen for use by local air, sea, road and rail transport alongside industry.”
Dr Rory Monaghan at NUI Galway said that the future of sustainable growth in the region will depend on the availability of local renewable energy.
“We are witnessing huge strides in the greening of our electricity grid with wind, but we use twice as much energy for transport, almost all of which is imported fossil fuel.
“The key innovation of GH2 is the use of wind to drive a zero emission, multi modal transport sector.”
The production of green hydrogen involves using electricity to separate water into its oxygen and hydrogen component parts, in a process called electrolysis.
Once produced, the gas can then be condensed to a liquid for easier transportation and long term storage.
The only emissions that come from using hydrogen fuel is water vapour, compared with carbon dioxide given off by burning fossil fuels.
A protest has taken place outside ‘The Renewable Energy Opportunity for the West of Ireland’ conference, which took place yesterday, Thursday.
The conference in the G Hotel was organised by the Port of Galway and An Taoiseach Mícheál Martin gave the keynote address.
Also in attendance were representatives from Big Energy and other private corporations that want to profit from Ireland’s vast wind energy potential.
Speaking after the event, Éirígí’s Galway representative, Ian Ó Dálaigh, said that the conference put a heavy focus on the potential for offshore wind energy in the west of Ireland.
He said that in attendance were many high-ranking figures from big energy companies.
“It appears that the ‘opportunity’ for the west of Ireland is in fact an ‘opportunity’ for private energy firms to profit from one of Ireland’s most valuable natural resources,” said Ó Dálaigh.
“It’s appalling that while ordinary working people are struggling to pay their energy bills – as a direct result of the energy policies of successive governments – Mícheál Martin is preparing the ground to hand the vast potential of Ireland’s offshore wind to private companies.”
He said that these companies are only interested in maximising their own profits, whereas the shift towards renewable energy should be about maximising the benefit for working people and the planet.
“Since our formation in 2006, Éirígí have opposed the giveaway of Ireland’s natural resources. At that time, the focus was on opposing the giveaway of the Corrib Gas Field,” said Ó Dálaigh.
“That giveaway was an outrageous decision, driven by a blind commitment to free-market economics above all else. But the giveaway of our wind energy will make Corrib look like a drop in the ocean.
“That’s why we called an emergency protest last Thursday – to highlight and oppose the giveaway. We want to help spark a national conversation about who owns the wind.”
Graduates from Galway with good numerical and statistical proficiency are being asked to consider taking further studies in the field of Data Analytics.
Hibernia College made the suggestion this week after its announcement of a one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Business Data Analytics.
Beginning in autumn this year, the course brings together the three fields of business analytics, technology and data science.
Students will be drawn principally from the fields of computer science, mathematics, statistics, engineering and technology, and from finance, accounting and business.
Hibernia College made the public call due to a global shortage of data analysts and the Postgraduate Diploma is accredited by Quality and Qualifications Ireland.
Galway City Council has secured additional funding from the government for local live performance opportunities until the end of June this year.
The city council is having an open call for venues or artists to produce events which support local musicians, acts and bands.
The funding can be used to support employment and wellbeing in the commercial arts and culture sectors through live performances.
Galway City Council is encouraging the presentation of a wide range of performance types and multiple music genres with due regard to gender equality and diversity.
To submit an application under the Local Live Performance Programming Scheme Phase II, complete the online application on or before 4pm 21 April 2022.
This fund will cover events up until the 30th June 2022 and no extensions are possible.
Students from Coláiste Iognáid in Galway have been named among the country’s top young economists, claiming the runners-up prize at the 2022 Generation €uro Students’ Award run by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Local students Ruben Muller-Wieland, Thomas O’Riordan, Matthew Fogarty, Robert Farrell, Caoilte Murray, and their teacher Ray Silke, were awarded the runners-up prize at the national final.
Students from Our Lady’s College in Louth were also announced as runner-up winners, while a team from Benildus College in Dublin were named as the overall winners.
Now in its ninth year, the school competition run by the Central Bank of Ireland in association with the European Central Bank challenges Transition Year and 5th Year students to design monetary policy.
“The Central Bank of Ireland is committed to encouraging the economists of the future, and the students demonstrate there is a strong pipeline of young people interested in economics who may choose to forge careers in this area,” said Deputy Governor Sharon Donnery.
“I congratulate all three teams for their perseverance in working together and reaching the final.
“The students showed a great understanding of the principles of economics and monetary policy, and the work performed by the ECB, the Eurosystem, and the Central Bank.”
She said that selecting a winner was a difficult decision for the judging panel and that the teams analysed the challenges faced by the euro area, and should be commended for their ability to assess the rapidly changing economic environment.
As the overall winning team, students from Benildus College will now represent Ireland at the ECB where they will meet ECB President Christine Lagarde and the other winning teams from across Europe.
Croí will host a webinar with leading experts to discuss how to manage high blood pressure at the end of April.
Expert guest speakers on Thursday, April 28th from 7pm to 8pm will include GP and Professor of General Practice at NUI Galway Prof Andrew Murphy and Physiotherapist and Dietitian Eoin Keating.
The interactive panel discussion will address questions on living with high blood pressure and the event is in recognition of World Hypertension Day on May 17th.
Dr Lisa Hynes, Croí’s Head of Health Programmes, said that uncontrolled high blood pressure increases people’s risk of heart disease and stroke.
“It’s startling to know that Ireland has one of the highest rates of high blood pressure internationally, but among the lowest levels of diagnosis, treatment and control of the condition. Join us and connect with the experts at this free Croí webinar,” she said.
Register now and submit your questions at www.croi.ie/webinar, or call Croí on 091-544310. Don’t miss this special event!
A man in his early 20s has been charged in relation to the murder of two men in Sligo and will appear before Sligo District Court this afternoon.
Gardaí discovered the body of Michael Snee (58) on Tuesday at a residence in Sligo, who was the victim of a serious physical assault and had suffered significant injuries.
On Monday evening, Gardaí discovered the body of Aidan Moffitt (42) who had also been the subject of a physical assault and had suffered significant injuries.
Gardaí say Michael and Aidan were well-known and respected in the community, and that family liaison officers have been provided to their families.
Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken, Sligo Garda Station said that a postmortem was carried out on the remains of Aidan Moffitt on Tuesday at University Hospital Sligo by Dr Sally Ann Collis, State Pathologist.
Shortly after 1.30am on Tuesday morning the man who has been charged was arrested for murder.
“I would like to thank the community for their cooperation and assistance so far, information received from across the community continues to assist us in our investigation. It is heartening to see such cross community support at this time,” said Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken.
He said that Gardaí are actively investigating whether there is any hate related motive to these murders.
“Meeting people online should be a safe activity,” he said.
“But as with any online activity everybody should be aware of personal safety advice, which we have provided on the Garda website.
“We continue to explore all the circumstances of these cases and are examining another recent incident which occurred in the Sligo area.
“I am appealing to any person who may have been subject of any unwanted approaches or who was assaulted or otherwise attacked to contact the incident room at Sligo Garda Station.
“I have a dedicated diversity team here, we need to hear from you, we are here to listen to you and we are here to support you.”
Twenty free and subsidised higher education courses have been announced for Galway as part of the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 1 scheme.
The courses are open to people who may be interested in upskilling or reskilling in areas where skills are most needed in the Irish economy.
The programmes in Galway will be run through GMIT and NUI Galway, with courses ranging from business analytics and cybersecurity to biopharmaceutical science.
Additional courses at GMIT and NUIG will become available in the coming months, under the same scheme.
“As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, there are a number of areas within the economy that have an immediate skills shortage,” said Dr Vivienne Patterson, Head of Skills and Engagement at the Higher Education Authority.
“HCI Pillar 1 courses aim to address these by upskilling and reskilling people in areas that industry have identified as a priority.”
She said that the courses are an excellent opportunity for people who may be considering a change in career, or returning to the workforce, to upskill in an area that has future job prosperity – such as ICT, data analytics, and technology.
The HCI Pillar 1 scheme is run by the Higher Education Authority and courses are open to graduates, those returning to education, professionals and unemployed candidates.
All courses are free for people who are unemployed and people who have taken time out of work or education to raise their families or care for loved ones. For those in employment, 90% of the cost of a HCI Pillar 1 course is funded.
Boston Scientific has revealed a major €100 million expansion at Ballybrit today which will create over 300 new jobs.
The expansion includes over 40,000 square feet of medical device manufacturing space that will be powered by renewable energy.
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin welcomed the investment today, saying that it reflects real confidence in the quality and talent of the Irish workforce.
Boston Scientific has had a strong presence in Galway for nearly 30 years and has expanded site capabilities to include advanced product design, R&D and manufacturing.
More than 4 million medical devices are exported from the Galway facility every year, including heart stents and valves, vascular balloons and oesophageal stents.
James Lyons, vice president of Operations at Boston Scientific, said the expansion reflects the important contributions of the workforce in Galway as well as the strength of the broader business and local community in the west region.
“In addition to the investment in our physical space, we remain committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees can find opportunities to grow in their careers,” he said.
Many employees at the Galway campus have transitioned to hybrid work models, with schedules that allow for both working remotely and in the office each week.
New amenities include a gym and meeting spaces that are designed to support employee well-being and on-site collaboration.
A vigil will be held at Eyre Square in Galway city this Saturday for Michael Snee (59) and Aidan Moffitt (42) who were murdered in Sligo.
A number of vigils are planned in towns and cities across the country to remember the two men who died in their own homes after being attacked by a man that Gardaí believe they met on a dating app.
Gardaí are trying to locate members of the gay community who may have interacted with the 22-year-old suspect.
Both Michael Snee and Aidan Moffitt had suffered significant physical injuries when they were discovered.
In a statement, Gardaí said they are investigating whether the murders were hate-related.
“Meeting people online is a normal activity. Meeting people online should be a safe activity. But as with any online activity everybody should be aware of personal safety advice, which we have provided on the Garda website.”
“We continue to explore all the circumstances of these cases and are examining another recent incident which occurred in the Sligo area.”
Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken, Sligo Garda Station, appealed to anyone who may have experienced unwanted approaches, was assaulted or otherwise attacked, to contact the incident room at Sligo Garda Station.
“I have a dedicated diversity team here, we need to hear from you, we are here to listen to you and we are here to support you.”
Galway-Roscommon TD Claire Kerrane has said that the government is failing rural communities through its inaction on home heating oil costs.
She said that the government’s announcement of VAT cuts on gas and electricity will not provide the cost of living supports that rural communities need.
“The temporary cut in VAT on fuel bills from May to October will apply only to gas and electricity, but does not include home heating oil,” said Deputy Kerrane.
“The government has missed an opportunity to take a vital step to support people affected by the cost of living crisis.”
The Sinn Féin TD said that all measures to help households with soaring costs are welcome, but that it is concerning the Government have chosen to exclude home heating oil from the VAT relief.
She said that this move will disproportionately impact older people and rural households.
“We know that these groups are under huge financial pressure already and the government should have been taking steps to give them more support.
“The Government have hailed the measures announced today as offsetting carbon tax increases due to kick in on May 1st. They are essentially giving with one hand and taking with the other.
“The cost of home heating oil has doubled in recent months, the upcoming carbon tax increase will add to these costs and there are no supports to deal with this reality.
“People are under huge financial pressure due to the out of control cost of living crisis. The Government needs to act urgently to ensure people get the support they need now.”
Senator Seán Kyne has urged people to check their passports and apply on-time for renewals and particularly for first time applications.
The Galway senator has said that Covid has meant that many people didn’t renew their passports over the last two years, leading to a backlog in the processing of applications.
“First time applications are taking up to 35 working days to process, where documentation is in order,” he said, but if there are errors then processing times are increased.
“One of the issues that has arisen relates to the signing of consent forms by parents in the presence of a Garda, with 2 different dates provided on the form leading to a new form request.”
Similarly, ‘Passport Express’ applications can be difficult to expedite individually as they are stored in bundles of paper files, for security reasons.
Senator Kyne urged people to use the online passport service, apply in time, check consent form, signatures and dates.
“Extra staff have been hired by the Passport Service to deal with the increased workload but the pent-up demand for holidays and the Covid backlog means there are increased demands which the service is trying to deal with,” he said.
Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority are appealing for people to slow down this Bank Holiday weekend, as road fatalities have risen drastically this year.
There have been a total of 50 deaths from 49 crashes in Ireland up to today in 2022, far higher than the 27 road deaths in the same period last year.
Roads over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend have also gone up in recent years, with the four deaths in 2021 at least twice of what was seen in any of the preceding five years.
Galway TD Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, said that the increase in road deaths this year is deeply concerning.
“We must all take action to reverse this trend by taking greater care when using the road – especially over the high-risk Easter Bank Holiday period.”
“Four people died and eight were seriously injured over the Easter bank holiday last year,” Minister Naughton added.
“That means as drivers, we have a responsibility to slow down, to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, never to use our phones or drive while tired, and always to ensure that everyone in our vehicle wears their seatbelt.”
While the RSA and An Garda Síochána have issued a general appeal for road users to take greater care on the road this weekend there will also be focus on drug driving.
An Garda Síochána figures for the full year 2021 saw over 3,300 arrests for Drug-Driving. There have been 768 arrests for the same this year, up to March 31.
Assistant Commissioner, Paula Hilman said that enforcement over the weekend will focus on the four ‘lifesaver’ offences of speeding, drink/drug driving, not wearing a seat-belt, and using a mobile phone while driving.
Mandatory Intoxicant Checkpoints will be operating across the country as part of this operation.
“Don’t ever drive under the influence of an intoxicant. If you drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs you risk losing your licence,” she said.
“Our priority is to keep people safe, so I would ask you to please make responsible decisions this holiday period and don’t ever drive under the influence of an intoxicant.”
Mr Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the RSA said that at the current pace, Ireland could hit 180 road deaths by the end of the year.
This would be the greatest number of people killed on the road in the past decade.
Three of the 10 best restaurants in all of Ireland are located in Galway City according to the latest McKenna Guide.
The annual 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland from Sally and John McKenna was published recently, and the foodie capital of the west came out looking well.
There is a big difference between this year’s 100 Best Restaurants guide and previous entries, with merit based ranking for the very best of the best.
Previous year’s grouped the top 100 by region, without singling out which were better than others.
But for 2022, Sally and John McKenna have put together a “definitive, merit-weighted list” of the 10 best restaurants in all of Ireland.
Galway performed well on this list, with Kai coming in 4th place, followed by Aniar in 7th, and finally Éan bakery & restaurant placed 9th in the country.
Aniar recently retained its Michelin Star in the latest guide, while both Kai and Éan are Michelin Bib Gourmand eateries, for providing world class food at affordable prices.
This list also highlights how women have stormed the restaurant scene in Ireland, both as chefs and owners of some of the country’s best establishments.
Kai
Many voices have sang the praises of Kai and its chef/co-owner Jess Murphy, both of which have won too many awards to list in one article entry.
The McKenna Guide calls Jess “a symbol of generosity” among the restaurant community, for her willingness to experiment, and share the results with her colleagues.
Kai restaurant
“She is a model for other female chefs, proof that talent and amiability will succeed in a male-dominated business. She is the new Myrtle Allen, someone who always has an eye on the greater good.”
“In short, she’s a star, one of the great restaurateurs. And Kai is one of the most beloved restaurants in the country, the home of wonderful west-coast cooking by a truly talented crew.”
After a decade of blowing minds and taste buds, JP McMahon is still wringing new flavours out of local ingredients, and keeping the restaurant experience fresh.
The McKenna praises Aniar for turning simple ingredients into “marquee performers”, leaving diners with an unforgettable experience.
Aniar
“McMahon’s particular signature is his coastal cooking, and no one expresses better the glory of wracks, kelps, oysters, scallops, sea buckthorn and eels, and does so in such a particularly Irish way: the dish of oysters with sea lettuce is a defining modern Irish creation.
“Choosing the wine pairings allows the finesse of each course to stand out, and service from the kitchen brigade and the front of house team is exemplary.”
Christine Walsh, an alum of the Michelin Starred Loam restaurant, heads the kitchen at Éan, which is also owned by Loam’s Enda McEvoy and Sinead Meacle.
But Éan is no knock-off experience, as Walsh has made the kitchen her own, with completely unexpected, but always welcome, original plates.
Éan Bakery, Restaurant, and Wine Bar. Photo: Éan via Facebook
“Walsh is taking McEvoy’s terroir palette in new directions, and right from the first gush of Lissadell oyster with frozen kimchi, the cooking has an electrifying energy, girded by ley lines of interlinking flavours that transmit an intense experience straight to the nervous system.”
“Walsh’s flavour conduits are unexpected: katsuobushi with squid toast, smoked bone marrow with raw beef, preserved lemon with farm salad, raw honey with cheese, and the conduits slam the flavours and textures right into your consciousness.”
These three were far from the only places in Galway to make the cut in the 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland.
Among the rest of the McKenna Guide, also singled out as unmissable dining experiences were the casual but breathtaking Ard Bia at Nimmos; the farm-to-plate Basilico in Oranmore; the easy to miss, but impossible to overlook Lignum; and the much feted Loam.
Going outside of traditional Irish fare, Wa Sushi takes fish and shellfish from Galway Bay to create an experience new to most local palettes; and the renowned West restaurant located in Barna’s Twelve Hotel
A pan-European project led by NUI Galway has reached a major milestone in strengthening the continent’s pandemic response.
The PANDEM-2 Project aims to help future proof the EU against the next potential pandemic by improving member states to respond together.
The two year project was awarded €9.7 million by the European Union, and involves academic and private sector partners in multiple countries.
A significant milestone in the project has been the launch of the first version of ‘Pandem-source’, an IT solution that will enable countries and health organisations to share data in real time.
Pandem-Source is open-source and designed to meet the specific needs of public health agencies, governments and international organisations such as the ECDC and WHO.
It enables real-time pandemic-relevant data from international systems (ECDC, TESSy), laboratory systems, social media and other systems to be easily integrated.
Professor Máire Connolly, PANDEM-2 Coordinator at NUI Galway said “I would like to acknowledge all partners involved in achieving this major milestone in the PANDEM-2 project.”
“COVID-19 has affected every corner of society and had devastating health, economic and social impacts on countries worldwide.”
“In the event of a future pandemic, we hope that the Pandem-Source tool will play a role in the conversations that public health experts and policymakers are having.”
“Pandem-Source will provide them with the comprehensive, accurate, up-to-the-minute data that they will need to make better decisions.”
Pandem-Source will feed into the upcoming ‘PANDEM-2 Dashboard’ where its components relating to situational awareness will be further developed through state-of-the-art visual analytics.
This aims to combat the deficiencies in pandemic response revealed by COVID-19, where nations largely acted individually for a lengthy period of time in Europe.
These technologies are being created and produced by project partners and experts in the field including Epiconcept (France), UCLouvain (Belgium), Clarisoft (Romania), and NUI Galway (Ireland).
‘Pandem-Source’ is available to download here, feedback is welcomed and can be sent to info@pandem-2.eu.
