Four Galway winners at the National Digital Awards

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February 4, 2022

Galway Daily business Four Galway winners at the National Digital Awards

There were four big Galway winners at the virtual ceremony for the National Digital Awards this week recognising achievements online.

Galway-based businesses Gra Chocolates won the Hospitality, Food, Beverage Website of the Year award, with Schoolbooks.ie winning the Education Website of the Year award.

The much coveted and prestigious Digital Trailblazer Award goes to Galway entrepreneur, Ashley McDonnell of PUIG. Galway-based tech founder, Stella Power won the Women in Digital Award.

Secretary General of Digital Business Ireland, Lorraine Higgins said that they are “truly delighted” to recognise the achievements of businesses and individuals.

“Given that we received over four hundred entries to this year’s series, including many from Galway, it is fair to say that our expert judging panel had a momentous task in selecting the winners and runners-up in each category.”

“The talent, innovation and ambition showcased by both Gra Chocolates and Schoolbooks.ie was inspiring to all who were part of the judging process”.

The National Digital Awards ae organised by Digital Business Ireland, the country’s dedicated representative body for the digital and e-commerce sector, along with Permanent tsb.

The finalists gathered on Thursday evening for the highly-anticipated awards ceremony, which took the form of a virtual event hosted by national broadcaster, Jonathan Healy.

This year, the Awards spanned twenty categories, and drew in more than four hundred entries from businesses, people and organisations across Ireland.

The winners were announced across 20 categories spanning websites, digital innovation and the people who power them, with leading brands such as ez Living, An Post, Harvey Norman, Pamela Scott and Currys being rewarded for their sterling efforts in the digital arena over 2021.

Mags Brennan, Head of Business Banking at Permanent tsb said “Throughout 2021, businesses throughout Ireland have faced extraordinary challenges.”

“In responding to shifting consumer trends, many have had to transform their operations and embrace digitalisation and all that it offers.”

“The resilience, determination and entrepreneurial spirit that has been shown by businesses over the last year has been nothing short of remarkable.”

COVID-19: 6,697 PCR-confirmed cases reported

By

Briain Kelly

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February 4, 2022

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galway daily news 61 COVID patients in Galway's hospitals

There have been a further 12,336 total cases of COVID-19 reported by health officials today.

The HPSC has notified an additional 6,697 PCR-confirmed cases as of Friday.

There have also been a further 5,639 positive antigen tests registered through the HSE portal notified today.

As of Friday morning there were 597 people in the country hospitalised with COVID-19.

Of these patients, 66 are being treated in the intensive care unit.

The COVID-19 data hub provides detailed information about the disease in the community, including the rollout of the booster campaign.

There have been 120,193 lab tests completed in the past week, 31% of which have tested positive for the virus.

A total of 2,720,405 booster vaccine doses have been administered as of yesterday, with 4,203 jabs given on Thursday alone.

Ros a Mhíl fishery centre to receive €3.4 million funding this year

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Briain Kelly

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February 4, 2022

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Galway Daily news Ros a Mhíl fishery centre to receive €3.4 million funding this year

The Fishery Harbour Centre at Ros a Mhíl will receive €3.4 million in funding this year for various projects and improvements.

Minister for the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced this week that €35 million will be spent this year on Ireland’s six state-owned Fishey Harbour Centres.

At Ros a Mhíl, this includes €1.5 million for the recently confirmed Deep Harbour Quay.

The department has given the green light to proceed with this project, which will ultimately cost €25 million, and a tender for detailed design for this project has been published.

Minister McConalogue said during a visit earlier this week that, when completed, the new quay will bring Ros a Mhíl more in line with the fishing facilities that are currently available at Killybegs and Castletownbere.

The Connemara fishing port will also receive €1 million for Phase 3 of the new Small Craft Harbour, and €400,000 for water metering.

Small investments include €250,000 for a welfare building, €200,000 for upgrades to the harbourmaster’s offices, €40,000 to upgrade the cctv system, and €20,000 for a tarmac road to the small craft harvour.

Announcing the investment, Minister McConalogue said “The facilities at our Fishery Harbour Centres are critical to the seafood industry and it is important to that we continue to modernise and innovate in the services they provide.”

“This increased investment demonstrates this Government’s serious commitment to supporting the fishing industry and rural coastal communities.”

The Minister added that in 2020, almost 90% of fish landed in Ireland arrived at Fishery Harbour Centres.

The pot of funding also includes €1.9 million for safety and maintenance works across all six harbours, along with €120,000 for disability access.

The biggest recipient of funding is Castletownbere (€10.8m), followed by Killybegs (€9.2m).

Connemara company leading development of Film and TV hubs

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Briain Kelly

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February 4, 2022

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Galway Daily television Connemara company leading development of Film and TV hubs

The Connemara company Atlantic Academy has been chosen to lead the charge in training film and tv production crew in Ireland.

Screen Ireland has chosen the Spiddal based company to be the lead organisation in developing three film and tv crew hubs in Ireland.

The hubs are being developed to produce highly skilled production crew for the film and tv sector, which is currently experiencing unprecedented level of activity.

There has been a massive growth in filming in Ireland by not only national broadcasters, but also international film studios and streaming platforms.

Forming part of a National Talent Academies, the hubs will be managed by Atlantic Academy in Galway and Clermont Enterprise Hub in Wicklow, while in Limerick, the hub will be managed by Film in Limerick.

Atlantic Academy will cover Galway, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan.

Siobhán Ní Ghadhra, CEO of Atlantic Academy said “We’re needless to say thrilled to be one of the three crew hubs to develop much needed crew and talent for the TV and Film Sector nationally.”

“We see the absolute need to develop and expand the talent pool. We also plan to respond to the industry requirements, by providing bespoke and inclusive training programmes.”

“Training for Irish language productions will also be a priority for Atlantic Academy. This is an excellent and much needed response and creates future viability, jobs and career possibilities in the Film and TV Sector.”

The three hubs will see €1 million in funding invested in their development, complemented by a further €1.2 million that has been invested in the National Talent Academies for Film and TV Drama, of which the Galway Film Centre is the lead organisation, and the Animation Academy.

Atlantic Academy is a Gaeltacht training company for the film and tv sector, which was created by Spiddal based Danú Media, co-producers of Ros na Rún.

Atlantic Academy –will operate from an Chuasnóg, where the TG4 drama series is filmed on a purpose built TV drama studio set.

Danú Media are also currently seeking planning permission for Atlantic Studios at the former Galway Airport site.

Minister Catherine Martin said that there is huge potential for the film and tv industry in Ireland.

“Not only are we seeing a thriving domestic screen industry, but Ireland is becoming a major international location for film, television and animation production.”

“This is founded on the talent that exists within the country and we must develop this further to maximise this potential.”

Wet and windy weekend weather forecasted

By

Briain Kelly

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February 4, 2022

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Galway Daily weather Overcast skies forecast for Bank Holiday Weekend weather

Met Eireann is forecasting wet and blustery weekend weather for Galway, with strong winds and frequent showers expected.

Friday is likely to be the best part of the weekend, so enjoy it while it lasts, with sunny spells interspersed with showers.

Highest temperatures of 7° or 8° today, but dropping as low as 2° overnight in places. A moderate westerly will die down and turn light as the evening progresses.

Saturday will see more of the Galway weather we expect, with cloud and outbreaks of rain turning heavy and steady as the day progresses.

Maximum temperatures of 8° to 10° tomorrow according to Met Eireann, with a strong westerly or southwesterly wind throughout the day.

But Sunday will see a moderate improvement, with cloudy skies and outbreaks of rain turning milder as the morning progresses.

Some sunny spells are expected from Sunday afternoon, with strong westerly winds also easing up.

Temperatures on Sunday will reach highs of 8°, before dropping to a still mild 5° overnight.

Galway United builds up defensive line

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Briain Kelly

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February 4, 2022

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Galway United sport Galway United builds up defensive line

Galway United has continued to build out its squad for the coming season with the signing of two additional defenders this week.

United confirmed the signing of Charlie Lyons and Evan O’Connor, coming the the west from the south and midlands respectively.

Evan O’Connor is a centre-back who has joined United after playing for both Longford Town and Athlone Town.

He was on trial during our pre-season and impressed with some excellent displays, especially during a comprehensive victory against Finn Harps, and in the process caught the eye of many supporters in Ballinderreen.

O’Connor stated that his ambition with United is to see the club promoted, saying that it deserves to be in the top division of Irish football.

Charlie Lyons is primarily a centre-half, but can also play as a left back, who has joined united after a spell with Cobh Ramblers.

The Cork native made an impressive 66 appearances for Cobh after joining the club in 2019.

The 21-year-old has impressed while on trial with Galway United in pre-season and has put pen to paper to move west for the forthcoming First Division campaign.

“It is going to be a competitive league this campaign but I fancy ourselves to be there or thereabouts,” Lyons said.

Gardaí report massive spike in scam related crimes last year

By

Briain Kelly

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February 4, 2022

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Galway Daily crime Gardaí report massive spike in scam related crimes last year

Gardai are warning the public to exercise caution online after recording a massive spike in scam related offences in 2021.

The number of Vishing (fraud phone calls), Smishing (fraud texts) and Phishing (fraud emails) related offences jumped by 370% in 2021, almost four times higher than the previous year.

Overall fraud related offences increased by 110% in 2021 according to An Garda Síochána.

An Garda Síochána is asking members of the public to be wary of unsolicited phone calls, emails and texts and not to click on any links.

The most common variety of these scam offences is for fraudsters to pretend to be from your bank, inviting people to click on a link that will bring them to a cloned website, and try and get them to enter their PIN number.

They may also seek other personal data such as address, date of birth, PPS numbers etc.

These are just a few of the online scam offences cybercriminals use to steal your private data.

An Garda Síochána is warning the public to never give away personal data such as bank account details, PIN numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, one time codes, PPS numbers and Eircodes.

If you’ve been a victim of fraud, it’s vital that you change your passwords immediately and report the matter to your bank as well as to An Garda Síochána.

The advice from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) on scam Vishing, Smishing and Phishing (this can also take place in the workplace) is as follows:

Vishing – Calls

· Be wary of cold calls received. Ask the caller their name, their phone number and if you are concerned hang up and ring your bank / service provider from a number advertised in a phone book, on your bill or from a Google search.
· Just because the number looks Irish does not mean it is – fraudsters use VOIP and spoofed numbers.
· Never act on advice received or instructions from a cold caller.
· Never give away personal data like bank account details, PIN numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, one time codes, PPS numbers or Eircodes.
· Never download any Apps as these allow the fraudster to take control of your device.
· Be aware that State bodies including the Revenue Commissioners will not ring you to advise that you are under investigation.
· Do not transfer money in any way.
· Before taking any action, seek advice from a trusted person.

Smishing – Texts

· Be wary of such texts even if they are contained within the thread of previous genuine texts from banks.
· Never click on links – by doing so you are accessing cloned websites.
· If you’re expecting a delivery and receive such a text, be very careful.
· Banking institutions will never send a text containing a link.
· An Garda Síochána advise people not to respond to such texts, to take screenshots of the texts received and delete them and to report it to the bank or relevant company and local Garda station.

Phishing – Emails

· Phishing emails can look official – make sure you are certain it’s legitimate before opening an attachment.
· Hover over any hyperlinks so you know where they lead to before you click (or go directly to the source).
· Beware of requests for personal or financial details or requests to reset passwords.
· Delete any suspicious emails, block the sender and don’t forward the email to anyone else.
· Don’t store passwords on your browser. If any of your passwords are compromised, it could lead to a chain of disasters and compromise all your accounts.
· Avoid using personal or untrusted removable devices (such as phones, tablets, iPods, SD Cards) on office systems.
· Beware of generic, impersonal greetings, such as “Dear Friend” or poor spelling and grammar.
· Check the displayed name against the actual email.
· Limit what you share online – cybercriminals use information you post online to learn how to gain your trust.
· Stay updated with security policies and best practices.

File for DPP on Ballybane arson attack

By

Briain Kelly

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February 4, 2022

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Galway Daily news missing teen found safe

A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to an arson attack on a house in Ballybane.

A house at Castlepark, Ballybane was set ablaze with children inside in the early hours of Thursdsy morning.

Three people arrested in connection with the incident, two adult men and a juvenile, have been released pending a file to the DPP.

Gardaí and emergency services were called to attend a house fire in the Castlepark area of Ballybane shortly before 2am on Thursday morning.

A woman and four children were inside the house at the time of the arson, but managed to escape without serious injury.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in the Castle Park area yesterday evening and who may have observed a black four door Volkswagen Golf to make contact with them.

An Garda Síochána would like to talk to anyone who has video footage in this locality, including dash cam footage, covering a period from midnight and 1.30am.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Galway Garda Station on 091-538000, or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

Golfgate trial: Court dismisses all charges

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Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Galway Daily courts Man charged in connection

Charges have been dismissed against all four defendants in the Oireachtas Golf Society ‘Golfgate’ trial at Galway District Court today.

The charges against Deputy Noel Grealish, former Senator Donie Cassidy, John Sweeney, and his son James Sweeney were dismissed by Judge Mary Fahy at the conclusion of the third day of the trial.

The four had been charged in relation to a dinner held by the Oireachtas Golf Society at the Station House hotel in Clifden on August 19 at the end of a two day golfing event.

During the trial today the court heard more evidence from Inspector Peter Conlon, who was extensively cross-examined by defence counsel, and former Minister Dara Calleary TD.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, Mr Michael McDowell SC for Mr Grealish asked the court to dismiss the charges against his client on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove that he was an organiser of the event in question.

Judge Mary Fahy said that this was a criminal case like any other, and that there was “no direct evidence that” that Mr Grealish was involved in organising the dinner subject of the charges, and that Inspector Conlon had been clear in his evidence that there was no real connection to Mr Grealish.

Anticipating applications by counsel for the other defendants, the Judge said that it was clear that the dinner event took place in “two distinct areas of a very large hotel”.

She said that there was “most impressive” evidence given by Mr Justice Seamus Woulfe, who testified on the second day of the trial back in January.

Judge Fahy said that she was satisfied that everyone involved in the organisation of the event did everything they could to comply with the regulations, “and in my opinion, they did comply. Not in the court of public opinion, but in the court of law, in my view, they did.

There was tension earlier in the day when Inspector Conlon rejected accusations that he had leaked information about the upcoming prosecution to the media.

Mr Colm Smyth SC, counsel for Mr Cassidy said that an article on February 17, 2021 in the Irish Independent stating four people were to be prosecuted over the event, came out before his client was informed.

Inspector Conlon said that he was not aware of any article, and vehemently denied that he had leaked any information.

He said that all four defendants were informed simultaneously on either the 16th or 17th of the pending prosecution. He and three other Gardaí called them at the same time for fairness’ sake.

When asked if he had a record of that call, Inspector Conlon said that he did not, but maintained that the calls were made at that time.

Mr Smyth said that his client received no call, and that the only correspondence Mr Cassidy got was a summons to appear in court which arrived in July.

When it was put to him by Mr McDowell, the Inspector agreed that there was no offence in the golf outing itself, and in that the dinner itself would not be an offence if it was held in two separate rooms.

He said that as sections of the partition were removed to allow service and speeches, allowing air to circulate, this made it one room, and a criminal offence.

Later in the day the court also heard briefly from former Minister for Agriculture Mr Dara Calleary TD, who resigned his Ministerial role in the aftermath of the event.

Mr Calleary said that he was not a golfer, so did not attend the earlier portion of the event, but was asked to speak at the dinner in honour of the late Mark Killilea.

He said it was “clear that every precaution was taken” in ensuring the event was compliant with guidelines.

Mr Calleary said that he was met at the door of the hotel by Mr John Sweeney, who was greeting guests as they arrived.

Regarding the dinner itself, he said that he was struck by the seating of “bubbles” of people who had been playing golf together for the past two days.

When questioned by Mr Eoghan Cole BL, prosecuting, he said that there was a floor to ceiling partition, and that he didn’t see anyone from the other portion of the room until he stood up to make his speech.

He said that the gap to allow others to hear his speech was the only one in the partition at the time, which he described as about as wide as himself.

In response to cross examination by Mr Edward Walsh SC for John Sweeney, he said that he was still today satisfied that everything possible had been done to comply with guidelines.

Smartphone gaming to improve further with another wave of releases in 2022

By

Thomas O'Brien

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February 3, 2022

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For the average person, while they’re frequenting some of Galway’s finest restaurants and taking in the occasional Galway United match, their smartphone device is a vital modern-day tool that they require throughout an average day.

As well as dealing with work emails and conversing with family on popular messaging services like WhatsApp, people are also discovering the benefits of smartphone gaming. In fact, mobile gaming is booming right now.

The rise of smartphone gaming has been impossible to ignore, with hit releases such as Pokemon Go hogging the headlines in recent times, alongside a range of other popular titles such as Among Us, which have registered huge global success.

As such, the global mobile game industry was worth $98 billion in 2020, with 32.7% of mobile gamers being millennials. Alongside downloadable products on both iOS and Android, online casinos have contributed to the all-around growth of smartphone gaming also, with players turning to popular Greek mythology-themed slots like The Hand of Midas and enjoying live poker games at a range of reputable operators.

Senior audiences are regularly accessing brain teaser and puzzle releases, too, alongside the extensive selection of other titles which are being enjoyed by differing audiences around the world.

Given the continual advancements being made in our smartphone devices and the games which we can play using them, gaming on a mobile phone is expected to kick even further on in 2022. With the mobile gaming community gearing up for a wave of new releases, let’s take a look at some of them below.

Disney Mirrorverse

With a release date yet to be confirmed, fans of Disney are left wondering just when will Disney Mirrorverse be available for download. The game, which is exciting a lot of people already, is going to feature the characters people know and love from both Disney and Pixar. Alongside this, players are likely to be able to explore an action-oriented universe with stunning visuals. After recently going through beta testing, Disney Mirrorverse’s release date hopefully isn’t too far away.

Star Wars Hunters

Another game with an unknown release date, Star Wars Hunters is a team-based multiplayer product that is set in the familiar Star Wars universe. Although there isn’t a great deal of detail surrounding the game yet, Star Wars fans can’t wait for it.

Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis

(Image via https://twitter.com/Twinfinite)

The Final Fantasy series of games are iconic, but their success has been on console machines. Now, branching out into the mobile gaming sphere, Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis is expected to make the transition over to smartphone gaming with a great deal of success. A single-player RPG that encompasses the entire Final Fantasy VII timeline, the game is expected to be free-to-play while also featuring gacha mechanics as players explore and battle their way through what promises to be a fantastic release.

DC Heroes & Villains

Fans of the American media franchise, which has brought us some truly memorable superhero films and television series’ can’t wait for this product which is yet to have a release date but is firmly expected to be exposed to audiences in the early stages of the year. A match-three puzzler that is likely to blend its puzzler mechanics with RPG components, developer Ludia has already been making some positive noises about this particular release which is expected to do well in 2022. If you’re a fan of DC and, more specifically, of characters such as the Joker and Harley, then you’ll enjoy this one.

Other games to look forward to in 2022 include Plants vs Zombies 3, Torchlight: Infinite, and Tomb Raider Reloaded.

Breaking: Charges dismissed against all defendants in ‘Golfgate’ trial

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Galway Daily courts Argument over guidelines dominates first day of golf dinner trial

Charges have been against all four defendants in the Oireachtas Golf Society, ‘Golfgate’ trial which has concluded at Galway District Court today.

Judge Mary Fahy dismissed the charges at the close of evidence this afternoon, and after hearing an application by Defence Counsel Michael McDowell on behalf of Noel Grealish.

Deputy Noel Grealish, former Senator Donie Cassidy, and father and son hoteliers John and James Sweeney were all charged in relation to organising an event in breach of COVID regulations at the Station House Hotel in August 2020.

All four defendants denied the charges against them.

more to follow

COVID-19: Another 6,061 PCR-confirmed cases reported

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Galway Daily news Galway hospitals see COVID cases double in recent weeks

There have been a further 12,875 cases of COVID-19 cases in total reported by health officials today.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has notified a further 6,061 PCR-confirmed cases of the disease today.

Another 6,814 positive antigen tests registered through the HSE portal have also been reported today.

As of this morning there were 610 people hospitalised with COVID-19 in Ireland, of whom 63 are in the ICU.

The COVID-19 data hub provides detailed information about the disease in the community, including the rollout of the booster campaign.

There have been 117,416 lab tests completed in the past week, 30.4% of which have tested positive for the virus.

A total of 2,713,302 booster vaccine doses have been administered as of yesterday, with 4,489 jabs given on Wednesday alone.

Three arrested following arson attack on house with children inside

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Gardai are appealing for witnesses following an arson attack on a house in the Ballybane area of Galway City overnight.

Gardaí and emergency services were called to attend a house fire in the Castlepark area of Ballybane shortly before 2am this Thursday morning.

Gardaí are treating the incident as arson and have today arrested two men in their 30s and a juvenile male in connection with this incident.

Five people, one woman and four children were in the house at the time of the fire but all managed to escape from the house without serious injury.

All attended University Hospital Galway for treatment but have since been discharged.

The three arrested are currently detained at North Western Garda Headquarters in Galway under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in the Castle Park area yesterday evening and who may have observed a black four door Volkswagen Golf to make contact with them.

An Garda Síochána would like to talk to anyone who has video footage in this locality, including dash cam footage, covering a period from midnight and 1.30am.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Galway Garda Station on 091-538000, or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

Gardaí say that the investigation is ongoing.

No COVID patients in the ICU at University Hospital Galway

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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The number of COVID-19 cases at UHG has continued to fall dramatically, but have risen sharply at Portiuncula Hospital.

There were just 28 confirmed cases at University Hospital Galway as of Wednesday evening, down from 41 at the start of the week.

Of the COVID patients at UHG, there are none being treated in the ICU in the latest HSE figures, down from two on Monday, and four a week ago.

At Portiuncula Hospital however, cases have gone up from 5 on Monday afternoon, to 19 as of yesterday evening.

Two of the patients at Portiuncula Hospital are being treated in the intensive care unit, unchanged in recent days.

Nationwide there were just 580 COVID-19 patients hospitalised in Ireland as of Wednesday evening, of whom 64 are in the ICU.

Tom Daly starting for Connacht after three month absence

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Galway Daily sport Tom Daly starting for Connacht after three month absence — Tom Daly. Photo Credit: INPHO

The Connacht squad for this Friday’s Ulster Interpro has been announced, with Tom Daly returning after a three month absence.

Daly will be of the starting XV at Kingspan Stadium tomorrow, after a three month absence due to a knee injury he sustained against Ulster at the Aviva Stadium.

Joining him in the centre is Sammy Arnold, and Daly is far from the only player returning from absences caused by injury or national service.

The starting lineup also includes Denis Buckley for the first time since June, Conor Fitzgerald & John Porch who were unavailable last week, and Cian Prendergast who has returned from a stint with Ireland as a development player.

It’s a much different squad than lost to Glasgow last weekend, with eleven changes in total.

Buckley is named in a new-look tight five with Shane Delahunt at hooker and Tietie Tuimauga who’s named at tighthead, while Niall Murray and Oisín Dowling are paired together in the second row.

Jarrad Butler captains the side from number 8, with Prendergast and Conor Oliver on the flanks.

In the backs, out-half Conor Fitzgerald is handed his first start of the season with Kieran Marmion alongside him, while a new-look back three features Porch at full-back with Alex Wootton and Peter Sullivan on the wings.

Head Coach Andy Friend said that Connacht are hoping to see a marked improvement on their performance against Glasgow, which he candidly states wasn’t up to snuff.

“We’ve had an honest week with difficult conversations about what happened last weekend,” Friend said.

“The performance wasn’t nearly good enough and we need to see a major improvement tomorrow against a strong Ulster team who are on a good run of form.”

“We’re welcoming back a number of players for various reasons which is always a plus, and we can take confidence from a good record up in Belfast the last few years.”

Connacht and Ulster will meet at Kingspan Stadium this Friday, February 4, with kick-off at 8:15pm.

The full Connacht squad named is:

15. John Porch (48)
14. Peter Sullivan (17)
13. Sammy Arnold (29)
12. Tom Daly (53)
11. Alex Wootton (28)
10. Conor Fitzgerald (45)
9. Kieran Marmion (198)
1. Denis Buckley (201)
2. Shane Delahunt (113)
3. Tietie Tuimauga (4)
4. Niall Murray (26)
5. Oisín Dowling (17)
6. Cian Prendergast (20)
7. Conor Oliver (32)
8. Jarrad Butler (86) (C)

Replacements
16. Jonny Murphy (17)
17. Jordan Duggan (22)
18. Greg McGrath (3)
19. Leva Fifita (6)
20. Paul Boyle (66)
21. Colm Reilly (8)
22. Cathal Forde (1)
23. Oran McNulty (6)

Plans for city centre social housing development

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Galway Daily news Plans for city centre social housing development

Galway City Council has issued notice that it intends to seek planning permission for a social housing development in the city centre.

The council intends to make an application to An Bord Pleanála to demolish terraced dwelling houses and all ancillary outbuildings and boundary walls at 17-20 Merchants Road Lower, near to the Spanish Arch.

In their place the council plans to build a new five storey mixed use development with cultural and social housing units.

This will comprise a cultural venue, a café, 12 social housing apartments, a covered central courtyard and an accessible rooftop terrace.

The housing element will comprise 5 one-bedroom apartments and 7 two-bedroom apartments.

A Natura Impact Statement has been prepared in respect of the proposed development.

Detailed documents of the proposed development can be found on the city council website here.

These documents and the Natura Impact Statement can also be viewed at city hall until March 3 from 10am to 1pm, Monday – Friday.

Boil Water Notice issued for Gort area

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Galway Daily news Upgrade works to cause water outages in Gort

A precautionary boil water notice has been issued for the some 2,800 homes and businesses in the Gort area.

Irish Water has put in place a boil water notice for customers on the Gort Public Water supply due to a mechanical fault at the treatment plant.

People on the Gort PWS are currently without a water supply due to the fault at the water treatment plant.

These households are advised that repairs should be completed by midday today, and people should commence boiling their water as soon as the supply is restored.

Irish Water has not yet given an estimated timeframe for this warning, only saying that people should boil their water until further notice.

Ronan Daly, Irish Water’s Asset Operations Lead, has acknowledged the impact this notice will have on the community and apologised for the inconvenience to customers.

“We will continue to work closely with Galway County Council and the HSE to monitor the supply and lift the notice as quickly as it is safe to do so and safeguard the supply for the future.”

“Public health is Irish Water’s number one priority and this Boil Water Notice has been put in place as a precaution to protect customers following a mechanical fault at the water treatment plant.”

“Where risks to water quality are identified through Irish Water’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, Boil Water Notices are issued in order to safeguard public health.”

“In all instances immediate action is taken to address the cause of the issue in order to lift the notice as quickly as possible, in agreement with the HSE.”

Water must be boiled for drinking, drinks made with water, preparation of food not cooked prior to eating, brushing teeth, or making ice.

Man hospitalised following Dominick Street incident

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

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Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of an incident near Dominick Street this morning in which a man was hospitalised.

One man has been taken to University Hospital Galway following the incident.

It is not yet clear what the nature of the incident was.

In a statement to Galway Daily, An Garda Síochána said:

“Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of an incident this morning near Dominick Street in Galway.”

“A male has since been taken to University Hospital Galway.”

“No further information is available at this time.”

Galway International Rally returns with new headquarters

By

Briain Kelly

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February 3, 2022

0

Galway Daily sports Galway International Rally returns with new headquarters

The much loved Galway International Rally will be back roaring the county this weekend, marking more than 50 years of racing.

Galway’s famed Connacht Hotel is delighted to be serving as the official headquarters of the world renowned race event this weekend.

The international rally was the first major motorsport event to take place annually in Ireland, starting in 1971 and now in its 51st year.

Over the years the event has attracted entrants from England, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, the former Czechoslovakia, France, America, Gambia, Belgium, Arabia, Norway and Finland.

This year the rally is reverting to a two day event, based out of the Connacht Hotel this Saturday and Sunday, February 5 & 6.

The action for the 15-stage,two-day event is centred on the town of Loughrea with short road sections between the stages.

It will as usual be the opening round of next seasons Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, and the second round of the Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championship.

The Connacht Hotel will also be taking part in the excitement, having sponsored a car alongside An Pucan & Corrib Oil.

sponsored by the Connacht Hospitality Group

Looking at the Future of Online Gaming 2022 and Beyond

By

Thomas O'Brien

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February 2, 2022

0

The future of online gaming is here. Virtual reality, live streaming and increased player engagement are just some of the ways that online gamers can expect to see their favorite pastimes evolve over the next few years. The increasing trend toward mobile games has created more ways for gamers to play on-the-go, while still allowing them to connect with friends and an ever-growing gaming community.

One of the more interesting changes expected in online gaming is the prevalence of virtual reality (VR) games over the next five years. With more players looking toward mobile for entertainment purposes, VR headsets are seen as the next step in creating a better gaming experience. By meeting this demand, virtual reality is expected to become the most used form of online gaming in 2022.

In addition to VR, competitive skill-based games will continue to thrive as more games take advantage of e-sports and integrated services that allow players and viewers alike to create and share content. These interactive environments are expected to evolve the way that gamers interact, adding a new form of storytelling and social behavior within their games.

Metaverse in the Gaming World

VR is no longer a thing of the future. More and more gamers are availing themselves to the new wave of online gaming that provides an immersive experience unlike any other. In 2022, it’s expected that VR will have become a staple in online games, replacing flat screens as pro players’ tools of choice for tournament play.

In fact, most online tournaments will be hosted completely in VR, allowing gamers to engage more directly with their fellow competitors. The Metaverse is expected to become the new norm as virtual stadiums replace physical venues, and games are viewed by thousands of fans within communal spaces.

As technology advances, website owners are tasked with keeping up-to-date on the newest trends and implementing them on their sites. It’s necessary to make sure that users have the best possible experience when using a site, whether they’re actively browsing or passively glancing at a stream of content.

In this guide, we will explore some of the ways that online gaming is expected to evolve in the next five years. We’ll look at VR technology, mobile gaming, and e-sports, along with other factors that impact what people can expect when they sit down to play bet365 games.

By looking ahead, website administrators will be able to determine whether or not their sites are equipped for the next wave of online gaming.

VR is Changing the Way Online Games are Played

Virtual Reality has been a mainstay in science fiction novels and films since the early 20th century. While actual VR technology had been developed as early as the 1970s, it wasn’t until 2012 that Oculus Rift began offering real-time head tracking to gamers around the world.

The technology became an overnight sensation, and Oculus was soon acquired by Facebook for $2 billion. Since then, proposed virtual reality platforms and devices like Microsoft’s HoloLens and Valve’s SteamVR system have become more advanced than ever before, pushing the boundaries of the possible in online gaming.

While these devices intend to blur the lines between reality and video games, there are still some hurdles to overcome before VR becomes a popular choice for gamers. Google Glass, a head-mounted display similar to the Oculus Rift, was seen as a major step forward in augmented reality technology.

However, after being discontinued by Google, it became clear that for this type of technology to take off in the gaming world, it has to be affordable and the required hardware accessible.

Currently, there is a gap in what gamers can expect to spend and their expectations of the finished product. Hardware such as headsets, controllers, and gloves need to become more affordable before VR becomes widely adopted in online gaming.

In its current state, many users agree that VR is a novelty, but not a necessity. In the next five years that is expected to change as VR becomes more mainstream and developers begin incorporating it into their games.

VR platforms will become a staple in future tournaments, allowing pro-players to compete face-to-face from the comfort of their own homes. It won’t be long before gamers from across the globe gather inside communal VR stadiums to cheer for their favorite players.

Conclusion

In 2022 it is expected that gamers will have a much different idea as to what constitutes an online gaming tournament. The technologies that exist today are going to radically change the way we play games, and website administrators need to be aware of these changes if they want their sites to stay relevant.

One of the biggest changes in online gaming is due to mobile devices, as they offer new ways for users to interact with their games. They also allow gamers on-the-go access to a world of betting opportunities on their favorite titles.

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