Two people were injured in a two car crash that occurred at Carnmore on Saturday morning.
Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a road traffic collision at Carnmore Cross this morning.
The two car crash happened at approximately 11:30am this morning.
A woman in her 60s and man in his 20s were taken to University Hospital Galway to be treated for their injuries.
The road has since reopened to traffic.
Galway United have announced four players have signed on to return for the club in the 2022 season.
David Hurley, Stephen Walsh, Conor O’Keeffe, and Conor Kearns have also re-signed with the tribesmen for the coming year. Three of them are heading into their second year with Galway United, while old hand Walsh is back once again.
Goalkeeper Kearns was the first to confirm his return for a second season with Galway, hoping to build off an impressive record this year.
This year saw United break a club record for clean sheets, going 516 minutes without conceding a goal just after the mid-season break.
Defender Conor Kearns was the next to re-sign. He came to Galway after a brief stint with Newry was cut short by COVID-19, prior to which he was in New Zealand with Southern United.
Stephen Walsh, another defender, is returning for his ninth total season with Galway United, saying that John Caulfield is building a strong team for 2022.
Finally, Cork man David Hurley was the most recent to confirm that he will be returning in 2022.
The mid-fielder came to Galway after four seasons with Cobh Ramblers, and was full of praised for the difference the Galway fans made when the team took to the pitch.
Galway finished 2021, the first full season under new manager John Caulfield, in second place of the First Division, trailing Shelbourne.
Aldi has started work on its new supermarket in Tuam, which is expected to create 30 jobs in the area when it opens.
The €10 million store on Ballygaddy Road is expected to open in autumn 2022.
Once completed it will have a floor space of 1,315sqm, with 97 car parking spaces, and four electric vehicle charging points.
Aldi currently operates nine supermarkets in Galway, with three more in the pipeline in Tuam, Athenry, and Ballybrit.
Nationwide Aldi employs over 4,650 people across its network of 148 stores in the country.
There have been a further 4,791 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.
As of this morning there were 536 people in the country hospitalised with COVID.
Of them, 118 have been admitted to intensive care units for treatment.
In the past week there have been 214,294 tests done in the country, with a positivity rate of 14.7 percent.
The European Union has restricted travel from eight countries in southern Africa in response to the new Omicron variant.
Travellers arriving in Ireland from any of these countries will be required to quarantine at home for ten days.
Negative PCR tests will also be required for people arriving from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, regardless of their vaccination status.
The World Health Organisation has designated Omicron as a variant “of concern”.
Galway County Council has been awarded an interim funding boost of €600,000 while the council’s long term-financing is being looked into.
Galway East TD Ciarán Cannon said that he was informed of the interim funding by Minister of State for Local Government Peter Burke, who also said that a review will be carried out of the council’s funding model.
The funding level for the county council has long been a hotly contested issue, with arguments that it is chronically underfunded compared with other counties.
During the five municipal district meetings recently, all five groups of local councillors voted to reject the proposed budget.
This leaves only the full budget meeting next Monday, where the council as a whole will have to decide whether to accept the €40 million budget while this review is awaited, or reject and send it back.
It had previously been threatened that rejecting the budget could result in the council being sacked.
Ciaran Cannon said that the review of funding for Galway County Council is expected to be completed within the next four months.
“We will then see action to address the unfair funding deficit that continues to undermine our local authority.
O’Shea has an impossible choice to make, Caitríona’s documentary isn’t popular around town, and Berni’s friends get through to her on Ros na Rún.
Caitríona is disheartened to learn that half the village is against her making the documentary on Frances death, until a little bird whispers in her ear.
O’Shea has a big decision to make, work or family but will she risk her career for the sake of her relationship with Caoilfhionn.
Berni gets to enjoy a moment of peace, as the support of her friends lets her see that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Will this be enough to get her to discard the sleeping pills she has been taking nightly?
Colm and Charlie search for a suitable candidate to mind their baby, and Charlie puts her through a trial run.
Catch all of the latest drama from this week’s episodes of Ros na Rún in a double feature omnibus this Sunday on TG4 at 7:30pm.
Penneys is investing €20 million in an expansion of its Eyre Square Shopping Centre store as part of a large scale nationwide growth drive.
Primark Ltd, the owners of Penneys, have announced plans to invest €250 million in their Irish operations in the next 10 years.
This will create 700 jobs around the country, including Galway, with 600 of those to be in their retail outlets, and 100 in their Dublin headquarters.
A planning application has already been made for the retailer to take over the unit below the existing store in the shopping centre, currently occupied by New Look, and amalgamate the two.
Galway City Council is due to make a ruling on that planning application by early December.
If approved this will result in a 55 percent increase in the total retail space of the Galway Penneys store.
Primark CEO, Paul Marchant said “We hugely value our incredibly loyal Irish customers who have supported us over the years.”
“The site of our very first store which opened more than 50 years ago is today home to our global headquarters, leading our business in 14 markets around the world.”
“But even as we grow internationally, Ireland will always be our first and home market, and we remain as committed as ever to our employees, customers, and stores here.”
“Our investment plans demonstrate the confidence and commitment we have to Penneys in Ireland: we plan to remain at the centre of Irish retail for a long time to come”.
Subject to planning approval, it is expected that the expanded Galway store will open in Spring of 2023.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that this announcement is a “strong vote of confidence” in Ireland’s retail sector.
“It’s creating significant employment with 700 new jobs and will also help to secure footfall in our towns and cities once we emerge from the pandemic.”
“Penneys is one of Ireland’s best-known retailers and also an international success story, having driven significant global expansion over the last few of years.”
“Much of this success is thanks to access to a talented workforce in Ireland. I wish Penneys continued success in its Irish and global expansion.”
The number of online slots offering no deposit free spins on their platforms has continued to increase, with some of them offering free spins 100 in some instances. There are hundreds of online slots, with more springing up almost daily. The appetite for online slots has continued to be sustained by the ease of use and the incentives by the slot operators. These incentives keep the existing players loyal and continue to attract new players.
This section will cover the different types of slot games, their unique features, how they differ from each other and what to expect when playing them. It will also provide some information on how to earn free spins when playing slots online or in a casino location for real money.
There is fierce competition among operators worldwide, with each operator bringing in different types of incentives, one of which is the no deposit free spins on slots. The no deposit free spins essentially allow players to make bets freely for a given amount to sign up to become a platform customer.
We would be looking at some of the best slots that offer no deposit free spins to their players, especially the new players who sign up to play online or at the physical slot house.
This is a bonus given to players by slots for just creating a betting account; such players can use the no deposit free spins to make bets and win real money. The only requirement is that players create an account to qualify for the no deposit free spin bonus.
Some operators require that players use a no deposit code to claim the no deposit free spins offered to them after completing their sign-up. Other slots credit players automatically after they complete their sign-up. No deposit free spins are offered, mostly to new players or players who have been idle for long.
There are thousands of slots that offer no deposit-free spins globally. Some of the best of them in no particular order are:
Buffalo Power makes use of a mixture of thematic imagery and high playing card symbols in its game. These high-paying card symbols are payable as gaming icons on the game. The game’s thematic imagery symbol is naturally of good value, with Bears, Mountain Lions, Eagles and Wolves. The game design is straightforward and striking, with the ability to win up to 500% to players on a single bet.
The Buffalo Power has special symbols woven into it, with the Buffalo in the game acting as a stacked wild, top-paying symbol at the base of the game. The Power/Sun can activate the hold and win mechanic feature, which you would rely on to score most wins if you have them; therefore, you should keep an eye out for them. The slot offers no deposit free spins to players across different operators’ platforms.
Fruit Zen was launched in 2012 as one of the most impressive virtual fruit machines available in online slots. Fruit Zen is framed in a 5×30 wooden structure set amidst the calming backdrop of rolling waves. The game’s icon doubles as a wild and bonus trigger icon. The slot has an audio treat and a visual one with a lack of stress associated with it. The slot offers no deposit spins to players across platforms.
Age of the Gods is a progressive jackpot slot that focuses on specific deities or Norse mythology. The slot features five reels and 20 lines which are fixed, and the high playing cards are able to give plays really good wins. The slot can boost the wins of players by up to 200% a line bet. The deities play an important role in the game’s special features. Age of the Gods is available for play with no deposit-free spins across several platforms.
Starburst is a simple slot game with part of its theme jewel and the other part space but has no extensive features. Starburst has just ten paylines and five reels yet are popular with players because of its simplicity. The slot has a good feature of paying both ways effectively; this means that you can win, with combinations running from left to right or the less conventional right to left patterns.
Gonzo’s Quest has 20 lines and five reels for a start using blocks rather than icons many other slots use. The blocks tumble and drop onto the screen and do not spin via reels making the slot have a different approach. The game is played, though, just like any other slot practically. The slot has no deposit free spins offered to players across platforms.
The Book of Dead has a playing structure that is not overly complicated. The slot has just ten paying lines and five reels with Egyptian and explorer themes to the game. Players can ignore the playing cards virtually as they contribute little to nothing towards winning. The Book of Dead offers no deposit free spins to players across platforms.
Mardi Gras Magic has a classic twenty-five line five reels structure. The game has a carnival theme and is affordable to play by most players, even though the lines on the game are not adjustable. The game has to scatter symbols which are key symbols to land in the game.
Ocean’s Treasure is fifteen lines, five reels game that does not allow players to alter these lines. The game is set in the underwater ruins of Atlantis, which introduces players to an underwater kingdom and a Mermaid.
Goldilocks has 25 fixed paylines, five reels and three video row slots, with the reels set in the forest. The game has high-paying symbols: Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear, and toy Teddy Bear. The game also has low-paying symbols and card icons from A to 10 in colourful, simple designs.
The game has just ten lines and five reels which players cannot alter. The slot is heist-themed and cheap to play and has bets that stretch from 10p a turn.
Slot games are one of the most popular games in casinos and other gambling establishments. There are many different types of slot games. Some of them require you to make a bet before the game starts while others allow you to play for free with no money bet at all. There are also different kinds of prizes, like cash or free spins, which you can win. Free spins are usually awarded when you play slots online or land on a special symbol during your game.
There have been a further 4,620 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.
As of this morning there were 571 people in the country hospitalised with the virus.
Of these patients, 118 have been admitted to intensive care units for treatment.
The World Health Organisation has this evening classified a new variant first spotted in South Africa as a “variant of concern”.
The European Union has agreed on suspending air travel to southern Africa in response to this new Omicron variant.
An announcement is expected from the government on this issue this evening.
Walk-in vaccination clinics will be open in Galway City this weekend for healthcare workers and people aged 60-69 to get COVID-19 booster shots.
Healthcare workers will be able to come and get their booster this Saturday at the Ballybrit Vaccination Centre without an appointment, followed by Over 60s on Sunday.
In order to get their booster shot, it must have been at least 152 days since people received their second vaccine dose.
People in these two groups that received the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine can also get their booster at the walk-in clinic this weekend if they have an interval of at least 3 months since their vaccination.
Frank Harburn, Saolta General Manager for the rollout of the vaccination programme said ” “We are delighted to be in a position to now offer walk-in vaccination clinics for booster doses for those aged in their 60s and healthcare workers.”
“The booster programme is continuing at pace and we are still inviting people in both of these categories for scheduled appointments too.”
“You do not need to register for a booster vaccine as the system has a record of when you completed your vaccination course and will automatically send you an appointment text message once you have reached the appropriate interval.”
“We ask people to come to their appointment if possible and if you need to reschedule, reply to your appointment text. This will allow us to offer the time slot to someone else and help us move through our lists as quickly as we can so we can move on to the next group due for booster doses.”
“The walk-in booster clinics are a further opportunity for people within these two groups who are unable to make their appointments, to get their booster dose at a weekend.”
“We have no idea how many people will turn up for a walk-in clinic and we ask people to bear with us if there is a queue. Staff will be working really hard to make sure that these people get their booster dose as quickly as possible.”
Healthcare Workers
Over 60s
Planning is currently underway for further vaccination clinics for those with some underlying conditions, and people aged in their 50s.
Booster shots will be available to everyone over the age of 16 following recommendations from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee.
Galway City Council needs to urgently an night-time economy advisor to help boost businesses following the closure of iconic nightclubs, a city councillor said.
Councillor Owen Hanley said that there is an urgent need to fill such a role following decades of inaction in supporting the night time economy.
This comes after the announcement that Electric and Halo nightclubs are closing permanently, with the building to go up for sale.
The clubs said that they made the decision to throw in the towel as they could no longer hold on for a reopening of the sector.
Councillor Hanley said that this will “profoundly change” the night-time culture in Galway City, describing it as a wake up call for governments which have not supported the night-time economy.
“The closure of Electric and Halo nightclubs is a shocking blow to Galway’s night time culture and economy. This impacts skilled workers, our social fabric and economic offering,” Owen Hanley said.
While the restrictions on the night-time economy over the last two years clearly played their part, Councillor Hanley says that decades of inaction to support the industry is at the heart of this news.
“The night-time economy has been ignored for years. The culture and identity that it offers completely overlooked with more barriers than supports put in place.
“Only recently has this begun to change and industry representative groups like Give Us The Night are finally being heard. But as is clear, for some this will be too little too late.”
In their own statement concerning the closure, Halo and Electric said that they have “waited a lifetime” for changes to the night-time economy, and licencing laws, to change in a way that would allow “real viability” for the sector.
Last September 15 the government published the report of the Night-Time Economy Taskforce, which recommended that local authorities should hire such an advisor.
Councillor Hanley said that this cannot come soon enough, and while the final details on filling this role are still being awaited from the Department, there is an urgent need now.
The taskforce’s report went on to say that a single advisor for the night-time economy would not be enough to “drive change”, and recommended that councils establish other supporting structures, such as diverse Committee examining the issue.
This should undertake a “detailed and far reaching” consultation on how to boost the night-time economy in city/town centres, but also identify areas outside of the centre which can be developed.
Gardaí seized €18,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis, and arrested two men, after a vehicle search near Loughrea on Thursday.
Gardaí stopped a vehicle travelling on the M6 near Loughrea shortly before 7.30pm on Thursday evening.
During a follow up search of the vehicle at North Western Regional Garda Headquarters in Murrough, Gardaí seized a significant quantity of drugs.
The search turned up €17,000 worth of suspected cocaine, €1,000 worth of suspected cannabis herb and a small quantity of cannabis jellies.
Two men, one in his late 30s and another in his early 20s, were arrested and detained at North Western Regional Headquarters under the provisions of Section 2 of the of the Drug trafficking Act 1996.
They have since been released without charge pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A long running tug of war between the city council and the operators of a car park on the Headford Road has gone back to An Bord Pleanála.
Cleverson Ltd is seeking temporary retention permission for a 53 space car park on the Headford Road.
This lot makes up part of the site of a planned 223 bed student accommodation complex, which has already received planning permission.
The developer said that work is currently expected to begin on that project by late 2022, and that they wish to keep the car park operating until it does.
Galway City Council rejected the retention application, noting that there has long been contention between the council and the owners of this site.
The former Esso Garage site was converted to its current usage without planning permission in 2012, and the owner had to go to An Bord Pleanála for temporary permission after the council rejected it. This was later extended in 2017.
In refusing permission, the city council said that permitting it would be in conflict with the Galway Transport Strategy, which aims to “reduce car parking provision and manage availability” in the city centre to encourage sustainable transport.
The rejection also said that the car park would “exacerbate the poor visual address” on the Headford Road, and undermine ambitions for the regeneration of the area.
This decision has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála, with Cleverson arguing that the impact of this 53 space car park is limited when there is a much larger council operated one next to it on the Dyke Road.
It also reemphasises that the developer is only seeking to keep the car park until August 2022, or until work begins on the student accommodation complex, whichever comes first.
An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on this planning appeal by April 1 of next year.
Two of Galway City’s most popular nightclubs of many years have announced that they are closing permanently.
Electric and Halo nightclubs announced that they can no longer sustain the financial losses after the long closures associated with the pandemic.
Late night venues were only allowed back open for a few weeks from late October, when new restrictions were brought in after rising cases.
The government announced a 12pm closing time for all hospitality venues recently, which may be survivable for bars, but not for nightclubs which rarely open before 11pm.
In an emotional statement from the two clubs they said that after enduring over 600 days of closure, and all the associated losses, there was no option but to fold.
It was also announced that the venue is being up for sale, with the hope that it will go to someone willing to
The statement read:
“We regret to announced the closure of Electric, Halo and its associated businesses.”
“For thirty years this place defied the odds, changed with the times, and stayed alive despite the tremendous challenges of operating a nightclub in Ireland. We have sustained over six hundred days of complete closure, lost revenue, unpaid bills, and reopening date that never materialised.”
“We have waited a lifetime for the licencing situation/nightlife economy to evolve to something resembling real vitality. There are glimmers of hope – We are told that nightlife will reopen. We are told that changes are on the horizon.”
“But there are only so many times that we can go back to our community and ask them to stick with us for another few weeks. Now the day has come that we can wait no longer. We are left with no other option but to put this building on the market.”
“We hope that this house will continue as a place for dancing and find a new owner with the same enthusiasm for bringing people together. Even though we may not be the ones to reap the rewards, we hope a brighter future lies ahead for Irish nightclubs.”
“We hope that Galway [and Ireland’s] longest surviving nightclubs are not lost forever.”
“With heavy hearts, we bow out, wishing immense thanks to everyone who passed through our doors over the last three decades.”
“One more tune…”
Electric Halo
Work is due to begin shortly on upgrade works for some of the most problematic parts of the water network in Salthill.
Irish Water is replacing approximately 210m of aging cast iron pipes in Lenaboy Gardens, which are prone to frequent bursts.
It’s expected that the project will get underway in the coming days, and be completed by the end of December.
Gerry O’Donnell, Networks Regional Lead with Irish Water, said: “These essential works will strengthen and reinforce the water network in Lenaboy Gardens, Salthill.”
He added that there will be an “immediate positive impact” on the water supply to homes in the area. It is also expected that this will save money from reduced maintenance and repairs.
The works will take place at the junction of Lenaboy Gardens and Salthill Road Upper.
In order to facilitate these works there may be short-term interruptions to the local water supply.
Traffic management measures will also be in place at the junction while work is taking place.
Galway City Council is seeking to make advance purchase arrangements with housing developers to buy turnkey properties which have yet to be built.
In order to secure additional affordable and social housing, the council is seeking to buy unbuilt houses or apartments with planning permission.
This is targeted at advance purchase opportunities for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 150 dwellings in any one scheme.
Joint venture arrangements that include an Approved Housing Body (AHB) will also be considered.
It is intended that under these arrangements, the council will enter into an agreement for an approved number of homes within a scheme, with payment on completion.
The advance purchase agreement also provides for the direct sale of homes by the developer to an eligible purchaser nominated by the local authority.
The Council’s Director of Service for Housing, Ms. Patricia Philbin said “Under the Housing for All plan, Galway City Council will significantly increase our provision of social and affordable housing over the coming years.”
“The new Affordable Housing Fund is a very important measure towards that ambition, allowing greater and more efficient delivery of homes at below market rates.”
She urged developers to consider the benefits of “financial surety and efficiency” that would come from making an advance purchase arrangement with the council.
“Entering an arrangement with us will also provide much needed homes and help to build sustainable communities.”
Funding to increase the supply of affordable and social homes is being made available for the city council under the HFA plan, with €2.9 billion for the delivery of affordable homes nationwide up to 2030.
There have been a further 4,764 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.
As of this morning there were 598 people in the country hospitalised with the disease.
Of these patients, 126 have been admitted to the ICU for treatment.
The COVID-19 data hub provides information on the key indicators of the disease in the community, including the status of the vaccine campaign.
There have been 210,300 tests carried out in the past week, with a positivity rate of 15.4 percent.
As of Wednesday there have been 666,137 vaccine booster doses administered in the country, including 74,247 for people who are immunocompromised.
Galway County Council has announced the details of free parking this year to encourage shopping in county towns in the run up to Christmas.
From Friday, November 26 there will be free parking in Ballinasloe, Loughrea, Tuam, Clifden, Cleggan, Athenry, and Gort.
These parking concessions will last for the remainder of the month, and through all of December.
This is to facilitate and encourage footfall in the regional towns during the Christmas shopping period.
The concessions will apply to on and off street council parking in the towns named.
People living in the Furbo area may be without a water supply today due to a mains burst that occurred on Wednesday evening.
Irish Water is currently carrying out repairs to a burst water mains just east of Furbo, which is causing outages in the village and surrounding areas.
No expected time for these repairs to be completed has been given yet.
It may take 2-3 hours after repairs are completed before people see their full water supply restored.
Updates can be found on Irish Water’s supply and service website page.
Tributes have been paid for the late Ray McLoughlin, regarded as one of the best players ever to take the field for Connacht and Ireland.
The Ahascragh man represented the province for 16 years, getting capped 34 times for Connacht, and another 40 for Ireland.
Connacht Rugby paid tribute to one of its founding fathers, calling him one of the greatest props Ireland has ever had, and someone who had an “immeasurable impact” on the sport in the West of Ireland.
McLoughlin was the first player from Connacht to be part of the British & Irish Lions, joining the rugby team in 1966 for a tour of Australia and New Zealand, as well as 14 provincial fixtures.
He was called up the Lions again in 1971 for the tour of New Zealand, which was unfortunately cut short due to injury.
“McLoughlin is regularly mentioned as one of Ireland’s greatest ever props and he leaves an immeasurable impact on rugby in the West of Ireland,” Connacht Rugby said.
“Everyone at Connacht Rugby sends on our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and everyone in the wider rugby community who had the pleasure of working with him.”
During his eight times as captain of the Irish side, McLoughlin was known for being a stickler for leading the way in insisting on training sessions and pre-match warm ups.
The IRFU said that he was a “true great” of the game, and a “captain, a leader, and a gentleman”.
“The thoughts and prayers of everyone in the IRFU are with his family. May he rest in peace.”
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