Gardaí are investigating after two cars were set on fire during the night while sitting outside a house in Galway City last week.
Galway Gardaí are investigating two separate criminal damage incidents which took place on the night of Thursday, October 21.
In the first incident at approximately 11.30 pm a white Audi A6 saloon along with a white Hyundai i30 hatchback were set alight while parked outside a house at Garran Ard, Doughiska, Galway.
A vehicle described as “an old style silver Ford Focus” was observed acting suspiciously in the area around the time of the incident.
Just a very short while later, before midnight, another car was attacked outside a property in Ballybane.
A silver Renault Clio was extensively damaged while parked at a house in Gort Cam, Ballybane. A number of windows in the house were also during the same incident.
Gardaí in Galway are appealing to anyone who may witnesses either of these incidents or anyone with any information to make contact.
Anyone who could help with the investigation should call Galway Garda Station on 091-538000 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Environmental activists in Galway and around the country will take to the streets during the COP26 summit next month to call for climate justice.
Organised by the COP26 Coalition Ireland, an umbrella group of environmental NGOs, community groups, trade unions, migrant and racial justice networks, the rally will take place on November 6, during the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
The Galway Rally for Climate Justice will take place that day in Spanish at midday, simultaneous with other rallies in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Belfast.
The COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow will last for two weeks from October 31 – November 12
COP26 Coalition Ireland said that the decisions made the Glasgow summit will decide “who is to be sacrificed, who will escape and who will make a profit” from the climate crisis.
“So far, governments have done too little too late: colluding with corporations behind green washed ‘solutions’ that actually don’t exist yet, that don’t address the scale of the problem, and in many cases rely on more exploitation of people and planet.”
“Justice won’t be handed to us by world leaders or delivered by corporations. Only we can imagine and build the future that words for all of us.”
“The transformative solutions that we need to survive and build a more just and fair world can only be brought about through collective action, solidarity and coordination, from our local communities and international levels.”
Manuel Salazar of Extinction Rebellion Ireland said that people should go to these rallies to action from the government on climate goals which have been “compromised”.
Meeting a goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees and achieving net zero emissions will require stopping investment in fossil fuels which are “clearly” destroying the planet, he added.
“That’s why we have to make the accountable. That day it’s really important for us all to come together to demand the government take action, because inaction is just not at option.”
update: This article has been corrected to say that the rally will take place at the Spanish Arch, not Eyre Square.
Do you find yourself wondering how to keep up with all the technological advances in your industry? Whether you want to or not, it’s imperative to stay up-to-date on the latest tech breakthroughs, inventions, and new products.
Missing out on even one upgrade or new concept can leave your organization far behind competitors who adopt as many tech-related tools as they can.
This can happen quickly too, digital signage is a good example, one minute business have banners and signs all over their storefronts, the next it’s one large screen with info, and your traditional signage looks dated.
What’s the solution? For starters, remember that you don’t need to be an IT pro to stay abreast of the entire technical field. Instead, consider checking your current state of operations to make certain that you have the most common bases covered.
That means using strategies that include the newest versions of CRM (customer relationship management) chat-bots, fleet management programs, physical security for office and warehouse space, cloud storage for efficient use of computer memory, and the latest platforms that allow workers to do their jobs from home should the need arise.
Here are details about each of the most vital tech solutions for modern owners, entrepreneurs, and managers.
AI Chat-Bots for Customer Service
Continual advances in AI technology have been a benefit to customer service departments in companies of all sizes. One of the main reasons for this good news is related to customer service chat-bots.
The latest versions of these once clunky software programs are amazingly interactive, helpful, and are almost human in their use of language.
Truck Tech for Better Fleet Management
Fleet management is the heart of every efficient transport and delivery-related organization. If you ship goods from one place to another, having an up-to-date system in place is crucial.
For instance, dash cameras for trucks are considered a central feature of every modern fleet control program. Using AI (artificial intelligence) dash cams to report on road conditions, driver performance, route suitability, accidents, and dozens of other kinds of data are just one way that managers stay on top of what’s happening on the road in real-time.
Every year, fleet software and stand-alone products offer new twists on existing features, which means every business owner should consider upgrades on at least an annual basis.
24/7 Physical Surveillance
For organizations that store physical inventory, maintain owned or leased vehicle fleets, or simply work from office complexes where computers and other valuable equipment is stored, around-the-clock camera surveillance is the single most cost-effective way of keeping a virtual eye on all assets and workspaces.
Modern cameras are smart, mobile, and computer enhanced. Plus, prices have come down in recent years to the point that even very small enterprises can afford to outfit their business space with high-tech camera watch dogs.
Cloud Storage for Data
If you have massive log files or reams of sensitive customer and employee data taking up space on in-house computer disks, consider moving all your storage to the cloud.
Off-site, cloud-based solutions free up your own machines and allow active programs to run faster and without the need to protect data every time something needs to be stored.
The cloud has become an almost universal technological savior for companies that need lots of storage space but don’t want the burden of maintaining it on-site.
Planning permission has been refused for a housing estate on the outskirts of Oughterard, with environmental, flooding, and road safety concerns.
Hyman Properties sought approval for a 61 unit housing estate on the Glann Road north of Oughterard.
The estate would have consisted of 4 two-bedroom bungalows, and 57 two-storey houses with 16 two-bed units, 33 three-bed units, and 8 four-bed units.
The housing in the estate would have been a mix of detached, semi-detached, and terraced homes, with the bungalows geared towards elderly residents.
Hyman proposed to have the estate served by 95 parking spaces for cars, and 48 bicycle spaces, with entrance to the site via an existing point on the Glann Road, and a new one onto the Carrowmanagh Road.
There were multiple objections to the plans from local residents, saying the roads would not be able to support the extra traffic, and that it would pose a danger to pedestrians.
Concerns were also raised in objections about the proximity of the Owenriff River, both as a flood risk to the site, and about potential environmental impacts that the development would have on the river.
A Natura Impact Statement and Flood Risk Assessment report were submitted with this planning application.
Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Oughterard Anglers and Boatman’s Association both stated that the river is an important habitat for trout, salmon, and Freshwater Pearl Mussels.
They said that these could be put at risk by the fact that several tributary watercourses for the Owenriff run through this site, and that the NIS did not provide enough information on this.
In refusing planning permission for the estate, Galway County Council raised several concerns about its proposed location and design.
The council said that it wasn’t satisfied that the development wouldn’t have a negative environmental impact on the Lough Corrib Special Area of Conservation, and that the drainage and storm water systems aren’t adequate when part of the site is an identified flood risk.
The proposed link road would also affect traffic in the area, and the increased traffic from the estate would pose a safety risk to the two schools in the area.
The design of the estate was also criticised for failing to “reinforce the existing urban form” of Oughterard, and lacking properly located public spaces.
Even aside from these concerns, the council said that the land is not zoned for development, and that allowing this to go ahead would set and “undesirable precedent” for the area.
East Galway TD Seán Canney has welcomed confirmation that the proposal to merge the boys and girls national schools in Athenry is part of the Department of Education’s Capital plans.
The plans include the construction of a new national school to ensure that primary school education in Athenry is delivered in modern educational facilities.
Deputy Canney commended the Board of Management in both schools, as well as parents and staff for their total commitment to the proposal to merge the schools.
“Athenry has seen major investment in secondary education over the last 5 years and we now need to deliver the same type of investment in the primary education sector,” said the Independent TD.
“It is important that we work to ensure that national education in Athenry receives investment to ensure the future of education in Athenry.
“I am also working closely with Cllr. Gabe Cronnelly to push for the development of the Gaelscoil campus for Athenry.”
Gardaí in Galway are appealing for witnesses following a serious hit and run incident on the R336 Road between Furbo and Spiddal on Sunday 24 October.
The collision occurred at around 8.30pm when a car collided with a male pedestrian near the Furbo Church.
The pedestrian, a man aged in his 40s, was taken to University Hospital Galway to be treated for serious injuries. The driver of the car failed to remain at the scene.
The road is currently closed with diversions in place while Forensic Collision Investigators conduct an examination of the scene.
Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Gardaí are also appealing to any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the R336 between Furbo and Spiddal Sunday night, between 8.00pm and 9.00pm, to make this footage available to Gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Salthill Garda Station on 091 514 720, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
Galway City Community Network (GCCN) will host an event this Friday focusing on the potential of the social enterprise sector in Galway entitled ‘Social Future: Supporting a Thriving Social Enterprise Sector for Galway’.
The event will be held in St. Josephs Community Centre in Shantalla from 10.30am until 12 noon. For those who cannot attend in person, there is also the option to participate online.
Three local social enterprises, An Mheitheal Rothar, Bounce Back Recycling and Galway Community Circus, will share their models of good practice and demonstrate the potential of social enterprises to address social and environmental issues such as recycling and upcycling, provision of employment and supporting physical, mental and social wellbeing of young people.
The event will examine the challenges that the sector is facing and solutions that might foster the development of a thriving social enterprise sector both in Galway and nationally.
The event aims to bring together social enterprises, decision makers and policy makers, locally and nationally, to create a space for dialogue on these challenges and to find solutions.
GCCN Co-ordinator Ann Irwin: “Social enterprise has significant potential to contribute to the development of a sustainable and circular economy and to provide jobs locally, including to people from marginalised communities”.
Jacinta Fay, GCCN Development Worker added: “The Irish government has signed up to the Toledo Declaration which recognises the critical role of the Social and Solidarity Economy as a crucial driver in shaping a sustainable, inclusive and just post-COVID 19 recovery.
“We are calling for meaningful support for the sector in Galway so it can reach its full potential and contribute to a sustainable and inclusive recovery.”
Email development@gccn.ie to register for the event. Booking is essential to plan Covid safety measures.
The Department of Health has reported 1,845 further cases of COVID-19 this afternoon.
As of 8am today, 497 people with the disease are hospitalised nationally, of whom 99 are in intensive care units.
In Galway, the number of people with COVID-19 in hospitals has risen slightly to 47 in the latest HSE data.
There are now 37 patients with the disease at University Hospital Galway and a further ten confirmed cases at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, as of 8pm on Sunday.
Six of those diagnosed with COVID-19 at UHG are in the intensive care unit, while two of the ten COVID-19 patients at Portiuncula Hospital are in ICU
Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell has said that a special report into €1.4 million worth of spending by the Coast Guard has highlighted a number of weaknesses in the procurement process.
The Coast Guard, which operates as a unit within the Department of Transport, signed a contract for the delivery of 18 vehicles between 2016 and 2020.
Concerns were then raised that they were not fit for purpose and could not be operated legally due to limitations on the weight they could carry, said the Galway TD.
Deputy Farrell welcomed the report by the the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) as it again underscores the need to tighten up how we do procurement in this state.
“The report highlighted a number of weaknesses: as part of the tendering process it wasn’t specified why the vehicles were needed operationally; the number, type and functionality required; or how procurement would be accommodated within budget and over what time frame,” said Deputy Farrell.
“It also noted that there was no evidence that the views of the members of the rescue teams were sought.”
Deputy Farrell said that the report goes on to say how the Department did not specify a required vehicle carrying capacity (payload), or indicate the weight, dimensions or nature of the equipment to be carried.
She said that surely if you are in the business of rescuing people, and you are going to need staff and equipment to do that, then the specifications for the type of vehicle you require should be a pretty big consideration?
“This isn’t to single the Department of Transport out, we’ve seen plenty of other public procurement failures in recent times, especially with the purchase of faulty ventilators, PPE and other products,” said the Sinn Féin TD.
“Minister McGrath quietly announced the establishment of an interim Procurement Reform Board, it important that it treats the reform of public procurement seriously.”
Galway girl Liadh Duane has won first prize in the 9-12 years age category of the Draw our Heroes art competition for her beautiful portrait of what she describes as an ‘anonymous hero’.
Over 1,600 entries were received for the competition which aimed to celebrate the many different professions and people who are bravely working to bring Ireland safely through the pandemic.
The competition was first announced in April last year during the onset of the first lockdown, and it centred on the theme ‘everyone is a hero in their own right’.
The entries included portraits of parents and family members working in the front lines or from home to keep everyone safe, grandparents, politicians and other public servants, and other important community members that included our frontline medical, emergency and security personnel as well as retail and other essential service providers.
Entries were also submitted with a written piece outlining why the artwork highlights this hero and what makes them so special.
Speaking about her work, winner of the 9-12 years age category Liadh Duane said that during these surreal times, we are all heroes.
“The stitches symbolise the fact that even though we may feel like we are falling apart, each one of us has the capability of being strong and when this is all over, our fictional stitches will heal and we will recover, little by little,” said Liadh.
“My portrait doesn’t represent a specific person or career. I feel that my character is an anonymous hero, much like us all. The rainbow represents joy and unity among us.”
RTÉ broadcaster Joe Duffy and ceramic artist Olga Fitzpatrick sat on the panel of judges for this exciting competition and presented the awards to the winning entries.
Celebrated artist Graham Knuttel also sat on the judging panel.
The number of people with COVID-19 receiving treatment at Galway’s public hospitals has risen slightly to 47 in the latest HSE data.
There are now 37 patients with the disease at University Hospital Galway and a further ten confirmed cases at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, as of 8pm on Sunday.
Six of those diagnosed with COVID-19 at UHG are in the intensive care unit, while two of the ten COVID-19 patients at Portiuncula Hospital are in ICU.
When the data was taken, there were 479 confirmed cases in hospitals nationally. A total of 97 were receiving treatment in intensive care units.
The Mullen Family; Cian (12), Ronan (14) Liam (9) and Enda (6) and Dad James in their C-class 522, pictured with Clifden RNLI Shannon Class All Weather Lifeboat in Clifden Bay. Photo Credit: RNLI/Clifden
The son of a former Coxswain for the volunteer lifeboat crew for the Clifden RNLI was taken with his dad’s stories, that he tracked down and bought the first lifeboat that he served on.
Ronan Mullen, aged just 14, tracked the old C-class 522 inshore lifeboat from the time it left service in 1997, across the Irish Sea, and struck a deal to bring her home.
James Mullen, a Coxswain at Clifden RNLI with over 27 years voluntary service saving lives at sea on the west coast of Ireland is also a proud Dad to four boys who have inherited their father’s remarkable passion for the sea.
While James doesn’t have a favourite from among his five sons, he does very much have a favourite boat, the old C-class which was stationed in Clifden from 1989 to 1997.
The boat holds so many memories for him as a teenage RNLI recruit and when his sons would ask him for the history of the station and his favourite lifeboat, the stories he told them always came back to it.
Remembering his early crew years James said “I loved the sea, I had lived beside it my whole life and now finally, at 17 years old and with my parent’s consent, I was lifeboat crew.”
“We had many call outs on the C-class and she was an amazing boat, she was hard on the back but she never failed to bring us home. This craft was the finest money could buy and I was so impressed with her.”
“I remember a call one winter’s night in 1995, we were going to rescue a boat that had gotten into difficulty at sea. The weather was terrible with force 7-8 westerly winds. It was up to us and our trusty C-class inshore lifeboat to get everyone home safe.”
“As the seas got rougher, the C-class dug in deeper and when we were all safely back at shore I remember thinking what an incredible boat she was to stand up against those huge waves.”
Clifden lifeboat crew at the old D-class station in 1995, when James was 18 years old. Photo Credit: RNLI/Clifden
Stories like these were what inspired young Ronan to see if he could discover what became of the boat after it left service.
His search over the internet first led him to the Ballyglass RNLI station in Mayo, after which it ended up in the RNLI Museum in Poole.
Finally, the faithful old boat ended up with a private owner in the UK, who also fortunately happened to be a member of the RNLI based in Weston-Super-Mare.
Ronan reached out to the owner, and after striking up a friendship, made a deal to buy the boat and bring it back to Clifden to the delight of the whole Mullen clan, Clifden RNLI crew and the many locals who remember her dutiful service.
“I was so shocked, I had been looking online for ages and when I finally came across a photo of the C-class I said to Dad, is that her? And he said, it definitely is,” Ronan said of his discovery.
“After that I knew we had to have that boat. I love the boat, I love being out on the water and the minute I am old enough I will be joining the RNLI.”
These days the lifeboat station in Clifden utilises an Atlantic 85 Inshore Lifeboat and the Shannon-class All Weather Lifeboat.
Next spring the station will receive delivery of a new Shannon Class vessel. a very special boat, for it will the names of 10,000 loved ones from the RNLI’s Launch a Memory campaign.
James concluded by saying it is wonderful to see another generation of lifeboat enthusiasts growing up.
“When I look at my four boys now I think, was I like they are now 27 years ago? Their whole life ahead of them and a future filled with love for the sea and the RNLI.”
Water should be returning to areas in the west side of Galway City and suburbs this afternoon which were affected by outages overnight.
Irish Water has been making repairs to a burst water mains affecting the supply to Knocknacarra, Barna and other areas today.
The burst pipe left homes with supply issues overnight after being reported shortly before 8pm on Saturday.
The repairs were reported completed at 3pm this afternoon, though it can take 2-3 hours after that before full affected homes see their water supply fully return.
Plans for the construction of a new fire station in Loughrea have progressed with the recent appointment of a design team.
Galway TD Seán Canney says that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has approved the appointment of the design team for the project.
“Galway County Council have been working on this project and this approval allows for the project to progress to Part 8 Planning, full design, procurement and construction.”
“It is also important to note that the new fire station for Loughrea has been included on the National Capital Schedule for fire stations,” Seán Canney said.
He praised the county council and fire service for their commitment to ensuring that the service is “well equipped and have modern facilities”, and for upgrading fire service infrastructure across the county.
Loughrea is not the only town in Galway to receive a new fire station in recent years, with a station in Tuam opening in 2019, and the planning process has been completed for a new station in Tuam.
A long standing goal of finding a new home for the fire service in Galway City is still ongoing after two decades however, with the city council repeatedly granting retention permission for “temporary” offices on the premise.
Brothers Ronan and Niall Burke with their dad Frank.
For half a century now Burke’s Fruit and Veg has been delivered crisp fruit and vegetables to restaurants around Galway, but far from wilting this family business has enjoyed fresh growth in recent years.
Where once Burke’s focused exclusively to shops and restaurants, recent times have seen the business expand to bringing fresh produce right to people’s doors.
Galway local Frank Burke started the business in 1971, investing in a truck and a vision of providing local businesses with high quality, affordable, fresh produce.
He thought that building long lasting relationships with his customers was the way forward, and 50 years later, it’s hard to argue with longevity.
Current owners Niall and Ronan Burke have kept the family tradition of timely, and fresh produce deliveries going strong, but further expanded the business to bring their green offerings to the wider community.
The Fruit Brothers.ie was launched in 2018 to fill a niche in the market, bringing fresh produce to people’s front doors at a time when making healthy food at home was becoming more popular in Ireland.
Since then they have delivered over 4,000 boxes of produce around Galway, and have been investing even further in expanding the home delivery service.
In 2020, when the business needed to adapt, the Burkes focused on strengthening the Galway market with their new 6 day a week city delivery service and twice weekly county service.
Ambitious plans call for equally ambitious investment, and to further this Burke’s has moved to a new warehouse, where Niall and Ronan invested €75k in improving the building, and a further €30k on their fleet.
Since its origin over 50 years ago, Burke’s Fruit and Veg has expanded to include a team of over 6 employees and has diversified into many new areas of the fruit and vegetable arena.
Most important to the Burke family, however, is that this has been achieved without compromising on the company’s original principles of continuously striving to source high quality, fresh local produce, maintaining long lasting customer relationships and creating employment in the local community.
Niall & Ronan identified a new market for the growing office wellbeing movement and the home cook looking for more variety of produce not found in the average shop.
Shoppers can find in-season, sustainably sourced produce from farms and growers throughout Ireland, and the freshest in season fruit from around the world; with everything you’d expect to find in a fruit and veg shop along with weird and wonderful produce that will whet and excite any appetite.
They have also partnered with Galway Bakery La Petit Delice so customers can add freshly baked baguettes and sourdough loaves as well as Galway Eggs to their boxes.
The specialty fruit and veg boxes will be biodegradable and fully recyclable as well having the best of fruit loaded with nutrients and goodness. Each box will explain the seasonality of fruits and which months it is when fruits are ripe and best to eat.
This Christmas they are launching a subscription service on www.thefruitbrothers.ie, so you can gift a box of goodness to yourself or another home or office as a healthy treat each week or month.
Keeping things fresh is crucial in business (pun very much intended), and the second generation of Burkes have no intention of slowing down, with plans to extend their organic selection in the new year, as well adding Cold Press Juices to order.
One lucky lotto player in the west of Ireland came agonisingly close to the €19m Lotto jackpot this weekend, but is still walking away with a cool €595,521.
A player in Mayo matched five numbers and the bonus number on Saturday night, as did another in Dublin, with the splitting the boosted prize fund of €1,191,042.
The Mayo player purchased their Quick Pick ticket at Turlough Stores in Turlough, Castlebar on Friday, October 22, while the Dublin winner was playing online.
Attracta Barrett, who owns the winning Mayo store with her husband Michael, was delighted to hear that one of their customers became one of the biggest winners in Saturday night’s draw.
“This is the biggest prize that we have ever sold so we’re all absolutely thrilled. It’s lovely to think that someone in the town might have come into good luck overnight and on a bank holiday weekend as well.”
“There will be great excitement around the place today and I’m sure lots of customers will be keen to check their tickets. We wish the winner all the very best with their win!”
The winning numbers for last night’s Lotto draw were: 05, 10, 12, 23, 28, 47 and the bonus was 16.
With no winner of the jackpot, the record breaking roll will continue, with the prize capped at €19,060,800 for Wednesday’s draw.
The Mayo winner is advised to sign the back of their ticket and to keep it in a safe place until their make contact with the National Lottery claims team on 1800 666 222, or by emailing claims@lottery.ie, so that arrangements can be made.
Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on all National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language.
In total more than €6 Billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 34 years ago. In 2020 alone, €254 million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.
There have been a further 1,725 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.
As of this morning there 473 people in the country hospitalised with COVID.
Of these patients, 97 have been admitted to intensive care units for treatment.
In the latest figures for Galway’s hospitals from Saturday night, there were 34 cases at UHG and 12 at Portiuncula.
Six patients at University Hospital Galway and two at Portiuncula Hospital were in the ICU.
A total of 7,297,243 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in Ireland up to Thursday evening, with 3,735,655 people fully vaccinated.
This Bank Holiday weekend has seen many of the remaining public health restrictions lifted, with pubs and restaurants back to normal trading hours, and nightclubs allowed to reopen.
Briain and Sorcha talk to the Gardaí, Tadhg schemes to get his mattress back, and Caitríona keeps sniffing around Colm’s secrets on Ros na Rún.
Briain and Sorcha are very much looking out for themselves, as Briain goes to give a statement to the Gardaí about Jude’s accident.
Sorcha follows not far behind him to tell O’Shea her own version of events. But just which of them, if either, is telling the truth.
Tadhg discovers that Coílí Jackie has his mattress and concocts a plan to get it back. Noreen may come to regret her part in the scheme.
Mack and Sonia go on a date to a fancy restaurant, but Dee is still holding out hope that they may have a chance together.
Colm’s visit to the grave has heightened his emotions, and he obsesses over any little symptom his son might have afterwards.
Caitríona is like a dog with a bone, desperate to uncover what Colm is concealing from her. Will her budding friendship with Charlie lead to some answers?
Catch up on all the latest from Ros na Rún this week on TG4 in a double feature omnibus at 7:30pm on Sunday.
