Late night rescue of stricken boat by Galway RNLI

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August 25, 2021

galway daily news research study covid-19 — Dr Bairbre McNicholas and Lisa Power at NUI Galway

Critically-ill Covid patients are less likely to die if lying prone on their stomachs while receiving oxygen, a research project sponsored by NUI Galway has found.

The impact of the technique, known as awake prone positioning, was assessed in hospitals in six countries on more than 1,000 coronavirus patients requiring advanced breathing support.

The study was the first clinical trial of its kind into the practice of awake prone positioning and ran from April 2020 to January 2021.

It showed that treating patients in this position, while they received high flow nasal cannula oxygen, reduced death and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation.

Dr Bairbre McNicholas, Honorary Senior Lecturer at NUI Galway and Intensive Care Consultant at University Hospital Galway, said that providing an evidence base for what they do in the intensive care unit is critical so that they support and implement recommendations that work.

“This study, which was part of a global effort and was sponsored locally by NUI Galway and the Health Research Board-Clinical Research Facility Galway, as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, shows that clinical trials can be scaled up and done properly and efficiently during a pandemic and demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together,” said Dr McNicholas.

The study involved 1,121 patients in Spain, Ireland, the US, Canada, Mexico and France,, and it is the first time awake prone positioning has been studied to such an extent.

It found that awake prone positioning reduces death and the need for invasive intubation in patients with severe Covid-19 who require high flow nasal cannula oxygen.

The technique is safe and well tolerated by patients and blood oxygen levels are significantly improved in patients who adopt awake prone positioning.

The longer patients can sustain being in prone positioning, the greater the success of the treatment and the less likely they were to need invasive mechanical ventilation.

Given the scarcity of ventilators and oxygen therapy, particularly in low and middle income countries, the study also provides welcome data on the efficacy of awake prone positioning which will ensure that the low-cost strategy to invasive mechanical ventilation is supported as a treatment strategy.

“I tell patients that going on your tummy will improve the oxygen levels in your blood, that although it is uncomfortable, the longer you can put up with this position, the less likely you will need to go onto require needing a breathing tube,” added Dr McNicholas.

Lisa Power was treated using awake prone positioning while being treated at University Hospital Galway for COVID-19.

Ms Power said: “I am extremely grateful to all the staff at University Hospital Galway, particularly the medics in ICU and especially as I was awake proned.

“It really helped my breathing and made me much more comfortable without having to put me on a ventilator. I cannot thank the staff enough for all the care they provided.”

The Founder of Paddy Power Finds Gambling to Be a Major Social Issue

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Angela Mc Bride

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August 25, 2021

Steward Kenny who is the co-founder of Paddy Power recently came out and said that gambling regulations are ineffective in Ireland because of which the vulnerable and the young are not protected from gambling harm. The former CEO of Paddy Power, Kenny noted that Irish governments have been totally negligent for the past two decades when it comes to regulating gambling.

Simultaneously, Kenny was also critical of the gambling industry. He admitted that he resigned from Paddy Power in 2016 because of the company’s inability to protect consumers from gambling addiction.

In 1988 Stewart Kenny founded what is now one of the biggest gambling brands in UK but now he regrets doing it. While admitting his love for gambling and opining that gambling can be a great pastime when one does it correctly, Kenny said that smartphone technology and the Internet have made gambling accessible to all, converting a pastime into a major social issue.

Kenny expressed concern about gambling companies making addictive online casino games available to players below the age of 25. He noted that the frontal lobe of the human brain, which helps people to control their impulses, is developed only in people who are at least 25 years old. But betting companies encourage young bettors to play addictive online casino games.

Paddy Power released a statement in which it expresses longstanding support for efforts to effectively regulate gambling. The company said that it has made its safe gambling policies better than ever and has also set up a team to work full-time for safe gambling. In addition, the company has invested in predictive models to identify possibilities of consumers suffering from gambling harm, enabling intervention and communication.

The company has also launched initiatives including banning credit cards to fund online gambling and online betting accounts and dedicating 1% of its revenue for education and research on problem gambling and treatment of Irish residents who have suffered gambling harm.

Paddy Power ended its statement by saying that it has not always got things right with regard to safe gambling but has always remained committed to using innovation and evidence to prevent problem gambling.

Ireland is currently facing severe issues with problem gambling. Cuan Mhuire, an Irish addiction treatment center that has been treating alcohol and drug addicts for the past 50 years, has recently established a special treatment program for problem gambling. Michael Guerin, who is an addiction counsellor at Cuan Mhuire, says that online gambling has created an environment in which people can easily get addicted.

The Irish Bookmakers Association has stated that its members have recently made significant attempts to update their safe gambling policies.

Currently, Ireland has no gambling regulator, but the Department of Justice has stated that a fully operational gambling regulator will be set up by 2023.

Problem gambling counsellors believe that stringent gambling regulation is the number one solution that will help address gambling addiction in the country. At a Senate debate in April, junior minister James Browne admitted that one cannot deny that Irish gambling laws have created a Wild West situation.

Meanwhile, the state exchequer received €4.75 billion in gambling taxes in 2019. The Department of Justice says that the Irish gambling market, including the National Lottery and many other forms of gambling, is annually worth €6 – €8 billion. The industry has over 8000 employees.

According to Kenny, the Irish government is just as addicted to gambling tax revenue as vulnerable residents are to gambling activities. He also warns that setting up a gambling regulator is not a solution to the problem. The need of the hour is to legislate, not hide behind a gambling regulator.

Kenny says that players below the age of 25 have to be protected from being bombarded with advertisements from online gambling companies. Also, mandatory deposit limits have to be established.

Just like Paddy Power, Boyle Sports too recently stated that its responsible gambling team is trained to intervene in cases where customers are clearly experiencing difficulties with controlling their gambling activities. The company also supports the setting up of a national register in which customers who self-exclude from one gambling company will not be allowed to register for the services of another company.

Kenny says that gambling is like cigarettes. In the past, tobacco companies claimed that they encourage consumers not to smoke but the government had to put in place required measures to protect people from cigarettes. Kenny wants the Irish government to do more when it comes to gambling, regulations and player protection measures.

Epic charity cycle to raise funds for Down Syndrome Galway

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August 25, 2021

Galway Daily sport Take a Summer Cycle in aid of Croí and help people living with heart disease and stroke

Cyclists in Galway will take to the roads this weekend in an epic charity event in aid of Down Syndrome Galway.

Challenge Cycling Club’s event takes place this Saturday, 28 August, with the 115km route going from Claregalway to Kinvara, Caraun, Ballyvaughan and back to Claregalway.

There are four tickets to choose from costing €20, with all proceeds going to Down Syndrome Galway.

Challenge Cycling Club chairperson Eoin McGrath said that in recent months they have been made aware of the impact COVID-19 has had on some local charities and the struggles they face post lockdown.

“Down Syndrome Galway have a centre in Claregalway and have been forced to close their doors during lockdown,” explained Eoin McGrath.

“Having recently visited the Claregalway base and met some of the children and parents, I can see first-hand the great work done.”

Down Syndrome Galway provides information, support and friendship to people with Down syndrome and their families across Galway.

The organisation receives no state funding and rely solely on donations and fundraising events to keep our Centres up and running providing essential services such as Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy, Adult Education Course, Mother and Toddle Group, Social Groups for ages ranging from birth to Adults, Cinema nights and much more.

Donate here.

Protest this weekend to call for public housing on public land at Sandy Road

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August 25, 2021

Galway Daily news Criticism levelled at housing proposals in Sandy Road development plans

A socially distanced protest will be held at Sandy Road at 2pm this Saturday demanding that the public land there be used to construct public housing.

The protest, organised by People Before Profit, will call for public housing to address the housing emergency, instead of being sold to a private speculator by the Land Development Agency.

People Before Profit representative for Galway, Adrian Curran, said that the Land Development Agency is the latest attempt by the government to raid the public land bank in order to enrich private developers.

“It further corrodes the already weak powers of local government by forcing through sales of public land over the heads of local councillors, denying them the opportunity to vote against these decisions,” he said.

Adrian Curran said that his party made a submission to the public consultation on the site last year calling for it to be used for public housing and community facilities.

“As it stands, rather than seriously addressing the housing emergency, most of this land will be used for private development for the enrichment of developers,” said the PBP representative.

“The scale of the housing crisis in Galway is stark. The average one-bedroom apartment here costs 64% of the minimum wage.

“There was a 9.5% increase in people accessing emergency homeless accommodation in Galway in the first three months of this year. Around 4,500 people are on the waiting list for council housing in Galway City alone.

“The Sunday Business Post reported last weekend that the number of short term lets in Galway is ten times larger than the number of long-term rental units.”

He added that they need to demand public housing on the Sandy Road site, as well as the other tracts of public land at Dyke Road, Ceannt Station and Nuns Iasland which are also due to be redeveloped.

“Public housing reduces homelessness and the lengthy waiting lists for housing and creates a sense of community as long-term tenants develop bonds with each other that doesn’t exist among residents of short-term private rentals.”

Further decrease in Galway PUP recipients

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August 25, 2021

Galway Daily news Four Galway community groups awarded funding for special transport vehicles

The number of pandemic unemployment payments issued to people in Galway decreased again this week, as the number of recipients nationally fell below 150,000 for the first time.

Figures from the Department of Social Protection show that a total of 7,900 people received a payment this week in Galway, down from 8,120 last Tuesday – a decrease of 220.

Nationally, 149,000 people received the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week at a cost of €44.2 million.

Commenting on this week’s figures, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys said: “We are seeing week-by-week reductions in the number of people receiving the PUP – reflecting the steady progress we are making in rolling out the vaccination programme and the continued reopening of the economy.”

The county with the highest number of people receiving PUP is Dublin, which stands at 56,900, followed by Cork (13,162) and Galway (7,900).

Book of Condolences opened for Kurdish family killed in tragic crash

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August 24, 2021

Galway Daily news Book of Condolences opened for Kurdish family killed in tragic collision

An online Book of Condolences has been opened by the Mayor for the Kurdish family killed in a road traffic collision last week.

Karzan Sabah, Shahen Qasm and and eight month old baby Lena lost their lives in a multi-vehicle collision on the M6 near Ballinasloe last Thursday evening.

Mayor of Galway City Colette Connolly opened an online Book of Condolences in memory of the family today, for people to convey their sympathy.

“As Mayor of Galway City, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathies to the families and relatives of Karzan Sabah D. Ahmed, his wife Shahen Qasm and their baby daughter, eight-month-old Lena.”

“I would like to extend my sympathies also to the wider Kurdish community for whom this tragic loss of life is so incomprehensible and equally devastating.”

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse”

The book of condolences is open online at https://www.galwaycity.ie/askgcc/index.php/945118?newtest=Y&lang=en

The family, from Erbil in the Kurdish region of Iraq, came to Ireland in 2017 as Karzan was doing a PhD in agriculture at NUI Galway.

Shortly before the crash that cost them their lives, he had submitted his thesis and was offered a job in Carlow. The family was going to view accommodation ahead of a move there.

One other person was killed in the collision, the driver of another vehicle, Jonasz Lach, who caused the crash by driving into traffic on the motorway.

A GoFundMe page created on Monday to raise money to have the family’s remains repatriated has already raised over €86,000 from more than 3,300 donors.

Work on replacing Martin Roundabout to begin this year

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August 24, 2021

Galway Daily news Call for report into delays to Martin Roundabout conversion

Work on replacing the Martin Roundabout with a signalised junction is due to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.

Tenders are due to be published for the project by September after the detailed design of the new junction is complete.

One of the goals of the project is to provide greater access for Arduan, in order to facilitate the development of housing in the area.

City Councillor Alan Cheevers said that the new junction will be more “pedestrian friendly” for people in the area.

“Especially people who may work or be visiting the Galway Clinic, and also for cyclists. It will also offer bus priority.”

However he also noted that lessons need to be learned from the newly opened Kirwan Junction, which replaced the roundabout on the Headford Road.

“I believe it’s important that we get the project right from day one and that it functions to its best capacity once it’s constructed and operational.”

The Kirwan Junction prompted backlash due to the massive tailbacks and traffic issues that immediately became apparent when it opened last month.

The redevelopment of the Martin Junction is backed by €2.7 million in funding from the Urban Regeneration Fund.

COVID-19: 1,571 cases reported today

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August 24, 2021

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

There have been 1,571 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.

As of this morning, there are 307 people hospitalised with COVID in Ireland, of whom 55 are in the ICU.

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer said that there is still an “extremely high incidence” of the disease in the community.

The two week incidence rate is now 526 cases per 100,000 people, and over the past five days there have been an average of 1,814 confirmed cases a day.

“Mask wearing is a simple and effective way of breaking the chains of transmission,” Tony Holohan said, adding “If you are infected but do not have symptoms or have yet to develop symptoms, you can still spread the virus to others. Face masks help reduce this risk”

He said that the number of people who reported wearing face masks in public areas has fallen from 94% in January of this year, to 84% this month.

“Please, continue to wear a mask in indoor settings like retail, on public transport and in restaurants and in crowded outdoor settings. This remains a simple but important measure that we all can take to prevent this virus spreading in our communities.”

Prof Phillip Nolan said that “Our modelling is telling us that we should soon reach the peak of the current wave of infections caused by the Delta variant.

“We have been living with COVID-19 restrictions for a significant period of time – it is now 542 days since we reported the first case of COVID-19 in Ireland. It is understandable that many of us are tired of the public health measures that we continue to advise.”

“Unfortunately, this disease continues to evolve and the very best way we can protect ourselves and each other is to continue to do our very best to follow the public health advice.”

“A high level of protection against the spread of disease is on the horizon once all of us who are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine do so, and importantly, once we all complete the full dosing schedule.”

People are considered to have the full protection of their vaccine between 7 to 14 days after they get their final shot.

Dr Cillian De Gascun said that roughly 60% of the people who are receiving critical care in hospital for COVID are eligible to be vaccinated.

“This is a stark reminder to all of us to receive our COVID-19 vaccines as soon as we are eligible to do so.”

Connacht Women’s Squad named for Interpro Championship

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August 24, 2021

Galway Daily sport Connacht Women's squad named for Munster game — Photo: Connacht Rugby/INPHO

The Connacht Women’s Squad are getting back on the field for the first time in almost two years this weekend, with the opening of the Vodafone Interpro Championship.

Connacht have named their squad for the championship ahead the first match against Leinster at home this Saturday.

Connacht and Leinster will meet at the Sportsground this Saturday at 2:45pm.

Some tickets are still available for seats in the College Road and Bohermore terraces, and can be purchased online.

Scrum-Half Mary Healy will be captaining the squad this weekend. After Leinster, the women’s team will play Munster on September 4, and Ulster the following week.

This will also be the first time in history that the Women’s Interprovincial Championship will be broadcast live on television.

The full 2021 Connacht Squad named for the series is:

Aifric O’Brien
Ava Ryder
Catherine Martin
Ciara Farrell
Darwyn O’Halloran
Elizabeth McNicholas
Ellen Taite
Emily Gavin
Emma Fabby
Eva McCormack
Faith Oviawe
Fiona Scally
Grace Brown Moran
Hannah Coen
Jessica Loftus
Julia Bauer
Kate Feehan
Lily Brady
Mary Healy (Captain)
Meadbh Scally
Megan Walsh
Moya Griffin
Muireann Cawley
Niamh O’Grady
Nicole Carroll
Nicole Fowley
Noreen Cassidy
Orla Dixon
Órfhlaith Murray
Rebecca Gavin
Rhiann Heery
Shannon Heapes
Shannon Touhey
Sinead Rigney
Ursula Sammon

Man hospitalised after Inverin traffic collision

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August 24, 2021

Gardaí are currently at the scene of a two vehicle traffic collision at Inverin, where one person was hospitalised.

One man in his 40s was taken to University Hospital Galway after being injured in the collision involving a car and a van today.

The crash occurred on the R336 road at Inverin, at approximately 9:20am this morning.

Emergency services also remain at the scene of the incident.

The road is currently closed, and local diversions are in place.

Almost 2,000 homes without power in Oranmore

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August 24, 2021

Galway Daily news SHundreds of homes remain without power in Galway after severe weather

Update: Power has since been restored to the affected properties

Almost 2,000 homes and businesses are without power in the Oranmore area today due to an outage.

An electrical fault that occurred shortly before midday is affecting 1,965 properties in the area.

The ESB is currently making repairs on the fault.

Power is expected to be restored to the affected properties around 1pm this afternoon.

Over 100 tonnes of garbage taken from Mutton Island WWTP annually

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August 24, 2021

Over 100 tonnes of wet wipes and other sanitary items are removed from Mutton Island wastewater treatment every year as a result of people flushing items down the drain.

One in four people admitted that they regularly flush wet wipes and other sanitary items that clog drains and cause serious environmental issues an recent Irish Water survey found.

Irish Water says that thousands of sewer blockages have to be removed every month due to people flushing items that don’t belong down the drain.

Irish Water and Clean Coasts are urging the public to continue to ‘Think Before You Flush’ as a recent survey has revealed that almost a million adults living in Ireland regularly flush wet wipes and other sanitary items down the toilet.

“Removing blockages can be a nasty job, sometimes workers have to enter sewers to remove blockages with shovels,” said Tom Cuddy of Irish Water.

“Some blockages can be removed with jetting and suction equipment. I’ve seen pump blockages that workers have had to literally clear by hand in order to get the pumps up and running again in a race against time to avoid sewage overflows to the environment.”

A survey in 2018 showed that more than a third of people admitted to regularly flushing items down the toilet which they shouldn’t.

As a result on an ongoing awareness campaign in partnership with Clean Coasts, another survey by Irish Water this year showed that this had fallen to 24%.

“The issue is evident right across the country, our largest wastewater treatment plant in the West is Mutton Island in Galway City where approximately 100 tonnes of wipes and other items are removed from the wastewater treatment plant annually,” Tom Cuddy said.

Along with a risk of blocking sewers, and causing homes to flood, these items cause immense environmental damage when they make their way to rivers and coastlines, harming fish, birds, and their environments.

Sinead McCoy, of Clean Coasts said, “The Think Before You Flush campaign, through education and awareness, aims to prevent items like wipes, cotton bud sticks and sanitary items washing up on Ireland’s spectacular beaches.

“While we have seen a positive improvement in the nations flushing behaviour since 2018, one in four adults still admit to regularly flushing unsuitable items down the toilet.”

“By making small changes in our flushing behaviour, we can prevent the harm caused by sewage related litter in our marine environment. We are asking everybody to only flush the 3 P’s – pee, poo and paper, and put everything else in the bin.”

Over €68,000 raised to repatriate family killed in motorway crash

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August 24, 2021

A fundraiser to repatriate the Kurdish family of three killed in a terrible motorway crash in Galway last week has raised over €68,000.

Couple Karzan Sabah and Shahen Qasm, and their eight month old baby girl Lina were killed in a three car crash on the motorway near Ballinasloe last Thursday evening.

A GoFundMe page was set up by their friend John Carey on Monday, with a goal of raising €40,000 to send them home.

As of the time of writing this, the page has raised a total of €68,645 towards this goal, from more than 2,700 donors.

“We were all left devastated, heartbroken and confused by such a senseless loss,” Carey wrote on the fundraising page.

“Their lives were only just beginning, with Karzan having just submitted his PhD thesis, secured a new job, and of course the unbridled joy of Lina being born. They were so happy. The only small comfort we have is knowing that they are still together.”

“You would not have meet two nicer people, who loved Ireland and touched the lives of those they met. Many of us didn’t get to meet Lina, and she never got to meet her family in Iraq. The shortness of her life is particularly difficult to understand. The least we can do is try and get them home so that they can find some peace.”

“Please give what little you can, and we can try and bring some sense of comfort to those people affected by this awful tragedy. The more we raise, the easier it will be for their families.”

The couple are from Erbil, in the Kurdish region of Iraq, where their families still live.

Karzan and his wife came to Ireland in 2017, when he was getting a PhD in agriculture at NUI Galway. He had just submitted his thesis and gotten a job in Carlow.

On Thursday, August 19, on the M6 motorway at Poolboy, Ballinasloe at 7:40pm, three cars were involved in a collision when driver Jonasz Lach came onto the motorway and drove against traffic.

Lach was the fourth person killed in the crash, and a person in the third vehicle was treated at hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Messages of support have been pouring in from across the community at the loss of the family, who by all accounts love Galway, and were loved in turn.

COVID-19: UHG remains hospital with highest number of cases

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August 24, 2021

UHG remains the hospital with the highest number of COVID-19 cases nationwide after an outbreak, but there has been no increase in the ICU admissions.

There were 31 confirmed cases at University Hospital Galway as of Monday night, one fewer than the day before.

But despite the outbreak which has occurred in the hospital, the latest HSE figures show that the number of COVID patients in the ICU remains unchanged at seven

UHG has brought together an Outbreak Control Team in response to a COVID-19 outbreak at the hospital.

A second ward dedicated to patients of the virus is also bring created at the hospital in response to the outbreak.

Th number of confirmed case at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe has also increased again to six, and of those two are being treated in the ICU.

Nationwide, there are 304 confirmed cases in Irish hospital, of whom 60 have been admitted to the ICU.

COVID-19: 1,592 new cases reported today

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August 23, 2021

Galway Daily news 25 percent drop in COVID cases in Galway hospitals

The Department of Health has reported 1,592 new cases of COVID-19 in the State this afternoon.

As of this morning, there are 318 people in hospital with COVID-19, with 60 of those receiving care in intensive care units.

Dr Tony Holohan says that the median age of those in ICU is 55, meaning 50% of the patients currently in critical care units with COVID-19 are under the age of 55.

“Over the weekend, we reported that the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in hospital in a single day had reached a level not seen since mid-February this year,” said Dr Holohan.

“Unfortunately, all of this indicates that we are still not at the peak of this wave of COVID-19 and that many people continue to experience severe illness due to COVID-19.

“While our vaccination programme continues to offer great hope, at this point in time, only 53% of 16- to 29-year-olds are fully vaccinated. This age group continues to account for the highest incidence of COVID-19 in our population.

“Anyone who is eligible to receive a vaccine, should do so as soon as possible. It is vital that all of us complete our vaccination schedule – you will be fully protected seven to 14 days after your second dose.”

Back to back medical evacuations by Aran Islands lifeboat

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August 23, 2021

Galway Daily news Long weekend for Aran Islands RNLI with multiple rescues in rough seas — Aran Islands RNLI all-weather lifeboat. Photo: RNLI/Nicholas Leach

The Aran Islands RNLI lifeboat crews had a busy weekend on Sunday, with two callouts for medical evacuations within a few hours of each other.

The all-weather RNLI lifeboat was first called out at 3:42pm, in response to a request for a medical evacuation by the Coast Guard.

A young man on a day trip to Inis Oírr had suffered and arm injury in an accident. The volunteer crew under Coxswain Tommy Dirrane collected him at the island’s pier, and brought him to Ros a Mhíl harbour.

A second call later that evening, shortly before 8pm, in response to a patient on Inis Mór who was in need of further medical attention.

With the patient safety transferred aboard the lifeboat, the lifeboat launched under Coxswain John O’Donnell and a full crew.

Conditions at this time of launching were good, with calm seas and light winds, but a low dense fog which reduced visibility greatly.

Speaking after the call outs both Aran Islands RNLI Coxswains commended the speedy reaction time from the volunteer crew members to launch the lifeboat.

“Minutes can make all the difference and our crowd never let us down,” said Tommy Dirrane, adding “We would like to wish both patients a speedy recovery”.

“As we head into another fine weather spell, we would like to advise visitors to respect the water. If planning a trip to the beach or sea, never swim alone and always let someone know where you are going and when you are due back.”

“Always carry a means of calling with you in a waterproof pouch or bag and always wear a lifejacket at sea.”

Writers Room programme to help budding filmmakers

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August 23, 2021

galway daily film Budding filmmakers called to International Writers Room

Filmmakers looking for a helping hand, to work on their short film script are being urged to apply for an International Writers Room programme.

Screen Talent Europe are looking for eight filmmakers from different countries to help develop their work, and talent, through group sessions with industry professionals.

STE is a network of film centres, including Galway Film Centre, which aims to develop more local talent, and provide opportunities for co-productions, networking, and collaboration between emerging filmmakers across Europe.

As part of the International Writers Room, you will have the opportunity to develop your short film in structured group sessions with coaches Mikael Bundsen or Alexe Landgren.

One screenwriter/filmmaker each is being sought from the Screen Talent Europe partners: Denmark, Faroe Islands, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.

Conducted through English, the Writers Room will be held via a series of online sessions taking place on:

Writers Room Session 1: September 19 – 13:45-17:45
Writers Room Session 2: October 23 – 10:30-15:30
Writers Room Session 3: November 27 – 10:30-15:30

The deadline for applications is 4pm on Wednesday, August 25. The application form and further information on the scheme are available here.

Decisions will be communicated to the successful applicants by Wednesday 01st September 2021.

In addition, the successful filmmakers will get free access to the CineSud Short Lab masterclasses. All the masterclasses will take place online via Zoom and will be held in English.

Speakers on the day include Manuel Alberto Claro (director of photography Nymphomaniac, The House that Jack Built), producer Eliza Jones (whose short films were in competition at Festival de Cannes, Tribeca, TIFF, etc.), director Birgitte Stærmose (Crystal Bear winner Berlinale) and sound designer/-mixer Peter Albrechtsen (Dunkirk, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) with more being announced soon.

Lidl announces contract with local coffee business

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August 23, 2021

Lidl has announced a deal worth €500,000 with a Galway coffee business to supply its network of 210 stores across Ireland.

The 12-month contract will see the Galway Roast’s blend of Guatemalan, Brazilian and Honduras coffee stocked exclusively on Lidl shelves from next Thursday, 2 September.

The Galway Roast first opened as a small coffee shop in Tuam in 2008, with owner Niall Murphy buying a small 1 kilo roaster which he used to develop his own signature coffee blend.

The artisan producer then crafted the perfect coffee flavour by experimenting with different coffee beans and flavour combinations.

Faced with sudden closure due to the pandemic, Niall saw an opportunity to take sales online and diversify into the retail market, subsequently setting up a new production facility in Athlone.

Niall then decided to expand The Galway Roast even further venturing into wholesale.

The Galway Roast first connected with Lidl through its annual Kickstart Supplier Development Programme back in 2018.

Since, they have been regular participants in Kickstart promotions over the years, learning how to build their brand and develop their business ultimately resulting in Lidl now listing The Galway Roast’s coffee for its 2 million weekly customers.

“I am so proud to see our coffee on Lidl’s shelves as part of their core range and to receive such support for our business – there really is no feeling like it, said Niall Murphy.

“I’ve learned so much by participating in Lidl’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme.

“I’ve found it to be a great process and it’s a massive boost to all companies that take part.

“I’m so glad that I applied all those years ago and would strongly encourage other young businesses to do so too.”

Renowned Galway poet honoured at Power of Words Festival

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August 23, 2021