Pieta hiring additional therapists in Galway and Tuam

-

August 3, 2021

Galway Daily education Extension plans submitted for Clifden Community School

Plans are under consideration for an expansion of Clifden Community Community to provide special needs education facilities.

A planning application has been made to build a single storey extension to the west of the existing secondary school.

The 578sqm extension will be used to provide additional classrooms for special needs education.

The extension will also include a glazed link corridor/room connecting with the existing school, and to the school yard.

Minor alterations will be made to parts of the existing school building to provide new fire escape doors.

Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this planning application by August 29,

Minister Humphreys concludes Our Rural Future tour in Galway

By

-

August 2, 2021

galway daily news heather humphreys our rural future galway

Minister Heather Humphreys visited Co. Galway over the weekend to conclude her nationwide tour to promote the Government’s new rural development strategy.

The Minister was in the county opening series of new rural development projects as part of a trip across Ireland promoting Our Rural Future – which aims to revitalise towns and villages, promote remote working, and ensure balanced regional development.

On her final day of the tour, the Minister visited the Bia Innovator Project in Athenry which received over €2.93 million through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.

The Bia Innovator Campus is a large scale project and will provide food production units and co-working kitchens when complete.

The campus will create 360 jobs in over 40+ businesses, delivering training, development and support to in excess of 2,400 entrepreneurs.

Speaking in Athenry Minister Humphreys said: “The Bia Innovator Campus is a transformative project for Athenry and the West of Ireland.

“Indeed, I believe this project will gain national significance, when it assumes its position as a key part of the Teagasc network.

“As the people here today know all too well, the food sector is one of the most important industries in Ireland.”

The Minister said that Our Rural Future is the most ambitious and transformative policy for rural development in decades.

“The new policy seeks to build on the strengths already present in rural Ireland – like our agri-food sector – and transform the quality of life and opportunities for people living in rural towns and villages,” she said.

“Taking advantage of this opportunity requires joined-up thinking across Government, State agencies and the wider agri-food sector. And so, I view this project as a shining example of the type of approach that is needed. ”

Her final stop in Galway was a visit to the Lackagh to Knockdoemore walking trail.

Speaking about her visit to Galway and the Islands, the Minister added: “I have really enjoyed my time in Galway and meeting the communities on Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin was a particular highlight.

“I have met many rural communities across the country and I have listened to what they are saying.

“While there are challenges, there is huge optimism and hope for the future in rural Ireland.”

COVID-19: 1,352 cases reported today

By

-

August 2, 2021

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

There have been a further 1,352 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.

As of this morning there are 177 people in the country in hospital with COVID-19.

Of these, there are 27 patients in serious condition who have been admitted to the ICU.

Daily case numbers may change following data review and validation in the future.

HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid said earlier today that over 18,000 people had availed of walk-in vaccination centres running this bank holiday weekend.

In Galway one clinic has been open at the Ballybrit Racecourse centre today, for people to receive their first vaccine dose without needing an appointment.

Petition to reinstate Galway-Dublin 20-X20 bus gathers over 1,200 signatures

By

-

August 2, 2021

Galway Daily news Galway - Dublin Expressway bus service cancelled

A petition calling for the restoration of the Bus Éireann Expressway Galway to Dublin service has gathered over 1,200 signatures so far, including both physical and online signatures.

The petition was launched by Sinn Féin following the cancellation of the 20-X20 service which has been criticised by a number of TDs and councillors.

Galway East Sinn Féin’s Louis O’Hara has welcomed the large number of signatures and called on Minister Eamon Ryan to ensure that a bus service is reinstated for the affected areas.

He said that the petition demonstrates the importance of the bus service which stopped in stopped in Craughwell, Loughrea, Aughrim and Ballinasloe.

“There was huge anger at the ending of the service among the people we spoke to while collecting signatures,” he said.

“It’s going to leave a lot of people in very difficult situations, for example elderly people who relied on the service for things like medical appointments.

“The decision doesn’t make sense, especially at a time when we are being told to reduce our emissions and use public transport. It’s another nail in the coffin of rural towns.”

Louis O’Hara said that all options must be considered by Government to ensure that a bus service is reinstated for the areas affected.

“This bus service is simply too important to the people in the areas affected to be taken away,” he added.

“Villages like Kilreekil and Derrydonnell which have suffered enormously since the withdrawal of the 20-X20 service from their area in 2018 should also have it restored.”

“This is a lesson as to why public transport routes should never be put in the hands of private operators because it results in smaller towns and villages having services withdrawn.”

The petition can be found online at http://chng.it/KdHHkFSG4B

UHG has Ireland’s highest number of COVID patients in the ICU

By

-

August 2, 2021

Galway still has the highest number of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit among Ireland’s hospitals.

The latest date from the HSE shows five confirmed cases in the ICU at University Hospital Galway, the most in the country.

There were 16 confirmed cases at University Hospital Galway as of Sunday night, the second highest number nationwide after St. James’, which has 21.

Portiuncula Hospital has two confirmed cases, neither of which is in the intensive care unit.

The number of confirmed COVID patients at University Hospital Galway has doubled in the past week, as incidence rates in the city remain well above the national average.

Nationwide there were 171 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland’s hospitals as of 8pm Sunday, of whom 26 are in the ICU.

Both hospitals remain extremely busy aside from the pressure of COVID patients, with high levels of attendance at the Emergency Department.

There are 17 patients at Portiuncula Hospital waiting for a bed this morning according to INMO figures, with a further 27 at UHG.

Overnight motorway closure for roadworks taking place

By

-

August 2, 2021

Galway Daily news Traffic disruption expected from Galway City centre roadworks

Part of the M18 motorway northbound will be closed overnight this week to facilitate roadworks taking place.

The northbound motorway will be closed from Junction 17 Kiltiernan to Junction 18 Rathmorrisey.

The closures will last from 7pm on Wednesday night to 5:30am on Thursday morning.

Full diversion routes will be signposted and the closed junction will be manned.

Traffic at junction 17 will be diverted via the N67 to Kilcolgan, Clarinbridge onto Oranmore, and then from the M6 to M17/M18 junction at Rathmorrisey.

These works are dependent on the weather and may be rescheduled.

Potato blight warning issued for South Galway

By

-

August 2, 2021

Galway daily news Teagasc Clinic on Transferring the Family Farm in Gort tomorrow

Met Eireann has issued another environmental warning for weather that could encourage the spread of potato blight in South Galway this week.

Weather conditions conducive to the spread of potato blight are forecast to occur early this week.

Potato blight is caused by a fungus called Phytophthora infestans that spreads through the air and thrives in humid weather.

Its symptoms include patches of brown freckles on leaves with a yellowish border, dark patches on tubers, and potatoes rotting into soggy masses.

The advisory from Met Eireann issued on Sunday covers all of Munster, as well as the south of Galway.

Opportunities for spraying are expected to be limited due to unsettled conditions.

The forecast for early this week Galway is for mostly overcast conditions with spells of rain.

Temperatures will range in the mid teens today, getting warmer and more humid on Tuesday, where the mercury is expected to hit 18 – 19 degrees.

Rain will die off from the midweek for the most part, with some sunny spells currently expected on Wednesday.

Walk-in vaccination clinic opening in Galway City

By

-

August 2, 2021

galway daily news Vaccine booster clinic continuing today for people in their 50s

A walk-in vaccination clinic for people to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine dose without an appointment is opening in Galway City today.

The walk-in clinic will operate from the vaccination centre at Ballybrit Racecourse from 10am to 4pm today.

It follows on from a similar clinic which ran in Clifden Community School last Saturday.

The walk-in clinic is for people aged 16 years and older who have yet to receive their first dose.

If you attend this clinic for the Pfizer vaccine, a second appointment will then be made via text, in line with other appointments.

Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan praised the high level of turnout for the walk-in vaccination clinics around the country this bank holiday weekend.

The long queues, in many cases consisting of large numbers of teenagers and young people, showed the “solidarity” in Ireland’s response to the pandemic, he said.

Ireland has enjoyed a very high level of uptake of the varied COVID-19 vaccines on offer in Europe, passing Britain in the percentage of population vaccinated despite their much stronger start to their vaccination campaign.

Approximately 10,000 people made use of the walk-in vaccination clinics on Saturday said Paul Reid of the HSE.

Galway siblings have ambitious plans for new home building marketplace

By

-

August 1, 2021

galway daily news galway siblings irevise housebuild.ie — Eoghain Ryan Housebuild.ie. Photo: Andrew Downes

Galway entrepreneurs Eoghain and Ailish Ryan have high ambitions and expectations for their unique new online marketplace for home building and improvements.

The siblings, who are also behind the most popular study website for Irish and UK secondary school students iRevise.com, want to take their latest project to Britain and the US in the coming months and years after it got off to a flying start here in Ireland.

Housebuild.ie offers home-owners direct access to construction professionals, products and services, in a one-stop digital hub – and tradespeople can also sign up to offer their services.

Since going live, the site has signed up over 2,000 professionals nationwide, from bricklayers, plumbers, and carpenters, to surveyors, engineers and architects.

More than 20,000 people have also logged on to the website so far to search for tradespeople in their area, buy from product partners and browse a dedicated inspiration section for home decor and interior design ideas.

Housebuild.ie also has a construction hub with practical guides and easy-to-follow ‘how to’ videos on everything from building regulations, planning, and costing to energy efficient, Passive House and NZEB projects.

Eoghain Ryan, co-founder and Director of Housebuild.ie, said that there is no comparable site in Ireland or the UK which offers everything you can possibly think of in one single online ecosystem.

“We have everything you need for home-builds, improvements and decor,” said Mr Ryan.

“From tradespeople you can rate and review, to furniture, fixtures, fittings and simple how-to guides designed to take the fear out of any project — it’s all there, and it’s badly needed.”

Housebuild.ie has been developed at a cost of €450,000 with help from James Whelton, the Cork-born founder of CoderDojo, and Joe Smyth, co-founder of Altocloud, the Galway SaaS start-up acquired by US firm Genesys.

Both Whelton and Smyth have joined the Board of Directors at Housebuild.ie, which is headquartered in Salthill and employs 15 people.

Whelton previously worked with Eoghain and Ailish Ryan on the development of iRevise.com (formerly Mocks.ie), the study site they run together with their brother Pádraig.

Launched in 2009, iRevise.com has since become Ireland’s biggest online educational resource for second-level students sitting exams in Ireland and the UK and has been used by 900,000 students.

Eoghain and Ailish also run Ryan and Associates, an engineering consultancy in Salthill specialising in fire safety. The siblings launched a free mobile app for construction professionals in 2015, offering a one-stop shop for building regulations.

Their building regulations app will now be rolled into the Building Regulations, Planning and Guidelines section of Housebuild.ie, adding further value for professionals using the site.

Ailish Ryan, Co-Founder and Director of Housebuild.ie, said that there is a “huge amount of due diligence in residential builds now but finding all the guidelines and detailed drawings you need to ensure a job is done right is not easy for professionals in the sector.

“We’ve been able to put it all together in a simple searchable format.”

Homeowners can use Housebuild.ie free of charge. Professionals can also sign up for free for now. A subscription programme will be introduced further down the line.

Engineer Kevin McDonagh has joined Housebuild.ie as MD following a successful 20-year career in the life sciences sector.

“For our retail partners like EZ Living and Tile Merchant, Housebuild.ie gives them a unique platform to reach their target customer,” he said.

“They don’t have to spend thousands on digital advertising trying to track the right customers online. We will also have an affiliate sales programme whereby we get a percentage of the sale of products featured on the site.

“We want to have full e-commerce capability and we’re in talks with mortgage providers and home, professional indemnity and public liability insurers.”

The Housebuild.ie team have ambitious plans for the tech start-up.

“The plan is to expand into the UK later this year with the launch of Housebuild.co.uk. From there, we hope to have the Housebuild platform live in the US by 2024,” added Eoghain Ryan.

Galway team wins national award for AI-based climate change tool

By

-

August 1, 2021

Galway Daily science Galway team wins national award for AI-based climate change tool

A groundbreaking AI-based tool for analysing the impact of measures combating climate change in agriculture from a Galway research team has won a prestigious national scientific award.

The TAPAS project at NUI Galway, led by Dr Aaron Golden and Professor Charles Spillane, was recently named to the winner of the SFI Future Innovator Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Societal Good Challenge.

The TAPAS team have been developing an AI system which works by analysing satellite imagery to measure the effectiveness of measures to adapt agriculture to climate change.

Adaptation to climate change in developing countries is expected to cost $140-300 billion per year by 2030, with over 130 countries now prioritising agricultural adaptation to meet their Paris Agreement goals.

This means that assessing the effectiveness of these interventions is an essential part of protecting agriculture, and ensuring that money isn’t wasted on solutions that aren’t working.

On winning the prize Dr Aaron Golden said he and the team were delighted to receive the recognition of the importance of this technology, which he said could “empower society” to reduce the impact of climate change.

It’s importance is greatest “especially those communities in the developing world whose economies are almost entirely dependent on agriculture,” he added.

Professor Spillane added that almost 40% of the world’s agricultural land is at risk from climate change, making it a critical 21st century issue.

“The current lack of a universally deployable system to measure adaptation to climate change motivated us to develop one, by combining AI with satellite remote sensing of agricultural systems.”

The TAPAS project was co-funded with Irish Aid under SFI’s partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and has focused initially on test sites in Senegal.

Winning this Science Foundation Ireland award comes with €1 million in additional funding to further develop the project.

Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of SFI, congratulated everyone involved in the TAPAS project at NUI Galway.

“This novel solution shows exactly what can be accomplished when interdisciplinary expertise comes together under a challenge-based funding structure that facilitates ideation through to invention.”

Major refurbishments planned for amalgamated city secondary school

By

-

August 1, 2021

Galway Daily news Major refurbishments planned for amalgamated city secondary school

Major refurbishments are planned for a new co-educational secondary school in Galway City occupying the former St Mary’s College campus.

The significant refurbishments and expansion of the St. Mary’s campus come on the foot of the boys secondary school’s merger with Our Lady’s Lady College announced in 2019.

The two will now form the co-education Catholic secondary school Coláiste Muire Máthair, under the patronage of CEIST, the Catholic secondary schools trust.

Works planned for the St. Mary’s Campus to accommodate this larger amalgamated school include refurbishment works within the existing main school building to provide additional classrooms, specialist rooms, and toilets.

Refurbishment works will also involve accessibility improvements to ensure that all students are equally able to make use of the campus.

These will include the provision of four new passenger lifts, the refurbishment of an existing lift, adding a new disabled set down space and parking area, and the addition of new ramps at access points, and universally accessible toilets.

Along with accessibility, fire safety is a major part of the planned works at the school, with the intention to install a new fire alarm and emergency lighting system in the main school building, science block, and sports hall.

Other additions will include upgrade works to fire doors and fire screens in the main building and science block as they are required, as well as the installation of new ones.

The St. Mary’s College campus is an expansive protected structure on a 27 acre site ay St. Mary’s Road, the original building of which was constructed in 1910.

Multiple extensions and expansions to the campus were built in the following decades, the first being what is now the science building, added in 1914, and the latest of which are classrooms added in the late 1990s.

Galway City Council is currently due to make a decision on this planning application by August 25.

COVID-19: 1,098 cases reported today

By

-

August 1, 2021

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

There have been a further 1,098 cases of COVID-19 reported by health officials today.

There are 163 people in the country hospitalised with COVID, of whom 26 are in the intensive care unit.

Yesterday saw Ireland pass a milestone of 300,000 confirmed cases since the pandemic began.

But this latest wave as the country reopens has defied fears that Ireland would reach 2,000 cases a day by this point due to the delta variant.

Credit for the relatively stable level of cases seen in recent days has been given to the very high level of uptake Ireland has shown for the vaccine, just yesterday overtaking Britain in the total percentage of the population protected.

Dr Tony Holohan praised the number of people, particularly teenagers and younger people, who queued up this bank holiday weekend for walk-in vaccination clinics.

He said that it shows how solidarity continues to be the “hallmark of our response” to the pandemic, protecting others as well as themselves.

Daily case numbers may change in the future after data validation and review.

€10m fund to help regional businesses adapt to COVID & Brexit

By

-

August 1, 2021

Galway Daily business €10m fund to help regional businesses adapt to COVID & Brexit

A €10 million fund has been launched this week to help regional businesses adapt to changing circumstances caused by Brexit and COVID.

The Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme is now accepting applications from regional and community based enterprises through Enterprise Ireland.

This Scheme consists of €9.5 million is targeted at existing regional and community-based projects, which can show they can deliver an impact within the current year.

Grants of up to €1.8 million or 80% of the project cost, whichever is lesser, are available. The project should aim to address COVID impacts, and encourage regional competitiveness.

Leo Clancy, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said that this money will help create and sustain jobs in regions affected by COVID-19.

“We look forward to working with the regional stakeholders on innovative proposals to provide additional support to these projects at a regional level.”

The remaining €500,000 forms a Feasibility Fund, which will allow recipients to test their concept out, and deliver virtual or site-based solutions to their target audience.

Both strands of the scheme are open to applications now. The main Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme closes on September 8, and applications for the Feasibility Fund can be made until October 1.

The successful projects of this 2021 programme will be announced in October and all funding will be provided to the successful applicants before the end of the year.

Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English said “These strategic funds are about supporting projects with regional impact in order to increase internationalisation opportunities and create sustainable job opportunities right across the country.”

“Crucially, the Transition Scheme will help build Covid-19 and Brexit resilience and enable applicants to support enterprises and SME’s to respond to recent economic and market challenges”.

Along with the challenges of Brexit and COVID, the scheme will also enable businesses in the transition to a low carbon economy, as well as with their digital transformation.

Sleep Out for Simon to prevent homelessness in Galway

By

-

August 1, 2021

Galway Daily news Sleep Out for Simon to prevent homelessness in Galway

People across the west of Ireland are being called to take part in the Sleep Out for Simon to help fight homelessness here.

The Sleep Out for Simon is an annual event that encourages people to give up their comfy bed for one night to raise funds for the Simon Community’s homelessness services.

This year’s event is going virtual once again, with supporters of Galway Simon, whether individuals, groups, or businesses, asked to take to their backyard, shed, office car park or anywhere they can safely lay down their head for the night.

Being virtual means that no matter where you are in the world, be that Moycullen, Westport, Castlerea or Shanghai, you can still get involved and enjoy this unique solidarity experience.

The event will bring people together virtually on the night of October 1 to collectively raise funds and enjoy music, comedy and entertainment.

CEO of Galway Simon Community Karen Golden said “The fear and trauma of having nowhere to sleep is a stark reality for some, and Covid-19 continues to pose an even greater challenge to those who don’t have the security of a home.”

This year there has already been a 22% increase in the number of households supported by Galway Simon’s homelessness prevention and housing services, she explained, with frontline workers confronted every day with people on the edge of becoming homeless.

“The families and individuals who we support continue to be under extreme pressure. We are asking for the help of our community so that we can continue delivering the support needed to protect the most vulnerable in our society from the threat of homelessness.”

100% of proceeds will go directly towards Galway Simon’s Homelessness Prevention Services in the West of Ireland, ensuring the charity can safeguard their essential services and support those in need.

Last year’s Sleep Out raised a record breaking €137,000 for Galway Simon’s homelessness services, making it the most successful in the charity’s history.

This was in no small part because the virtual format made it more accessible to people all over Galway and beyond wanting to take part.

One participant from last year said “it gave me appreciation for those who sleep out every night in worse conditions”.

Another commented that it was “a great experience with my family raising money for such a good cause while also being educated on the crisis that faces homelessness in Ireland, and not to judge these families and individuals as it can happen to anyone”.

To register for the Virtual Sleep Out for Simon today, visit sleepoutforsimon.ie.

Grant funding for four Galway coastal community projects

By

-

August 1, 2021

Galway Daily news Galway winner claims €50,000 in prize bonds draw

Four Galway businesses and enterprises have been awarded more than €42,000 in grants meant to help develop coastal communities.

The funding under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme is is part of a €915,000 package announced by Minister Charlie McConalogue on Saturday.

The Galway projects supported under the scheme include €17,021 for Oranmore Castle Cultural Centre, and €12,953 for Cuan Beo CLG to implement a “holistic approach to sustainability in Galway Bay”.

Another €6,984 grant has been given to Séamus O’Flatharta for Inis Oírr Glamping and Campsite, and Spiddal Craft & Design Centre has received a €5,200 grant for an online marketing campsite.

In total, 62 small businesses and projects around the country were approved grants by the seven Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAG).

“The FLAG Scheme has been operating since just 2017, following a short pilot in the previous programme and has gone from strength to strength,” said Minister McConalogue.

“This is testament not just to the demand for such local development funding in our coastal communities but very much to the hard work of the local volunteers, many drawn from our seafood and wider marine sectors.”

The FLAG Scheme has now closed, having allocated all of its money, but will be replaced in the new Seafood Development Programme 2021-27, which will become operational next year.

Minister McConalogue said that the FLAG initiative can “further drive start-ups” and assist in developing coastal communities in the years ahead.

#BeSound campaign asks people to respect staff and guidelines in pubs

By

-

August 1, 2021

Galway Daily news Pub staff member assaulted for not letting drunk patron in

Consumers are being urged to #BeSound in pubs and restaurants in the coming weeks, as hospitality venues begin to welcome more customers through their doors.

With pubs now open indoors for vaccinated people and those who have recovered from COVID, Drinks Ireland are encouraging people to respect the guidelines, staff and each other while socialising.

Hospitality venues have some mandatory measures, but things can vary from venue to venue. People are being asked to respect the guidelines, by keeping an eye on the signage and following instructions from staff.

Consumers are also asked to respect the staff in these venues who are working hard to make sure everyone has a good time and is kept safe.

“We welcome the further reopening of Ireland’s hospitality sector,” said Patricia Callan, Director of Drinks Ireland.

“Ireland’s pubs are home to the nation’s best loved drinks brands, and we’re delighted to relaunch our #BeSound campaign to encourage positive consumer behaviour when visiting pubs.

“If we all work together, we can help keep each other safe, while ensuring we all have a great time.”

Padraig Cribben, CEO of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, added that pubs across Ireland are delighted to be able to welcome greater numbers of customers back.

“Whether you’re returning to your favourite local, or visiting a pub on a staycation in the coming weeks, remember to respect the guidelines, respect the staff, and respect each other,” he said.

Salthill native appointed coordinator of city’s new Irish Language Plan

By

-

August 1, 2021

galway city news galway daily salthill man appointed language officer — Micheál Óg Mac Aoidh

Galway City native Micheál Óg Mac Aoidh has been appointed as the coordinator for the city’s new Irish Language Plan.

In September the Salthill man will start the the implementation of the plan which aims to increase the amount of Irish that is seen, spoken, and heard on the streets of Galway.

A graduate of NUI Galway, Micheál was brought up in an Irish-speaking household and his mother, the late Dr Eithne Conway-McGee, was a well-known and much-loved family doctor.

She instilled a love of the Irish language and culture in her family and Micheál was immersed in the Arts scene in Galway City while growing up.

He worked for several Irish language theatre groups, including An Taibhdhearc, (Amharclann Náisiúna na Gaeilge) Fíbín and Na Fánaithe and regularly volunteered with Galway International Arts Festival, Macnas, Cúirt and other Arts organisations in the City.

He spent ten years working as an Arts Officer in Gaeltacht regions and after returning to education and graduating with a degree in language planning, Micheál became the first-ever Irish language planning officer in Ireland.

He worked as a language planning officer for three years in the Gaeltacht region of Cloich Cheann Fhaola in Donegal, initiating many innovative language projects. Micheál also spent two years working for a publishing company in Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Speaking about his appointment, Micheál said: “Fearacht fhormhór na nGaillimheach, táimse an-bhródúil as ár gCathair.

“Tá sé ar cheann de na háiteanna is breátha le cónaí agus le hoibriú ann agus tá spiorad iontach sa gCathair. Measaim go gcuireann an Ghaeilge go mór le beogacht agus fuinniúlacht na Gaillimhe.”

Micheál said that being seen as a modern, progressive, Gaelic city bestows Galway with a ‘unique and highly appealing identity’.

“The language sets us apart and gives us a unique selling point or ‘brand’. The language can benefit the City in so many ways: economically, in terms of tourism, in terms of identity and branding and in enhancing the life of the City in general,” he said.

“Additionally, the story of the Irish language in Galway City over the last thirty or so years is a hugely positive one.

“Galway is surrounded by the largest and strongest Gaeltacht in the country and Irish has always played an important part in the life of the City. It is no surprise that Galwegians are proud of their linguistic and cultural heritage.”

He believes that the language can benefit the City in many ways and Galway’s language planning process will set out a roadmap to ensure all the benefits of the language are maximised.

“Language planning can be a complex and difficult process; however, the aims are simple. We want to ensure that more Irish is seen, spoken, and heard on the streets and in the suburbs of Galway,” Micheál added.

“Gaillimh le Gaeilge has done such amazing work over the past 30 years and has laid a very strong foundation, including transforming the image of Irish in the City.

“I hope to build on this work and look forward to working with them, Galway City Council and other key stakeholders in the City, as together we work to implement the 36 measures outlined in the language plan.”

COVID-19: Ireland passes 300,000 total cases

By

-

July 31, 2021

A further 1,427 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported by the Department of Health today.

As of 8am this morning there were 164 people in Ireland hospitalised with COVID-19, of whom 26 are in the ICU.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that Ireland has today passed a “milestone” of 300,000 cases since the pandemic began.

“However, today we have also seen how solidarity continues to be the hallmark of our response with young people across the country lining up to get vaccinated, both to protect themselves and to play their part in protecting the community.”

“I strongly urge anyone eligible for a vaccine to come forward and avail of the opportunity as soon as possible.”

This bank holiday weekend has also seen the opening of walk-in vaccination clinics for people to get their first dose without requiring an appointment.

App creates new experience for Cliffs of Moher visitors

By

-

July 31, 2021