Met Éireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for thunderstorms in Galway this afternoon.
The warning for scattered thunderstorms bringing heavy downpours will be lifted at 6pm today.
The weather chiefs say that there is a risk of spot flooding in Galway, Clare and Limerick.
It will be cloudy tonight with scattered showers mainly along the coast. Lowest temperatures will be 9 or 10 degrees in light to moderate southerly winds.
The PGA Professional Championship is one of the top competitions that has always been graced by incredible names including some of the past PGA tour winners. Ireland has been synonymous with some of the finest of the PGA events, including the Irish PGA Professional Championship. It is a popular event that has been around for over a century. Well, let us take a sneak peek at some of the PGA Tour Events in Ireland to look forward to.
This list has got to start with the Irish PGA championship which is one of the best golf tournaments dating back to 1907. This year’s championship will be the 111th edition. It will be held at the Carne Golf Links which also happens to be one of the most iconic and beautiful courses in the world!
Located at the West Coast of Ireland the golfers will also get a chance to experience the magnificent sand dunes overlooking Blacksod Bay and the wild Atlantic Ocean just next to Belmullet. It was designed by the late Eddie Hackett, one of Europe’s renowned golf architects.
Now, it is a 54-hole stroke-play championship with 18 holes every day. This year, the field of 102 players will be slashed to 50. Some of the past names to win this championship include the likes of Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, Christy O’Connor Snr, Paul McGinley, just to name but a few.
This is an 18-hole golf tournament that will be held at the 4 Star Nuremore Hotel & Country Golf Club. It is another tournament that delivers more than just the gaming experience.
It is a picturesque course that is set up next to a lake with a terrain perfect for beginners and pros alike. The pro-am tournament will be held on Monday August 16th. The championship rounds will take place on August 17 to 18.
This is another 18-hole tournament that will be held at the St. Margaret’s Golf and Country Club. It is a golfing destination ranked among the best courses in Ireland. No wonder it has also been home to tournaments like the Irish PGA Championship, Seniors Irish Open and the Ladies Irish Open. It is scheduled for September with €10,000 up for grabs.
This Pro-Am event will be held at yet another iconic golf course designed by Eddie Hackett. Just like the Carne Golf links, this one is a work of art, arguably the best in Galway. It is sandwiched between the 12 Bens mountain range and the sumptuous Atlantic Ocean.
Every hole seems to be a scenic spot on this course. From the Slyne Head Lighthouse, the 12 Bens Mountains, the Atlantic Ocean or Grainne O’Malley’s Castle and more! The event is scheduled for September 18 to 19.
The events are just a snapshot of the upcoming PGA events in Ireland. Here is a full list of the events to look forward to in the second half of 2021:
| PGA Event | Location | Date |
| R&A PGA Trainee Series #4 | Roganstown · Co. Dublin | June 23 |
| Foxrock Pro Am – PGA Southern Branch | Foxrock · Dublin | July 3 |
| The Straffan Pro-Am | K Club – Palmer South Straffan | July 9 |
| Portmarnock Links Pro-Am | Portmarnock Hotel, Dublin, – | July 12 |
| Irish Life Delgany Pro-Am | Delgany | July 23 |
| Elm Park Pro-Am | Elm Park-Dublin 4 | July 25 |
| Carlow Pro-Am | Carlow GC- Deer Park | August 2 |
| 111th Irish PGA Championship Pro-Am | Carne Golf Links Belmullet | August 4 |
| 111th Irish PGA Championship | Carne Golf Links Belmullet | August 5-7 |
| Cork Pro-Am | Cork | August 10 |
| The Conor O’Dwyer Charity Pro-Am | Kilkea Castle · Castledermot | August 13 |
| Nuremore Irish Assistants Champ Pro-Am | Nuremore Hotel Carrickmacross | August 16 |
| Nuremore Irish Assistants Championship | Nuremore Hotel Carrickmacross | August 17-18 |
| The K-Club Pro-Am | K Club,Palmer North Straffan | August 27 |
| The Philip Walton Malahide Pro-Am | Malahide GC- BlueRed · Malahide | August 29 |
| MS Ireland St. Margaret’s PGA Pro Am | St. Margaret’s G&CC Dublin | September 3 |
| The Rosslare Pro-Am | Rosslare | September 4 |
| Galway Bay Pro-Am | Galway Bay Golf Resort | September 16 |
| Connemara Pro-Am | Connemara – A/B Clifden | September 18-19 |
We have hopefully given you a glimpse of some of the mouthwatering PGA golf events in Ireland 2021. There is certainly a lot to look forward to as some of the world’s best golfers take center stage in top golfing destinations around the country. We can agree that whether you are a beginner or a pro golfer, there is a lot on the menu if things go as planned!
Tributes have been paid to well known Galway businessman and patron of the arts Donagh O’Donoghue, who passed away this week.
O’Donoghue developed many ties to the business, arts, and student communities in Galway throughout the decades.
As a business student at NUI Galway in the 1960s he was a member of Comhairle Teachta na Mac-Léinn, the predecessor to the current Students Union, alongside fellow members such as President Michael D Higgins.
In 1975 he succeeded his father as Group Managing Director of Thomas McDonagh & Sons Ltd, and grew the company substantially over the next 25 years.
Throughout his years he and his family were stalwart patrons of the arts in Galway, serving as a board member of the renowned Druid Theatre Company, among other positions.
“From initially making space available to our fledging company in 1979 to the gifting of the building in 1996, Donagh acted as a close and trusted confidant, both as Chairman and to me personally.
“Without his vision and support, I’m not sure Druid would be here today,” said Druid’s Artistic Director, Garry Hynes.
Other major directorships O’Donoghue held down the years include Bord na Móna, Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and Galway Airport, as well as board positions on IBEC and Galway Chamber.
President of NUIG, Prof Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said “We are saddened to hear of Dr Donagh O’Donoghue’s passing and we extend our deepest sympathies to Marcia and his family.”
“His deep commitment over a long number of years and in so many ways to our university and his, and to the arts in Galway and its hinterland, has played an important role in Galway’s reputation as a groundswell for arts and culture.”
NUIG’s O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, which was named in Donagh’s honour, was officially opened in April 2017 by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins.
The pioneering O’Donoghue Centre includes a 120-seat theatre space with retractable tiered seating allowing for multifunctional use and accessibility.
It also comprises of studio spaces, classrooms, and a workshop and rehearsal room that has had a transformative effect not only on the University’s students but on the vibrant cultural hinterland that surrounds the campus.
Galway will receive almost €1.2 million for 34 road improvement projects to protect and adapt roads affected by flooding.
The €1,177,500 million for by Galway County Council is part of an overall €17.3m climate adaptation investment programme announced today.
The single largest allocation in Galway is €120,000 which will be used to raise the level of 315m of road at Owenbristy, Ardrahan.
Other projects include €50,000 for seven local road raising schemes which were identified under the South Galway Flood Resilience Scheme.
Galway TD Ciaran Cannon said that this is a very welcome investment in south Galway roads that were closed for long periods of time in recent flooding events.
“The closure of these roads for weeks upon end caused real hardship for so many communities and these engineering projects will ensure that such closures don’t occur again.”
Another €105,000 will go towards raising and resurfacing the road at Lissyegan, Ahascragh, and enhancing the existing surface drainage.
On the R328, €70,000 will be used to improve Castle street in Dunmore, which is badly affected during heavy rainfall, and another €40,000 will help prevent flooding at Gorteen Cross.
Other large investments include €75,000 to install a new drainage system at Deerpark, Oranmore to divert water away from the public road, and €65,000 to install a storm water collection and outflow system at Liscune, Ballymacward.
In total, Minister Eamon Ryan Eamon Ryan approved climate resilience funding for 432 road improvement projects across the country.
Galway Senator Aisling Dolan said “Our engineers and roads teams in Galway County Council do such great work especially when dealing with the impacts of storms and bad weather.”
“This investment will help supplement the ongoing works by raising roads and surface drainage.”
“It hopefully means that come this Autumn, Winter, Spring nearly all seasons – communities all around Galway will have better and safer roads and reduce the amount of diversions when roads are flooded”
One in ten people have admitted to drinking and driving in the past year RSA surveys on drink driving have shown.
Among those surveyed, the figure was higher for men (12%) than for women (9%), who admitted to getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
Of those who admitted to drink driving, one in four said that they had two or more drinks before getting behind the wheel.
These figures have been published by the RSA ahead of the June Bank Holiday weekend, as they, An Garda Síochána, and the Medical Bureau of Road Safety are appealing for people not to drink and drive.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Paula Hilman said “Gardaí are keeping people safe on our roads and will be visible across the country over this June Bank Holiday weekend. Alcohol and drugs impair peoples’ judgement.”
“Intoxicated driving is a major factor in serious injury and fatal collisions on our roads. I appeal to people to drive safely and not to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
“If you are stopped and fail a roadside test, think of the implications, you could receive a disqualification from driving. How will this impact on you socially, domestically or professionally?”
There have been 47 people killed on the roads in Ireland so far this year, which is 12 fewer than in the same period last year.
Between 2016 and 2020 there were 14 people killed and 64 seriously injured as a result of road traffic incidents on the June Bank Holiday weekend.
Galway TD Hildegarde Naughton said that while drink driving is viewed as “completely unacceptable” by the vast majority of people, there are still some who persist in it.
“Many people will be meeting up outdoors across the country to socialise with family and friends this weekend. If you are planning on drinking remember that alcohol and driving do not mix.”
“Designate a driver who will not drink to ensure that you all can get home safely. Whatever you do don’t drink and drive and understand that you could still be unfit to drive the morning after.”
Sam Waide, CEO of the Road Safety Authority said that he is concerned about the number of people driving the morning after drinking, while still intoxicated.
An analysis of fatal traffic collisions showed that 11% of cases where the driver was over the legal limit occurred between 7am and 11am.
He warned that “There is no hard and fast rule about when it is safe to drive the morning after if you have been drinking the previous night.”
Gardaí have made a public appeal for assistance in locating a 70 year old man missing from Galway City.
John Joyce (70) was last seen in the Rahoon Road area of Galway at approximately 10pm on Monday, May 31.
John is described as being 6’ 2” in height, of slim build with white combed back hair and glasses.
The missing man is known to frequent Galway City Centre and the Salthill area.
An Garda Siochána say that they and his family are very concerned for his safety.
Anyone with any information that can assist Gardaí in locating John, is asked to contact Gardaí in Galway on 091 538 000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
NUI Galway Students’ Union has joined students across the country in calling for an end to the extortionate €3,000 Student Contribution Fee.
The fee means students in the Republic of Ireland pay the highest undergraduate fees in the European Union.
At a socially distanced ‘Education for All’ protest outside Leinster House, student leaders asked the Government to remove the fee which is a huge barrier to education for students and their families.
Funding of public Higher Education Institutions has dropped dramatically and in the current period of economic turbulence Higher Education funding needs to be prioritised.
Students’ Union President Pádraic Toomey said that what is needed is a publicly funded system – and not a student funded system.
“Our students and their families are stretched to breaking point trying to pay the highest fees in the EU,” said Pádraic.
“In Spain students pay €750, in France they pay €170 whilst in Germany they don’t pay fees at all.
“We are calling on our members and their families to contact their TD’s to lobby for the removal of this barrier to education.”
Students’ Union Vice-President/Education Officer Emma Sweeney added that students can’t afford to pay €3,000 per year and many rely on part time jobs and the assistance of their families to foot the bill of pursuing an education.
“The current pandemic means that students have lost these part time jobs and the news that the Government will be removing PUP payments for students in September is another unacceptable blow.
“We are asking TDs to make the Irish education system accessible for all.”
Update: Power has now been restored to the affected properties.
A power outage just outside Claregalway left 3,258 homes and businesses in the area without electricity this afternoon.
The outage was reported at 12.40pm today and power is expected to be restored to the properties affected by 4.15pm today.
ESB Networks apologised for the loss of supply and said that they are currently working to repair the fault and restore power as quickly as possible.
A further 25 premises in the Claregalway area and 81 houses in Oughterard are also without power this afternoon as part of planned repairs.
These homes are also expected to have their power restored by around 4pm this afternoon.
At least forty new high skilled jobs are to be created as part of a €1.9 million expansion of Cambus Medical/ Freudenberg Medical in An Spidéal.
The expansion will represent an increase of over 60% in manufacturing footprint for the Gaeltacht medical device company which plans to grow to more than 170 employees by the end of this year.
The jobs being created will be in the specialised fields of engineering, quality, manufacturing, customer operations and administration.
Funding for the expansion was approved by the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta as part of the Government’s COVID-19 Jobs Stimulus Package.
This 2,088 square metre expansion will provide extra production/manufacturing space and administration offices at the company’s current substantial facilities in An Spidéal in Conamara where recruitment for the 40+ new jobs has already commenced.
The refurbishment will provide Cambus Medical/Freudenberg Medical with the opportunity to overcome previous capacity limitations, develop new manufacturing capabilities and explore new business opportunities and secure new customers.
In announcing the expansion Barry Comerford, Cambus Medical CEO said that the team is delighted with the support from all of our stakeholders; Freudenberg Medical, Údarás na Gaeltachta and the staff for making this a reality.
‘Our Dedication Shows’, is our commitment to growing a strong sustainable business in An Spidéal and delivering high skilled interesting jobs for people, jobs that make a real difference to the lives of patients across the globe,” said Mr Comerford.
“We are sure that thanks to our culture, values, determination and persistence, we will someday achieve our goal of 500 people working at Cambus Medical.”
Dr. Max Gisbert Kley, Chief Executive Officer of Freudenberg Medical, added that Freudenberg Medical is proud to support the expansion of Cambus Medical as a joint-venture partner.
“Since the initial investment of Freudenberg Medical in 2013 Cambus has grown significantly faster than the market and has more than tripled the number of employees in An Spidéal,” said Dr Gisbert Kley.
“This is a testament to Cambus’ strong market position as the technology leader for hypotubes and metal components for medical devices.”
Anna Ní Ghallachair, Chairperson of the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta congratulated Cambus Medical/Freudenberg Medical and its team on this expansion and the creation of 40 new jobs.
“This innovative company, established by two local entrepreneurs with the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta, employs many people in the area and continues to contribute greatly to the local economy,” she said.
The number of people on the pandemic unemployment payment in Galway has continued to fall, with 1,306 fewer people on PUP here than last week.
There are 16,984 people in Galway receiving PUP today, out of 309,515 nationwide, a decrease of 24,478 people compared to last week.
The figures published today are in addition to the 177,969 people who were on the Live Register at the end of April.
In the week leading up to June 1, 892 people in Galway closed their PUP account with the Department as they will be returning to work. As PUP is paid weekly in arrears, many of these received their final payment this week, and are still counted among the county figures.
The sector which has seen the greatest decline in people on pandemic unemployment this week is Wholesale and Retail Trade with 7,957 fewer people receiving the payment compared to last week.
The sector with the highest number of people still on pandemic unemployment is Accommodation and Food Service activities (90,126), as the hospitality sector has been among the last and slowest to reopen.
There is hope that these numbers will change shorty, as this week marks the start of these businesses reopening.
Hotels and hostels are allowed to reopen from today, and will be followed by outdoor dinging at all bars and restaurants from next Monday, June 7.
The expectation that many people in the hospitality sector will be returning to work can be seen in that 3,483 workers in Accommodation and Food Service activities have closed their accounts in the past week, the second highest level behind Wholesale and Retail Trade (4,086).
Galway TDs are being urged to back proposed legislation to ban the practice of hare coursing in Ireland.
Adrian Curran of the PBP Galway branch has said that Galway’s representatives should support the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) 2020 Bill.
The bill was introduced by People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy in September of last year, and it is hoped will be back before the Dáil for its second stage debate in the coming months.
Adrian Curran said that Ireland is one of just three EU member states which has not banned coursing, which he said creates ideal conditions the spread of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD2) by keeping hares in close confinement.
“Many of the over five thousand hares captured annually for coursing in Ireland are injured or killed, and footage of hares running for their lives and being violently tossed and thrown into the air by dogs ten times their size demonstrates the barbaric nature of this practice.”
Curran said that a poll conducted in 2019 showed that 77% of people in Ireland support a ban on hare coursing, including “majorities in both urban and rural Ireland”.
This is the third time an effort has has been made to introduce legislation banning hare coursing, after similar bill were defeated in 1993 and 2015.
““We are proud to support the National Animal Rights Association in their campaigning on this issue and urge Galway’s TDs to support this bill,” Adrian Curran said.
PBP are particularly calling on Sinn Féin and Labour to support this effort he said, after they voted against the 2015 bill, and for the Green Party, who were then in opposition, to maintain the support they showed then.
Young environmentalists from Galway have been named among the winners of this year’s Young Environmentalist Awards (YEA).
Pupils at Cloghans Hill NS in Tuam were named the ECO-Innovation Super-Junior Category Winners for their project Play Your Part at the virtual awards ceremony last week.
The project aims to raise awareness about saving energy in the home. Brothers Nathan Fitzgerald and Ewan Fitzgerald created an interactive model house which gets the message across in a fun and interesting way.
They used their knowledge of coding and electronics to design a computer programme that links to a fun model house. Most of the materials required for this project were recycled or upcycled items to keep carbon footprint low.
Tree Huggers from St. Jarlath’s College in Tuam and Going Single Use Plastic Free in Galway ETSS were also highly commended at the ceremony for their environmental projects.
In its 22nd year, the awards programme rewards young people aged between 10 and 18 who have taken environmental action to benefit their community and created awareness of climate change.
“We are delighted to be able to host such a programme that encourages and supports young people’s passion for positive environmental change,” said Elaine Nevin, Director of ECO-UNESCO.
“These young people are our future generation of leaders and it’s truly inspiring to see them so active in their schools and communities and so dedicated to tackling climate issues.
“In a recent survey by ECO-UNESCO, over 58% of young people in Ireland said they’d like more local opportunities to get involved in climate action so these projects are a great way for young people to be collaborative in their communities while leading the way towards a more sustainable future.
“We would like to congratulate all of our winners this year and all of those who participated.”
To celebrate, ECO-UNESCO hosted ECO Week from 24th to 28th May, including a range of environmental workshops, well-being activities, talks, and challenges for young people alongside the YEA Winner announcements.
The Department of Health has reported a further 407 coronavirus cases in the Republic as
There are 93 people in hospitals with COVID-19 of whom 34 are receiving care in ICUs.
No county breakdown was given today because of the cyberattack on the HSE.
Health officials have said that today’s case numbers could change in the future due to data validation.
An exciting new play by acclaimed playwright Enda Walsh will have its Irish premiere this September at the Black Box Theatre as part of Galway International Arts Festival.
Medicine stars multi-award-winning actor Domhnall Gleeson, who is joined by a sensational cast including Clare Barrett, Aoife Duffin and percussionist Sean Carpio.
The play, presented by Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival, will have its world premiere on 7 August at the Traverse Theatre during Edinburgh International Festival.
Landmark Productions and GIAF have premiered a number of award-winning co-productions of Enda Walsh’s work including Arlington, Ballyturk and Misterman – all of which went on to tour internationally.
Audiences in Galway had the chance to experience a work-in-progress presentation of this much-anticipated production last September ahead of its premiere this autumn.
“Every time it’s a real privilege to make work and get to show it – but this year it’s immensely joyful to do so,” said Enda Walsh.
“Medicine circles around themes I’m forever preoccupied with. Absent love, isolation, unfixed memories, our need to connect with each other.
“Of course it sounds like an abbreviation for the past 15 months – but theatre for me is about taking us elsewhere – to a world that’s sort of ours but not ours. I hope that in its strange (and at times unhinged) expression – that’s what this production of Medicine will do.”
Speaking today Domhnall Gleeson expressed his delight that theatre is set to return.
“I cannot believe that at long last a theatre, a crowd, and those butterflies are about to return,” he said.
“Enda’s new play promises laughs, sadness, madness and love – but will only make sense when there are people with us in the room. Thank you Landmark, GIAF and Edinburgh for making it happen.”
Medicine runs at the Black Box Theatre, Galway from 2 – 18 September 2021.
Tickets go on sale at 9am this Friday, June 4. In line with Irish government restrictions, capacity is limited to 50 people for each performance. Ticket prices range from €25 – €35.
Tickets for the in-person performances will be available from giaf.ie
A digital map of bike parking locations in Galway city will soon be made available on Galway City Council’s website.
The map of council-provided cycle parking locations is expected to be a huge help for residents, visitors and businesses for the ‘Outdoor Summer’.
Galway Cycling Campaign said that the map will be extremely beneficial for people who have recently started cycling and are less familiar with cycle parking locations.
Kevin Jennings, chairperson of Galway Cycling Campaign, said that not knowing where you can safely and conveniently park can deter you from choosing to hop on the saddle to a shop, café or business service.
“There is clear evidence to show that cycle parking brings real benefits to businesses. The retail spend per square metre for cycle parking is five times higher than the same area for car parking,” he said.
“There’s a bike boom across the city with people of all ages and abilities cycling everyday. And with cycle parking too.
“We’ve noticed lots of new racks at playgrounds across the city, outside shops like O’Connor’s Centra in Salthill, Face Hairdressers on Sea Road, near Eyre Square, and in the heart of the city such as outside Sally Longs on Upper Abbeygate Street.”
Mr Jennnings added that Galway Cycling Campaign created a crowd-sourced map of cycle parking and that the group is delighted that a professional map will be available to all residents and visitors to the city.
“We know that there are hundreds more cycle parking spaces available now than this time last year, thanks to new active travel funding from the government.
“A map of all the council-provided cycle parking in the city will be a huge asset for residents, visitors and businesses for this Outdoor Summer,” he added.
Traffic near Loughrea will be disrupted today by a road closure in place to allow roadworks to be carried out.
Galway County Council is carrying out resurfacing overlay works on the R350 Loughrea – Bullaun road at Loughrea Rugby Club.
The section of road in question will be closed from 7:45am until 6:30pm on Wednesday, June 2 to allow these works to take place.
As a consequence, users of this road are requested to expect delays and as such should allow additional time for their journeys.
The roadworks in question are expected to only take a single day to complete.
Gardaí are appealing for people visiting the beach in Connemara this summer to park without blocking traffic, or they risk getting their car towed.
Last weekend saw Galway enjoy some of the best weather we’ve had so far this year, which naturally brings people out to enjoy the coast.
This is especially true at a time when people are still only able to meet outdoors for the most part, but it can have a downside for local residents.
Gardaí in Clifden have appealed for people visiting beaches in the Roundstone area to have consideration for locals and other road users when parking.
On Sunday a large number of vehicles had to be towed and or issued with tickets due to parking in a way that obstructed other road users.
There are multiple beautiful sandy beaches near Roundstone at Dog’s Bay and Gurteen Bay.
Unfortunately for people hoping to hit the beach at the Bank Holiday weekend, the weather forecast doesn’t look like we’ll see a repeat of last week.
Cloudy skies are expected throughout the week in Galway according to Met Eireann, with light rain over the weekend also.
There have been a further 337 cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.
No county breakdown of the figures is available today.
The number of people hospitalised with COVID-19 in Ireland has dropped to 89, down from 98 the day before.
Of the people hospitalised, 37 are in an Intensive Care Unit.
Today’s figures may be subject to revision after future data validation and updating.
A research team at NUIG has found alarming E. Coli contamination in public waters which have been deemed of good or excellent quality according to European standards.
NUI Galway’s Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Ecology (ARME) group has released new research which reveals the widespread contamination of some recreational waters over several years.
The ARME research team has published analysis of samples taken from 50 locations in Galway city and county, Cork city and county and Fingal between 2016 and 2019.
They detected a form of E. coli called Shiga-toxigenic E. coli (STEC) in 57% of seawater samples taken, all of which were from which are deemed of good or excellent quality based on current EU bathing water monitoring criteria.
The NUIG team also found STEC bacteria in 78% of the lake and river samples tested during the study period.
This pathogenic form of E. coli can result in hospitalisation in almost a third of infections, and be potentially life-threatening in about 10% of cases.
Professor Dearbháile Morris said that the findings of this study show a need to considering revising the monitoring criteria for water quality.
“The most recent bathing water quality data reports that 96% of our identified natural bathing waters meets the minimum required standard.”
“However, our research has revealed the presence of organisms of public health concern in waters designated as of excellent quality in some cases.”
The research published this week is part of the four year PIER project (Public Health Impact of Exposure to antibiotic Resistance in recreational waters), which is funded by the EPA.
“Other ongoing work in PIER will help us to understand the consequences of exposure to organisms in recreational waters,” Professor Morris said.
The team is now asking people to take part in an online survey to identify what is stopping them from enjoying waters around Ireland, and identify problem areas.
Over 200,000 litres of water a day are being saved following the replacement of a stretch of old water mains in Galway City, Irish Water has said.
Approximately 120 metres of problematic, old water mains prone to bursts and leakage on the Old Dublin Road at the Moneenageisha Road junction were replaced over the course of March and April.
These old mains were causing frequent problems for businesses and homes in the area due to frequent bursts, resulting in outages while repairs took place.
The project took a significant amount of time due to the complexity of the pipework at the junction and unfavourable ground conditions, but has been completed.
Gerry O’Donnell of Irish Water, said “A saving of over 200,000 litres a day is significant and businesses and residents in this area will have noticed an immediate improvement in the consistency of their water supply as a result.”
“For years they were seriously impacted by frequent bursts but we are pleased to have now completed this essential project. We thank the locals for their patience and cooperation.”
“Irish Water and Galway City Council would also like to thank our delivery partners, Farran’s Construction Ltd, for completing this project in difficult underground conditions and ensuring the operational performance of the road wasn’t impacted, for the benefit of our customers.”
“These essential works will benefit residential and business customers in the area by strengthening and reinforcing the water network, and minimising disruptions to their water supply by reducing leakage and unplanned outages due to bursts on the water main.”
© 2026 GalwayDaily. All rights reserved. | Designed by Web Design Ireland
