COVID-19: 12 further deaths nationwide, 55 new cases in Galway

-

February 7, 2021

Galway Daily news Expansion plans for Mountbellew secondary school

Holy Rosary College secondary school in Mountbellew has submitted plans to the county council for an expansion to increase its capacity.

The school’s Board of Management is seeking planning permission for the construction of a single storey building containing two new classrooms.

The gross floor space of the proposed works is 100sqm.

Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this planning application by March 7.

Holy Rosary College is a Catholic secondary school at Treanrevagh, Mountbellew which has been a co-educational school since 1965.

Salthill Promenade lights up clean and green

By

-

February 7, 2021

Galway Daily news Salthill Promenade lights up clean and green

Galway City Council has completed the first phase of energy efficiency upgrades to the public lighting along the Salthill Promenade.

The newly installed public lights offer improved visibility for people out walking, at a time when more people than ever are out walking, and also use less electricity.

Phase 2 of the Salthill Promenade project is due to be completed in March of this year.

This project on the prom is linked with the installation of interactive smart lights in the form of 1.5m high bollards installed along the coast in the Claddagh.

These work are part of Galway City Council’s overall Public Lighting LED Energy Efficient Upgrade Programme where all public lights under the control of Galway City Council are planned to be upgraded by 2023 at a cost of €4 million.

The goal of this is reduce the energy consumption of the public lighting, which accounts for roughly half of the electricity used by local authorities.

The project also enhances lighting for the public and has reduced maintenance costs going forward.

As a project deemed critical, work has continued on this despite the current Level 5 COVID-19 restrictions.

In 2020 alone the council replaced 1,900 public lights with energy efficient LED lamps, which saves more than €110,000 per annum.

Water outages expected in Newcastle next week

By

-

February 7, 2021

Galway daily news Water outages in multiple areas of Galway due to burst mains

People living in the Newcastle area of Galway city may experience water outages or other supply disruptions next week due to repair works taking place.

Irish Water is carrying out mains repair works on the Newcastle Road which are scheduled to run from next Monday to Friday.

The works will take place from 9am on February 8 until 6pm on February 12.

This may cause supply disruptions to homes and businesses on the Upper Newcastle Road and surrounding areas in Galway City.

People affected by this are advised that it may take 2 – 3 hours after work is completed for their full water supply to be restored.

Updates on both situations can be found on Irish Water’s Supply and Service website page, or by contacting Irish Water’s twitter account @IWCare.

Galway Samaritans take over An Púcán’s social media

By

-

February 7, 2021

There’s not a lot for bars and restaurants to promote under the current circumstances, so one popular Galway bar is putting its social media following to work for the Samaritans during the lockdown.

Statistics show that there is a significant increase in male loneliness in particular at the moment, so An Pucan are working with the Galway Samaritans for a Sunday Social Takeover for the month of February.

An Pucan Social Media Manager Kieran O Malley said that there’s “no question” that people are finding the current lockdown difficult, and that this is far from what such a popular bar would ordinarily be doing with its social media feed.

“We should be promoting fun filled weekends of entertainment, sport and friends coming together, instead of that currently the weekends are especially difficult for many.

“This partnership will hopefully reach those most in need. Young people have been particularly affected by loneliness according to recent figures.”

“We are very proud of our reach and engagement as a brand but this is an opportunity to give a platform to the amazing work done by the Samaritans.”

An Púcan has one of the largest followings of any bar in the country and will hand over the reins to their platforms to the Samaritans for the next four weekends so that they can reach An Púcán’s audience of over one hundred and fifty five thousand followers.

Catherine Emmerson, Director of Galway Samaritans said “After nearly a year when we haven’t been able to see people face-to-face, Samaritans know how hard people are finding it.

“When someone calls us, they tell us things that they can’t tell their closest friends. We know a lot of people are putting on a brave face, when really they’re struggling.”

Make sure to keep any eye on the An Pucan facebook Instagram and twitter and feel free to share the posts each Sunday for the month of February

Fundraiser for 11-year-old Loughrea boy diagnosed with cancer passes €55k

By

-

February 7, 2021

galway daily news fundraiser eoin griffin loughrea hurler gofundme

A fundraiser for an 11-year-old boy from Loughrea who was diagnosed with cancer has reached over €55,000 in donations in just over a week.

Eoin Griffin was diagnosed with a malignant nongerminomatous germ cell tumour and has already gone through an operation on his brain to reduce fluid build.

The young hurler has also bravely gone through four rounds of chemo, each one lasting a week.

Eoin was supposed to be going to Germany for proton radiotherapy – but the pandemic got in the way of the family’s plans, as Germany is not currently taking patients from Ireland.

The family are now hoping that they can instead get into the United States or Switzerland for the treatment.

The radiotherapy that he requires will last for six weeks and locals have flocked to help raise monies to help the family with the costs involved.

People are being urged to help out by donating whatever they can afford to this very worthy cause.

Click this link to go to the official GoFundMe fundraising page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/eoin-griffin-fundraiser

3,000 children and teenagers awaiting eye treatment in Galway

By

-

February 7, 2021

Galway Daily news Children wait 15 months for eye care in Galway

Statistics released by the Department of Health show an increase in the number of children and teenagers awaiting ophthalmology services in the Galway region.

Figures released to Aontú following a written question to the Department show that as of December 2020, there are 3,062 children and teenagers awaiting treatment or appointments for eye-related issues in Galway.

This compares with a figure of 2,476 for the same month in 2019, and 1,432 for December 2018.

Aontú representative for Galway East Joe Campbell said that the figures released to his party show that some of these young people have been left waiting for up to 200 weeks.

“A trend is evident from these statistics, that the waiting lists are getting longer and longer with each year that passes,” said Joe Campbell.

“We need increased investments in our hospitals and health centres in Galway, or else next year’s figures will be even worse again.

“No child should be left waiting four years for eye treatments, assessments or surgeries.”

The Aontú representative called on the government not to neglect rural Ireland and rural children, and to ensure regional balance when it comes to spending on healthcare.

“The statistics are simply unacceptable”, said Mr Campbell.

1 in 5 COVID deaths in Galway occurred in last week of January

By

-

February 7, 2021

galway daily news covid-19 coronavirus deaths galway city county pandemic cso

Almost 20% of all Covid-19 deaths in Galway occurred in the seven days leading up to January 29, new CSO data shows.

A total of 12 people died from the disease during that week, taking the Galway’s Covid death toll since the start of the pandemic to 65.

The median age of the overall COVID deaths in the county was 81 – one year older than the median age recorded the previous week.

Across the Republic, 317 people died from the disease in the week ending 29c January, making up more than 10% of all deaths in the state since March 2020.

It is the third week during which more than 250 people died from COVID-19 across the country.

In Galway, 7,802 cases were confirmed up to January 29, with a median age of 33 – the youngest in the Republic.

In the last four weeks, there have been 4,198 cases linked to an outbreak in nursing homes across Ireland, 952 linked to residential institutions and 1,178 linked to hospital or a community hospital.

Search underway after woman reported entering River Corrib

By

-

February 6, 2021

Galway Daily news missing teen found safe

Gardaí are carrying out a search and rescue operation this evening after a woman is believed to have entered the water from Quincentennial Bridge in the city.

An Garda Síochána assisted by the local fire brigade, civil defence, RNLI and the Coast Guard carried out a search of the area.

The search has been stood down for the night and will resume again at first light, tomorrow Sunday 7 February.

Salmon Weir Bridge in city reopened following incident this evening

By

-

February 6, 2021

Galway Daily news Missing 17 year old teenager found safe and well

Updated: 8:27pm

The Salmon Weir Bridge in Galway city has reopened after being closed for some time earlier this evening.

The bridge was closed following an incident this evening and Gardaí were at the scene diverting traffic.

No further details are known at this time.

Three arrested in connection with €31,000 cash and drugs seizure in Salthill

By

-

February 6, 2021

Three people have been arrested in connection with the seizure of a combined €31,000 in cash, cocaine, and cannabis in Salthill on Friday night.

While on patrol in Salthill village at 9.30pm, Gardaí stopped and searched a man, aged in his late teens, at a residential complex.

During the course of the search, Gardaí seized €250 of suspected cannabis herb concealed in his clothing.

While conducting inquiries into this seizure, Gardaí stopped and searched two more people, a man and woman both aged in their late teens.

The woman was found to be in possession of €26,000 in cash as well as a quantity of cannabis herb. The man was found to be in possession of a small quantity of cash and cannabis herb.

All three persons were arrested and taken to Galway Garda Station, where they are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Following the arrests, Gardaí obtained a search warrant for a residence in Salthill.

During the course of the search, Gardaí seized suspected cannabis herb valued at €2,800, suspected cocaine valued at €1,300 and a small quantity of cash.

The combined value of drugs seized is €5,000. All drugs will now be sent for analysis and Garda investigations are ongoing.

Former doctor’s surgery for sale in Galway city has endless potential

By

-

February 6, 2021

galway daily news galway house for sale doctor surgery galway city o'donnellan & joyce auctioneers

This large, high profile former doctor’s surgery in Galway city is a wonderful opportunity for a range of potential buyers looking to buy a property in an ideal location.

O’Donnellan & Joyce are offering 7 Dublin Road in Renmore for sale by private treaty, on the market for €595,000.

The detached property would be ideal for those seeking a medical, dentistry or professional office, or alternatively, it could be converted into an exceptional and substantial family home.

On the ground floor is a turnkey former medical practice, consisting of an entrance hallway, a surgery waiting room, a reception, a bathroom, a medical consultant’s room and an examination room.

To the right of the hallway, is the reception which has carpeted flooring, a feature fireplace, radiator, and a feature bay window.

The reception, to the left of the hallway, also has carpeted flooring, a radiator, ceiling coving, a centre piece and another beautiful feature bay window.

1 of 4

On the upper level are three fantastic double bedrooms with wooden flooring, a modern kitchen and dining room, a large lounge room and a main bathroom.

1 of 5

There is a very attractive landscaped garden area to the rear of the property with a raised low maintenance flower bed.

At the front, side and rear of the property, there is also car parking for five to six cars.

Located in the popular and highly sought after area of Renmore on the east side of Galway city, the property sits within 400 metres of The Bon Secours Hospital, just a mile from Merlin Park and approximately two miles from the Galway Clinic.

Galway city is a mere five minute drive away and the area is serviced by an excellent road, bus and transport network bringing all the amenities and services of Galway city to its doorstep, with an excellent local bus route to and from the city.

BER Rating: D2

To see more of this wonderful property, check out: https://property.odonnjoyce.com/residential/brochure/7-dublin-road-renmore-galway-city/4450377

To find other properties across Galway and Ireland, see: https://property.odonnjoyce.com/residential/ireland/property-for-sale

Viewing 7 Dublin Road in Renmore is highly recommended and guaranteed not to disappoint.

Winning €500,000 Euromillions ticket sold in Tuam

By

-

February 6, 2021

galway daily news Galway lotto players claim €21 million in high-tier prizes since 2020

Lotto players in the Tuam area are being urged to check their tickets, as one player in the area is half a million euro richer after last night’s Euromillions.

O’Toole’s Supervalu on Bishop St, Tuam sold the winning ticket for Friday’s Euromillions Plus €500,000 jackpot.

“Congratulations to the lucky winner who bought their ticket in our store,” O’Toole’s posted to their facebook account after the news.

The winning numbers in the draw were 7, 27, 30, 31, and 46.

There was no winner of the main €130,000,000 jackpot, which will now roll over to next week.

COVID-19: 55 deaths nationally, 56 new Galway cases

By

-

February 6, 2021

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

A further 55 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported by health officials this evening, as well as 827 new confirmed cases.

38 of the 55 deaths occurred in February, while 18 were in January and one remains under investigation.

The median age of those who died is 86 years and the deaths occurred in people aged 49-100 years old.

The Department of Health has reported 56 new cases in Galway, taking the 14-day incidence rate here to 343.7. A total of 887 cases have been confirmed in the county over the past two weeks.

“There are a few old habits that collectively we have to break in order to suppress COVID-19 together,” said Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer.

“We know that people who feel unwell typically avoid calling their GP over the weekend, and wait to see if they improve. You should no longer do that. you must phone your GP at the first sign of anything like COVID-19 symptoms. Do not adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach.”

“Similarly, do not leave your house or go to work if you have any cold or flu like symptoms at all Breaking these habits will limit COVID-19’s opportunity to spread from person to person.”

There have now been 3,674 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland, and a total of 202,548 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.

Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 42 confirmed cases.

As of 2pm today, 1,177 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 177 are in ICU. There have been 29 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Of the cases notified today:

409 are men and 416 are women
63% are under 45 years of age
the median age is 38 years old
297 are in Dublin, 76 in Cork, 56 in Galway, 46 in Wexford, 37 in Kildare and the remaining 315 cases are spread across all other counties

The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community.

Not another Zoom Quiz! – NUIG students’ fundraiser for Galway Simon

By

-

February 6, 2021

galway daily news simon community zoom quiz nuig

A group of students at NUI Galway is planning an online quiz event for next week to raise funds for Galway Simon Community.

Masters in Human Resources students and those in the Human Resources Stream of the Bachelor of Commerce programme will host the virtual quiz on Thursday, 11 February at 7pm in aid of the local charity.

The theme of the event is ‘promoting well-being through a positive lifestyle’ and the special guest of the evening is Louise Cooney – a popular fashion, travel, and lifestyle blogger.

Lorraine Tansey, student volunteer co-ordinator at NUI Galway will be MC extraordinaire for the event, and the students have gathered a large number of wellbeing-related spot prizes for the attendees.

“In these challenging times for students and young people, it is so refreshing to see them turn their attention to others in need,” said Dr Deirdre Curran from the Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway.

“I could not be prouder of our excellent team of student representatives – Michelle Brogan, Donna Miskell, Emma Fitzpatrick, Donal O Dalaigh, Niamh Hickey, and Shauna Moriarty – who have pooled their creative resources to put together this wonderful event.”

Amy Lavelle from Galway Simon Community has been working closely with the organising team.

“We are deeply grateful to be the chosen charity for this wonderful event and it has been such a pleasure to work with these students,” she said.

“They display all that is good in a well-rounded education. Their empathy will go a long way to a successful career in HR when they graduate.”

The event takes place on Thursday 11^th February, from 7-9pm. So please, BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW, €10 at www.galwaysimon.ie/events/not-another-zoom-quiz/

Those who cannot attend can still show their support by making a donation. 100% of proceeds will go directly towards Galway Simon Community who provide housing and support services to those at risk of, or experiencing homelessness in the West.

€10 million project highlighting importance of peatlands to the climate

By

-

February 6, 2021

Galway Daily news Galway site chosen for €8.5 million rewilding project

NUI Galway will be helping to lead a €10 million EU project to highlight the importance of peatlands to helping to combat climate change.

The EU LIFE Peatlands and People project aims to show how restoring peatlands is an important climate action due to their potential as carbon sinks.

The project is coordinated by Bord na Móna together with NUIG, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the EPA, and ERINN Innovation Ltd.

Dr Christine Domegan, from NUIG’s Whitaker Institute, is leading one of the three main focuses of the project, looking at ways to introduce the importance of peatlands in climate action to people.

“Most of us recognise that everyday life today is not the same as it was with climate change, the pandemic and so much more.

“It is a world shaped increasingly by collective as well as individual choice, and by systems, social and behaviour change all rolled into one.”

“In this emerging complex world, NUI Galway as the leading academic partner in Ireland’s EU LIFE Peatlands and People work, is already into a future of radical transformation.”

“The call to action is to get on board now, be the Change Catalyst in your life, your family and your community to open the door to a new sustainable world for all.”

The project will establish:

A Peatlands knowledge Centre of Excellence in Ireland that will explore and carry out best practices in peatland restoration and rehabilitation and design methodologies to monitor and analyse carbon fluxes. Over time the peatlands are expected to store more carbon and also support multiple ecosystem service benefits.
A Just Transition Accelerator programme that will focus on low-carbon and circular economies to support the midlands region economically. It intends to provide a range of services for the development of new sustainable products, services, enterprises and value chains.
An immersive People’s Discovery Attraction in the midlands that will be designed to introduce the importance of climate action and peatlands to citizens. Its long-term aim is to progress with the establishment of an educational space that cultivates curiosity and climate literacy, providing a forum for dialogue and discovery.

The EU Commission has provided €10 million in funding for the peatlands project, and additional is coming from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Announcing the project, Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan TD said “Our peatlands are a precious resource in terms of storing carbon, restoring biodiversity and supporting local communities in new jobs taking care of our environment.”

“The Peatlands Centre of Excellence, Just Transition Accelerator, and the new Discovery Attraction supported by this EU LIFE project put the spotlight and investment where it should be, on Peatlands AND People.”

COVID-19: Fewer than 50 people hospitalised in Galway

By

-

February 6, 2021

There are fewer than 50 people being treated in hospital for COVID-19 in Galway as of the latest figures from the HSE.

As of 8pm on Friday there were just 39 confirmed case at University Hospital Galway, and another 7 cases at Portiuncula Hospital.

Of those, 9 patients are in Intensive Care at UHG, and another two patients are in the ICU at Portiuncula.

Nationwide there were 1,158 people hospitalised as of Friday night, of whom 177 are in Intensive Care.

There were 38 new COVID-19 cases reported in Galway yesterday out of 1,047 nationwide.

This is a welcome drop from two days in a row with very high numbers here, with 93 and 96 cases reported on Thursday and Wednesday respectively.

Galway Chamber Business Awards shortlist announced

By

-

February 6, 2021

Galway Daily business Galway Chamber business awards shortlist

Despite the incredible challenges 2020 posed for businesses thanks to you-know-what, businesses in Galway exceeded all expectations, innovating and adapting to survive and thrive.

This determination as reflected in the huge number of entries for the 2020 Galway Chamber Business Awards, the quality of which made it extremely challenging for the judges to cull a shortlist of nominees.

This year’s awards are based on the theme “Ag Ceiliúradh Acmhainneachta & Nuálaíochta” or “Celebrating Resilience & Innovation”, which is fitting for the newly created category of Business Innovation, which attracted the greatest number of entries.

Chamber President JP Gilmartin said “We’re delighted to see so many entries for the business awards. The level of interest this year is testament to the prestige of the event and the desire of businesses to be recognised with one of our awards.

“But more than anything it is a tribute to the strength and diversity of the business community in Galway and the quality of service delivered by our members across the board.”

The winners from among the full shortlist in each of the six categories will be announced at the virtual awards ceremony on Friday, February 26.

Now in their 17th year, the Galway Chamber Business Awards are sponsored by the Shannon Group plc.

CEO Mary Considine said that they are delighted to be the overall sponsor for the awards once again, stating “These awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge the innovation, talent and entrepreneurial spirit which is thriving in the Galway region.”

“We in Shannon Group believe in the importance of celebrating companies of all sizes and sectors and the Chamber Business Awards provides the perfect platform for these businesses and their employees to get the credit they deserve.“

The full shortlist for the awards is:

Category 1 – Dr. Chris Coughlan Award for Best Emerging Enterprise (sponsored by WestBIC and Galway Technology Centre)
FleetOps
Aurigen Medical
Ronspot Ltd.

Category 2 – Best Customer Service (sponsored by Bank of Ireland)
Hennelly Finance
Rituals
Renvyle House Hotel & Resort

Category 3 – Marketing Excellence (sponsored by Galway City Council)
Galway Race Course
Aran Island Ferries
Irish Socksciety

Category 4 – Best SME (sponsored by AIB)
Baboró
Helplink Mental Health
Irish Socksciety

Category 5 – Business Innovation (sponsored by EY)
Ex Ordo
Video Sherpa
Sli Nua Careers
Galway Food Tours

Category 6 – Sustainability (sponsored by Shannon Airport)
National University of Ireland, Galway
The Connacht Hotel
Cpl

Lucky Galway player scoops €500,000 Euromillions prize

By

-

February 6, 2021

Galway Daily news €500,000 win for Euromillions player in the west

One lucky Galway player scooped a half million prize that is sure to put a shine on 2021 in last night’s Euromillions.

The Galway punter won the top prize in the Euromillions Plus draw on Friday night, matching all five numbers.

The winning numbers were 7, 27, 30, 31, and 46.

Anyone who played in Friday night’s draw in Galway is urged to check their ticket to see if they have a winner.

There was no winner in the main draw on Friday, meaning that the €130,000,000 jackpot will roll over to next week.

Dog owners urged to be responsible during lambing season

By

-

February 6, 2021