COPE Galway’s Christmas Swim reimagined this year

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November 22, 2020

Galway Daily news Traffic disruption expected from five day N67 roadworks

Three weeks of roadworks at Craughwell Village will get underway on Monday, November 23 and last into next month.

Galway County Council is carrying out resurfacing overlay works on the R446 through Craughwell village .

The roadworks will last for a total of three weeks, or 15 working days, and expected to finish by December 14.

In order to facilitate these works a Stop/Go temporary traffic management system will be in operation in Craughwell village between the hours of 7.30 am & 7pm each day

As a consequence users of this road are requested to expect delays and as such should allow additional time for their journeys.

The contract for these roadworks has gone to Lagan Asphalt Ltd.

Free webinar to address solutions for child to parent violence

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November 22, 2020

Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) Ireland and NUI Galway are hosting a free webinar for practitioners working in children and family services.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday 25 November from 10.00 am until 12.00 pm.

Some parents and carers in Ireland are living in fear of their child under the age of 18 and experience abusive and/or violent behaviour from their son or daughter, known as child to parent violence and abuse.

According to Parentline, a national telephone support service for parents and carers, calls to the helpline from parents has quadrupled in 2020 since Covid-19, with a huge rise in the number of parents and carers asking for help with the problem of child to parent violence and abuse.

NVR Ireland is a national network of practitioners and researchers committed to helping families resolve problems by using the Non Violent Resistance intervention, adapted by Dr Declan Coogan, School of Political Science and Sociology at NUI Galway, for use in Ireland, based on the work of Haim Omer and his colleagues in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Dr Coogan said: “The Non Violent Resistance intervention model steps into the gap left by a lack of easily available and adaptable intervention programmes designed to help parents and carers living with child to parent violence and abuse, and the practitioners who work with them in children and family services,” said Dr Declan Coogan.

“Each speaker at the webinar will share their experiences with NVR in practice and in their lives.

“We are all aiming to help end the shame and stigma surrounding parents’ and carers’ experiences of child to parent violence and abuse. We will also provide practitioners and researchers with up-to-date tips and messages from research about the Non Violent Resistance model.

“We know that problems of child to parent violence abuse is emerging in a range of child and family services. These problems have been reported among families from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds and we also know that NVR seems to help many families.”

The webinar is suitable for child and family practitioners (in public and private services), researchers and students.

Attendance at the webinar is free, however advance registration is essential at https://bit.ly/36N20nG.

Coronavirus: Fewer than 5 cases again in Galway

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November 21, 2020

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

The Department of Health has reported 344 new cases of Covid-19 today and four additional deaths related to the disease.

Fewer than five new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Galway by health officials today.

127 of the new cases are in Dublin, 46 are in Cork, 26 in Louth, 22 in Donegal and 20 in Limerick.

Galway has the second lowest 14-day incidence rate in the State, with just 62 cases per 100,000 population in the last two weeks.

Sixty-nine percent of today’s new cases are under the age of 45 and the median age is 32.

As of 2pm today, there are 269 people with Covid in hospitals, of which 32 are in ICU. There have been 12 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Newsagents “absolutely delighted” for €500,000 Euromillions winner

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November 21, 2020

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

The owners of the store in Galway City where the winning Euromillions Plus ticket was sold this week have said that they are absolutely delighted with the news, and hope that it’s a local regular who won the prize.

XL newsagents in Eyre Square Shopping Centre sold the winning ticket for the €500,000 prize in this Friday’s draw.

The winning numbers for the Euromillions Plus draw on Friday were 8, 9, 11, 13, 35. So if you’re in the habit of playing the Lotto at XL, be sure to check your ticket.

“We’re absolutely delighted,” Billy Shearer, co-owner of XL in Eyre Square Centre with his wife Orla said of the win, “We’ve been in this newsagents for ten years now, and that would be our biggest win.”

As to who they think might have bought the winning ticket, Billy commented “At the minute, in Level 5 restrictions, there isn’t that many strangers or tourists around.”

“So I’m very hopeful that it is a regular, and a local regular. Best of luck to whoever has it, but if it’s a local it would be all the sweeter.”

The Shearers, Galway city natives, have three XL newsagents in Galway, which are in Eyre Square Shopping Centre, Headlines newsagents in Corrib Shopping Centre, and Paper Chase in Terryland.

The three shops would be “lucky enough” with the Lotto Billy says, “But this is the first time we’ve anything as significant as €500,000.”

This is the second big Euromillions win in Galway lately, after a €1 million jackpot ticket for the Ireland Only Raffle was sold at Sweeney Oil in Clifden earlier this month.

Swimmer rescued by Patrick and Morgan Oliver in Salthill today

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November 21, 2020

galway daily salthill rescue patrick morgan oliver rnli

Local fishermen Patrick Oliver and his son Morgan have saved a man who got into difficulty while swimming in Salthill this morning.

The Olivers were fishing off Salthill at the time and spotted the man taking refuge on Palmer’s Rock about 200 metres from the shore at around 10.30am.

The two men, who hailed as heroes after saving the lives of two cousins in August, took the man on board their fishing boat before taking him back to Galway Docks.

The swimmer was taken into the Lifeboat station where he received treatment for symptoms of hypothermia until an ambulance arrived.

Salthill was busy with swimmers and prom walkers this morning and a member of the public raised the alarm.

The Irish Coastguard sought the assistance of Galway Lifeboat who launched from Galway Docks.

Two members of the lifeboat shore crew made their way to the promenade to assist in the rescue.

Deputy Launch Authority Seán Óg Leydon says many people who have taken up sea swimming this year during the Covid lockdown may not realise the dangers of winter swimming.

“The sea is a great resource for us but we have to respect it and our limits. Luckily this swimmer made his way to a place he could rest and wait for assistance.”

Photos: It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

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November 21, 2020

GALWAY DAILY NEWS PHOTOS galway city christmas

Quay Street last this morning. Photo: Chaosheng Zhang

Quay Street this morning. Photo: Chaosheng Zhang

The Kings Head last night! Photo: Galway City Council

Make sure you’re not allergic before getting a metal implant

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November 21, 2020

Allergies, they make a very big difference to our quality of life, and let’s face it no one wants to have allergies, but would you like to know whether you are allergic to the Knee joint or Hip Joint that you are having replaced?

Have you not suffered enough without adding an allergy to the metal in your new knee or hip?

When you think about allergies, it usually calls to mind a food that you shouldn’t eat, pollen reactions like hay fever, or insect bites. But with the increasing prevalence of medical implants, metal allergy testing can be crucial before you get a new joint or other medical device inside of your body.

The growth of this field of medicine, along with a greater awareness and consideration of the breadth of allergic reactions the human body can have, has made it important to have a dedicated service for detecting metal allergies.

The Metal Allergy Screening service is the product of a collaboration between The Allergy Clinic, which has branches in Galway, Cork, Dublin, and Waterford, and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Paul Nicholson, and is based at the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin.

Though far from a medical crisis, there have been a growing number of people who have experienced implant failure due to having an allergic reaction to the metals they are made of.

Medical reactions

Some of the symptoms of metal allergy are similar to other allergic reactions, such as skin rashes, itching, and blisters around the site of the implanted metal.

But more severe reactions can include swelling and severe pain in the joint. Ultimately the perception may be that the hip replacement didn’t work, when in actual fact the surgery itself was a success but you the patient rejected the implant because your body could not tolerate the metal.

Along with the distress of dealing with the rejecting of the implant itself, this is then followed by even more surgery to remove the offending implant, and replace it once again, this time with one that won’t be rejected.

But how were you to know?

Getting tested for an allergy before surgery side steps those issues by allowing a medical team to assess whether a patient is likely to have a reaction to the metal in the intended implant.

If so, it can simply be replaced with an implant of a different material, such as swapping out a cobalt implant for a titanium one. This will save even more time and distress from additional surgery and implants to replace the failed one.

“People should not continue to suffer with undiagnosed allergies when a medical practitioner can help them,” said Joyce Clegg, Managing Director of the Allergy Clinic.

Metal allergy testing

The actual testing for a metal allergy is carried out using the Patch Test, a five-day process where patients have patches of potential allergens applied to their back, and these are left in place for several days to see if there has been an allergic reaction.

The BMAS service regularly screens for allergies to the most common metals used in implants such as Cobalt, Chromium, Titanium and Nickel, as well as other compounds used such as Methacrylate-based cements.

The service covers a wide range of implants including orthopaedic metals and plastics, dental materials, and cardiac implants.

Since the test is to determine if your body has an allergic reaction to these metals, there may be some side effects experienced by patients as a result. But these are nothing like the reaction experienced from implanted metals, and simply consist of a possible light headache, itching on your back, or a sick stomach.

The Allergy Clinic are opening this Metal Allergy Screening service to adults and children that are having surgery where metals are being used in an attempt to reduce second surgery due to undiagnosed metal allergies.

Additionally, those who have had a joint replacement or other implant, and are experiencing a reaction after the surgery, are encouraged to get tested to rule out metal allergy.

Metal allergy testing is a completely new service in the pre-surgery assessment for orthopedic, dental, spinal and cardiac surgery.

“Knowledge is power, know your body, help yourself in your recovery, know what your body can and cannot tolerate” said Nurse Sandra Walsh.

“People should not continue to suffer with undiagnosed allergies when a medical practitioner can help them,” Joyce concludes.

This is a self-referral service and if you would like more information, please contact The Allergy Clinic at 01 2888375 or info@theallergyclinic.ie

Appeal lodged against rejection of Rahoon apartment block plans

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November 21, 2020

alway Daily news Appeal lodged against rejection of Rahoon apartment block plans

An appeal has been lodged against the city council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the construction of a four storey apartment building in Rahoon.

The proposed development would involve demolishing existing basement structures on the site behind Gateway Retail Park on Bothar Stiofain.

In its place Dragamara Limited proposed to build a four storey apartment block with 18 units, consisting of 4 one-bed apartments and 14 two-bed apartments.

The apartment block would be served by 16 parking spaces. The developer also proposed to close off the existing vehicle access point on Bothar Stiofáin, and build a new access point onto Cloch Ard.

In refusing permission the city council said that the height and density of the proposed apartment block was excessive for this specific area due to a “poor contextual reference”, that it would overshadow neighbouring residencies and affect property prices in the area, and that the proposal does not include enough off road parking.

All of these reasons are being contested by Dragamara. The council’s decision has now been appealed to An Bord Pleanála, which is due make a decision on the application by March 23 of 2021.

Galway schools to receive over €3.3 million in Minor Works funding

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November 21, 2020

Galway Daily news Planning extension grant for Craughwell National School expansion

Schools in Galway will receive almost €3.5 million in funding under the Minor Works Scheme for facilities improvements or new equipment.

Galway Senator Seán Kyne said that every school in Galway is due to receive grant funding in the coming weeks, the amount of which is based on enrolment and education level.

Under the Scheme, schools receive a flat rate payment of €5,500 for primary and €10,000 for secondary and a payment based on the number of pupils enrolled – €18.50 per primary pupil and €55 per secondary pupil.

For schools in Galway this comes to a total of €3.38 in funding based on the number of schools and pupils here Senator Kyne said.

This does not include a higher rate of €74 and €220 which is paid for pupils with special needs at primary and secondary levels respectively.

“From my experience Galway schools are top of the class in using funding under the Minor Grant Scheme to maintain and improve facilities for pupils across the county,” said Galway Senator Seán Kyne.

“I know this allocation will be warmly welcomed by the many teachers and principals who have contacted me on this Scheme in recent months.”

Under the Scheme schools can put the funding to use for improvements to school buildings and grounds, the purchase of furniture, IT equipment and other equipment.

This year there is emphasis on helping schools undertake works to ensure social distancing, improve ventilation and enhance cleaning due to the on-going threat of Covid-19.

Two week roadworks to disrupt Oranmore traffic

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November 21, 2020

Galway Daily news Roadworks to disrupt traffic near Portumna on Tuesday

Traffic in Oranmore will be disrupted by two weeks of roadworks which are scheduled to begin on Monday.

Galway County Council is carrying out essential footpath and drainage works on the Old Station Road in Oranmore.

Works is scheduled to take place between 8am and 5pm each day for two weeks starting on November 23.

In order to facilitate these works, active traffic management and diversions will be in place at the Carrowmoneash Roundabout and on the Old Station Road.

All road users in Oranmore should allow additional time for their journeys for the duration of the roadworks.

Galway has Ireland’s 2nd lowest COVID incidence rate

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November 21, 2020

Galway daily news COVID-19 cases more than double at UHG

Galway now has the second lowest 14-day incidence rate for new COVID-19 cases in the country according to the latest figures.

As of Friday evening, where there were six new COVID-19 cases reported here, the incidence in Galway stood at 66.3 cases per 100,000 population, with 171 cases in the past two weeks.

The only county with a lower incidence rate is Wexford, which stands at 42.1 cases per 100,000 pop. Galway is also coming in well under the overall national incidence rate of 113.1.

Though health officials have presented a stark warning about a rise in cases nationwide seen in the past week or so as we entered the second half of this six week lockdown, Galway has had a better picture overall.

Though October saw daily cases in Galway spike sharply, since the start of the month those number have levelled off again, with Galway at the lower end of the scale nationally, as it was during the early months of the pandemic.

Donegal has the highest incidence rate in the country at 266.3 cases per 100,000 people, followed by Limerick (217), Louth (186.2), and Waterford (161)

Though Dublin has by far the highest number of daily COVID-19 cases, it sits roughly a third of the way down the list in terms of cases compared to population, with an incidence rate of 119 cases per 100,000 population.

BPW Galway Webinar: Preparing and making a will during Covid-19

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November 21, 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen a rapid increase in the number of people getting their personal affairs in order, from financial planning and pensions to the sorting out of wills.

Some might suggest it has been a knee-jerk panic reaction to the pandemic – but it may be more about being prepared for the future and taking control of one’s personal affairs in a timely manner.

For many, preparing a will is something that is left on the back burner until something occurs and the creation of a will is done out of necessity due to a change in health or circumstance.

But for peace of mind and proper preparation, getting your will in order is as valuable as the assets you may own.

In the third webinar of the BPW Galway ‘Its Not Business As Usual’ Autumn Webinar Series, solicitor Ciara O’Callaghan will guide webinar attendees through some of the intricacies of will making, what is involved in will making and how to protect against a will being contested to ensure your wishes are followed.

Ciara will also discuss enduring power of attorney and situations when this may be required, she will also identify areas of change within will making due to Covid-19 and provide some tips and advice on how to get the best from a consultation with a solicitor and prepare for the meeting.

Register for the FREE Webinar HERE.

Winning Euromillions plus ticket sold in Galway!

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November 20, 2020

2020 has just become a whole lot sweeter for one lucky Euromillions player in Galway after scooping Friday night’s top prize of €500,000 in the Euromillions Plus draw.

There was only one winner of the half a million euro jackpot and the winning ticket was sold in Galway.

The numbers drawn were: 8, 9, 11, 13 and 35.

There were no winners of the main Euromillions jackpot of €130 million but one Irish player was just two numbers away from winning the big prize after matching 5 numbers, worth €41,894.

In total, over 89,000 players in Ireland won prizes.

Photos: Galway pub’s Christmas lights shine in nationwide campaign

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November 20, 2020

hughes bar galway daily breaking news — Picture Conor McCabe Photography.

Christmas lights were switched on in empty pubs across the island of Ireland at exactly 5pm this evening as part of a nationwide campaign to highlight pubs’ readiness to reopen safely.

Matthew Hughes, a publican in Ballinamore Bridge, East Galway, and his sister Pia Farrell, switched on the lights of Hughes bar, joining hundreds of pubs across the country in the campaign.

Many pubs across Ireland have been closed for most of 2020 due to harsh restrictions recommended by NPHET, which the group of advisers believed was necessary to control the spread of Covid-19.

But Publicans believe that they can reopen safely, and are asking the government to give them the opportunity to prove they can operate in a safe manner over the Christmas period.

Ireland’s 120-day Spring ‘lockdown’ was the longest in Europe by far for pubs and restaurants. In Finland, which had the second longest restrictions, pubs and restaurants were closed for 74 days.

Coronavirus: 8 deaths in Ireland, and 6 Galway COVID cases today

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November 20, 2020

There have been eight additional deaths related to COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today, along with 330 new confirmed cases.

Of the cases reported today, just six are in Galway where the 14-day incidence rate now stands at 66.3 cases per 100,000 population.

There have now been a total of 69,802 confirmed cases in Ireland, and the pandemic has claimed 2,018 lives in the state.

Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 1 confirmed case, which is reflected in the national total.

Of the cases notified today:

171 are men and 155 are women
64% are under 45 years of age
the median age is 37 years old
99 in Dublin, 28 in Cork, 26 in Louth, 25 in Meath, 21 in Donegal and the remaining 131 cases are spread across 20 other counties

As of 2pm today there are 283 people in Ireland in hospital with COVID-19, of whom 33 are in the ICU. There have been 13 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

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

Stunning house has beautiful sea views

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November 20, 2020

galway daily property odonnellan & joyce oranmore

This fantastic property just outside Oranmore stands on one of the most impressive sites anywhere on the southern side of Galway city.

O’Donnellan & Joyce are offering this stunning three bedroom home overlooking Kilcaimin Bay at their next online auction taking place at 12.00pm on Friday 11 December.

Situated on a mature site overlooking the bay, the property has breathtaking and unobstructed views as well as manicured gardens that have been well maintained over the years.

The property internally has three spacious bedrooms and there is also a block built detached garage next to the home.

1 of 3

Situated within two miles of Oranmore village, the house is in close proximity to Renville Park, Galway Bay Golf & Country Club, Sailing Club and a host of other sporting and recreational facilities in the Maree and Oranmore area.

The vibrant village of Oranmore offers all the amenities and services required, such as shopping centres, restaurants, bars, local primary and secondary schools, as well as rail and bus services.

The area has easy access to Galway City centre with a quick commute, as well as being close to the M6 and M18 motorways which also allow direct access to Limerick City and neighbouring areas.

It would make an ideal home for someone looking for a beautiful property in a friendly environment with easy access to all modern living requirements – whilst still having a tranquil peaceful atmosphere with scenic surroundings.

The advised market value of this property is €385,000 and viewings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 11.00am and 12.00pm.

BER: D1 – BER No. 113068415 – Energy Performance Indicator: 253.63 (kWh/m2/yr).

O’Donnellan & Joyce’s next online auction takes place at 12.00pm on Friday 11 November. People must register to bid by 4.00pm on Wednesday, 9 December.

O’Donnellan & Joyce’s next Live Stream Property Auction takes place at 12 noon on Friday 11^th December. Bidders must register on www.odonnjoyce.com before the December 9^th deadline. A transfer of a €4500 by way of bank transfer must be received by O’Donnellan & Joyce before registration closes on Wednesday 9^th December.

Check out other Galway properties available at the auction here: https://property.odonnjoyce.com/auction/properties/3787

Events Industry welcomes recommendations of Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce

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November 20, 2020

Galway Daily news Nightclubs and indoor music returning in new reopening plan

The recommendations of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce have been welcomed by a business representative body for the events industry.

Event Industry Ireland has said that it is “heartened” by the recommendations contained within the Life Worth Living report compiled by the taskforce.

The recommendations of the Taskforce reflect economic imperatives for those who work in this area of Irish life and whose work is critically aligned with other aspects of the Irish economy, especially tourism.

The report recommended several measures which could help individuals and organisations affected by COVID-19, as much cultural life is likely to remain significantly impaired for some time.

Among those are a three year pilot Universal Basic Income scheme for the arts, culture, audio visual and live performance and events sectors.

The taskforce also recommends an extension of the professional artists on jobseeker’s allowance scheme to other art forms as recommended in the 2019 review.

The Life Worth Living Report recommends the introduction of a Business Supports Grant Scheme for SMEs in the event industry that are excluded from the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme.

The proposed scheme would be designed to provide grants to address four urgent issues:

Bank Loans and lease payments
Insurance costs
Warehouse and office rents
Cash flow to pay wages as part of the EWSS system

The Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce was created by Minister Catherine Martin in September to look at how the sector could adapt to the circumstances of COVID-19, identify medium term goals for the recovery of the sector, and recommend government policies and actions which could help with both.

Event Industry Ireland is a group of event professionals and business owners from the Irish events industry, who say their collective concern for the future of the sector post-COVID has brought them together.

The business events industry is valued at €2 billion annually, is responsible for generating €850 million in export value and employs 35,000 people.

EII board member, Mr Paul Davis said said that their sector is “at the point of decimation” due to COVID-19, and the public health guidelines put in place to contain the virus.

“However, unwilling and undeterred, many businesses moved quickly to investigate alternative means of operations to keep themselves afloat and employees in place.

“Many business events companies pivoted to the provision of virtual events for clients and while this agility was necessary, government support is crucial in the shorter-term to ensure the survival of the industry.”

“We are heartened by the publication of the recommendations in this Report which if implemented will ensure the protection of many vulnerable businesses.”

He said that a with Business Supports Grant Scheme and other recommendations in the report implemented, the industry could rehire a great many of the staff who were laid off during the shutdown.

Allow retailers to extend opening hours over Christmas says Galway senator

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November 20, 2020

Senator Seán Kyne has called on the Government to ensure there are no stumbling blocks for retailers that want to extend their opening hours leading up to Christmas.

The Galway senator said that retailers should be able to stay open longer without needing planning permission so that they can get the most out of this important Christmas period.

“This will ensure that more of the Christmas spend stays in this country this December. If ever there was a time to encourage people to buy Irish and buy local, it is this year of Covid,” said the Fine Gael senator.

“Ensuring we have extended opening hours will reduce the numbers queuing both in shops and on our streets and thoroughfares, so this is a public health matter as well.”

Senator Kyne said that any regulations or pieces of legislation that are passed must provide the flexibility that is needed for the three-week period leading up to the Christmas shopping period.

But before this, the senator said that we cannot let our guard down over the next two weeks.

“I also acknowledge front-line staff in our health services for their hard work and sacrifice,” he said.

“It has been a horrendous year for retail and hospitality, which are part of the fabric of all our towns, villages and cities.

“We acknowledge the employment these businesses create, both full-time and part-time jobs, as well as the very important revenues for the State and our local authorities.”

Saolta hospital staff urged to get the flu vaccine

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November 20, 2020