Rents in Galway city have risen by almost 5% in the past year, a new daft.ie report has revealed.
The quarterly report shows that rents in the rest of the county fell by 1.1% over the last 12 months.
The average rent in the city is now €1,363, while in the county it is €937.
Overall, the west and north-west of the country saw a decrease in rents on last year, but all cities except Dublin saw an increase in the cost of renal accommodation.
The average price of renting apartments and houses across the country increased by 1.2% nationally, marking the 33rd consecutive quarter where rents are higher than 12 months ago.
Between June and September 2020, the average listed rent nationwide rose by 1.5%
A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech has proved 90% effective in the latest tirals, the companies announced today.
The vaccine protected people from Covid seven days after the second of two doses, and 28 days after the first, according to the latest findings.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that the first set of results from the Phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of the vaccine’s ability to prevent Covid-19.
“We are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis,” he said.
“We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development programme at a time when the world needs it most.”
Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane said that the progress on developing a Covid-19 vaccine is welcome.
“Pfizer is one of a number of companies with which the European Commission has engaged with on procuring a Covid-19 vaccine,” said Deputy Cullinane.
“If life is to return to any sense of normality, it will only be with the help of widespread vaccination against the disease.”
This incredible detached residence in one of Galway’s most popular locations would make a great family home, and is a property house hunters will be keen to know more about.
O’Donnellan & Joyce are offering this majestic four bedroom, three bathroom home at Number 9 Devon Court in Salthill for sale by private treaty.
The family home is ideally situated on a large corner site of a secluded residential cul-de-sac, with a sunny south-west aspect – meaning the property benefits from sunshine throughout the day.
Located in the ever popular Salthill area, 9 Devon Court consists of 170.68 sq.m over two stories; and boasts ample living space. There is a spacious reception and dining areas on the ground floor, as well as a kitchen and service rooms.
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There is also a large conservatory situated at the rear corner of the property encompassing a private garden.
Upstairs consists of four sizeable bedrooms, one with an en-suite, and a main family bathroom.
Overall, it could do with some modernisation – but the property also has substantial outside space and the added bonus of a garage space.
Ideally positioned in the rear corner of the development, the front of the property has ample off-street parking with gated access, whilst the rear boasts an incredibly substantial garden with tree-line and stone wall surroundings giving excellent privacy.
Originally constructed in 1973, the property sits in a residential enclave consisting of a small number of detached homes with a mature communal green space just beyond Taylor’s Hill primary school, which makes for a family-friendly atmosphere.
Everything the area is known for is within a short stroll, including Salthill village, the Salthill promenade, Galway City Centre, the Latin Quarter and the vibrant West End.
There is also an abundance of outdoor activities within close proximity, such as Blackrock diving tower, Salthill beaches, Galway Lawn Tennis Club and Galway Golf Club.
Additionally, the area is well serviced by all amenities and is within close proximity to quality primary and secondary schools.
No.9 Devon Court, on the market for €720,000, is an ideal property with bags of potential in one of Galway’s best residential areas. The ample space on offer, internally and externally, will create the perfect family home.
The Irish SME Association (ISME) has today launched its ‘Shop Local – Not Just for Christmas’ campaign, highlighting the importance of supporting Irish businesses throughout the year.
ISME hopes that their members in Galway join the initiative and avail of the opportunity to promote their business free of charge.
As businesses face into the Christmas shopping period, ISME is encouraging consumers to not only shop locally this festive season, but to make a conscious effort to continue to support Irish businesses in 2021.
Irish SMEs are currently facing significant pressure with business closures and other restrictions associated with Covid-19, further amplified by rising insurance costs and Brexit.
“It is more important than ever before to shop local, and this year we want to encourage consumers to continue to support Irish SMEs beyond the Christmas period and throughout 2021,” said Neil McDonnell, CEO of ISME.
“The difficulties faced by Irish businesses since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic are very serious, and SMEs have had to make significant investments in enabling online offerings, purchasing equipment, and implementing procedures to adhere to Government guidelines, including screens, PPE and outdoor dining facilities.”
ISME is encouraging Irish consumers to think of the bigger picture when supporting Irish businesses. As well as employing local people, SMEs also carry a high percentage of locally produced goods and revenue and employment is generated in other local services and suppliers and other small firms.
“Since March, Irish consumers have largely moved away from international online shopping, as 53% estimate that they have done most of their online shopping with Irish SMEs,” Neil added.
“Buying Irish-made goods and services helps to ensure their quality, traceability, and value-for-money. Over the coming months, we are calling on Irish consumers to continue this trend and make that effort to shop locally, both online and in person.”
This year has been an absolute roller coaster for Galway United, with a poor start to the season turning into a comeback worthy of the Hollywood treatment, and coming just short of qualifying for promotion.
Supporters can now cast their votes for United’s Player of the Year award for 2020 to have their say on who the biggest star was in this comeback tale.
Voting will close on Tuesday, November 10, at 6:00pm. The result will be announced shortly afterwards.
The Tribesmen’s the Month and Player of the Year awards are kindly sponsored by O’Brien’s of Galway.
Players included in the vote made over 10 appearances for the club in the 2020 season.
Over €13 million has been allocated for three Galway greenway projects, as part of a national allocation of €63.5 million from the Department of Transport.
Over €8,000,000 will go towards developing a a greenway between Athlone and Galway City which forms part of an overall plan for a greenway from Dublin to Clifden.
€3,350,000 is to be allocated to continuing the Connemara Greenway from Recess to Clifden, and €1,800,000 to develop the Connemara Greenway between the City and Moycullen.
The national funding also includes €5.15 million for the expansion of the Great Western Greenway in Mayo.
The announcement is the largest single annual allocation of funding for greenways ever in Ireland.
“Due to the impact of Covid-19 on the incomes of local authorities, the allocation from Government will cover 100% of the cost of the projects rather than the previous 60% – 40% ratio between Government and local authorities,” said Senator Seán Kyne today.
“While funding is essential for the development of greenways, the planning process is equally important.
“The case submitted by Kerry County Council under the Strategic Infrastructure Development process to An Bord Pleanála regarding the 32km South Kerry Greenway should provide guidance on how best to develop greenways.
“A decision on that case is due by this Friday, 13th November.”
The residents of Inis Meain feel forgotten by a lack of progress and communication on the Caladh Mór pier harbour development, which has been ongoing for more than a decade, and is likely to take years more to complete.
Speaking in the Dáil, Galway West TD Mairead Farrell asked what the plan is to progress the next phase of the pier development to improve access and capacity.
Minister for Community and Rural Development Heather Humphreys said that in June of this year, funding was provided to Galway County Council to commission the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) to model a range of designs to improve harbour acess.
However, due to COVID-19 this has stalled, as it is not currently possible to access the NMCI building, but the council are working with them to find other ways to progress the project.
The county council also has to review the draft business case for the project Minister Humphreys said.
Minister Humphreys said that this is likely to be a 5 year project, and that there’s “no point building something that will not work”.
Deputy Farrell said that there needs to be improved communication on the status of the project with the people of Inis Meain, as they feel the “pier has been forgotten”, and that people are procrastinating on the project.
“A pier is key infrastructure for an island community. We need to prioritise communication and set out a timeline so that the community knows when the project will be finished.”
Phases 1 and 2 of this development were took place more than a decade ago, and allowed the ferry boat to access the island directly with the creation of a harbour.
However, Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív says that there remain access issues for cargo boats which are essential to businesses on the island.
“I have raised with the Minister previously the critical importance of the cargo boat not only for bringing goods into the island but because of the significant manufacturing facility, Cniotáil Inis Meáin, based on the island.”
“The company needs constant supplies in and out. It is doing well business-wise but it is totally dependent on getting the raw material in and the finished material out.”
“This project has been progressing, or so we are told, for a long time but it seems at times to be going nowhere.”
He also said that there needs to be some “estimated timeline” for the delivery of the pier, along with a solid way to measure progress.
In the past decade, streaming services have grown enormously. People now have the ability to play games and watch movies on any screen. As a result of streaming, games have become more popular than ever before, with many Irish YouTubers soaking up the hype on their channels. One multiplayer game that has taken over the streaming landscape is InnerSloth’s Among Us.
Launched in 2018, Among Us has become incredibly popular across Twitch and Steam. While its concept is nothing new, many people have warmed to the style of the game. Streaming has radically changed the gaming industry, shining the spotlight on games such as this that didn’t achieve much acclaim upon initial release. So, how has streaming changed the way we view games?
The power of streaming
The success of Among Us is great news for the entire online gaming industry, as the market continues to expand with more customers seeking out the next big hit. Gaming streamers can be considered largely responsible for boosts in many niches, from the meteoric rise of the battle royale genre through to specialist areas of gaming such as slots and online casino. Twitch even has dedicated categories for the latter, showing just how popular slots and casino gameplay has become in terms of competing with mainstream gaming. Platforms such as Spin online casino, for instance, host many of the highest-rated slots titles that regularly appear on the video channels of gaming streamers.
Irish game streamers like Call Me Kevin and Mini Ladd are among the many YouTubers who are contributing to the rapid rise of online games through their channels. Streaming has been a proven method for attracting a wider demographic and increasing revenue, with Irish streamers being able to interact with global audiences.
The rise and rise of online games
It’s no secret that gaming is at the forefront of technology with the advent of streaming. In some ways, the wild popularity of Among Us exemplifies the growth this space has experienced in recent years. It’s a modernised form of previous games that have come before it. Streaming and online games have paved the way for a new era of instant entertainment. Also, with all its success, there’s plenty of information out there about how to get the most out of Among Us.
Right now, the Irish game scene is a great place to be. There are many game developers in Ireland, such as Havok and Demonware. Romero Games is another developer based in Ireland, who have released two titles with another game – Empire Of Sin – on the way.
Online gaming is a dynamic and exciting space. With so many different mobile games and online slots emerging, consumers are spoilt for choice. Among Us could be seen as a template for many games in the future. It’s fun, engaging and challenging – and it looks to be taking online gaming into a fresh, new direction.
A young man is in a serious condition at University Hospital Galway after falling from a height in the city centre yesterday morning.
Emergency services were called to a house near Eyre Square in the early hours of Saturday morning and it is understood that the man fell ‘a number of storeys’, the Irish Mirror reports.
The man who is in his twenties was taken to UHG – where he is in a serious but stable condition.
The Department of Health has reported 542 new cases of COVID-19 in the Republic today, and two further deaths related to the disease.
Just seven of the new cases are in Galway while Dublin has 181 new cases, Donegal has 59 and 50 people in Limerick tested positive.
The median age of today’s cases is 35 and 64% are under 45 years of age.
Galway is one of 15 counties in the State to have less than ten new cases reported today. A total of 375 people in the county tested positive for Covid in the past two weeks giving it a 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population of 145.3.
The rollout of Remote Working Hubs represents a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to enable remote working in rural areas, a Galway TD has said.
The government has included €5 million in Budget 2021 to introduce 350 remote working hubs around the country.
Galway-Roscommon TD Claire Kerrane said that this could be “transformative” for rural towns and villages, but that the plans need to be progressed quickly.
“A recent report from the Regional Assemblies of Ireland published last month identified 1 in 4 private sector workers could be targeted for remote working, with even greater numbers when it comes to public service workers.”
“In the North and West region alone, there are over 40,000 private sector workers identified,” the Sinn Féin TD said.
“That would see 40,000 less commuters and 40,000 more people in their local communities and spending in their local economy.”
Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys said that an interdepartmental working group has been established to progress this project.
The full network of 350 hubs will include the establishment of new hubs, as well as the upgrading of existing facilities.
The group has had it first meeting, and is working on gathering data on the hubs in operation and building a “composite map of networks”, work which is expected to be completed in early to mid 2021.
Deputy Kerrane said that the department could make use of existing premises which are vacant, as well as considering community centres, which would also provide them with a source of income.
“We know the difficulties that people in rural areas have faced during Covid when it comes to working from home and also, for children when schools were closed.”
“We need to get this basic infrastructure in place and progress quickly with the roll-out of Remote Working Hubs.”
A unique anthology of prose by Irish working-class writers will be launched on Monday 16 November by Clare Daly MEP.
From the Plough to the Stars: An Anthology of Working People’s Prose from Contemporary Ireland has 50 contributions from across the island of Ireland, driving home the fact that their life experience as working people is the same.
The common focus is on themes which reflect the texture and preoccupations of working-class life in contemporary Ireland.
The writers create a complex and varied image of Irish working people today, one that challenges conventional stereotypes of their class.
The anthology is edited by Jenny Farrell, has a foreword by Gerry Murphy, President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and it has been generously supported and promoted by the Irish labour movement.
It is the follow-up volume to Children of the Nation: An Anthology of Working People’s Poetry from Contemporary Ireland, published by Culture Matters in 2019.
Price: €12/ £11 plus p. and p. Available from the Culture Matters website, culturematters.org.uk.
The fall in the number of people hospitalised with COVID-19 in Galway is continuing, with just 12 confirmed cases in Galway’s hospitals according to the latest figures.
The latest HSE figures as of 8pm on Saturday show just 10 confirmed COVID cases at UHG, and 2 at Portiuncula Hospital.
There are also a further 9 suspected cases at University Hospital Galway and 2 at Portiuncula.
Two of the confirmed positive case at UHG were hospitalised in the past 24 hours.
The critical figure of the number of patients in Intensive Care has also plummeted, with just one person in the ICU at University Hospital Galway, and none at Portiuncula.
Nationwide there are a total of 281 confirmed cases in Irish hospitals along with 109 suspected cases, and of these there are a total of 39 COVID patients in the ICU.
There were 12 new confirmed cases reported in Galway on Saturday, out of 335 nationwide.
Two half constructed shells of buildings meant for shops in Tuam will be completed as apartments after approval was given by the county council.
Whitedrive Developments intends to build eight apartments at two unfinished buildings at Parkmore, Tuam which have been lying vacant for nearly 15 years.
When completed, the two blocks would contain four apartments each, two at the ground floor, and two on the first floor.
Each apartment in the proposed development will have two car parking spaces.
Planning permission had originally been granted to Whitedrive in June of 2006 for the commercial units, but construction came to a halt the following year after the project rain into financial difficulties.
“There have been numerous attempts to sell the structures and to complete the development, but there is little commercial interest in this site,” the planning application states.
“Since the development is partially constructed, the site is already serviced with public water and public on site since 2006.”
“The development is an opportunity to make good a brownfield site and revert to residential use.”
“The buildings have been designed within the constraints of the existing structures, in order to make sure there is value with the existing construction.”
No third party public submissions were made to Galway County Council concerning this development.
At the end of September the council requested further information about access issues to the public road through the neighbouring estate, and clarity on their approval to connect to the water and wastewater infrastructure of the same.
The developer said that no issues arise from this, as Whitedrive is also the owner of the roads, public spaces, and infrastructure of the adjoining Riverside estate.
Planning permission was granted by Galway County Council with a total of 16 conditions attached.
Another Galway TD has joined a call for tougher criminal penalties for people who steal pets, with Denis Naughten saying that it’s wrong to treat it like the theft of any other piece of property.
Speaking in the Daíl, Deputy Naughten said that pets are not “objects” and that the law should reflect this fact when it comes to people who steal them, or attempt to resell them afterwards.
“This year there has been a 33% increase in reports of the theft of pets to the Gardai but under the current law pets are considered property and they are treated in the exact same way same way as the theft of a mobile phone.”
“But we all know that pets are much more than property, they are very much part of a family in homes across our country,” the Independent TD added.
“sometimes the only friend to someone who is isolated, the guide for someone who is blind or has other sensory issues, and this needs to be clearly reflected in much stronger legislation.”
Deputy Naughten asked that the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Bill, which is currently before the Seanad, be used as a vehicle to enact changes to the law introducing harsher penalties before Christmas.
This Bill is meant to target fraud and other financial offences against the financial interests of the European Union in order to give effect to an EU Directive from July 2017.
Answering Deputy Naughten, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that he would speak to Minister for Justice Helen McActee
“I don’t have a pet, but I know lots of people who do and I don’t think anybody regards their cat or their dog to be property in the way they would their mobile phone or something like that.”
“It’s almost like a member of the family being stolen, and it is a serious offence,” Leo Varadkar said.
This comes after Galway East Seán Canney co-signed a bill proposed by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín which would mandate a minimum ten month prison sentence for people convicted of stealing pets.
The Department of Health has reported an additional 335 cases of COVID-19 and five further deaths related to the disease.
Twelve of the 335 cases are in Galway, while 72 are in Dublin, 41 in Donegal and 26 in Mayo.
The median age of the new cases is 37 and 64% were under the age of 45.
As of 2pm today, there are 284 people with Covid in hospital, of which 40 are in ICU.
“The commitment to the spirit of the public health advice shown by people across Ireland since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic is to be commended,” said Dr Tony Holohan this evening.
“This includes wearing a face mask where social distancing is difficult, in shops and on public transport.
“However, it is also vital that they are worn correctly and safely. Ensure you are fully covering both your mouth and nose with the face mask. Remember, visors do not offer the same benefits as face masks.
“I want to particularly highlight that it is very important that those who work in settings such as retail avoid the use of visors and instead use face masks.
“Face masks offer far better protection, and they should be worn by everyone who can wear them. Wearing one prevents someone who does not know they have COVID-19 from spreading it to another person.
“They are a key element of our defence against this virus, alongside staying at home and avoiding meeting people outside your household.”
A 68 year old man accused of indecent assault dating back to the late 70s has been sent forward for trial at Galway Circuit Court.
The man, who cannot be named, is accused of indecent assault on another male which is alleged to have occurred in 1979.
Evidence was given of the service of the Book of Evidence at Galway District Court this week.
Judge Mary Fahy made an order returning the case for trial on indictment at the sitting for criminal business of Galway Circuit Court commencing on November 24.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has also consented to the case being sent forward on a signed guilty plea should it arise.
The judge notified the man that if he intends to use an alibi in his defence, he must notify the state within two weeks.
Not everything has come to a halt in lockdown, there are still artists and writers churning out new works, including new releases from Galway authors this week through local publisher Tribes Press.
Clarinbridge man Paul Mee, who works as a tax consultant with Mazars, has strayed far from his professional line of interest with the release of his debut science fiction novel Deity Creation this week.
Deity Creation front cover
This is a book about the Deusi, an extra-terrestrial tribe who discover Earth, and decide to create a single deity called the ‘Moses Experiment’. When this doesn’t exactly work out for them, they return fifteen hundred years later to try again.
“Like many people, I always wanted to try and write a book but, in 2008, I decided to try and do it. The idea occurred to explore how and why aliens might decide to create a region on Earth. That is how Deity Creation started,” Paul explains.
It took him four years to write the book, and a while longer than that before he worked up the courage to approach Tribes Press to start the journey of bringing his baby to print.
“I wanted to achieve three objectives when I wrote Deity Creation. The first was to make it a light-hearted, humorous and entertaining read that would be easily accessible.”
“The second was to include subtle ideas in the book that would make the reader think about the place of religion in modern society. The third was to faithfully tell the bible story albeit influenced by aliens,” Paul says.
Somewhere during the writing process Paul realised that his foray into fiction could actually be the start of a series, and if Deity Creation is well received he would like to see a second book published in 2021.
Two other works by Galway authors are also being released by Tribes Press this month. Lorcan O’ Connor of Knocknacarra will launch Binge, his adult fiction about Galway’s drugworld on Friday, November 13, and Marguerite Tonery of Castlegar has just released Kapheus Time the sixth book of the Kapheus fantasy adventure series for children.
Kapheus Time front cover
Marguerite launched Kapheus Time with a virtual event two weeks ago, marking six years of the children’s fantasy series going strong.
Hero of the series Elisa is caught in the cross-fire as she is duped by old man Time himself in his attempt to settle an old score.
This series has also followed the siblings Elisa and Jamie as they move through childhood, and in Kapheus Time Elisa is now at the end of primary school facing that transition into teenage life, while her brother Jamie is in first year and loving it Marguerite explains.
“The Kapheus series is authentically Irish, and in Kapheus Time the young teenagers set out on a quest together, time travelling through history and legend in search of old man Time. The consequences to each and every action are high and so there is a lot at stake for the children,” Marguerite says
Binge front cover
Binge is an adult fiction set in Galway where the main character, Michael, struggles with his mental health and attempts to find solace in self-destruction and rebellion, and unsupported, he is left to renew the ‘Binge’.
It is a gritty tale of drugs, depression and disillusion that perfectly encapsulates Ireland’s new lost generation.
Lorcan describes Michael as someone who numbs his angst about the state of society with an addiction to drugs and sex, but wants to escape his nihilistic mindset, something the writer experienced himself.
