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Roadworks in Tuam town disrupting traffic

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Traffic disruption expected from Galway City centre roadworks

Roadworks taking in Tuam Town place will continue disrupt traffic for the bulk of this week.

Galway County Council are carrying out resurfacing overlay roadworks on the R332 Dublin Road, Tuam.

The works are taking place between the Athenry Road junction and the Tuam Stars.

The work began on Thursday, October 15, with an estimated duration of one week.

In order to enable these works, a Stop & Go system will be in place to manage traffic on the section of road in question from 8am to 6pm each day.

As a consequence of this, motorists in Tuam are advised to give themselves additional time to make journeys.

Galway Council of Trade Unions talks about a Living Wage in webinar series

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily Clarenbridge nurse elected President of Galway Trades Council

The Galway Council of Trade Unions is launching a new series of webinars on the future of the labour movement and unions push for a better living wage next week.

The first in a series of ONE Vision ONE Future webinars will take place on Wednesday, October 28.

Based on the ICTU’s publication No Going Back, the ONE Vision Change Manifesto for Workers, the webinars will focus on the need to “reimagine society, reorganise the economy and respect our workers”.

Marian Spelman, President of the Galway Council of Trade Unions, said that these webinars will help to bring people together, and show that they are part of a “strong movement of activists and representatives,” working to mitigate the worst impacts of the current pandemic on workers.

“The theme ‘An Income to Live on’ is very topical,” she added, “particularly given the recent  comments by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar regarding the potential of changing the Low Pay  Commission into a Living Wage Commission.”

However, John Carty of the MANDATE union says that a Living Wage, while welcome, is only one element of pushing for wage security.

For many low paid workers in the retail and bar industry, a change in pay rates won’t overly help if hours are slashed or remain “insecure” he said.

“An increase in the wage rate has to be made along with securing regular hours which would provide a real Living Income”. 

“This is the approach of the Living Wage Foundation in London,” he added, “and I look forward to  hearing from Daniel Howard campaign lead on their Secure hours campaign, who will join us and discuss their strategy and experiences”. 

Marian will be joined by panellists Daniel Howard from the Living Wage Foundation in London, Terrence McDonagh economist and former lecturer with NUIG, and John Carty, official with the MANDATE Trade union and based in Galway.

To register for the webinar, email info@onemovement.work

Coronavirus: 3 deaths and 1,283 COVID-19 cases

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

There have been 3 additional deaths related to COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today, along with 1,283 New confirmed cases.

There have now been a total of 1,852 deaths in the coronavirus pandemic in Ireland, and a total of 49,962 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state.

There are 277 COVID-19 patients in hospital as of 2pm on Sunday, of whom 33 are in the ICU.

It’s expected that additional restrictions will be imposed on Monday after a meeting of the Cabinet to discuss NPHET’s recommendation that all of Ireland should move to Level 5 for a period of 6 weeks.

However, it is not known exactly what form those restrictions will take. It could be possible that the country will be moved to somewhere between Level 4 and 5, with possible alterations to the rules regarding retail operation, believed to be a point of major concern for some government figures, and travel limitations.

There were 107 cases reported in Galway on Saturday, the largest single day rise the county has seen in the pandemic.

Of the cases notified today:

  • 651 are women / 628 are men
  • 68% are under 45 years of age
  • the median age is 31 years old
  • 408 in Dublin, 156 in Cork, 88 in Kildare, 80 in Meath, 55 in Limerick and the remaining 496 cases are spread across 21 counties

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

Met Éireann issues weather warning for Galway

By
Michael Malone
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Galway Daily weather Weather warning for heavy rain in Galway tonight

A status yellow Weather Warning for rain has been issued for Co. Galway by Met Éireann ahead of heavy and persistent rain that will begin tonight.

The warning, which comes into force at midnight tonight, covers all counties in the Republic, and follows yesterday’s Advisory which warned of river and coastal flooding over coming days.

Met Éireann say that persistent and occasionally heavy bands of rain will cross the country, lasting until Tuesday evening.

“While some areas will remain below warning levels, there is a risk of localised spot flooding with a heightened risk of flash flooding in mountainous regions where accumulations are expected to be highest.”

The weather chiefs say that the yellow warning could be elevated in further updates.

Yesterday’s advisory said that locally heavy rainfall this week coupled with high soil saturation levels will bring a risk of river and surface flooding.

Unusually high tides combined with strong winds will also bring an elevated risk of coastal flooding.

 

No increase in number of people with Covid-19 at Galway hospitals

By
Michael Malone
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There has been no increase in the number of people with Covid-19 at Galway hospitals since Thursday, according to the latest data from the HSE.

There are currently ten confirmed cases at University Hospital Galway and there are two people with the disease in Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

At UHG, there are also seven suspected cases, and there are two additional suspected cases at Portiuncula. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Galway hospitals last Sunday was just two.

None of the twelve people in hospital who have tested positive for the virus are in ICU.

Over 100 new cases were confirmed in Galway yesterday and 1,276 were reported across the State.

Manager of Galway University Hospitals Chris Kane said that as the number of Covid cases  increase Galway, it is very likely that this will result in more people being hospitalised and needing ICU care.

“While we have managed over the last number of months to resume planned patient procedures and clinics that had been deferred before the summer, maintaining these will become increasingly difficult as the number of COVID-19 positive patients in the hospital increase,” she said.

Ó Cuív welcomes progress to allow for planning applications online

By
Michael Malone
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Galway Daily news Eamon O Cuiv disappointed Fianna Fáil not going ahead with SDLP merger

Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív has welcomed confirmation that a new electronic system of submitting planning applications is being brought forward.

The Fianna Fáil TD was told that a circular letter could soon be issued to all Planning Authorities on this matter.

In response to a Parliamentary Question submitted by Deputy Ó Cuív, the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage said they are ‘examining the feasibility of accelerating the development and roll-out of e-planning nationwide to all planning authorities as early as possible’.

Deputy Ó Cuív welcomed this, and said that it is ridiculous that up to now three copies of each planning application had to be submitted and that the local authorities had to then scan the documentation on to the system, often losing quality in the process.

“We will be living with public health measures for a long time before an effective vaccine is developed for COVID-19,” he said.

“We must use this time to encourage as much digital practises in real world scenarios as is practical taking into account the right of people to interact non-electronically with the state.  This includes the submission of planning permission applications.”

The Galway West TD added that such a move to an eplanning system will minimise unnecessary interaction between those submitting applications and Officials in Planning Departments.

“Reducing in person contacts while ensuring the planning process becomes more streamlined will be a positive development for all. It will have knock on benefits for the applicants and their agents.

“I understand there is further development and testing of the new eplanning system to be done.

“Following this a circular letter will be issued to all Planning Authorities on the deployment of the new online planning application process.”

Galway artists help bring campy horror radio play ‘Grace’ to your home

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily arts Galway artists help bring campy horror radio play 'Grace' to your home

Prepare to be thrilled, blood to be spilled, and your innocence killed by Grace, a campy horror radio play by Robert Downes, produced by SQUAD Productions.

Though theatres might by closed right now, the ever adapting artists and creators that make Ireland so renowned for the arts are resurrecting the classic radio play

The story centres around Grace, who is on a badly-needed night out for her friend’s ‘coming-out party’. (Which is not a thing…what a hobgoblin…)

Follow Grace through the night, hear her evil, terrifying thoughts that will leave you wondering, “how does this girl even have friends?”. 

SQUAD Productions is a socially conscious theatre company led by artists from the west of Ireland that aims to create new work through collaboration and new techniques with new and emerging Irish artists.

Robert Downes is a recent graduate of the MA in Drama and Theatre Studies from NUI Galway, who is currently based in Dublin as a theatre maker, and is excited for his new role as artistic Director of SQUAD productions.

Joining him are Tamar Keane, Kate McBrearty, and Sarah Maloney. Kate is a Galway-based producer and theatre-maker from Limerick, who has just completed her Masters in Theatre Practice & Production in NUIG.

Previously, Kate has worked with Bottom Dog Theatre Company in Limerick, and Brú Theatre Company in Galway.

Tamar Keane is a County Clare native, based in Dublin, theatre-maker who specialises in sound design and production management.

Tamar has worked in theatre production for the last five years and has created work with companies such as Smashing Times, TU Dublin and Reality:Check, as well as many artists across the industry

Sarah Maloney is a Limerick-based illustrator and animator who studied in LSAD. She has worked with RTÉ Junior, and has been nominated for Best Art Direction/Design for her animated short “Dúnmharú” at the Dingle Animation Festival.

Grace is the cheapest night out you’ll ever go on. For only €3 you can listen to SQUAD’s spookiest play yet, available at Ko-fi.com/squad from 31st October (Ages 18+).

Grace is the first radio play to come from Robert Downes and SQUAD, but not the last, as it is the first in a planned trilogy of productions to come to audiences’ homes. 

Life at home inspires new coffee series at Coffeewerk & Press

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily life style Life at home inspires new coffee series at Coffeewerk & Press

Coffeewerk + Press are this month launching their exclusive Coffee collection Coffeewerk X April, a collaboration with the Copehangen sustainably sourced, April Coffee Roasters.

Coffeewerk + Press is a recognised space on Quay Street in Galway City centre that has been created to showcase the overlap between Irish and international art and design with the perfect cup of coffee.

This winter season, Coffeewerk + Press is releasing an entire range of coffee under this collaboration.

The imagery for the first series has been created by Artist Enda Burke titled ‘Homebound with my Parents’.

Enda Burke’s work explores themes of family and catholic iconography in contemporary Ireland, allowing humour and integrity to shine through the mundane.

“I am particularly drawn to the monotony associated with working class life and how small details of colour and play can become marvels in monotonous settings,” Enda says.

“When the strict Covid measures were introduced in Ireland in March 2020, I decided to take portraits of my parents during lockdown.”

“These images are taken using nostalgia, humour and catholic iconography as a form of escapism from the stress of lockdown.”

Working with local artists has been the focus for Coffeewerk + Press since its inception, supporting art and marrying it with coffee can be seen throughout their original coffee cup collection from 2019.

The latest addition, ‘The Homebound Collection a new in house coffee series ‘that will introduce a new coffee product within the series every 4-6 weeks.

This will see a new filter coffee available to experience and buy that will display a different image from the series created by Enda. So it’s a new coffee flavour and a new insight into Enda’s view of being Lockdown with his parents.

“Working with local and national artists has been the focus of what we love to do here at Coffeewerk & Press,” explained owner Dan Ulrichs.

Dan Ulrich

“This series has been inspired by the Lockdown. In ‘Homebound with my Parents’ Enda Burke demonstrates the simplicity and the colour of what life has been like for months of this year.”

“His use of colour, his eye for detail and the sense of feeling he evokes from his pictures has inspired more than this series, he has opened up our eyes to the true connection between art, life and the human relationships we all crave.”

“This coupled with coffee, we felt brought a warmth and a sense of place. Enda’s series is so thought provoking and relevant,” Dan Ulrichs said.

The Homebound Collection will be available as one espresso and two filter coffees in 250g bags. The ‘The Homebound Box’ taster box which features 3 filter coffees and a brew guide is now available to purchase online and in store.

Partially constructed country house skips half the work of building a home

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily property Partially constructed country house skips half the work on building a home

This partially constructed country house halfway between Galway and Tuam is a perfect opportunity for a buyer who wants a home of their own making, one that also skips over several time consuming hurdles involved in securing planning permission, and early stage works.

O’Donnellan & Joyce Auctioneers are offering this four-bed detached house and large grounds at Knockdoemore, Lackagh for sale by live streamed auction at the end of this month.

This 2,600sq ft residence would make an incredible family home, and offers any owner the chance to shape it to their liking, going far beyond just decorating rooms which have already been laid out.

The property also comes with a 0.75 acre site for a family that wants more space than you can find with a city garden. This is also in a raw state that would make a great project for a homeowner with a green thumb to undertake.

Within easy driving distance of both Galway City and Tuam town, and close to local schools and amenities in Lackagh, this is an excellent location to get away from the urban bustle, while still having the benefits close at hand.

To see more of this property, check it out on O’Donnellan & Joyce’s website at: odonnjoyce.com/residential/brochure/knockdoemore-lackagh-galway/4459658

It will go on sale in O’Donnellan and Joyce’s next Nationwide Property Auction taking place on Friday, October 30 from 12pm, and live streaming on their website and social media channels.

The Advised Minimum Value of Knockdoemore, Lackagh is just €70,000, far from an exorbitant up front investment for a house that has already seen much of the leg work in its construction taken care of.

This auction features 13 properties across Galway up for grabs so far, along with more homes in Mayo, Sligo, Cavan, Westmeath, Roscommon, Meath, Kildare, Laois, and Dublin. 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only remote bidding will be allowed in this auction, and people wishing to take part must register to bid by 4pm on October 28.

To see the full range of properties that could be yours, check out the auction catalogue at odonnjoyce.com/auction/properties/3786.

Man jailed for burglary and weapon concealed in underwear

By
Briain Kelly
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0
Galway Daily news four arrested over Galway City robbery

A man received a 16 month prison sentence for burglary at a house in Knocknacarra while its occupants were in bed, and having a weapon hidden in his underwear.

Kevin McDonagh (24), of Sli Burca, Knocknacarra, pleaded guilty to separate incidents of burglary and possession of a weapon before Galway District Court.

The court heard that on August 4 of 2019, shortly before 1am in the morning, Gardaí at the Spanish Arch saw a man acting suspiciously, and took him back to the station to be searched.

There they found a large screwdriver concealed in McDonagh’s undergarments, which he said was for his protection.

The second incident before the court occurred on September 14 of 2019, shortly after midnight, when Gardaí were called to a house at Carrigeen on the Western Distributor Road, Knocknacarra.

The front door of the house was open, and the property had been gone through. Gardaí found the occupants of the house, two young women, in bed upstairs, having not heard anything.

The two women were from outside of Ireland, and here for their education. Judge Mary Fahy remarked that the incident “couldn’t have given them a very good impression of Galway”.

A laptop and camera stolen from the house were found discarded in the garden of the neighbouring house.

CCTV footage from the area showed a group of four men walking down the street outside, when two of them peeled off and approached the house which was burgled, though it did not show the crime itself.

Kevin McDonagh, matching the description of one of these two men, was seen several hours later on Abbeygate Street, and was arrested.

Defence solicitor Michael Cunningham said that his client was very intoxicated that night, having drunk a litre of vodka, and had also taken cocaine.

While he admits to trespassing on the curtilage of the property, he didn’t enter the house himself, but stood at the door while his friend burgled it the defence claimed.

The prosecution said that they do believe he committed the burglary, and that he was also asked by Gardaí to account for the other man, and failed to do so.

McDonagh had 24 previous criminal convictions the court heard, including for theft, assault, and a prior weapons charge.

Judge Fahy sentenced him to 10 months in prison for the burglary, with a consecutive 6 month sentence for the possession of a weapon.

More clarity needed on expansion of Parent’s Benefits – Kerrane

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Lack of Island specific group in LEADER programme criticised

Galway TD Claire Kerrane has said that more clarity is needed on the provision of three weeks of additional Parent’s Benefits announced in Budget 2021.

One item in the €18 billion budget announced this week was that Parent’s Benefits will be increased to five weeks for parents of children born or adopted from November 2019.

Deputy Kerrane, who is the Sinn Féin spokesperson on Social Protection, said that there has been “no information whatsoever” provided about when this will be brought in for parents, and who is eligible.

“This is at a time when parents are under immense pressure. In some cases their maternity leave has come to an end, they are expected back at work and yet, they cannot access childcare.”

Up until now, parents have been able to take two weeks of paid leave in the first year of their child’s life.

This additional leave announced in the budget will be available at any point in the first two year’s of the child’s life according to Deputy Kerrane, who said she received confirmation of this from Minister Heather Humphreys.

The Minister also said that legislation will be required for the implementation of this additional leave, but the timeframe “remains unclear” on this Kerrane said.

“This lack of information is causing huge anger and confusion for parents who are trying to make decisions about caring for their new baby and some being left with no option but to take unpaid leave, leaving them under financial strain,” Claire Kerrane said.

“I now understand that the additional leave announced earlier this week requires a system change in the Department and it appears that this is going to take significant time before it is introduced.”

Clarity is needed for the sake of parents and their children on how Parent’s Benefits will be managed in the months and weeks ahead, she concluded.

Coronavirus: 107 new cases in Galway

By
Michael Malone
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Galway Daily news Galway hospitals see COVID cases double in recent weeks

The Department of Health has reported 107 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Galway as well as 1,276 additional cases across the Republic.

Eight further deaths related to the disease were also reported by health officials – of which five occurred in October.

Galway has the fourth highest number of new cases today after Dublin (278), Cork (149), and Meath (108).

Of those notified today, 644 are men and 631 are women, while 69% are under 45 years of age. The median age of the new cases is 31 years.

As of yesterday, there are 11 confirmed cases in UHG and two in Portiuncula Hospital. None of the patients were in ICU.

In the State, there were 260 COVID-19 patients hospitalised as of this afternoon, of which 30 are in ICU.

Hospital statistics

Total number of cases 47,402
Total number hospitalised 3,956
Total number admitted to ICU 510
Total number of deaths 1,592
Total number of healthcare workers 9,870
Number clusters notified 5,423
Cases associated with clusters 24,792
Median age 41

 

Weather warnings expected ahead of heavy rain this week

By
Michael Malone
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Galway Daily news Storm Amy

Weather warnings will be issued tomorrow by Met Éireann ahead of wet and stormy conditions expected in the coming week.

Met Éireann issued a weather advisory today for Galway and the rest of the country which lasts from Monday until Thursday.

Conditions are set to become unsettled by the end of the weekend, and a spell of very wet and sometimes windy weather is forecast on Monday and Tuesday.

There will be persistent and locally heavy rainfall, and with high soil saturation levels, there is a risk of river and surface flooding.

There is also a higher risk of coastal flooding due to unusually high tides combined with strong winds.

 

Funding earmarked to build Marine Institute’s new state of the art research ship

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news NUIG and GMIT receive €500k for marine science scholarships

Funding has been earmarked in Budget 2021 for the construction of a new state of the art marine research ship which will be based out of Galway.

The new 52.8m long research vessel, which is yet to be named, will replace the 23 year old RV Celtic Voyager and carry out research for the Marine Institute in Oranmore.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has earmarked funding for its construction in his department’s 2021 budget.

The contract for building this ship has gone to Spanish shipyard Astilleros Armon Vigo S.A, and construction is expected to be completed in 2022.

Making the announcement, Minister McConalogue said that the ship will “provide critical national infrastructure to enable Ireland to address the considerable challenges of Brexit and the Common Fisheries Policy as well as climate induced impacts on our oceans.”

Welcoming the news Dr Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute said “This new vessel will enable Ireland to develop the best scientific advice possible to maximise economic opportunities for our coastal industries and communities and ensure a sustainable resource for them”.

When completed the research ship will be capable of staying at sea for up to 21 days, carrying researchers from the Marine Institute, as well as Universities and other State Agencies.

It will also maintain and deploy weather buoys, observational infrastructure and the Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV Holland I)

“The significantly enhanced capabilities of the vessel will help our researchers, educators, students and the public gain a deeper understanding of the ocean,” Dr Connolly said.

Most importantly, he added, it will support work in areas such as “fisheries assessment, offshore renewable energy, marine spatial planning, marine protected areas and research in the area of blue carbon.”

Capital funding of €1.5 million has also been allocated to the Marine Institute in Budget 2021, which Dr Connelly said will contribute to the “core services” of the Institute in providing information that can inform decisions on managing the ocean’s resources.

In 2021, the Marine Institute plans to fund a call for a large-scale project for researchers to investigate the potential for carbon storage and sequestration in Irish waters.

The work will examine a range of potential carbon storage alternatives such as algal absorption, seagrass forestry, deep-sea sinks, seabed layering and shellfish farming.

What Can Software Do for Vehicle Fleet Management?

By
Thomas O'Brien
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0

Controlling a fleet of vehicles is no easy task.  There are a lot of factors to consider.  That is why there are companies out there that specialize in fleet management software, and they all offer some of the same services.

I have listed some of the main features that a fleet management software can help you with and went into a bit of detail for each point.  Keep in mind that these are just general features, and there are probably more or less depending on the software.

Speed and Fuel Monitoring

When managing a fleet of vehicles, fuel level is obviously vital and arguably the most important thing to monitor. A vehicle without fuel is not going to be very effective in your fleet, to say the least, and it only hurts your business.

Great software is going to manage the consumption of fuel and monitor it in ways that could lead to reducing the cost to transport a certain item. Being more efficient and saving a little bit of money can add up over time depending on how active your fleet is.

Accurate Estimated Time of Arrival

A very accurate ETA is hard to come by in the transportation and trucking industry, but great software meant for fleet management is going to get the job done. Knowing a super accurate estimated time of arrival is almost impossible without knowing traffic, road conditions, weather, and other factors.

A great fleet management software is going to take all of that into consideration and spit out a fairly accurate time so that you can plan accordingly.

Maintenance

Maintaining a fleet of vehicles is tough because there are a lot of factors to consider and there is no one size fits all plan for a maintenance schedule. Luckily for you, a lot of great software out there for fleet management is taking all of the guesswork out of the equation.

Great software is going to alert you when performance is down, and an upgrade or repair needs to happen.  It can also keep records and notify you when you need a maintenance upgrade to come soon. The peace of mind that a great software gives you is incomparable, and once you use one you will wonder how you got by without one before.

Those are just a few examples of what a fleet management software can do for you, but there really are a lot more features if you break it down. Things like having advanced tracking of every vehicle and the behaviour of each driver is another example.  Little things like that are going to save you any headaches down the road because you eliminated any problems at the source!

It really is remarkable how much software can help a manager to easily maintain and improve his or her fleet. If you know anyone that would be interested in this, then please do not hesitate to share this post. Thank you for reading!

Facebook to host annual NGO summit this week

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily facebook summit ngo

Facebook is hosting its annual NGO Summit this week to virtually support charities and non-profits across Ireland in the lead up to Christmas.

With COVID restrictions in place, the free to attend NGO Summit aims to help charities with their online campaigns ahead of Christmas and will take place Monday 19 October until Wednesday 21 October.

Facebook experts will bring Irish charities through training to create, launch and maximise fundraising using Facebook’s fundraising tools.

Sessions include discussions with the World Health Organisation and Lebanon Medical Corps who successfully used social media through COVID-19; workshop on how charities can get creative online; safety session on how charities can keep their communities safe; workshop on Facebook Reels and 1:1 interactive sessions with the Facebook team.

“Friday for Good has provided Debra Ireland with practical training in using Facebook’s fundraising tools to build and foster a community of supporters and tell the Debra story,” said Cheryl Gunning of Debra Ireland.

She said that this training enabled them to quickly pivot our fundraising efforts online during COVID-19 in what would have been a very challenging fundraising time otherwise.

“Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare skin condition that not many people have heard of,” said Cheryl.

“There is a huge stigma attached to it as well and many of our patients feel very isolated. Through our online campaigns, our families feel heard and feel like their story is being told.

“Every year during our EB Awareness Week Facebook’s digital fundraising tools play a key role which allow us to achieve our fundraising ambitions and reach an audience we could not do on any other platform.”

The NGO Summit is part of Facebook’s Friday for Good (FFG) programme which is a monthly incubator programme designed to support local NGOs through training.

Since launching in 2019, Facebook Ireland’s Friday for Good programme has supported over 210 Irish charities, such as Debra Ireland, Friends of the Elderly, Pieta House, Translators without Borders and Enable Ireland through monthly workshops and events, and supported campaigns with over €130,000 worth of free ad credit.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, NGOs in Ireland have suffered with a number of annual charity initiatives and fundraisers being cancelled,” said Evin Gaffney, who leads the FFG programme at Facebook.

“Christmas is the most popular time of year to launch fundraising campaigns so we want to ensure that the impact of COVID-19 doesn’t interfere with the important work that these charities do any further.

“At this year’s NGO Summit, charities will learn how to use fundraising tools to generate support and collect donations through Facebook, meaning they can successfully run their Christmas campaigns online.”

This year’s NGO Summit will take place at 9:00am – 10:30am each day from Monday, 19th October to Wednesday, 21st October. The summit is free to attend and people can register at Facebook NGO Summit – Friday for Good EMEA, (https://ffgngosummit.splashthat.com/).

Ireland’s first outdoor theatre show as Gaeilge back in Galway next month

By
Michael Malone
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galway daily garda theatre show fibin fiach philip doherty dyke road

Following a sell out run in Connemara, Ireland’s first drive-in theatre show as Gaeilge will be back in Galway in November.

Philip Doherty’s FIACH was an astounding success in Baile na hAbhann when people watched on from the comfort and safety of their own cars.

And due to phenomenal demand, Fíbín in association with An Taibhdhearc have announced the return of Philip Doherty’s FIACH – this time at the Black Box Theatre (Dyke Road Car Park).

Starring IFFL Award winning Fionnuala Flaherty and IFTA Award winning Dara Devaney, FIACH tells the story of a rebel garda chasing a local hoodlum into the Underworld.

It is Philip Doherty’s latest production after winning top awards including ‘Best Irish Film’ and ‘Best Irish First Feature’ at the Galway Film Fleadh with his feature film Redemption of a Rogue.

The open-air show follows the HSE’s health and safety guidelines and will give people a chance to escape the monotony of the four walls.

Fíbín says it is grateful to be able to provide work for creative artists, both local and national, during these uncertain times.

“We certainly have had to think outside the box with this show, but we have a great team in place to overcome the challenges of the restrictions of COVID.

“We’re really looking forward to transforming Fíbín’s grounds into a drive-in experience, where audiences can come and enjoy the show from the safety of their vehicle.”

Venue: Black Box Theatre (Dyke Road Car Park)

Dates: 9-14 November 2020

Time: 8:30pm

Tickets: €35 (per car) www.fibin.com

English subtitles will be part of the production

FIACH is the first Irish language Drive-in Drama in Ireland and Fíbín has acknowledged the support of Galway City Council and The Black Box Theatre, as well as Ealaín Na Gaeltachta, Foras Na Gaeilge and the Arts Council in funding the staging of FIACH.

Canney co-signs bill with mandatory prison time for stealing pets

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Canney co-signs bill introducing mandatory harsh penalties for stealing pets

Galway TD Seán Canney has co-signed a bill which would introduce mandatory stiff penalties for people involved in stealing family pets.

The Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) (Pets) Bill 2020 would introduce a minimum ten month prison sentence for people convicted of stealing a pet.

“I have been contacted by many devastated individuals in recent times whose pets have been stolen,” Seán Canney said in a statement.

“In recent months we have seen reports of the theft and resale of family pets. We have also heard reports of pets being taken for breeding purposes.

“It has been reported that professional gangs can make big money from this type of theft. It has even been suggested that thieves may leave a mark on the road in chalk or by tying a piece of string to a garden gate to target those houses for theft after dark.”

The bill, which would introduce an amendment to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 relates to “theft, burglary, aggravated burglary, robbery or handling stolen property” where that property “is or includes a pet”.

For a person over the age of 18 convicted of such an offence, it would mandate a minimum ten month prison sentence.

The bill also stipulates that this 10 months “shall not be suspended in whole or in part” by the sentencing court.

The bill has been written by Aontú’s Peadar Tóibín TD, and co-signed by Deputy Canney.

A pet, in the language of the bill, is defined as “any animal (other than a farm animal) kept or intended to be kept for companionship”.

“The sentence and punishments for those who steal family pets should be harsher than the penalty for stealing objects, because to most people their pets are viewed as more than a mere household or farmyard asset.”

A ten month sentence is warranted for stealing a pet, Canney says, as “a dog or a cat can be a member of the family and families that lose them are often broken hearted.”

Catherine Connolly and Minister for Education clash over Merlin College extension

By
Michael Malone
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MERLIN COLLEGE GALWAY DAILY NEWS catherine conolly norma foley school

Catherine Connolly TD has asked the Minister for Education why Merlin College has been refused an extension despite having capacity issues.

The school had to reject students this year, and it had the same issue last year when there was a high demand for places, she said.

Minister Norma Foley told Deputy Connolly that following an assessment, the Department is “satisfied that there is adequate capacity available or planned to cater for projected enrolments and therefore an extension… is not required”.

But the Galway West TD said that there is something ‘very wrong’ with the Department’s analysis.

“We have been through this with Educate Together in Galway, where there was a battle to show there was a need,” she said.

“Merlin College in Doughiska is a very good school with 650 pupils. Last year it turned away 70 applicants. This year it opened its admissions for next year and within two weeks it was oversubscribed.”

The Independent TD added that as of Tuesday, it had 135 applications for 120 places and that she does not understand what analysis has been carried out.

“This is a school in a city which is the fastest-growing in the country,” she said.

“It is one of five destined to grow more as outlined in the development plan. We know the school is oversubscribed and is struggling gallantly with a range of difficulties, including not having Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, status.

“It is simply asking for an extension to cope with the numbers.”

Minister Foley responded by saying that the long-term projected enrolment in the Galway city school planning area is set to peak at 7,839 in 2024.

“On the completion of planned capital projects, there will be capacity to cater for 8,697 post-primary pupils which will also cater for additional housing developments in the area,” she said.

But Deputy Connolly said that just like the Budget, the figures are Monopoly figures. 

“This school is turning away students,” she said. “There is no capacity in the area and students have no other schools to go to. The welfare officer is at the school, trying to find placements for sixth class, and being told to go to Athenry. 

“That is not viable because there is no transport. The school is turning away students.”

Coronavirus: 75 new confirmed cases in Galway

By
Michael Malone
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Galway Daily news Galway hospitals see COVID cases double in recent weeks

Seventy-five new cases of Covid-19 have been reported by the Department of Health today, as well as 1,000 cases across the Republic.

Three more deaths related to the virus were also reported today by health officials.

Galway has the fifth highest number of new cases today after Dublin, Meath, Cork and Cavan.

Of today’s cases, 71% are under 45 years of age and the median age is 31 years.

“Case numbers are continuing to rise. Right now, we need everyone to cut their social contacts to an absolute minimum,” said Dr Tony Holohan this evening.

“Every time you physically interact with another person, you are providing an opportunity for the virus to spread.”

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