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Coronavirus: community centres closed across Galway City

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news City Council opens funding applications for upgrades to community centres

Galway City Council has shuttered community centres around the city along with other facilities to help limit the spread of Covid-19.

The community centres in Knocknacarra, Westside, Renmore, Ballinfoile, and Bohermore have all been closed as of 11am on Friday in an effort to combat the spread of coronavirus.

The City Council has also closed the dressing rooms at Crestwood, Westside, Southpark, and the Plots in Woodquay, as well as Westside Boxing Gym, the Snooker Hall at South Park.

Galway City Museum has been closed until March 30, or until further notice as required, and all performances scheduled to take place at the Town Hall and Black Box theatres up to March 29 have been cancelled.

Other council services impacted by measures to limit the spread of coronavirus include public libraries and housing response maintenance.

Housing maintenance activity is being restricted, with only requests deemed critical being addressed at this time, while others will be logged and responded to after the current restrictions have been lifted.

Consideration will be given to elderly and/or vulnerable tenants when response assessment is being carried out by the city council.

Full details of what council services have and have not been affected by these measures can be found on the city council’s website here.

Thieves used crowbar to smash their way into Clarinbridge pharmacy

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily courts Man sent to trial charged with pulling knife on Garda

A group of three thieves used a crowbar to break down the front door of a pharmacy in Clarinbridge and steal hundreds of euros worth of prescription drugs.

John Ward (37), of Bealach na Gaoithe, Tuam, pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal handling at Galway District Court for his part in the raid on Clarinbridge Pharmacy in 2018.

The court heard that on November 20, 2019, at approximately 3am three men forced their way into the pharmacy, using a crowbar to smash the glass front door.

Once they were inside they made a beeline for the the prescription drugs section, stealing €300 worth of drugs, including valium.

Gardaí said that Mr Ward was the only one of the three perpetrators identified because he lowered his hood while in the store, getting his face caught on cctv.

Once the break in was complete the three men fled in a black Volkswagen Passat, which was later confirmed to belong to Ward.

During the crime the car was fitted with stolen number plates which had been lifted from a car in Oranmore earlier that night.

The preparation of the car’s plates, and the fact that the thieves knew exactly where in the pharmacy to hit, showed that this crime was premeditated the prosecution saud.

Mr Ward’s solicitor said that at that at the time this offence took place his family were in severe difficulties.

She told the District Court that Ward started socialising with the other two men involved with this crime, who were not members of his usual circle.

“He got caught up in a situation which was beyond him,” the defence solicitor said, adding that he has had no contact with the other men since.

Judge Mary Fahy said that the level of violence used to gain entrance to the store, and the prepared getaway vehicle, were aggravating factors in this case.

The prosecuting officer, Garda Patrick Foley, was not present in court, and Judge Fahy said that she would prefer to hear from him before concluding sentencing.

The case was adjourned to September 9 for Garda Foley to address the court, and an updated probation report.

Coronavirus: Galway 2020 postpones and cancels events

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Call for further transparency on Galway 2020 finances

Galway 2020 has announced that it is either postponing or cancelling many upcoming events to help limit the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

The government issued guidance on measures to contain the coronavirus, including saying that events which can expect to have more than 500 people in attendance outdoors, and 100 people indoors, should be cancelled.

This has affected many events which are part of the Galway 2020 programme of events up to March 29, the current timeframe for the government’s containment measures.

Postponed
• The Deepest Shade of Green- West of Sumer, Saolta Arts, Launch and talk
• Northern Peripheries, Galway Stories Through A Lens, Galway Film Centre in association with Screen Talent Europe
• West Words, Apeirogon, Galway Public Libraries
• Comhaltas – Moycullen 17th March
• Livefeed (Loughrea)
• Laurie Anderson, To The Moon
• Onside & National Football Exhibition, FAI
• TULCA – Threads
• Immersive Classroom, NUIG
• Reimagine Loughrea, Irish Architecture Foundation
• Buzzing – Kiltiernan National School

Cancelled
• Savage Beauty, Kari Kola -(ticket holders will be contacted directly and will receive a refund)
• Sruth Na Teanga – Branar
• Home Truths: Domestic Violence Response Exhibition
• Interaction, Galway Theatre Festival launch event

“While Galway 2020 and our Cultural Partners are extremely disappointed to have made these decisions, public health is our number one priority,” the Capital of Culture team said in a statement.

All performances which were due to take place at the Town Hall and Black Box theatres up to March 29 have also been cancelled.

Coronavirus: GoBus suspending all services from Monday

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Briain Kelly
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GoBus has announced that it is suspending all of its services as of Monday due to the spread of the Coronavirus.

There are now 90 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Ireland with the confirmation of 20 new cases by the Department of Health today.

GoBus has today announced that it will be ceasing all services until further notice starting from Monday, March 16.

“This difficult decision has been made as a precaution for the welfare of our team and to help combat the spread of the Coronavirus,” a statement from the company said.

All passengers who are currently booked with GoBus for a trip from Monday on will be contacted by the company to make arrangements for the refund of their tickets.

Image credit: GoBus/Facebook

No evidence of community transmission of Coronavirus in Kinvara Deaprtment of Health says

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Public health alert for possible Measles exposure at UHG emergency department

The Department of Health has said there is no evidence of community transmission of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Kinvara despite multiple confirmed cases.

Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon shared a letter which was sent around to people living in the Kinvara area today by the Department of Health to reassure them about the presence of the coronavirus in the community.

In it the department acknowledges that there has been a lot of anxiety in the area due to a cluster of coronavirus cases, but said that there is no evidence of community transmission of the disease there yet.

“I am writing to reassure you that the Department of Health has investigated these cases and has no identified any evidence of community transmission of Covid-19 in Kinvara”.

“All of the cases reported to our department to date are either linked to travel abroad or linked to another case of Covid-19,” said Dr Áine McNamara, consultant with the Department of Health.

She added that the reason for the infection in each case has been identified.

People living in Kinvara are therefore advised that the don’t have to take any particular precautions beyond those the HSE is advising everyone to take.

Anyone who displays symptoms of the coronavirus should self-regulate for 14 days, and people in general are advised to limit social interactions as much as possible.

Schools and many other institutions have been closed until the end of the month, and the government is urging the cancellation of event with more than 500 people outdoors, or 100 people indoors.

This is good advice for all communities to follow, Ciaran Cannon said.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Ireland has no reached 70 after the discovery of 27 new cases on Thursday, the biggest single day jump Ireland has seen to date.

Sentencing delayed for man who sexually assaulted woman in her sleep

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily courts Man charged with possessing images of child sex abuse
credit: Robert Linsdell CC BY 2.0 'The Courthouse, Courthouse Square, Galway'

Final sentencing for a man who sexually assaulted a woman in her sleep has been adjourned for the probation service to complete a risk assessment.

Brian Finnegan (29), of Kilsallagh, Williamstown, pleaded guilty last October to having sexually assaulted a then 22 year old woman while she was sleeping at a house on University Road on October 15, 2017.

He appeared before Galway Circuit Court for sentencing, but finalisation of the case had to be put back while the court awaited more information.

Garda Nicole Duggan gave evidence that the young woman had been on a night out with her friends, and returned to her friend’s house alone, going to sleep in her friend’s bed.

She woke up to Finnegan lying on top of her, and when she tried to get up her pushed her back down on the bed and shushed her.

He then sexually assaulted her, but she was able to push him off her while he was trying to take his boxers off.

She shouted for help, bringing her friend into the room to help her. This friend ordered Finnegan to leave the house immediately.

Finnegan did not live in the house, but had been drinking that night with friends, and was staying over with one of them.

Garda Duggan said that the young woman told her family and boyfriend what had happened the next day, and Finnegan was subsequently questioned by gardaí.

He told Garda Duggan during the interview that he didn’t know the woman, but decided to “try it on” when he saw her.

In a victim impact statement the visibly upset young woman read to the court she said that it was meant to just be an ordinary girls’ night out in Galway.

But instead she “woke up to the horror and shock of having someone I didn’t know on top of me trying to undress me”.

She said that she felt scared, lonely, and afraid to go out in the aftermath of this, and still struggles with feeling safe.

“Today I stand here struggling to talk, but I hold my head up high,” she concluded.

Speaking on behalf of the defence, barrister Michael Clancy said that his client had apologised to the victim through mutual acquaintances, and wished to apologise again in court.

He added that the young man was immediately “distraught” by what happened, describing it as out of character for him.

The defence said that he was so upset, he went to see his parish priest before telling his parents what happened.

A letter from that priest about his character, along with a letter from his employer, were presented to the court.

Judge McCabe set the headline sentence for this incident at three years in prison before taking mitigating or aggravating factors into account.

The early plea of guilty, full admissions made to gardaí, and the fact that he has no previous criminal history were mitigating factors the judge said.

But the judge heard that a detailed risk assessment by the Probation Service has not yet been completed, and said it must be before he can complete sentencing.

The young woman is “justifiably outraged” at having her privacy and bodily integrity violated Judge McCabe said, noting that Finnegan has been registered as a sex offender since pleading guilty.

The case will come back before the Circuit Court for finalisation on May 27.

Market trader adapting to limit the spread of coronavirus

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news market trader adopts new shopping practices for safety

One of Galway’s biggest market traders are adopting new ways of controlling shopping this weekend to address concerns about spreading the coronavirus.

Gannet Fishmongers will be up and trading at Galway Market as usual this weekend, but have adopted new measures for safer shopping.

In line with public recommendations, the company which has been on this very market for 15 years are implementing a number of steps to lower potential risks factors at their shop and markets.

Gannet has sourced a ticketing queuing system which will help manage queue at their busy fish counters in their .

“Open air and outdoor markets are possibly one the safest environment to shop,” said Stefan Griesbach, owner of EatMoreFish.ie, the online arm of Gannet Fishmongers.

“This new ticketing queuing system which will help us manage queues and of course people need to keep distances when shopping.”

He said that small shops, food market vendors and suppliers have been very quick to react to the changing circumstances.

“Product sourcing is much easier for the smaller business and we can put into practice these changes immediately, reacting in real time to what is happening.”

Despite the government’s appeal for people to avoid panic buying, stressing that supply lines will remain open, there has been a rush on the shops since yesterday, when the Taoiseach announced a range of measures to combat the Covid-19 coronavirus.

While schools, universities, cultural sites and more have been closed, shops remain open, but people are being asked to take sensible approach, limit their social interaction, and keep a safe distance from other in public to mimimise the risk of the virus spreading.

Massive economic cost of violence against women highlighted in NUIG study.

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services

Researchers from NUIG recently presented the finding of the What Works to Prevent Violence project, which highlighted the massive economic cost of failing to prevent violence against women.

The research found that violence against women has serious opportunity and productivity costs, leading to women resigning from leadership positions due to stigma, and changing their work patterns

Funded by the UK’s Department for International Development as part of its global programme to prevent violence against women, What Works focused on Ghana, Pakistan and South Sudan.

The study’s lead author Dr Nata Duvvury from NUIG’s Centre for Global Women’s Studies said that doing nothing to prevent violence places a huge economic burden, not just on women, but on the wider country.

“Governments must be cognizant of the invisible costs violence imposes on countries, a cost that can be wiped out through effective action.”

In South Sudan, the impact of violence on productivity meant that, in effect, employed women in businesses lost 10 working days per year in addition to their usual annual leave.

While in Ghana the economic cost from absenteeism caused by abuse alone amounts to 1% of the country’s GDP.

Here in Ireland, the total average economic cost of domestic abuse to a survivor was €115,790, from the onset of the abuse to their initial recovery.

This research was presented at an event on ‘Violence Against Women and Girls: Accelerating Efforts to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals 5 on Gender Equality’ held at NUIG.

The event marked both International Women’s Day, as well as the conclusion of the What Works Project, emphasising that all governments, including the Ireland’s, need to take steps to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in relation to gender equality.

What Works was a collaboration between NUI Galway and Safe Ireland, a non-profit dedicated to making Ireland a safer place for women and children.

Sharon O’Halloran, CEO of Safe Ireland, said that any future Programme for Government should prioritise measures to meet the SDG targets of 2030.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations’ Member States in 2015, identifies 17 key goals, one of which is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, with combating violence being a core component. 

It should focus on preventative measures to tackle the roots causes of violence, she said, as well as investing in infrastructure to help survivors of abuse.

With these “we can begin to systematically erase the structural barriers which keep women, and their children trapped in controlling and abusive relationships,” Sharon said.

“This joined-up approach would also address the social and economic cost to Irish society caused by violence.”

“We know this is achievable, but it needs leadership with the combined effort of all sectors in order to realise the SDGs and make Ireland a more just and equal society.” 

Coronavirus: COPE helping the homeless to self-isolate

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Homelessness increases

COPE Galway is expanding on its usual range of supports for the homeless to help them avoid the Covid-19 coronavirus, and self-isolate if they need to.

A spokesperson for Cope Galway said that homeless people are in an especially vulnerable position when it comes to the coronavirus.

The group’s priority is to “ensure that every effort is made to safeguard them against contracting the virus in the first instance and also to have arrangements in place so that people can self-isolate if advised to do so.”

The HSE has advised that people who have a reasonable belief that they may have contracted the coronavirus should self-isolate to avoid the prospect of passing the infection along.

COPE will be helping the people it already works with to find a way for them to self-isolate if it is needed.

“In conjunction with Galway City Council, COPE Galway is making provision to facilitate self-isolation should the need arise and in doing so aim to minimise disruption to our clients and services. 

“We ask that the privacy and dignity of people who are homeless is respected in the same manner as that of anyone else in the community who has to self-isolate during this challenging time.”

This is along with a range of preventative measures which COPE said it is putting in place to stop infections.       

Coronavirus: All GAA, Camogie, and LGFA activity cancelled until the end of March

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily sport All GAA cancelled to halt spread of coronavirus

The GAA, along with An Cumann Camógaíochta and the LGFA are cancelling all activity as of midnight tonight to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

The three groups have decided to suspend all activity until March 29 as the government has announced a range of new measures today to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that all schools are closing from today, and also said that all outdoor events with more than 500 people should be cancelled, along with indoor events with more than 100 attendees.

This suspension applies to activity at the club, inter-county and educational levels, and includes all games, training and team gatherings at all ages and all grades.

“We will continue to liaise with Government officials and review the situation between now and the end of the month, assessing the impact of these measures on our competitions,” a joint statement said. 

“In the meantime, the Association is encouraging all members to continue to follow the guidelines which have been provided by the health authorities.”

The Galway senior football side were due to face Mayo in Pearse Stadium this Sunday for the Allianz National League.

The Galway Ladies Football team were going to play Cork in Round 6 of Division 1 on March 22, though no venue had been set yet.

In the Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Galway were going to face Down on March 15, a day after the minor side were due to play Kilkenny in the Tesco League.

Coronavirus: Teaching, gatherings, and meetings at NUIG cancelled

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Planning sought for massive new development at University of Galway

All teaching at NUIG will cease as of 6pm this evening to combat the spread of the coronavirus, and the university is also taking further steps.

NUIG is cancelling lectures as well as all other gatherings at the university and non-essential meetings to help limit the coronavirus pandemic.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced a range of stringent measures this afternoon to help combat the spread of Covid-19, which includes closing all schools and colleges in the country.

The government is also urging the cancellation of any outdoor gathering of more than 500 people, or indoor events with over 100 people.

Teaching will take place online or remotely until March 29 at least, the current timeframe for the measures announced today.

A statement from NUIG said that it has followed all advice from the HSE and Department of Health to date, and that it has agreed to close in order to limit the spread of Covid-19.

“In compliance with this request, all teaching, gatherings, and non-essential meetings, in the University will be cancelled as of 6pm this evening”

“Significant continuity planning is underway in our Academic, Research and Professional Service Units.”  

“The University will endeavour to continue to operate as normal in as much as is possible, by delivering course content online, and through enabling remote working where applicable and possible.”

“We appreciate that this decision will have an impact on all of our community.  In this context the University Management Team is currently analysing the impacts of this decision.  

“The priority for the University is the health, safety, and wellbeing of our Students and Staff, and we would like to thank everyone for their continued support, vigilance, and compliance in this challenging time.” 

The Student Health Unit at NUIG suspended its walk in service as of Monday, and is now operating strictly by appointment.

This was due to one potential case which presented to the unit before being referred onwards to the HSE for testing.

More than 800 homes in Galway without electricity

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news More than 15,000 properties in Galway without power after Storm Ellen

Over 800 homes and businesses in Galway are without electricity this afternoon due to multiple power outages caused by high winds.

The single largest power outage is in Oughterard, where a line fault has resulted in 608 homes and business going without electricity.

The next largest outage is in Spiddal, where 108 homes have lost their power, while another outage in Clifden is affecting 21 premises.

In Salthill a cluster of three outages have left 38 homes without power, and the final outage reported today is in Claregalway, affecting 55 properties.

The ESB is currently estimating that all of these faults will be repaired before 4pm this afternoon.

A status yellow weather warning for high winds is in force in Galway today, and will remain in place until 6pm this evening.

Winds of 65km/hr can be expected throughout the day, with gusts reaching up to 110km/hr.

There is also an elevated risk of coastal flooding Met Eireann has cautioned, due to a combination of waves, spring tides and surge.

Coronavirus: Schools, colleges, and more closing to fight spread

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news no confidence leo varadkar fine gael dáil What is in Phase 3 of the accelerated plan to end the lockdown?

Schools, colleges, any many other facilities will be closed for at least the next two weeks to combat the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus.

Speaking from Washington DC today Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak will come into effect from 6pm this evening, and remain in place until at least March 29.

All of the country’s schools, colleges, and childcare facilities will shut, and teaching will be done online or remotely.

Cultural institutions run by the state such as museums, galleries, and tourist locations will also be closed.

Outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled the Taoiseach said, as should indoor gatherings of over 100 people.

Shops will remain open, and public transportation will continue to run.

Anyone who is able to work remotely is urged to do so, or if this is not possible, then work times should be staggered.

Shops, cafés, and other businesses will remain open, but people and businesses need to take a level headed, responsible approach he said.

People are urged to limit their social interactions as much as possible the Taoiseach added.

Taoiseach Varadkar said that we are facing a pandemic unlike anything in living memory, but that by acting together as one nation we can save lives.

“Our economy will suffer. It will bounce back. Lost time in school or college will be recovered. In time, our lives will go back to normal.”

“Above all, we all need to look out for each other,” Leo Varadkar said.

The Taoiseach’s full statement can be read online here.

The HSE confirmed that Ireland had its first death due to the coronavirus on Wednesday, an elderly woman who passed away at Naas General Hospital in Kildare.

Yesterday also saw the World Health Organisation label Covid-19 a pandemic for the first time.

Minister for Health Simon Harris has said today that Ireland is now moving into the “delay” phase of handling the coronavirus pandemic.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney said that he understands these measures are unprecedented in scale, but that they are the right actions to take based on the advice being given.

Coronavirus: councillor says communities must look after the elderly

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Day services in Loughrea remain in limbo

It’s important that communities work together to care for their elderly and vulnerable during the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak city councillor Alan Cheevers has said.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said that he has been contacted by many elderly people in the past few days asking what supports are available during the coronavirus outbreak.

Alone, a national organisation which supports older people to help them stay at home, has launched a Covid-19 support line for older people in conjunction with the HSE and Department of Health.

“If we can as citizens be on the end of the phone for an elderly neighbours to provide support in anyway that is also essential.”

“I think it’s vital we show all our community spirit and show our support at this time,” Alan Cheevers said.

Ireland had its first confirmed death due to the coronavirus on Wednesday, an elderly woman who died at Naas General Hospital in Kildare.

The public is now being told to limit their social interactions and avoid shaking hands with people to try and limit the spread of the disease.

There are now 43 confirmed cases in the Republic of Ireland, with global infections passing 118,000 cases.

Late on Wednesday the United States announced that it is suspending travel by foreign nationals from 26 European countries in the Schengen zone for the next 30 days, which does not include Ireland or the UK.

Four hospitalised after hail causes motorway collision

By
Briain Kelly
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Four people were hospitalised with non-serious injuries after a road traffic collision on the M17 motorway in Galway yesterday.

The three car incident occurred at Junction 19 near Tuam at approximately 2:30pm when a car mounted the motorway verge and overturned.

Another car stopped to help the first vehicle, when a third car collided with it.

The drivers of all three cars and one passenger were taken to University Hospital Galway, but it’s understood that their injuries were not serious

The collision occurred during a particularly heavy hail shower which compromised road conditions in the area.

The road was partially closed while emergency services dealt with the incident yesterday, and gardaí were forced to divert traffic due to the poor conditions.

Galway TD says definitive timeline needed for delivery of flood relief schemes

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Funding for Flood Mitigation works at three Galway towns

Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte has said that government departments need to deliver a realistic timeframe for the delivery of flood relief schemes in the county.

The Fianna Fáil TD has said that the OPW and Department of Public Expenditure need to prioritise flood defence projects in vulnerable areas of Galway in the coming months to protect against extreme weather events.

“There are still homes and farms flooded or rebuilding due to damage from flooding across Galway,” she said.

“These families are in this position from a lack of robust flood defence schemes and they need Government protection.”

Galway suffered from extreme flooding in recent weeks after a long period of terrible weather which blocked large number of roads and has flooded huge amounts of farmland.

Many voices are concerned that it could be weeks or months yet before farmers in Galway affected by flooding are able to get fully back to work on the land.

While immediate protection is needed for people dealing with flooding right now, long term measures are also required to prevent re-occurrences Anne Rabbitte insists.

Modelling on the Gort Lowlands Flood Relief Scheme is close to completion she said, which will inform the feasibility assessment and route selection parts of the scheme.

These are also ongoing, and are expected to be completed by mid-2020 Rabbitte added.

Deputy Rabbitte said that she also has concerns about the Portumna Scheme, with little progress made since it was published in 2018.

“There is a ten-year time frame from this plan but any resident in Portumna will tell you they cannot afford to wait eight more years without a robust flood relief scheme.”

A more realistic timeframe for its delivery is needed to protect at risk homes, farms, and businesses that are living in fear of flooding daily, Rabbitte said.

Coronavirus: Has Covid-19 impacted my pension & what to do?

By
Joe Bruen
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Ga;way Daily Business Which Currency Pair is Most Profitable in Forex 2022?

As the number of coronavirus cases in Ireland continues to grow, and economic uncertainty along with it, many people are asking “is my pension safe” or “should we move our money cash or deposits?”

There have been further losses on global stock markets over the last few days – these are in addition to two weeks of declines relating to the Covid-19 coronavirus spread.

With the amount wiped off global shares (and by default pension monies) now heading into the trillions, concerns are growing about the longer-term impact the coronavirus may have on share values and when this is likely to end.

If you have money tied up in investments – perhaps through a pension – you may also have concerns about what it ultimately means for your pocket. Here are a couple of the more common questions flooding into our offices:

I have a pension/investment bond – what exactly should I do?

Firstly, and this is crucial – don’t panic and don’t overreact. Our clients are being advised to avoid making rash decisions in the face of the stock market slump.

Investors who “sell out” in a fallen market are almost always mistaken in doing so!

The reason for this is simple as markets tend to recover from these kinds of slumps once given enough time.

For example, the circa 30% drop in pension values in 2008 had bounced back to parity within 12 months.

Time is the crucial component. Even clients of ours who are due to retire in roughly five years should have more than enough time to see their pension pot recover.

I’m due to retire over the next 12 months, will this have a major impact on what pension I receive?

Any good financial broker should be taking retirement age as a mitigating factor in recommending the level of risk a client should take and therefore values shouldn’t be adversely affected with the recent market slump.

However, if people are unsure about their own investments or pensions, they should speak to their provider to get a better understanding of how their money is allocated and what level of risk is involved.

I can’t handle the uncertainty; how can I reduce the risk in my pension/ investment fund?

It’s our mantra when advising clients but it rings through, clients should only lock away money in the long-term when they can afford to do so – and should always ensure they have access to cash at short notice or their “rainy day” fund.

People can also ask their pension providers to switch their money to lower – or higher – risk funds at no cost, if they and their advisor feel that is the most appropriate course of action.

Our greatest fear is that a client will insist on cashing out and taking a loss but don’t buy back into the markets to avail of gains on the upside.

The best advice is to people to take professional financial advice and avoid any rash decisions.

 Joe Bruen is managing director of Bruen Financial in Galway City, an award winning financial brokerage. To see what they can do for you go to www.bruenfs.ie

Status yellow weather warning issued for Galway

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily weather Rough weekend forecast as weather warning issued by Met Eireann

Met Eireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for Galway along with most of the north and west of Ireland, with a risk of coastal flooding.

The weather warning forecasts high winds throughout much Thursday, with winds veering from southwest to west and northwest reaching average speeds of 50km/hr to 65km/hr.

Gusts of between 80km/hr and 110km/hr can also be expected Met Eireann has cautioned.

Due to a combination of waves, spring tides and surge there is also an increased risk of coastal flooding while the weather warning is in effect.

This alert has been issued for counties Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Dublin, Louth, Meath, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Clare.

It will come into force at 4am on Thursday morning, and remain in effect until 6pm that evening.

This is one of three weather warnings currently issued by Met Eireann, with two more covering Donegal.

A snow and ice warning is in place today, and will remain until 8am on Thursday, while a Status Orange wind warning will be in force there from 8am to midday on Thursday.

Galway senior football team named to face Mayo

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily sport Planning refused again for Oughterard sports facilities

The lineup for the senior football team which will face off against Mayo this weekend has been named by Galway GAA.

Galway and Mayo will face off in Pearse Stadium this Sunday in Round 6 of the Allianz National Football League, with kick off at 2pm.

Four changes have been made from last week’s side, with Gary O’Donnell, Rob Finnerty, Damien Comer and Cillian McDaid added to the lineup.

The full Galway team for the upcoming game against Mayo is:

  1. Connor Gleeson
  2. Seán Kelly
  3. Séan Mulkerrin
  4. Johnny Heaney
  5. Gary O’Donnell
  6. John Daly
  7. Cillian McDaid
  8. Ronan Steede
  9. Tom Flynn
  10. Eamon Brannigan
  11. Damien Comer
  12. Michael Daly
  13. Robert Finnerty
  14. Shane Walsh (Capt)
  15. Adrian Varley

Bench warrant issued for man who drunkenly threatened garda and his family

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily courts

A Bench Warrant has been issued for a man who told the garda arresting him for being dangerously drunk in public that he’d kill him and his family.

Darragh O’Flaherty (43), of Fairgreen Hostel, was convicted of being drunk in public to the extent that he was a danger to himself or others, as well breaking the peace with threatening, abusive, or insulting behaviour towards a member of An Garda Síochána.

He was due to appear before Galway District Court this week, but the hearing proceeded in his absence when he was not present.

Garda Colm Hann gave evidence that on August 3 of last year he was on patrol in Eyre Square when he encountered O’Flaherty in an extremely intoxicated state, saying that he was unsteady on his feet and slurring his words.

O’Flaherty became extremely abusive and threatening to the garda officers when approached, and they were forced to restrain him while he was being arrested for public order offences.

He tried to spit at the officers repeatedly while they were restraining him and yelled “I’m going to kill you and your family”.

Garda Hann told the District Court that he also yelled “I have 19 previous convictions” at the officers .

While they were on the way to the garda station he continued yelling abuse and kept kicking at the doors of the police van.

Judge Mary Fahy convicted O’Flaherty of being dangerously drunk in a public place, as well as threatening, abusive, or insulting behaviour.

A bench warrant was issued by the court for his arrest to be brought for sentencing.

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