Home Blog Page 759

Government accused of “evasiveness, incompetence, contradiction, and disdain” in Oughterard

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Oughterard activists accuse government of evasion and dishonesty

Harsh criticism has been leveled at the government over how it has responded to the local community in the direct provision centre controversy in Oughterard.

Up to 3,000 people marched peacefully through Oughterard to the Connemara Gateway Hotel on Saturday in an ongoing movement of protest against any plans to put a direct provision centre there.

Patrick Curran, a local businessman and head of the ‘Oughterard says no to inhumane direction provision centres’ community group said that the civil service and Minister of State for Immigration and Integration David Stanton are in complete denial about the inadequacies of the system.

He was highly critical of the manner in which they have engaged with the community, when at all, saying that they have displayed “Evasiveness, incompetence, contradiction, disdain, and bluster”.

The ‘Oughterard says no’ group have said that they welcome people to the community, but that Direct Provision is an “inhumane” system, and that people in Oughterard are overwhelmingly opposed to it.

 

The Justice Department has said that no contract has been signed for a direct provision centre in Oughterard at this point and refused to comment further saying that it is bound by the contract process.

However Patrick Curran said that a meeting held between a group of local delegates and Sean Lyons of Fazyard Ltd, the company seeking to secure a tender for accommodating refugees in the west, shows that it is untrue that locals cannot be consulted before a contract is awarded.

One of the greatest frustrations expressed by locals during this time has been that work on the Connemara Gateway Hotel has been ongoing throughout this process while the Department of Justice has been saying that no decision has been made.

According to Mr Curran when Galway West TD Noel Grealish asked Minister Stanton how so much work could be carried out on site without a contract in place the Minister told him that a verbal agreement could be in place.

“What we have experienced sickens us,” Mr Curran said. “We worry for the asylum seekers, this community, and for the Irish people all of whom are forgotten in this disgraceful system.”

Galway Daily news Oughterard activists accuse government of evasion and dishonesty

Noel Grealish sparked controversy on this issue with remarks he made at a public meeting attended by roughly 800 people earlier this month in Oughterard.

The Independent TD said that asylum seekers from Africa are economic migrants coming to Ireland to “sponge off the system” and that they weren’t genuine refugees like Christians fleeing ISIS in Syria.

While there were many calls for Deputy Grealish to apologise for these comments other remarks he made saying that a small town like Oughterard can’t handle several hundred people packed into a direct provision centre have been echoed by concerned locals.

Shortly after the march in Oughterard on Saturday a rally was held in Eyre Square by the Galway Alliance Against Racism with several hundred people in attendance.

GARN condemned a “rising racism” in Ireland and the Direct Provision system which they have also said is an inhumane way of handling refugees.

The rally was attended by Galway West TD Catherine Connolly and Mayor of Galway Mike Cubbard who said that racism has no place in the city.

The Taoiseach is now being asked to directly intervene in the matter and cancel any plans for “secretly” placing a direct provision centre in Oughterard without consulting the community.

“We ask you to to work with a delegation from Oughterard and other community groups across Ireland to come up with a solution which is humane, fair, democratic and transparent for the end users the asylum seekers and the people of Ireland you are meant to represent the interests of,” Patrick Curran said in a direct plea to the Leo Varadkar.

“Not the small handful of DP centre entrepreneurs and their government contacts who seem to be the  only people that really benefit from this system which exploits vulnerable people by turning the asylum system into a get rich at the expense of the vulnerable scheme. ”

Peaceful protesters have been maintaining a picket outside the Connemara Gateway Hotel after the big march yesterday, the same as was done after a previous march earlier this month.

 

images: Patrick Curran

Loughrea secondary school gets approval for new block of classrooms

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news craughwell national school

St. Raphael’s College secondary school in Loughrea has received planning approval for a new block of classrooms to meet demand.

The Catholic co-educational secondary school at Baunoge, Loughrea submitted plans to the county council for a standalone block of six classrooms adjacent to the existing school gym.

St. Raphael’s is owned by the EDUCENA Foundation, a Catholic schools property trust, which submitted a latter consenting to this planning application.

The school is currently located within the curtilage of the Convent of Mercy in Loughrea, which is a Protected Structure.

A previous extension to the school was completed in 2017, but a number of students and teachers were not relocated from the convent to the main school at that time as was planned due to a lack of space.

“There is a great need to accommodate these students and funding has been approved for a standalone building comprising of 6 General Classrooms and 7 WCs,” a planning report in the application said.

Planning permission was awarded by Galway County Council with a total of eight conditions attached.

Venue changed for Minor B Football final

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily sport Senior Football Club Championship livestreaming details

Galway GAA has changed the venue for this afternoon’s Minor B Football match.

The West Minor B Football Championship between Oughterard and Leitir Mór is taking place at 3pm this afternoon.

The game was originally meant to take place at Pearse Stadium but the venue has been changed to Spiddal.

Five people in Galway questioned on suspicion of paying for prostitution services

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Missing 17 year old teenager found safe and well

Gardaí questioned five people in Galway on suspicion of having purchased sexual services as part of a nationwide crackdown on the demand for prostitution last week.

Intelligence led operations saw an 38 people in Galway, Donegal, Cork city, Dublin, and Kilkenny/Carlow garda divisions questioned on suspicion of having paid for sex from prostitution.

Files are now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions who will decide whether or not to pursue criminal charges.

The garda ‘Operation Quest’ team from the Garda National Protective Services Bureau led these days of action in coordination with local garda units.

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 criminalises purchasing sexual services and the soliciting and purchasing of sex from a trafficked person.

“This operation reinforces An Garda Síochána’s commitment to target the demand for prostitution and to protect vulnerable persons, including victims of human trafficking involved in prostitution,” a Garda spokesman said.

This is the second operation targeting the demand for sexual services in rural and urban areas this year, with more operations planned to take place.

Three weeks of motorway roadworks begin tomorrow

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Traffic disruption expected from Galway City centre roadworks

Roadworks on the M17 motorway expected to last for three weeks will get underway on Monday.

Single lane closures on the southbound lane of the M17 motorway between Annagh Hill (Junction 19) and Rathmorrisey Interchange (Junction 18) are planned foe the duration of the works.

The hard-shoulder and Lane 1 will be closed to facilitate new drainage works (between marker posts S 8.0 and S 7.5).

The lane closure will be in effect between 6am and 6pm from Monday, October 1 through to Friday, October 18 according to the county council.

The M17-M18 motorway operator, “DirectRoute”, have said that the works will have a minimal impact on journey times and that traffic management measures will be removed at weekends.

Mcallister makes competitive debut at Guinness PRO14 opening

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily sport Mcallister makes competitive debut at Guinness PRO14 opening

Paddy Mcallister is making his first competitive start for Connacht this evening as they meet the Scarlets for their opening match of the Guinness PRO14 season.

McAllister, who signed from Gloucester in the summer, made his debut just ahead of the Guinness PRO14 in a pre-season win against Munster at the Sportsground last Saturday.

Joining him on the front row are older hands tighthead Finlay Bealham and hooker Tom McCartney and behind them will be Gavin Thornbury and Quinn Roux.

Captain Jarrad Butler will be wearing the black number 8 in the back row alongside Eoghan Masterson and Colby Fainga’a at blindside and openside.

While Jack Carty’s away at the Rugby World Cup, Conor Fitzgerald is playing out-half alongside scrum-half Caolin Blade.

For the rest of the back line Tom Daly and Kyle Godwin are holding the centre with Matt Healy and Stephen Fitzgerald as wingers and Tiernan O’Halloran on full-back.

Head Coach Andy Friend said that a great deal of depth will be needed in the Connacht squad for the Guinness PRO14 season.

“We used fifty players last season and we expect to use a similar number this time around,” Friend commented. Overall the coach seemed positive about the squad’s outlook.

“We have come through a really good pre-season where we have won three games from three and more importantly we have got to do a lot of work on the training field.”

“I think we are definitely further along as a squad compared to where we were this time last season”.

“We are expecting a hugely competitive game. While they are missing players away on World Cup duty, they also have real depth in their squad. Both sides will be targeting a win, so I think we are in for quality game”

Connacht Matchday Squad:
(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Stephen Fitzgerald, Kyle Godwin, Tom Daly, Matt Healy, Conor Fitzgerald, Caolin Blade, (1-8) Paddy McAllister, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Colby Fainga’a, Jarrad Butler (Capt).

Replacements (16-23): Shane Delahunt, Denis Buckley, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Ultan Dillane, Eoin McKeon, Kieran Marmion, Peter Robb, Darragh Leader.

Galway is going red for World Heart Day

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Croi World Heart Day

Some of Galway’s iconic landmarks and other locations will be lighting up red this Sunday for World Heart Day.

World Heart Day is an annual event organised by the World Heart Federation working with local partners around the globe to highlight the dangers of heart disease and spread awareness of how to minimise its risk.

Heart disease in all its forms remains the single biggest cause of death globally, and this day is educating people on the preventative measures that they can take against it in their lives.

Here in Galway many locations around the city and county will be going red on September 29 such as Bon Secours Hospital, The Browne Doorway in Eyre Square. Kylemore Abbey, and the Human Biology Building at NUIG.

They are working in association with Croí Heart & Stroke Charity based out of Newcastle, the biggest cardiovascular focused non-profit in the west of Ireland.

“If you see any of these sites all lit up, be sure to take a selfie and tag @croiheartstroke with the hashtag WorldHeartDay,” Croí said.

“Tag us in your #WorldHeartDay posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @CroiHeartStroke”

Tuam national school plans upstairs extension

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Planning extension grant for Craughwell National School expansion

Gardenfield national school in Tuam is seeking approval for an extension that will provide additional office and classroom space.

Planning permission is being sought from the county council for a first floor expansion of the national school which will contain a classroom with toilets, a general purpose room and office space.

On August 30 the county council requested more information from the school, expressing concerns about the school’s wastewater system.

The council asked that an updated site layout be submitted which includes all infrastructure associated with the current wastewater system.

A response was made on behalf of Gardenfield NS by architect Eamon P. Gavin which said that the system is in compliance with the updated documents lodged with the council.

He also said that he inspected the site personally in September and that there were “no signs of ponding or leaching to adjacent ground”.

When this expansion is complete it is expected that the total population at the school will be 175 staff and pupils.

The county council is due to make a ruling on this planning application by October 22.

Calling all young filmmakers for the 25th Junior Film Fleadh

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily Arts & culture submissions open for 25th Junior Film Fleadh

The Galway Junior Film Fleadh is celebrating a milestone 25th birthday this year and there’s still time for young filmmakers to submit their movies.

The 25th Junior Galway Film Fleadh will take place this year from Sunday, November 10 to Thursday, November 14 at the Pálás arthouse cinema.

The Junior Film Fleadh starts with a weekend full of film premieres and film-making workshops, followed by a week of European language films for students studying French, German, Spanish and Irish.

There will also be an Irish film outreach programme, details of which will be announced in early October.

Submissions are currently open for persons aged between 12 – 14 years and 15 – 18 years, with a selection of the best short films to be screened in front of audiences during the fleadh.

Any genre/style from Documentary, Animation, Drama, Action, Musical, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Horror, or any mix thereof is acceptable. No limits are being placed on the creativity of young artists.

The only rules are that it must be under 12 minutes and have been made since December 2017.

People submitting to the fleadh must include the highest quality version of their finished film, as well as a still photo for the film and a short description.

Prizes include a €250 grand prize, work experience on Film Fleadh TV in July 2020 (you must be 18 to qualify for this prize) and a week’s summer animation or drama camp sponsored by Galway Film Centre.

Entry forms can be found here. The closing date for submissions is Wednesday, October 9.

Months of N59 roadworks to begin in November

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news N59 roadworks begin in November

Two major sets of roadworks taking place on the N59 in Connemara will get underway in November.

Galway TD and Minister of State Seán Kyne confirmed that roadworks will begin on the N59 Letterfrack an Maam Cross to Bunnakill schemes will begin on site at the start of November.

The N59 Letterfrack Scheme involves the realignment of 0.3km of road on the approach to the village which has long been described as bottleneck.

A standard 6m wide carriageway will be built on the road section in question, with 0.5m hard strips and verges of approximately 2 – 3 metres.

The contract for this scheme has been awarded to Mayo based P&D Lydon and work is expected to take 30 months to complete.

Other works taking place as part of the scheme are the realignment of the access road to Connemara National Park, the excavation of a large amount of rock, and drainage works.

In relation to the Maam Cross to Bunnakill scheme, the county council has confirmed that permission has been given to award the contract, and the chosen contractor is also expected on site in early November.

This is a significantly larger project that involves the realignment of 5.2km of road, with the construction of a new carriageway ranging from 7 – 8 metres wide with 0.5m hard strips and verges that vary from 2m to 3.3m.

A number of local roads connected to the N59 long this route will also require realignment, and improvements will be made to public road junction layouts including a new bridge and three retaining walls.

Finally the scheme will involve various piped/culverted watercourse crossings as well as earthworks, drainage and pavement works.

As a significantly larger project this scheme will take longer to complete than the Letterfrack roadworks.

The total construction period for the Maam Cross to Bunnakill Scheme is expected to be in the region of 18 months.

Derelict Salthill cottage coming back to life as café and restaurant

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Planning appeal over 91 houses & apartments in Athenry

A derelict cottage on the shores of the bay in Salthill will be getting a facelift as a new café and restaurant after An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission.

McHugh Property Holding plans to refurbish a derelict cottage at Backrock in Salthill for use as a café and restaurant.

The development will also involve the construction of a standalone building which will be used as a bike rental and maintenance store.

The higher planning authority overturned a decision by the city council to refuse planning permission for this project in March.

The city council gave six reasons for refusing permission, four of which were connected to travel and transport in the area.

The café/repair shop would interfere with efforts to deliver a Barna Cycle Greenway route along Salthill, and contravenes measures of the Galway Transport Strategy the council said.

It was also argued that the development would pose a traffic hazard near a junction on a busy city road.

The other reasons for refusal said that this commercial development would impact on the amenity value of the area and would “detract from the attractiveness and character of the area”.

An appeal against this decision was lodged by McHugh Property Holding which said that the application had been amended to address traffic and greenway issues, and that the design would have a minimal visual impact.

The initial design included the construction of an 18 space car park and vehicular access, both of which were removed from the amended proposal.

The café would also enhance the recreational value of the area it was argued, with a bike repair and rental facility next to a Greenway route and a café for people using the beach and Blackrock diving tower nearby.

The planning authority’s inspector agreed with the city council’s views, however An Bord Pleanála chose to go against her recommendation and grant permission.

The board said that it was satisfied that with the amendments to the design made after the council’s rejection “the proposed development would not adversely affect the visual character or qualities of the Salthill area”.

Planning permission was granted for the café and bike repair/rental store with ten conditions attached.

Dog found lying on the street needs leg amputated

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news injured dog needs leg amputated

A dog that was found lying injured on the street needed to have his leg amputated, but is keeping his chin up and looking for a new home.

On Wednesday afternoon the county council’s dog warden service received multiple calls about an injured animal lying on the side of the road at Tribaun, Belclare.

The warden’s unit responded to the calls, and upon finding the injured animal brought him to get medical help as soon as possible.

“The dog was picked up by the warden and brought immediately to a local veterinary surgeon and received pain killing medication and antibiotics,” a spokesperson for the county council said.

“Unfortunately, it was too late to save the dogs leg but it is expected he will do very well on 3 legs following amputation of the injured limb.”

“This brave dog is now getting some much-needed rest following his ordeal and is doing very well. We hope following his recuperation that he will soon be ready for re-homing through our good friends in MADRA.”

Athenry school chosen for substitute teachers pilot scheme

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Almost 1,000 Ukrainian pupils enrolled in Galway schools

Scoil Croí Naofa in Athenry has been chosen as one of six schools for a pilot project to ease the shortage of primary school substitute teachers.

Minister for Education Joe McHugh announced this week the creation of six panels to provide a reliable supply of substitute teachers for clusters of school nationwide.

Up to 18 teachers hired on a full time contract operating out of base school, in Galway this is Scoil Croi Naofa.

From there the substitute teachers will serve a cluster of roughly 15 schools in county Galway when they need coverage.

Minister McHugh first announced this pilot initiative at the annual conference of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) last January.

“My ambition to see substitute teacher supply panels set up on a regional basis was in direct response to the staffing difficulties I’ve heard about from teachers, principals and management bodies in primary schools,” the Minister says.

“It is about trying to find clever and efficient ways of giving a qualified teacher security of work and ensuring they fill as many vacancies across a number of schools.”

This was now possible the Minister added, because of better of use of technology that allows schools to work together more closely.

The supply panels focus on Dublin, Galway and Cork and the commuter belts in Kildare and Meath.

The Department of Education said that the areas were selected based on data which demonstrates they have the highest levels of unmet substitute cover in the country.

The other five schools hosting the supply panels are Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Alainn, Montenotte, Cork; Scoil Bhríde, Leixlip, Co Kildare; Ard Rí CNS, Navan, Co Meath; St David’s NS, Artane, Dublin 5; and Presentation Primary School, Terenure, Dublin 6W.

“The schools in the cluster should work together to get the best from this initiative,” Minister McHugh added.

“The schools are being given an additional resource and I want to see it become an effective solution to the challenges being faced.”

Row between elderly neighbours over garden ends in court for abusive beahviour

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Entries open for Galway City Tidy Towns and Garden competition 2021

A long running row between older residents of a managed estate in Oranmore over their communal garden resulted in one man being convicted of threatening and abusive behaviour.

Michael Cullinane of No. 3 Ard na Mara was convicted of two counts of threatening, abusive, or insulting behviour under the Public Order Act at Galway District Court this week.

There were two separate incidents reported with other residents of the estate on August 28 and September 2 of last year that all seemed to stem from a long running feud.

The court heard that on August 28 of 2018 Freda Rushe was in her home on the ground floor of Ard na Mara when she saw Cullinane taking two stones from her rockery in the communal garden.

She said that while the garden is open to all residents to plant in, she had started it and the rockery was hers.

When she went outside to confront Cullinane and tell him to put the stones back he called her a “f-ing c-word” and and “f-ing skinny arse so and so,” she said.

Her neighbour Astrid Hasset also gave evidence that she was on the balcony of her second floor apartment overlooking this area at the time.

She said that she saw Cullinane drive into the area before stopping and going to the garden to remove the stones.

Afterwards she said that she saw Freda coming out of her home telling him to put them back while he yelled “abusive language I don’t like repeating” at her.

The 70 year old Mr Cullinane said that he has been a resident of Ard na Mara for 14 years and that there has been bad blood and ongoing arguments between him and several of his neighbours for eight years.

He disputed the accounts of both women, saying the two stones were originally his and that he was simply reclaiming them.

He also alleged that he was the one subject to abusive language, saying that during the incident Freda was yelling “they’re fucking mine” at him and that Astrid was also yelling at him from her balcony.

“I haven’t a clue what she said but it wasn’t nice,” Cullinane told the District Court.

The second incident took place on September 2 between Cullinane and another resident of Ard na Mara: Alan Hernon.

Mr Hernon, who has lived at Ard na Mara for six years, said that on that day he had let his dog out around 1pm in the afternoon.

He alleged that while he was outside Cullinane approached him yelling about “you, that fucking cunt on the corner, and that other cunt”.

Afterwards Mr Hernon said that he went back inside and while he was in his home Cullinane continued to yell abuse at him, telling him to come on out.

At one point after their first encounter Hernon said that Cullinane gestured with a pointed gardening trowel in his hand and said “I’ll stick you with this”.

CCTV was played in court from a single camera which showed Mr Hernon coming out of his apartment with his dog.

He and the defendant passed each other more than once outside and appeared to exchange words but the footage had no audio.

Gardaí took a statement from Cullinane at the time of the complaint. He said that Alan Hernon had been staring at him and had been antagonising him for a long time prior to this.

When he said “come out to the field and we’ll sort it out”, he meant that they would have a row he told the court.

Cullinane also admitted to saying that he would “stick” Mr Hernon with the trowel, but claimed that it had been meant jokingly and that he wasn’t threatening him.

Judge Mary Fahy said that while Cullinane had been engaged in “outrageous behaviour”, it should have been dealt with before needing to come to court.

“I don’t see how this couldn’t have been handled in another way,” Juge Fahy said.

That aside, the judge said that she wasn’t impressed with Mr Cullinane’s attitude during this hearing, noting that he was frequently smirking while sitting behind his solicitor.

Judge Fahy convicted him on both counts of threatening, abusive, or insulting behaviour, imposing a one month sentence for each and suspending both sentences.

Vacant Oranmore offices to be converted into apartments

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway daily news Knocknacarra social housing

People looking for apartments in Oranmore could end up living over a shopping centre going by new development plans submitted to the county council.

Thunder Gulch Ltd is seeking planning permission to convert a vacant office/commercial space on the 2nd floor of Carraig Lair Shopping Centre in Oranmore into seven apartments.

The gross floor space of the proposed apartments is 602sq metres, but the development also includes communal amenity space.

Carraig Lair Shopping Centre is a three storey building on Main Street Oranmore, with tenants including HomeWorld, Saz barbers, and Concepts Ladies Fashion store.

Public submissions concerning this development can be made to the county council until October 7.

The council is due to make a decision on whether to grant planning permission for this development by October 28.

Tusla unable to stop rogue creches, putting children at risk – Rabbitte

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Planning permission for Bullaun preschool

Concerns have been expressed about the ability of Tusla to handle creches that aren’t compliant with regulations, and whether children are being put at risk.

Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte has said that due to flaws in the legislation, Tusla is unable to shut down creches even when it has identified serious issues at play.

“I have already highlighted my concerns that it can take months and months for TUSLA to remove a service from the register, even where it is obvious to inspectors that rules are being flagrantly broken and children are being endangered.”

Deputy Rabbitte added that the Minister has now confirmed to her that even when a service is de-registered, it is the person designated as the service provider who is removed from the register.

“In many creches, it is not the owner or even the top-level management who is listed as the service provider, it is simply the line or operational manager.”

“So where a creche is de-registered, it would merely be the line manager who couldn’t continue to provide a service, not the owner,” Anne Rabbitte said.

Tusla came under fire recently after an RTÉ Investigates programme found terrible conditions at the Hyde and Seek Tolka Road creche and it emerged that the facility was able to operate for fourteen months without being registered with Tusla.

“This is a huge lack of accountability, where creche companies could simply continue operating with a different manager named on the Tusla register.”

“It makes no sense, especially when you consider that a creche manager very well might be just following orders from senior management, for whom is there is not accountability from the watchdog.”

The Fianna Fáil TD said that Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone needs to expand Tusla’s powers to punish creches which are found to be non-compliant.

Any management team or company which is found to be delivering a very poor level of childcare services or putting children at risk should not be able to operate a creche in Ireland she concluded.

One in five people says coffee helps their love life

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Green light for new café in Galway City Centre

Wine can move over as the favoured drink of romance as one in five people say that coffee give a boost to their libido according to a survey.

That little shot of caffeine has an even better medicinal effect on the older generation, with over a quarter of people aged 55 – 64 saying that coffee has a positive effect on their love life.

DID Electrical carried out a survey of 500 Irish people and found that 63% drink at least two coffees a day.

That’s a lot of java being knocked back, which makes it worrying that 65 percent of people sad that they never use a reusable cup and 16 percent say that they only do ‘sometimes’.

here is a greater tendency towards using a reusable cup among younger people. 40 percent of 18-44-year olds report using a reusable container, but that number drops to 28 percent for 44-55-year olds and drops again to 21 percent for over 55-year olds.

In an age when a dozen new concoctions that are tangentially based on coffee spring up every week the regular americano remains the most popular order with 33 percent favouring it.

However younger people are more likely to favour some breed of cappuccino, and nearly half of 45 – 64 year olds find the range of coffees on offer today confusing.

And while it often seems as if every second business on the street is a café or coffee shop, people are still clearly favouring their home brew, with almost 75 percent of respondents saying that the buy no more than two drinks a week in a café or shop.

Ken Fox, Managing Director of DID Electrical said  “We love our coffee here in Ireland, but interestingly, most of it is made in our own workplaces and homes instead of in cafés.”

“Our customers tend to start with pod coffee machines and as they become more aware of brewing techniques, they progress to pump machines and into bean to cup machines and become more confident in being their own baristas.”

Get ready to Danse Macabre for the Macnas Halloween parade

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily life & style Macnas Danse Macabre Halloween parade

It won’t be long now before Macnas returns to the streets of Galway with their epic and otherworldly storytelling in their annual Halloween parade.

The Macnas Halloween parade is one of the most celebrated in the world for its fantastical pyrotechnics, giant constructs, and incredible performers.

Last year over 70,000 people packed the streets of Galway city to watch Macnas in this highlight of Ireland’s cultural calendar.

This year Macnas are going to Danse Macabre through the streets unleashing curiosity, fear, grief, love, laughter and party for the Halloween revelers.

‘Danse Macabre’ will take audiences on a journey with a boy called Conor and will see Macnas, the ultimate guardians of the unpredictable, conjure a magical-realist world which promises to be strange, unpredictable and utterly mesmerising.

The parade will be brimming with fizzing light, infusing the streets with spices and aromas, wafting and roaming around dense dark corners that rise to meet the transcendental and magical.

Always a gigantic undertaking, this year’s Halloween parade will feature the signature Macnas giant creations and sculptural images, pyrotechnics, bespoke costumes and epic performances to live and original music.

Mark O’Donnell, Executive Director of Macnas said “We are very grateful to be supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and Galway City Council for our year long programme of creative work.”

“In 2019, we are delighted to have the confirmed support of our platinum supporters Smyth’s Toys and our golden business patrons: O’Connell’s Bar Eyre Square and Acorn Insurance.”  

“This year, the Connacht Hospitality Group continues their generous support for the Macnas Young Ensemble which is terrific, and we look forward to working with our partners in the Latin Quarter again this year to deliver the iconic Halloween parade.”

The Macnas Creative Ensemble comes together every year with 45 professional artists and 300 volunteers and never fails to completely blow crowds away with some spectacularly inventive and new every year.

Creative Director of ‘Danse Macbre’ Dan Colley is joined this year by Dave Young (Lead Design); Saileog O’Halloran (Costume Design); Alma Kelleher (Music & Sound Design).

They are joined by hundreds of performers from the Macnas Young Ensemble (led by Miquel Barcelo); Youth Ballet West; Macnas Youth Drummers (led by Eimhin Craddock); Macnas Public Participation Programme; Macnas Brass Ensemble (led by Donal McConnan) and many more.

The 2019 Macnas Halloween will take place on October 27, starting off from NUI Galway at 5:30pm before wending its way through the city streets.

Macnas 2020

Next year during Galway’s time as the European Capital of Culture Macnas will be changing up from the usual routine, presenting a dramatic new version of the world’s oldest surviving story, the epic of Gilgamesh.

‘Gilgamesh’ is a tyrannical king, two- thirds god, one-third human, whose rule is challenged when he meets his match in a wild man and hero called Enkidu. The story follows their exploits against a backdrop of love, loss and adventure.

The legend of Gilgamesh has had a wide influence in Ireland and beyond, inspiring legends of heroes such as Cú Chulainn, Fionn Mac Cumhaill and Odysseus.

Macnas will be taking over the Black Box Theatre and the city streets next year for this epic performance that will roam indoors, outdoors,and beyond the city walls.

Noeline Kavanagh, Artistic Director of Macnas said that it promises to be “an adventure that will take our audiences on a rollercoaster ride like nothing they’ve ever experienced.”

 

image: Julia Dunin Photography

Adrahan housing plans rejected again on appeal

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily news Planning appeal over 91 houses & apartments in Athenry

An Bord Pleanála has upheld a decision to refuse approval for a housing development at Adrahan.

The proposed housing development in question would have involved the demolition of an agricultural building on a site in Adrahan and the construction of 23 houses in its place.

Galway County Council decided to refuse planning permission for the development in April over concerns about the private wastewater treatment system.

The council said that not enough information had been provided about the wastewater treatment system and its long term maintenance to approve it.

Without that information said that it could not be satisfied “that the development would not be prejudicial to public health”.

In lodging an appeal the developer said that this estate would be a beneficial residential in the village centre.

It was also argued that proper management of wastewater was a key consideration throughout the design process.

The appeal said that the wastewater system is compliant with all local and national regulations and that it would be maintained for a minimum of 20 years by Molloy Environmental Systems.

An Bord Pleanála ultimately decided to uphold the county council’s decision to refuse planning permission for the Ardrahan housing estate.

The higher planning authority said that there are severe deficiencies in the public sewerage system in Ardrahan, and that relying on private wastewater systems is poor planning.

The inspector also noted that the housing development is detahced from the main village and “fails to reinforce, strengthen and consolidate the existing urban form or to contribute to sense of place at the village of Ardrahan.”

Centenary celebration of a revolutionary Galway chemist

By
Briain Kelly
-
0
Galway Daily life & style Thomas Dillon revolutionary chemist centenary

Thomas P. Dillion was both a revolutionary chemist, and a revolutionary who was also into chemistry, who played an important role in both fields.

A key figure in science and an Irish Republican during the early 20th century, Dillon’s influential career as a chemist began in 1919 when he was appointed Professor of Chemistry at the then University College Galway.

A century later, and the scientific topics he started exploring, such as the study of carbohydrates and sugars, as well as research into Ireland’s seaweeds, are still relevant in today’s cutting-edge research.

On top of being a celebrated chemist Dillon was one active in the republican movement, serving in the Irish Volunteers and as a Chemical Advisor in the 1916 Rising.

NUI Galway are holding a centenary celebration of when he joined the university on October 2 at the ILAS Centre in Dangan.

The Thomas Dillon Centenary Symposium will see a day long discussion of his research and how it still resonates in chemistry today, as well as a from Dillon’s grandson, Professor Niall Dillon of Imperial College London.

Niall is a renowned molecular biologist who is carrying out research on stem cells and early mammalian development and its relevance to cancer.

The event will begin at 5pm with a ‘Threesis’ challenge where students will have to present their thesis succinctly in three minutes in a way that a lay audience could understand.

A ballet piece performed by Youth Ballet West and an historical lecture by Professor Dillon’s granddaughter, the author Honor O Brolchain at 6 pm will tell the story of “The ‘remarkable’ Thomas P. Dillon: chemist, revolutionary and professor”.

Professor of Chemistry at NUI Galway Paul Murphy says that Dillon’s research in developing products from carbohydrates is more relevant now than it ever has been before.

“Aside from the relevance to health, carbohydrates are highly renewable carbon stores and will certainly have roles to play in generating chemical feedstocks for making drugs or for the production of smart materials in future years.”

“This is potentially very important for the future of the West of Ireland given our proximity to the sea and importance of agriculture to the region.”

Chemistry and the revolution

Thomas P. Dillon was born in Sligo and it was through his love of science that he eventually became involved in Irish republicanism.

In 1912 Dillon was working as an assistant to Professor Hugh Ryan at UCD when he met his future-wife Geraldine Plunkett.

Through his future wife Dillon met her brother Joseph Plunkett, poet and one of the executed leaders of the 1916 Rising.

After serving as a Chemical Advisor for the rebels, Dillon and Geraldine were married on Easter Sunday of 1916, and watched the first smoke of the Rising from their window in the Imperial Hotel, O’Connell Street, where they were honeymooning.

Later Dillon would continue working towards the Republican cause in the political arena, and for his role working for candidates in the 1918 general election that saw Sinn Féin sweep Ireland Dillon was jailed for over a year in Gloucester.

Upon his release from jail, Dillon went straight to Galway for a job interview, keen to continue his scientific career and he was appointed Professor of Chemistry in 1919, a post he held for 35 years.

During all that time he was an enthusiastic teacher and wrote the first chemistry textbook in Irish.

He believed Ireland should be exploiting its natural resources, and his pioneering research in the fields of alginates (polysaccharides from seaweed) gained him an international reputation.

Under his stewardship, the School of Chemistry became a magnet for students, including two of the first women professors of chemistry in Ireland.

When he retired in 1954, he was succeeded by his former student Proinsias S. O’Colla, establishing a tradition of research in carbohydrate and glyco-sciences, which continues at NUI Galway to this day.

1...758759760...1,069Page 759 of 1,069