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Multi-million Athenry BIA Innovator campus ready to begin construction

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Athenry BIA Innovator campus ready to begin construction

Construction work is ready to move ahead on the multi-million euro Athenry BIA Innovator campus with the signing of a lease for the land.

The BIA Innovator campus in Athenry will encourage entrepreneurship and cutting edge research in the food industry to support the growth of business in the west of Ireland.

It will be run by Teagasc with partnerships including Galway County Council, Athenry Community Council, the GRETB, Western Development Commission and SCCUL.

The project was awarded €3.5 million from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund earlier this year which was also used for upgrades to the public realm in Athenry town centre.

Galway East TD Seán Canney said that he has received confirmation of the lease signing from Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed which should allow Tegasc to proceed with the project.

“This is great news and is part of the master plan for Athenry to realise its potential as a major food and tourism centre,” Seán Canney said.

“I expect construction of the BIA Innovator hub to move ahead now that all outstanding issues for the project have been resolved.”

According to Deputy Canney the BIA Innovator campus is expected to create 360 new jobs in 40 companies during its first three years of existence, along with 2,400 training places.

When completed the campus will cover 24,000sq ft of space for start ups, expanding businesses, and research in the food industry.

There will be four key components to support food enterprises on the campus:

  • BIA Obair: This will contain 12 food-grade specialist production units.
  • BIA Accelerate: Containing a Business Engagement Engagement Zone, a Business Information Centre and a Demonstration and Training Area.
  • BIA Blas: A showcase for new product development and a network for trade buyers, suppliers and investors.
  • Bord Eolas: A learning zone for people in the food industry with a demonstration kitchen and a Culinary Training Centre.

Galway councils pushing for Athenry to city commuter train

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news New timetable adds stops on Galway train services
file photo

Galway City and County councils are planning on working together to try and secure a new commuter train between Athenry and Galway city.

A motion was passed by the city council this month for it to work with the county on an application to Iranród Éireann for a designated commuter train.

Galway City Councillor Alan Cheevers welcomed the move as a “positive step for our transport infrastructure in Galway city and county”

The Fianna Fáil councillor added that he believed that funding for such a project could be applied for from both the Urban Regeneration Fund and the Department of Transport.

Creating this commuter train line would involve a passing loop on the track in Oranmore and platforms at Oranmore, Roscam, Ballyloughane, and Renmore to Galway City.

“This will give a great opportunity to link platforms with bus services to Parkmore and GMIT to get people out of cars and give a positive transport solution,” Councillor Cheevers concluded.

Seven marine tech projects win funding for Galway Bay testing

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Seven projects awarded funding for Galway Bay testing

Galway’s Marine Institute has awarded funding to seven projects by universities, institutes of technology, and private enterprises testing marine technology in Galway Bay.

The Marine Institute issued an open call to academia and industry to apply for the National Infrastructure Access Programme to test their technology at the SmaryBay facilities in Galway Bay.

The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and NUI Galway were both among the successful applicants for funding from the Marine Institute.

NUIG is testing ‘Wave Resource Characterisation’ at the Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site off the coast of Spiddal.

While GMIT is carrying out ‘Environmental DNA/RNA metabarcoding for monitoring marine biodiversity’ which will pay particular attention to invasive species in the bay.

The awardees will each receive approximately €25,000 worth of support per project to trial and validate their technology and/or gain access to the relevant data feeds to carry out scientific research at the SmartBay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site.

Other institutes which will be carrying out research and testing in Galway Bay under this round of funding include DCU, Sligo IT, Queen’s University Belfast, Dundalk IT, and Danalto Ltd.

These awards will see organisations deploy equipment on the test site, connect to and access the underwater observatory, and analyse the many data feeds which are collected on site every day.

The SmartBay test site, is Ireland’s national marine and renewable energy test and demonstration facility.

CEO of the Marine Institute Dr Peter Heffernan said that the NIAP offers a great opportunity for academia and businesses to benefit from the use world class facilities in Galway Bay.

This will enable them to “prove novel technologies through deployments in real-sea conditions” he said.

Over the past seven years more than 50 projects have been awarded funding for testing in Galway under the NIAP.

The full list of projects which received funding in the 2018/2019 open call and details of what they are developing is:

Lead Organisation
Project Title
Dublin City University
Demystifying the Ocean through Underwater Video Analysis: marine life activity detection, classification and indexing for the SmartBay ocean observation platform.
Sligo Institute of Technology
A Small Waterplane Area Twin Hulled (SWATH) Tide Buoy with Real-time Kinematic (RTK) positioning for Accurate (centimetre level) Tide Gauge Calibration.
Queen’s University Belfast
Can introduced marine infrastructure enhance the conservation of vulnerable species?
Dundalk Institute of Technology
Wave parameter estimation from oscillating water column pressure signal – Phase 2 Electronic optimisation of the WASP
Galway Mayo Institute of Technology
Environmental DNA/RNA metabarcoding for monitoring marine biodiversity in Galway Bay, with particular attention to marine Invasive Alien Species
Danalto Ltd
LoRaC2.4 – A geolocation technology for the marine environment
NUI Galway
Wave Resource Characterisation at the Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site

The first of these projects are now preparing for deployment and testing over the coming months.

Galway medtech company secures €10 million EIB backing

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news No Monkeypox cases reported in Galway to date

The Galway based medtech company Vivasure Medical has secured €10 million in financing from the European Investment Bank.

The funding will be used by the medtech startup to expand research and development of medical devices to provide non-invasive cardiology treatment.

Vivasure has pioneered biodegradable devices to treat cardiology patients that otherwise would have required invasive vascular surgery.

The company was first established in 2009 and operates out of the Parkmore Business Park West near Ballybrit.

“Over the last decade Vivasure Medical has developed innovative and easy to use medical devices that transform cardiology and endovascular treatments and avoid the need for access and closure surgery,” said CEO and co-founder of Vivasure Gerard Brett.

“We welcome the European Investment Bank’s firm support and agreement of €10 million of new financing that will enable Vivasure to accelerate innovation and expand into new markets. This is a vote of confidence in the Irish Medtech.”

This is the second time that the EIB has provided long term financing for an Irish medical company, which was announced ahead of a briefing for Irish business leaders on financing opportunities supported by the EU bank in Dublin.

“Ireland is home to world class innovation and the European Investment Bank recognises the crucial need to ensure that research driven companies can expand and succeed in new markets,” said EIB Vice President Andrew McDowell.

He added that this funding will “contribute to efforts to improve cardiology and endovascular treatment through pioneering medtech innovation.”

“In partnership with IBEC we wish to ensure that companies across Ireland can consider how streamlined innovation financing can turn research ideas into commercial success.”

Last year the European Invest Bank Group provided over €970 million in long term financing to higher education, healthcare, transport, and clean energy projects across Ireland to strengthen these sectors.

It has also promoted increased corporate research and innovation within those fields.

‘No smoking or vaping’ – GMIT launches Healthy Campus initiative

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news GMIT Healthy Campus

This week has seen GMIT commit to fostering a healthy lifestyle and diet with the launch of its new Healthy Campus initiative.

Minister of State with responsibility for Health Promotion Catherine Byrne launched the Healthy Campus initiative at the GMIT Galway campus on Monday, saying that it is important for education to also teach young people to look after themselves.

The GMIT Healthy Campus initiative was first mooted last year by staff interested in working together to make the Institute of Technology a healthier place to study and work.

This took place around the same time as GMIT committed to the Healthy Ireland Higher Education Healthy Campus network and its goals.

A working group was established to meet those goals and has rolled out multiple campaigns connected to healthy living already, with more to come next year.

The biggest upcoming initiative is the ‘Clean Air – No Smoking or Vaping across all GMIT Campuses’ policy to be rolled out in January 2020.

“The young people who attend our Higher Education Institutions are the future leaders and parents in our society,” Catherine Byrne said at the launch.

“So it is important that they have the knowledge, capabilities and confidence to look after their own health and wellbeing, and that they feel supported in this.”

Multiple health related initiatives have already been rolled out such as the joint nutrition programme from the canteen and department of natural sciences, or the sexual consent workshop for all first year students.

Other ideas introduced as part of the initiative so far have not been so directly connected to physical or mental healthy, but more broadly related to promoting campus wellbeing.

One such example is the award winning Voices staff choir set up last February. This has been such a success that a new student choir will join it this semester.

The Acting President of GMIT Dr Michael Hannon said that this initiative has had a “transformative” impact on morale since it began.

Chairperson of the GMIT Healthy Campus Initiative Anita Mahony said that they are delighted with the level of staff and student engagement.

“This month the new GMIT Social Staff and Student Running group started up and within days 70 staff from all campuses had signed up,” she said.

Gardaí coax drunk man down off the roof

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Briain Kelly
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galway daily news Nineteen Galway secondary schools taking part in underage drinking study

Gardaí had to coax an extremely drunk man down from the rooftops after he scaled a building in order to have a chat with his friends.

Dara McDyre (46), with an address at Domaghmore, Navan, Co. Meath was charged with being drunk in public to such an extent that he was a danger to himself or others.

Galway District Court heard this week that on July 24 of this year gardaí were called to the Rahoon Road in Galway City in response to reports of disturbance.

Upon arriving at the scene they found McDyre on the roof of a building talking to his friends through an open window.

Gardaí were able to coax the extremely drunk McDyre down from the roof and speak with him on the ground.

While they were talking with him he was slurring his words and seemed very anxious to get back talking to his friends the District Court heard.

Judge Mary Fahy gave McDyre, who is currently serving a prison sentence, a €200 fine with six months to pay.

Kylemore Abbey lighting up red for World Heart Day

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Planning permission extended for new Kylemore Abbey monastery

The iconic Kylemore Abbey in Connemara will be lighting it’s Victorian walls up red this month for World Heart Day.

The annual World Heart Day is organised by the World Heart Federation each September 29 to spread awareness of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular problems remain the single biggest cause of death globally, and this day is meant to promote preventative measures that can reduce the risk of heart disease.

In association with Croí, the west of Ireland heart & stroke charity based out of Newcastle in the city, Kylemore are creating an itinerary of events for September 29.

Events will take place at the 1,000 acre estate of the Abbey & Walled Gardens which it is hoped will appeal to young and old in the fight against heart disease across Connemara, Galway and the West of Ireland.

Other iconic landmarks that are known to be lighting up as well to mark the occasion include the Browne Doorway in Eyre Square and Bon Secours hospital.

On top of the red light show there will also be two hikes to the Sacred Heart Statue above the Abbey at 11:30am and 2:30pm.

These are dedicated to Croí volunteers, Kylemore Abbey team members and their families.

Phillip Lee, recently appointed Head of Tourism and Hospitality at Kylemore commented, “We’re delighted to be associated with Croí for World Heart Day.”

“In such a stunning location with it’s unique mindful and spiritual atmosphere, visitors are bound to experience excellent results from World Heart Day at Kylemore Abbey and Walled Gardens”.

If the day leaves you feeling peckish then Mitchel’s Café will offer visitors a deliciously tasty Heart Hero menu option that doesn’t strain the ticker.

Healthy locally sourced options will include

homemade Kylemore soups, salads with herbs and leaves from the Kylemore Abbey Victorian Walled Gardens, fish and dishes made from locally sourced produce.

The popular dessert menu will feature fruit crumble with oatmeal toppings, fruit tartlets along with many other healthy sweet treats.

Visitors will be advised to work off the delicious treats with woodland and lakeshore walks on the Kylemore Estate.

While you’re in Mitchell’s Café visitors can sign the Heart Hero’s Wall in the foyer to show their support for the goals of World Heart Day.

Leading the signatures on the day will  be Mother Máire, Abbess of  the Kylemore Benedictine Community who reside on the Estate, along with Mitchel’s Café Sous Chef Dolores Heanue who recently experienced the benefits of Croí’s work in Galway following cardiac surgery.

Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Gardens offers visitors a unique experience on its 1,000 acre estate, including the recent €3 million From Generation to Generation Exhibition which traces the history of the abbey.

For more information on World Heart Day with Croí, the heart and stroke charity, and Kylemore Abbey and Walled Gardens please log onto websites, www.croi.ie or www.kylemoreabbey.com or follow both on social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Kid’s buggy used in Penney’s clothes theft

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily courts buggy used in clothes theft

A woman who hid clothes in her child’s buggy was convicted of theft at Galway District Court.

Bridget Delaney, of Carrowclough in Tipperary town, appeared before the District Court charged with theft from Penney’s at Galway Shopping Centre.

The court heard that on March 28 of last year at 12:20pm she was in the store with her child when she placed multiple items of adults and children’s clothing in the child’s buggy and left the store without paying.

She was seen by security and later apprehended by gardai, where she made full admissions.

The stolen clothes  which had a value of €68, were recovered in a saleable condition.

The defence said that Delaney had been having difficulties at the time after the birth of her child shortly beforehand and doesn’t fully remember the incident, but was pleading guilty.

Though she lives in Tipperary Delaney has family in Galway the District Court heard, which is why she was in the city that day.

Judge Mary Fahy said that it is a very serious matter for a woman in charge of a young child to use that to help commit a crime.

She imposed a €300 fine for the single theft charge with three months to pay.

Health Innovation Hub supporting medical start ups in Galway

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Briain Kelly
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A new Health Innovation Hub which has officially opened in Galway is supporting start-ups and expanding businesses in the medical sector.

Minister for Employment and Business Pat Breen and Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly opened the third national Health Innovation Hub at UHG last week.

The HIH is based out of NUI Galway’s Lambe Institute for Translational Research at UHG.

The HIH supports medical start-ups and expanding businesses by working with them and with hospitals and primary care centres at the other end of the chain.

It allows for emerging businesses to have easy collaboration with partners in the health service and works with them at every stage from ideation through to concept development and at the later stage of proof of concept in a clinical environment.

Minister Daly said that this “groundbreaking” enterprise will make it easier for companies to access healthcare experts and bring innovative products to the market.

Health Innovation Hub Ireland was first launched by Simon Harris in 2016. The newly opened hub in Galway is the third after previous hubs at UCC and a second at Trinity College Dublinast year.

In Galway, HIHI works closely with other Enterprise Ireland programmes including BioInnovate Ireland and BioExel at NUIG as well as the university’s Translational Medical Device Lab; CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Medical Devices, and the HRB Clinical Research Facility.

Professor Martin O’Donnell, principal investigator with the Galway Health Innovation Hub combines expertise from NUIG and the HSE to deliver healthcare projects.

“With a strategic location, embedded in the heart of the hospital, research and teaching, the Hub is a welcome resource to clinicians, researchers and companies,” Prof O’Donnell.

To date, Health Innovation Hub Ireland has engaged with more than 256 companies and 160 healthcare employees to discuss their innovative ideas.

CEO of Saolta University Healthcare Group, Tony Canavan said that this is a “unique partnership” between the health service and enterprise sector.

“Critically, it gives staff working on the front line of the health service an opportunity to bring their ideas and proposals to the Hub that will ultimately improve outcomes for our patients”.

Connacht Hotel leads the way on sustainable hospitality

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily life & style Connacht Hotel named among most Family Friendly destinations in Europe

Galway’s Connacht Hotel is leading the way in making the hospitality industry as green and sustainable as modern tourists demand.

For 50 years the Connacht Hotel has been on the cutting edge of the tourism industry in Galway, adapting to customer needs and the changing face of business.

Doing what we can on every level to make our society and industry more sustainable has become a hot topic, and the Connacht is doing its part by adopting an aggressive green strategy.

This has already paid of in terms of waste produced and electricity usage, with recycling rates up 56% year on year and electricity usage down by a fifth.

Paper use has also declined by 19% at the hotel, and the number of disposable cups filling up the bins has dropped through the floor by a staggering 75% in a short space of time.

This has not gone unrecognised, as in February the Connacht Hotel achieved a Green Hospitality eco label and plan to move this to a Silver accreditation by the end of 2019.

Recently the Connacht Hotel played host to a meeting organised by the Galway Convention Bureau with leading representatives of the hospitality industry in Galway.

Galway Daily business Connacht Hotel sustainability conference

The Convention Bureau had a panel of expert speakers in the area of sustainability, as well as workshops which highlighted that green activities don’t just have a positive impact on the environment, they can deliver huge savings for businesses.

During this conference the Connacht was held up as an example of best practice in the area of sustainability for its peers in the hospitality industry.

“We have a lot of work done but we still need to do more,” said Rose Finn, Galway Convention Bureau Manager, on the work of the bureau, the city and its members in the area of sustainability.

She elaborated that the Convention Bureau has a number of enquiries for conferences in the pipeline that are tackling issues related to sustainability.

These often demand that the host venue display their green credentials before choosing a place to hold their conference.

“However its not only these type of conferences,” Rose Finn adds, “others are now looking to reduce their carbon impact on the environment by choosing a sustainable destination to host there business event”.

This opens up many opportunities for businesses in Galway, but the Convention Bureau also warned if our business tourism suppliers are not eco certified and moving in the direction of sustainability we could lose potential business events.

In an application led by Galway Convention Bureau and supported by Failte Ireland. Galway was ranked as one of the top cities on the latest Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index in 2018, a rating system designed to recognise responsible practices in the business tourism and events industry.

Galway was the only Irish destination to crack the top 20 spots on the list, while Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Kerry received lesser recognition for their green credentials.

The team at the Connacht Hotel said that they will strive to live up to their environmental commitment, while making sure guests have the best possible experience away from home.

 

sponsored by the Connacht Hospitality Group

Eight weeks of N84 traffic disruptions begin today

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Some traffic disruption is expected at the Galway-Roscommon county line today near Mountbellew due to roadworks taking place

Disruptions to traffic on the N84 are expected for the next eight weeks with roadworks getting underway on the national route today.

Traffic will be affected by Fibre Optic Cable Laying works on the N84 between Ballindooley and Headford which got underway on Monday morning.

The works are starting between Ballindooley Cross and Corrandulla Cross before proceeding on towards Headford.

It’s expected that the works will take between six and eight weeks to complete.

A traffic management plan will be in place along the N84 while the fibre optic cable is being laid.

Motorists travelling in the area are being advised by the county council to expect delays in the coming weeks.

Protests come to an end at Ballinasloe meat processing plant

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Galway farmers awarded €2.2 million under beef finisher scheme

One of the last pickets standing in the beef protests which have swept Ireland in recent weeks has end in Ballinasloe.

The Independent Farmers of Ireland last night voted to end ongoing protests outside Liffey Meats in Ballinasloe after blockading it for weeks.

Last week the Meat Industry Ireland and farmers groups involved in the protests including the IFA reached an agreement which will see some price increases and bonus payments.

A special Taskforce will be established to both implement the measures of the agreement and to structurally examine the beef sector.

A meeting was held at Taghmaconnell, near Ballinasloe between farmers and representatives of the last remaining beef processors where protests were still taking place.

Galway TDs Michael Fitzmaurice and Anne Rabbitte are also understood to have addressed the meeting where there was wide support for ending the remaining the remaining protests in Ballinasloe, Cavan, and Monaghan.

The IFA has said that while the agreement is a success, its implementation will depend greatly on processors approach to the base price of cattle.

Base price proved a stickler in negotiations due to Ireland’s “flawed competition law” the IFA said.

Headford NS building early years and after school care facility

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Three Galway schools join Creative Clusters collaboration

The Headford Girls National School is expanding its role in childcare in the local community with the addition of early years and after school care facilities.

The Board of Management at Scoil Mhuire na Dea Comhairle on Church road in Headford is seeking planning permission for an “early years service (0 – 3 years) and after school accommodation.

St. Jarlath’s Diocesan Trust, which owns the land in question, sent a letter of consent to this development in with the planning application.

Headford Girls NS was first opened in 1949 by the Presentation Sisters just over a decade after they arrived in Galway.

Galway County Council is due to make a decision on this planning application by October 10.

Galway awarded €190,000 for substance abuse family support worker

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Substance abuse family support worker

The appointing of a new family support worker in Galway city to help improve support available to families where there is a substance abuse problem is one of 12 healthcare projects awarded €2.28 million this week.

Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne has this week announced 12 initiatives tackling substance abuse across Community Health Organisations which have each been granted €190,000.

In CHO 2 covering the west of Ireland a new family support worker will be appointed in Galway City.

Their role will be to “create a greater awareness of the needs of families affected by substance use, increase visibility and accessibility of supports and make information readily available.”

“In addition, this support worker will build the capacity of families, professionals and service providers, enhance service provision to families and expand the evidence base on how best to support families experiencing substance misuse.”

Other projects will focus on young people, the homeless, and women who have drug or alcohol abuse problems.

Minister Byrne said that the 12 projects chosen reflect regional priorities agreed on between the HSE Community Health Organisations (CHOs) and the Drug and Alcohol Task Forces to get resources where they are needed.

She added that they will strengthen the implementation of early harm reduction goals within the National Drugs Strategy and help responses to emerging trends.

“I am committed to implementing an integrated public health response to substance misuse, and to supporting those people in our communities who are struggling with addiction and need intervention and support,” Minister Byrne added.

“Working in partnership with statutory, community and voluntary sectors is central to this response, and I am confident these new health initiatives will have a positive impact and make a difference to people’s lives as they journey to recovery”.

Funding for these initiatives has begun this month and will continue until June 2022. Over this three year period the projects performances will be closely monitored to see which are effective in reducing substance abuse, and which are not.

New gym at Joyce’s in Headford approved

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Plans for Headford gym

Pat Joyce has received planning permission for a new gym at Joyce’s Shopping Centre in Headford.

The development involves changing the use of Unit No. 10 at the shopping centre on Church Road, Headford from retail to a gym and minor alterations to elevations of the shopping centre.

The gross floor space of the proposed development is

The gym may only operated between the hours of 6am and 10pm according to a restriction from the county council.

Planning permission for the change of use was ultimately granted by the county council with a total of four conditions attached.

 

Galway Street Club say busking bylaws could force them out of the city

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily arts culture Galway Street Club say busking bylaws will

Galway Street Club have warned that the newly introduced busking bylaws could drive them out of Galway if they want to continue playing.

Several aspects of the busking bylaws voted in by Galway City Council this month, to come into force next year, will make it impossible for Galway Street Club to legally play in the city they said.

“We are sorry to inform you that as of January 2nd, 2020 we will no longer be able to legally perform on the beautiful streets of Galway,” the band said in a statement online.

“Shop Street is where we all met and it’s where so many of us have learned and crafted our art. Just like so many other residents, blow ins, traveling artists and performers who visit the city every year, we have grown on this street because of the open artistic community that thrives here.”

The busking bylaws have been described by Galway Street Club as “restrictive, almost suffocating” regulations which will “take opportunity away from all future musicians, magicians, dancers and chancers”.

Three main restrictions laid down by the bylaws were of particular concern to the band: That a performers shall not “say, do, or sing anything that is likely to cause alarm, distress, or offence” to any member of the public, business or others.

This, the street band insists, is censorship that could open them up to a €1,500 if someone is having a bad day and feels like making a complaint.

Another section of the bylaws also restricts any performance in the protected streetscape which attracts a crowd. This, it is alleged, is punishing artists for being popular and trying to make a living.

The final complaint, and the central element of the busking bylaws, is banning any amplification on the city centre streets except between 6pm and 10pm, and a blanket ban on the use of snare drums.

The band argued that they need amplification when performing as “because of the general noise level of the streets, in combination with the amount of people we have, we can not sing loud enough to not use an amplifier while we busk.”

In addition they said that the drum kit is the “cornerstone to modern music” and that a ban on drums is essentially a ban on contemporary bands.

The bylaws caused heated discussion at the city council before their passage, with opponents saying that they would send a message that Galway is against busking.

While their supporters have argued that they are necessary to protect rate paying businesses in the city centre which are being impacted by excessive noise and crowds blocking foot traffic.

Busking as a career starter

Without being able to busk on the streets of Galway, forming the city’s most eclectic band in the process, Galway Street Club would never have been able to make their way from playing at Wheelans and the Roisín Dubh up to featuring at festivals like Electric Picnic and GIAF.

The incredibly popular street band said that the introduction of these bylaws “changes the future of music that graces this city”.

The band said that with them in force other musicians would never be able to come together the way they did on the streets of Galway.

“Even the council has seen this and have used our image and reputation as advertising in their bid for Galway 2020-European Capital of Culture. Frankly, we find the two faced nature of this despicable and hurtful.”

“We believe that it is disgraceful that the Galway City Council would not only restrict something so beautiful but that they would knowingly cut so many people off from their ability to make a living in this city.”

“So because of this: we will have to break the law, severely change our sound, or leave the city in order to continue practicing our craft.”

The band encouraged people to speak out against the bylaws, warning that busking as a tradition is becoming more and more criminalised and restricted.

They said that they are not opposed to regulation, but claim that this process occurred with a complete disregard for the majority of public opinion or any meaningful consultation with buskers.

“This started right here in the heart of Galway. Because of these laws, the chance of others to do the same has been severely damaged.”

“We’re not the only crew of musicians who have used these streets as a stepping stone to carve our niche and we really hope we will not be the last.”

Mobile and internet infrastructure planned for Westwood Hotel site

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Planning refused again for Galway City mobile tower

Three Ireland are planning to build a mobile tower or antennae at the new student accommodation replacing the Westwood Hotel in Newcastle.

The mobile operator is seeking planning permission to build a “shrouded multi-operator telecommunications installation” on the roof of student accommodation being constructed at the site of the former Westwood Hotel.

Permission for this alteration to existing plans was granted by NTMP ROI Seed Capital LP who are building the student accommodation in Dangan.

Three say in the application that this is not a new addition to the area, and that “There has been an established telecommunication presence at this location since 2004/2005 when antennae were first erected on the roof of the Westwood Hotel”.

After the hotel closed a temporary support structure was erected at the site to provide mobile and internet coverage in the are with temporary planning permission until July 2020.

“Failure to maintain a telecommunications installation at this location will have an immediate and negative impact on Three’s, Vodafone’s and Eir’s networks and their customers”.

Under Irish law mobile operators are required to share space on masts and towers in order to avoid redundancy.

Telecommunications regulations also encourage the use of rooftop sites for mobile infrastructure in order to cut down on the number of independent, free-standing structures

“This site is required to maintain the mobile voice and data coverage and services to the busy surrounding residential dwellings and retail and commercial development which will be lost if a permanent site is not secured at this site”.

The application warns that this will have a particularly strong impact on customers in the IDA Business Park, the NUIG campus, and along the N59 arterial corridor.

Public submissions related to this project can be made to the city council until September 29, and a final ruling on this planning application is due by October 20.

Three year survey of underwater reefs comes to a close

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Marine Institute finishes three year mapping of underwater reefs

Voyages of exploration might be confined to historical fiction in many minds, but there are many corners of the world that are still being uncovered to this day.

Marine scientists on an expedition led by Galway’s Marine Institute have completed the final leg of a three year project mapping and exploring underseas reefs in Irish waters.

The Marine Institute’s RV Celtic Explorer played host to a research expedition made up of scientists from NUIG, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Plymouth University in the US.

They ploughed the waves on a 21 day expedition investigating sensitive deep-sea habitats at the outer extent of the continental shelf off the southwest of Ireland.

This expedition was the final voyage of a three year project called SeaRover (Sensitive Ecosystem Assessment and ROV Exploration of Reef).

It was led by Galway’s Marine Institute and INFOMAR, the national seabed mapping programme.

The SeaRover surveys began in 2017, and in the time it has been operational, mapped 154 separate location with highly significant deep water habitats of coral reefs.

Yvonne Leahy, Chief Scientist on the survey from the NPWS said that sensitive reef habitats like these make up fragile ecosystems that attract a variety of marine species such as sea pens, sponges, fish and crustaceans.

“Surveying these habitats enables us to better understand Ireland’s deep sea territory so that we can protect and monitor our marine biodiversity and sustainably manage Ireland’s marine resources effectively,” she added.

Underseas reefs

The survey utilised the Marine Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV Holland 1 to capture high-definition footage of reef habitats up to 3000 m deep, and to recover biological and sediment samples from 52 locations along the continental margin.

The first SeaRover Survey in 2017 included the discovery of the deepest known occurrence of the cold-water coral Solenosmilia variabilis, which formed reefs up to 1,600m deep.

In 2018 the team discovered a rare shark nursery, 200 miles west of Ireland, filming a large number of egg cases on the sea bed at depths of up to 750m and a large school of blackmouth catshark.

The same voyage also recorded a large number of coral varieties seen in Irish waters for the first time.

coral reefs

All told the SeaRover project involved a combined 63 days at sea, recorded 332 hours of high-definition video from the seafloor, almost 14 days of footage, and has undertaken detailed studies of 350 km of seabed along a shelf extent of nearly 2500 km.

The surveys have explored 154 different locations along Ireland’s continental margin, including the Rockall and Porcupine Banks, the Goban Spur and the Whittard Canyon.

On this latest survey scientists from NUIG and Plymouth gathered a range of biological samples to enable further research into population genetics studies, ecological modelling, and the harvesting of sponges for potential novel compounds for use in bio-medical applications.

“After three years, the survey team has created an extensive data set which represents one of the most comprehensive assessments of Ireland’s marine biodiversity,” said Leonie O’Dowd, Marine Institute Section Manager.

The SeaRover project was commissioned and jointly funded by the Irish Government and the EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

Its hoped that the data it gathered will be used to help information government policy and industry practice in the marine industry in Ireland.

NUI Galway named as University of Sanctuary

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news

NUI Galway has achieved a benchmark in its approach to inclusivenessby being designated as a University of Sanctuary.

The University of Sanctuary initiative aims to promote the inclusion of International Protection Applicants, refugees and Irish Travellers within the higher education system.

The initiative is organised by Places of Sanctuary Ireland, a network of groups in local communities which share the objectives of promoting a culture of welcome and inclusiveness across Irish society.

heir University of Sanctuary initiative encourage and celebrate the good practice of universities, colleges and institutes welcoming refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants into their university communities in meaningful ways.

President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said that the University of Sanctuary status means responding to issues affecting society such as integrating new communities, demolishing barriers to education, and eliminating discrimination.

“It is also an exemplar of our values as they have emerged in our university strategy, in particular our values of respect and inclusiveness,” he added.

“As such, our designation as a University of Sanctuary is a distinctive signal of the character of NUI Galway, seeing ourselves as part of and not apart from our wider society.”

While this programme places its emphasis on international migrants in many places, the steering committee for this initiative at NUIG also included Irish Travellers in its remit.

It had a focus on the promotion of Irish Traveller culture as an innate and positive element of Irish society, and to address the low levels of participation at second and third-level education amongst Irish Travellers.

“On behalf of our University community, I look forward to working with all of our communities to make Galway city and county a ‘Community of Sanctuary’ over the coming year,” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh added.

To celebrate the official designation, NUI Galway will host a designation ceremony on Thursday, November 21.

Galway city promoting greater disabled access on Make Way Day

By
Briain Kelly
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0
Galway daily news Public spaces in the spotlight for Make Way Day

The annual Make Way Day is taking place on September 26 in Galway city and elsewhere to promote the needs of disabled people in public spaces.

The Make Way Day campaign is led by the Disability Federation of Ireland and brings together a wide range of local voluntary groups and government bodies.

Some of the other groups behind the campaign are the Irish Wheelchair Association, Fighting Blindness, Enable Ireland, Arthritis Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis Ireland along with many others.

It is about promoting awareness of the needs of people with a disability in public spaces, where a minor issue for a fully able person can be a severe obstacle in the path of a person with a disability.

The greatest impediments being highlighted by the campaign are: cars parked on footpaths, bicycles illegally parked, and bins left on footpaths.

A big part of the day is taking and sharing photos and videos of these kinds of obstacles with the hashtag #MakeWayDay or #MakeWayDayGalway.

Last year saw over 1,000,000 people reached by the campaign on social media, and so far it has the support of 19 local authorities.

This year Mayor of Galway Mike Cubbard will launch Make Way Day in Galway city with a coffee morning at the City Museum.

Following the launch there will be a meet and greet between local businesses, people with a disability, agencies and those with an interest in Accessibility in Galway City.

Galway City Council unanimously gave its backing to the campaign last year and called on the Taoiseach to create and financially support a a national Make Way Day in September.

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