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Galway solicitor suspended for misconduct with client money

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily Courts Supreme Court rules marriage of convenience does not make a marriage legally null

A Galway based solicitor has been suspended from practicing law for a year after admitting to misconduct involving client money.

The High Court refused the recommendation of the Law Society that solicitor Thomas D’Alton be struck off after he admitted to misconduct to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, saying that the penalty would be “disproportionate” in these circumstances.

The court heard that Mr D’Alton, who practiced as James J Kearns & Sons in Portumna, admitted to misconduct involving using roughly €100,000 of client money for personal purposes between 2014 and 2016.

The Irish Times reports that this included using €10,000 from one client to pay a personal tax bill, and €8,000 from the estate of one deceased man to lower the overdraft on his office account.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly said that a year’s suspension was appropriate, taking into account that Mr D’Alton ensured that all his clients were later repaid along with his admission of guilt, and apology.

No client was out of pocket at the time of November 2017 when he closed his practice in Portumna the High Court heard.

Speaking for the defence Paul Gallagher SC asked that judge not to strike his client off, presenting a letter from a GP describing Mr D’Alton’s “catastrophic” ill health between 2014 and 2016.

During this period he had multiple surgeries, a hip replacement, and developed a serious bone infection, all the while having to continue working as a solicitor as he is married with two children to provide for.

The GP also said he had concerns about Mr D’Alton’s mental health during this time according to the Irish Times.

Mr D’Alton does have a prior disciplinary record, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal noted, including matters which ended in him having to pay €14,145 restitution to a man’s estate.

The judge imposed conditions on Mr D’Alton that will last for seven years after he is able to resume practicing as a solicitor in April 2020.

During that period he will only be allowed to give undertaking with the approval of a supervising solicitor and cannot have drawing rights on his clients or any practice he works with.

Judge Kelly noted that several solicitors in the area provided very positive references of Mr D’Alton and spoke of their willingness to employ him.

Woodquay street to close on Wednesday

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news road closure

Woodquay street in the city will be closed overnight on Wednesday for repair works.

The city council has issued a notice that the Woodquay road will be closed between the Headgord road and Eyre street from 7pm on Wednesday until 6am the following morning.

The reason for the road closure is to allow Irish Water to carry out sewer rehabilitation works in the area.

Alternative routes will be signposted during the closure.

Motorists are advised that an alternative southbound route is available via the Headford road and St Francis street.

Local access will he maintained while the road is closed.

Late Bishop of Galway Eamon Casey accused of sexually abusing three women as children

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Archbishop of Tuam calls for transparency and charity on Achill Island refugee accommodation plans

The former Bishop of Galway the late Eamon Casey was accused of sexually abusing three women as children, two of whom received compensation.

The Irish Mail on Sunday carried an extensive interview with Patricia Donovan, the niece of Eamon Casey, in which she claimed that the former Bishop of Galway had abused her from the time she was five.

She reported this to the gardaí in 2005, but no charges were ever filed against the bishop. While the allegations were reported in the media at the time, Patricia Donovan had not been named as his accuser before this report.

Sunday’s report also brought to light that Bishop Casey, who passed away in 2017 aged 89, was also accused of abusing two other children during the 50s and 60s.

Bishop Casey reportedly admitted to one allegation of abuse that occurred while he was a priest in Britain and two women have received compensation for the alleged abuse according to the Irish Times.

Eamon Casey was ordained as a priest in Limerick in 1951 before moving to Britain in 1960 where he served in the diocese of Arundel and Brighton.

In 2005 the diocese sent him to Galway on the basis of allegations that Ms. Donovan made against him.

One woman began a High Court action regarding alleged abuse by Eamon Casey during his time as curate at St John’s Cathedral in Limerick between 1955-1960 which was settled in 2017 shortly after his death.

Another woman made a claim to the Residential Institutions Redress Board about her complaint and was awarded compensation.

The Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora has said that it is aware of the allegations made against the former Bishop of Galway in 2005, adding that no prosecution was undertaken and that it was not aware of any criminal investigation of him at the time of his death.

The diocese’s statement also said that any allegations of abuse it receives are reported to all relevant statutory authorities.

The Garda Síochana and church authorities were reportedly notified of the other allegations in 2001 and 2014 by Limerick diocese.

Former RTÉ broadcaster to call for boycott of Eurovision in Israel at Galway meeting

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Galway city council calls for boycott of Eurovision in Israel

Former RTÉ broadcaster and Eurovision contestant Mike Murphy will be the keynote speaker at a public meeting calling for a boycott of the Eurovision song contest in Israel this year.

The Knocknacarra Palestine Network is launching the ‘Boycott Eurovision 2019 in Israel’ gig in Richardson’s Meeting Room, Eyre Square this evening at 7:30pm.

Mike Murphy will discuss his personal experience of Palestine and outline why he believes Ireland should boycott this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Israel.

He will be joined by a Palestinian refugee and a number of other witnesses to the daily life of the Palestinian people.

This year’s Eurovision contest will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, and KPN is encouraging people to boycott the competition as part of the broader BDS movement.

A spokesperson for the KPN said that holding the competition in Israel “whitewashes Israel’s ongoing contravention of international laws, and its human rights abuses against the Palestinian people.”

“Over a decade ago Israel launched their ‘Brand Israel’ programme. It has poured millions into promoting musicians and artists to portray a liberal face of Israel, purposely to counteract reports of its occupation of Palestine.”

KPN has also been running weekly stalls acquiring signatures to petition RTÉ not to cover the contest in Israel this year.

The NUJ has said that it will support action taken by any employee involved in the TV production who withdraws their labour through conscientious objection.

Galway’s most enterprising students to battle it out at Student Enterprise County Final

By
Shelly Hannigan
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student enterprise
Local Enterprise Office Galway’s Student Enterprise Day at the Ardilaun Hotel as part of the National Student Enterprise Programme. Photo Martina Regan

Teenage entrepreneurs from up to 50 schools across the city and county are gearing up for the Galway county finals of the National Student Enterprise Programme.

The finals will take place at the Salthill Hotel on Thursday, March 28.

Students will set up stands and explain their business ideas to the judges. There will be a DJ set by iRadio’s Louise Clarke and the county winners will be announced at around 2pm.

Special guests at the Galway final will include County Cathaoirleach Sean O’Tuairisg and Mayor of Galway Niall McNelis.

The expert judging panel consists of Niamh Costello (Galway Technology Centre), Mary Rodgers (The Portershed) and Basil Fenton (Business representative).

The students who are chosen as county winners at next week’s event will compete against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Annual Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on May 3rd in Croke Park.

An estimated 26,000 students from 490 schools around the country begin their entrepreneurial journey every year with the help of their teachers, student enterprise co-ordinators and Local Enterprise Offices.

The enterprise education initiative is funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities.

Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available fromwww.studententerprise.ie and by searching#studententerprise on social media. Follow Local Enterprise Office Galway on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates.

Early Learning providers encouraged to apply for €19 million pot

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Over €75,000 awarded to 11 Galway youth services

Early Learning and care providers in Galway are being encouraged to a €19 new pot of funding to support such services.

Galway West TD Eamon Ó Cúiv said early learning and care providers should take advantage of the Programme Support Payments which are opening for applications in May.

These payments are for service providers who receive funding from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to complete registrations, paperwork and administrative work and to perform activities outside of contact time with children.

These activities could include preparing materials for early learning and care sessions and assisting parents in understanding how they might benefit from the various childcare schemes supported by the State.

Applications for the PSP can be made during a six week window this summer from May 13 to June 21, with payments issued the following week.

This October, early learning and childcare in Ireland will undergo a major shift as the National Childcare Scheme replaces a collection of separate schemes and programmes.

“It’s important that providers are supported to ensure that the biggest change ever undertaken in early learning and childcare becomes a reality,” Eamon Ó Cúiv said.

According to the Fianna Fáil TD the new scheme represents a 117 percent jump in funding for since 2015.

Currently childcare services backed by the government include the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, a two year preschool programme; the Community Childcare Subvention programme which supports parents on a low income to avail of childcare; the similar Community Childcare Subvention Plus programme; and the Training and Employment Childcare programme which supports parents on training courses or returning to work.

The NCS will replace those, opening for applications this October, with Deputy Ó Cúiv saying it aims to “improve outcomes for children, reduce poverty, facilitate labour market activation and reduce the cost of childcare in Ireland for tens of thousands of families.”

New Writing Showcase is bringing out the talent at Cúirt

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily arts & culture Call to local writers for the Over the Edge Fiction Slam

Cúirt Literary Festival is just around the corner, and the annual New Writing Showcase will bring out the best emerging talent in Ireland.

Co-organised by Cúirt and Over the Edge, the New Writing Showcase has provided a platform for emerging writers in Ireland since 2006.

This year it features three participants from the Over the Edge literary series in Galway: Daniel McBrearty, Jessamine O’Connor, & John D. Kelly.

Daniel McBreaty is a writer of both poetry and prose, and a graduate of NUI Galway, whose work has been published in A New Ulster and Hot Press magazine.

Also in Galway he was a featured Reader at the December 2018 Over The Edge: Open Reading and he was a runner-up in this year’s Poems for Patience competition.

Jessamine O’Connor is a hard worker who facilitates the Wrong Side Of The Tracks Writers, and the Ballaghaderreen branch of Failte Isteach conversational English classes.

She won the iYeats, the Francis Ledwidge, and the Poetry Ireland Butlers Café poetry competitions, and was short-listed for the Hennessy, Over The Edge, Cuirt New Writing, Galway Hospital Poems For Patience, Bradshaw Books, Leaf Books andRed Line Book Festival competitions.

Currently, she is promoting her fifth book, Pact, and her first full collection of poems is coming out with Salmon in early 2020.

And John D Kelly is a Fermanagh man who has been Highly Commended in the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award 2016, awarded joint ‘Silver’ in the International Dermot Healy Poetry Competition in both 2015 and 2014, and won first prize in Hungry Hill ‘Poets Meet Painters’ 2014, amongst other awards.

The New Writers Showcase will take place during the Cúirt literary festival on April 10 at the Town Hall Theatre at 11am.

Dominick Street to close for sewer survey on Wednesday

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news road closure

Dominick Street Upper in Galway city will be closed overnight on Tuesday to facilitate survey works.

The city council has issued a notice that Dominick street upper will be closed between the Fairhill road junction and William street from 7pm on Tuesday until 6am on Wednesday morning.

The closure is to allow Irish Water to carry out a sewer survey on the street.

Motorists traveling westbound are advised to divert via Fairhill Road, Fr. Griffin Road, and Munster Avenue.

Alternative routes for traffic diversions will be signposted overnight.

Local access will be maintained at all time while the road is closed.

Higher planning authority approves 60 bed Salthill nursing home

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

An Bord Pleanála has upheld a decision to grant planning permission for a 60 bed nursing home in Salthill.

Approval was granted for the construction of four storey nursing home at the junction of Salthill Road Upper, Salthill Road Lower and Grattan Road next to Lenaboy park last August.

The site of the proposed nursing is currently occupied by the vacant Warwick Hotel, for which demolition approval has already been granted.

When completed it will have 60 bedrooms with surface car parking and a landscaped amenity area to the south of the site.

Other work to be done includes widening the entrance, altering pedestrian access points to make them more wheelchair accessible, and installing a security gate and improved boundary walls.

The development is projected to cost an estimated €6.7 million to construct.

When the city council granted permission last year it included 21 conditions including relocating the library in the design from the 1st floor to the ground floor.

It also ordered that the quantity and quality of open space in the design be significantly increased.

A third party appeal was lodged against the council’s decision, claiming that the land was not zoned for use as a nursing home, and that the plot density was greater than allowed on the site.

The appellant also submitted concerns about insufficient amenity space and the internal design of the nursing home.

Rushmany Nursing Homes Ltd submitted a response defending the design and arguing that the appeal should be dismissed, or that an oral hearing should be held.

An Bord Pleanála decided to hold an oral hearing on January 25 of this year at the Galway Bay Hotel, but the objector never showed up.

At the time legal counsel for the developer raised concerns about legitimacy of the appeal, noting that the objector’s name was spelled differently on multiple documents.

The Bord inspector recommended that approval be granted on the grounds that it is a “valuable community service” with good access to local amenities and public transport.

An Bord Pleanála granted approval with 15 conditions attached.

Crowdfunding campaign seeks to save Teach Solais LGBT+ centre

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Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Local community rallies around Teach Solais

As a funding crisis threatens to shut the doors of Teach Solais this year, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to try and save the LGBT+ centre.

Teach Solais is an LGBT+ resource centre that provides an essential community hub and support services for the LGBT+ community in Galway city.

But due to ongoing difficulties with funding, the centre could be forced to close by November based on its current costs and income.

To try and keep the lights on the ‘Save Our Teach Solais‘ crowdfunding campaign has been launched on GoFundme with a goal of raising €18,000

Amach! LGBT charity runs the community centre which is used for many essential health and peer services in Galway.

It serves as a hub for activities like the Galway branch of the national LGBT helpline, peer support groups like the GOSSIP transgender group, and many health related events like free HIV testing from AIDS West and meditation or wellness session.

Recent Health Galway funding has allowed the centre to expand on the various health initiatives that run out of Teach Solais for the benefit of the physical and mental health of the LGBT+ community.

AMACH! is dependent on funding applications, donations, and fundraising events to keep this service running, even with the generous support of volunteers who offer their time.

This is in stark contrast to other resource and outreach centres in Cork, Dublin, and Dundalk which receive ongoing funding for core staff, overheads and other operating costs.

AMACH has applied for funding from the HSE on three separate occasions over the past three years, two of which were unsuccessful and one that went through but only awarded €5,000, which is not sufficient to meet the centre’s needs.

Save Our Teach Solais has so far raised €2,772 out of its goal of €18,000.

 

photo: AMACH! LGBT

Galway students march against lack of higher education funding

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Galway students march for higher education funding

Students and staff at NUI Galway marched in a protest of a lack of funding for every level of higher education recently.

Fund the Future was organised by the Students’ Union at NUIG, calling for students to walk out of lectures for a protest calling on the government to properly fund higher education.

Protestors gathered at the big yellow thing outside the James Hardiman Library and marched to Quadrangle where activists from SIPTU, the Access Network, and the Students’ Union discussed how a lack of proper funding was making it harder and harder for people to get an education.

https://www.facebook.com/galwaydaily/videos/2184328104946692/

 

Ireland currently has the second highest level of student fees for third level education in Europe, and once the UK leaves we’ll be the worst offender.

But this march protested a much broader range of issues, included university staff protesting the growing issue of precarious employment at every level and the low level of student grants and funding for postgraduates.

Megan Reilly, President of the NUIG Students’ Union said that the funding model for higher education in Ireland is “fundamentally broken”.

On top of fees of €3,000 she highlighted that grant levels have been “stagnant” since 2012, whereas “the cost of living, particularly in the city of Galway, continues to rise”.

Students are also affected by a lack of funding for support services like student counselling where demand continues to grow year on year.

The march at NUIG was part of a nationwide movement under the Coalition for Publicly Funded Education which brings together the USI with Trade Unions and other concerned groups.

“Universities would traditionally have been known as very elite places to go to, and we would hope they are becoming more accessible,” Megan Reilly said.

But she warned that if the cost of education is not addressed, universities could go back to being elitist places inaccessible to many.

GoBus launches first ever regional route from Galway to Ballina

By
Briain Kelly
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GoBus is celebrating its tenth year in business with the opening if its first multi-stop regional route from Galway to Ballina.

The Galway Regional Connect Route is commencing on April 1 (no, this is not a prank), as the product of a €1 million euro investment by GoBus.

The new route will connect residents of Ballina, Co. Mayo to Galway city, with stops at Castlebar, Claremorris, and Tuam.

A single ticket for the new route will be €5 payable directly to the bus driver.

Departures from Galway city will run from 8:25am to 7:25pm daily, five time a day, with stops in the city at NUIG, the city centre, and GMIT.

Pick up point in Ballina is at Humbert Street with five daily departures between 5:10am to 4:10pm.

GoBus regional route

Creating ten new jobs in Ballina, the route will be managed by Mayo native Alan Fitzgerald who has worked with the company in the past.

An award winning Galway business, GoBus was founded by Corofin businessman Jim Burke who has kept the reins of the company in the ten years since.

He runs it with the help of his three sons Corofin; Dara, Transport Manager, Donal, Fleet Manager and Cian as Depot Supervisor.

GoBus has made a name for itself for the non-stop intercity routes connecting Galway and Cork with Dublin city and Airport.

Known for being comfortable and affordable with on-board wifi and sockets and flexible booking services the service has been a hit with travelers.

“After 10 successful years of Non Stop coach transfers between Galway and Dublin, we are now delighted to expand our services and make a significant €1m investment Regionally and delighted that our first route connects Ballina, Mayo and Galway city,” Jim Burke said.

The regional investment builds on the team of 60 at GoBus, providing a regional service for those attending college, university, hospital appointments in either Mayo or Galway, or wishing to travel to Dublin or Internationally.

NUI Galway wants the public to help imagine its future

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news NUIG Students' Union calls for repeat exam fees to be scrapped

NUI Galway is seeking the public’s input this week in shaping the future direction of the university over the next five years.

On Thursday March, 28 NUIG is hosting a a day-long online discussion called ‘Imagine NUI Galway’ to get input on its five year strategy.

Students, staff, alumni and members of the public are invited to log on and join in the discussion and share their views on how the university can best serve the city and region.

A series of discussion will take place over the day centreing on NUIG’s research, teaching, and public engagement, looking at how these can evolve to reflect the needs of society

President of NUIG Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said, “NUI Galway is your University and we’re keen that you also have a stake and a voice in its future.

“We would particularly welcome comments from people who don’t currently have contact with the University, as we are keen to open our horizons to new ideas and perspectives.”

Through consultation with staff and students, NUI Galway has identified five key values that it would like the strategy to focus on, seeking to ensure that the university is distinctive, respectful, accessible, expert and sustainable.

The online conversations this Thursday will give the people of Galway a chance to have their say on how these values can be addressed and implemented.

Anyone who wants to take part in the consultation should visit imagine.nuigalway.ie and join in the discussion from 11am onwards.

Salthill school submits plans for all weather pitch

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Salthill school submits plans for all weather pitch

Scoil Einde Boys National School in Salthill intends to improve its sports facilities with an all weather pitch.

The primary school has submitted a planning application to the city council for a 32m x 28m all weather pitch on its grounds at the Dr Mannix road with 5m high netting.

One public submission was made concerning this development which noted that the planning application did not include any information about changes to parking facilities, traffic management, or operating hours.

After being asked by the city council for more information about when and how the pitch will be used, Scoil Einde said that it will be solely for school use during school hours.

Initially is was proposed that the netting would be 6m high, but Scoil Einde submitted a revised design of 5m height after the council expressed some concern.

Galway city council is due to make a decision on this planning application this week by March 26.

Headford road works to cause traffic issues from Monday

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news Galway allocated over €42 million for local and regional roads

Traffic on the Headford Road will be delayed for the next week as roadworks take place.

Retexturing roadworks on the Headford Road will get underway on Monday and continue until Friday, March 29.

Work will take place on the N84 in Headford town from 9:30am to 6pm each day.

A stop and go system will be in place to manage traffic for the duration of the works.

Galway county council said that motorists travelling on the Headford road should give themselves additional time to allow for traffic delays.

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel submits plans for new guest wing

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway daily news Ballynahinch Castle Hotel expansion approved

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel in Connemara has submitted plans for expansion including demolishing an existing building and constructing a new guest wing.

The Ballynahinch Castle Hotel has made a planning application to demolish a staff accommodation block built in the 90s and constructing a new two storey guest wing with 10 bedrooms in its place.

Other works involved in the renovations include building a link corridor from the new wing to the existing hotel and installing new staircases to access the guest wings.

A Natura Impact Statement for the project compiled by Brady Shipman Martin Planning and Landscaping Specialists said that the development would not impact on any conservation interests in the area.

However, the Department of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht noted that the proposed development is right next the Connemara Bog Complex Special Area of Conservation and expressed concerns that the project could affect a number of habitats.

The county council made two request to the hotel for an updated NIS and Waste Management Plan, noting that the first plans included in the application did not contain enough information on how the developer proposed to mitigate any ecological impact.

It is proposed that a disused Bord na Mona wastewater treatment plant behind the staff accommodation building will be decommissioned and demolished, while waste management will be handled by a new treatment system which was installed in 2016.

Ballynahinch Castle was built as a country home on the Owenriff river in the first decade of the 19th century.

A Protected Structure, it has been expanded multiple times from the 1870s on.

In the early 20th century the current top floor was added to the building, and in the 1990s a single storey, wraparound extension was built around the east and south of the building.

It has passed through many hands over the years, getting foreclosed on by Law Life Insurance Company in the 1840s which led to a first failed attempt at opening a hotel.

The Castle later belonged to wealthy sportsman in the 1870s, and was leased to an Indian prince in the 1920s.

It wasn’t until 1946 that it reopened as a luxury, country hotel which it has remained as ever since.

Galway county council is due to make a decision on whether to grant this planning application by April 15.

18-year-old Galway girl wins silver medal at Ice Swimming World Championship

By
Michael Malone
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ice swimming world championships

Galway girl Ciara Doran has taken home a silver medal after competing at the Ice Swimming World Championship last week.

The eighteen-year-old finished just under four seconds behind winner Alisa Fatum from Germany in the 100m at the competition, which was held in Murmansk, Russia.

In all, 93 swimmers from 22 countries competed in the championship, which was held in a 25m swimming pool carved out of Murmansk’s frozen Lake Semenovskoe.

Ciara Doran also won a gold medal in the 200m Freestyle at the Arctic Cup in Murmansk, where Ireland claimed a total of eight medals.

A team of 12 Irish swimmers travelled to Russia, eight taking part in the World Championships and ten in the Arctic Cup.

Between the two competitions, a total of 400 swimmers from 33 countries competed in freezing water temperatures of 0℃ in Murmansk, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle.

“It was always my dream to represent Ireland on the world stage,” said Ciara Doran.

“To stand on the podium with the tricolour and being presented with the gold medal was a dream come through. After I was awarded the gold medal, I hugged my dad and we both cried. I felt like all my hard work was worth it.

“I train twice a day in a pool, Monday to Saturday, plus gym sessions. Last year was tough. Between injuries and exams it was both physically and mentally demanding.

“I’ve been fortunate to have good coaches along the way that inspired me and family to support me.”

Ireland’s Patricia Heffernan, who won gold in her age category for the Arctic Cup 500m Freestyle, received a special award for being the first deaf swimmer to complete an ice swim at 0℃.

Cuts to pupil teacher ratio threaten viability of rural primary schools says Ó Cuív

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

The pupil teacher ratios in small, rural primary schools need to be improved or else it will be difficult for communities to retain their local school according to Galway West TD Eamon Ó Cuív.

The TD lashed out at a “mean targeted cut” to the the pupil teacher ratio in rural schools in 2012 that saw two, three and four teacher primary schools getting their teaching staff cut.

In some cases, he said, schools were left with only a single teacher, threatening their viability.

He decried these cuts as “typical” of the government’s attitude to rural Ireland, accusing it of undermining basic services in favour of “cosmetic schemes” for rural development.

The Fianna Fáil TD said there is an urgent need to restore teacher levels in small primary schools to keep these services in the local community.

“One of the most fundamental things in any rural community is their primary school and Irish rural society is very attached to the primary school being retained within the community and is generally resistant to large scale amalgamation of schools.”

There should be two classroom teachers guaranteed for any school with more than ten pupils according to Eamon Ó Cuív.

He went on to say that he hoped Minister for Education Joe McHugh would take this issue up in the Autumn budget.

From Minnesota with love – High school band playing in aid of Galway Simon

By
Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily life & style Minnesota High School band play in aid of Galway Simon Community

Local schools and community groups in Galway have always shown strong support for charities like the Galway Simon Community, with many gigs raising funds to help them fight homelessness.

But the Rosemount High School Band have really gone the extra mile, or five and a half thousand of them, travelling all the way from Minnesota to share their music with Ireland, and help out a worthy cause while they’re here.

The band are playing a charity concert at NUIG on Monday to help raise money for Galway Simon where they will be joined by Irish Duo Glenn & Ronan and the university’s very own choral society.

The concert is completely free, but there will be a retiring collection in aid of the charity at the end of the night.

For anyone interested, the concert is on at the Bailey Allen Hall at NUIG on Monday, March 25 from 8pm – 10pm.

 

photo: Galway Simon Community

Lower back pain in the sights of €15 million research project

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Briain Kelly
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Galway Daily news NUIG chronic pain project shortlisted for €1 million prize

Researchers from Galway are taking part in a €15 million project targeting lower back pain.

CÚRAM Medical Devices Research Centre at NUIG is one of twenty partners in the five-year iPSpine project to fund new research into technology that can help with lower back pain.

Researchers from CÚRAM recently attended the launch of the project in in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The project is being coordinated by Professor Marianna Tryfonidou at Utrecht University.

iPSpine partners at the project launch in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Photo: NUI Galway

Chronic lower back pain is the leading cause of disability and morbidity worldwide, affecting over 700 million people of all ages.

It’s been estimated that the economic burden from this amounts to €240 million each year in the EU alone.

iPSpine will develop a new therapy to combat this issue using advanced stem cells and smart biomaterials.

The treatment is going to be designed to be injected into the degenerated discs in the spine to help re-populate regions that have deteriorated, with the goal of returning spinal function.

Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director at CÚRAM and lead on one of the packages for iPSpine said that this project addresses a critical need.

“Partnering in this unique consortium provides CÚRAM the opportunity to see our therapeutic design contribution through to implementation stage.”

“This will enable an accelerated translation of our research to therapy and produce real solutions for those who urgently need it.”

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