The annual Galway Bay Swim is looking for volunteers and boats to assist in this year’s race, which will take place later this month.

They are looking for Ribs and small motor boats, but say that any other suitable pleasure craft between 5 and 8 metres would be considered.

Now in its 13th year, the Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay Swim in aid of Cancer Care West will take to the ater on Saturday 21 July.

Safety is a priority for the swim; each year the event reaches out to the maritime community in the west to support the swim through boat support.

Each swimmer needs a boat to follow and track their swim and organisers are again this year asking any boat owner to get in contact with the hope they can volunteer their services on the day.

“The most suitable boat type is a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat ) fitted with an outboard engine and we are again asking people to help support the swimmers in this year’s swim across the Bay,” explained Ciaran Oliver of Galway Bay Boat Tours.

“Ideally we are looking for Ribs and small motor boats, but any other suitable pleasure craft between 5 and 8 metres would be considered.

“However we are urging people to get in touch and we can then pull together resources from what we have and ensure that this swim is again a safety success.”

The swim which is now sold out will see close to 130 swimmers taking part this year it is now one of Ireland’s biggest and longest one day swims.

Starting from Auginish in Co. Clare and finishing at Blackrock Diving Tower in Salthill, the swim is a distance of roughly 13 kilometres….if you swim straight.

This year there will be 65 solo swimmers and 65 relay swimmers taking part in teams of 2,3 and 4 swimmers.

Since the swim began 13 years ago, 569 people have swum the Bay and this year again it will be a mixture of swimmers who have completed the swim every year and complete novices.

Last year’s swim raised €108,000 for Cancer Care West and we are hoping to beat that this year. T

he monies raised will help fund the expansion of our support services for cancer patients including a counselling service for children and a dedicated gym rehabilitation space for cancer patients.

The Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay Swim will take place on Saturday July 21st.

People are invited to go down to Blackrock diving tower, Salthill to welcome the swimmers home from 12 Noon.

Three NUI Galway students have been awarded Student Sustainability Leadership Awards as part of the University’s drive to advance student participation in sustainability efforts on campus.

Róisín Doherty, from Westport Co. Mayo, who is studying with the College of Science; and Enda Gilgarriff from Headford, Co. Galway, and Séan Harkin from Lifford, Co. Donegal who are students with the College of Engineering and Informatics all received awards and will share the €10,000 prize.

They will also undertake summer internships with the NUI Galway Community and University Sustainability Project team (CUSP) to gain experience in sustainability related research application, networking, and communication with experts in the field.

The NUI Galway Student Sustainability Awards Programme is part of the NUI Galway Sustainability Strategy 2017-2020.

The Strategy sets out a vision of establishing NUI Galway as a top-class, green, smart and healthy campus.

The Strategy was developed by the Community and University Sustainability Project Team (CUSP) following a campus-wide inclusive and holistic engagement process.

Speaking at the announcement of the Awards, Michelle O’Dowd Lohan, Sustainability Engagement Associate at NUI Galway, said: “CUSP recognises the key role that students will play in establishing a sustainable university as key drivers and developers of change.

“We are keen to develop student leaders that are dedicated and enthusiastic about developing a more sustainable campus and community and student input is crucial to support the implementation of Strategy targets and objectives.”

The awards programme is funded by NUI Galway Student Union through the Student Project Fund.

Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív has called on the Housing Minister to get to grips with what’s going on in his department and stop delaying funding to bring 40 local authority housing units back into use.

Galway County Council applied to the Department of Housing in March for funding but the Council is still waiting for its request to be evaluated.

The Fianna Fáil TD said: “I find it difficult to understand how, at a time of a housing crisis in Galway and around the country, it is taking the Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government more than four months to evaluate an application which would bring 40 homes back on stream.

“Some of these houses have fallen into disrepair and need work carried out on them.

“In March Galway County Council submitted an application to the Department for funding under the voids programme so that these homes could be brought back into use.

“It’s still waiting to hear back from the Department.

“This is a ridiculous situation.  Galway is in the grip of the worst housing crisis it has ever faced and the government is delaying essential funding, which would not only get homes back on stream, it would be able to do it much faster than having to build them from scratch.

“Minister Eoghan Murphy needs to get to grips with what’s going on in his Department.  These applications should not be taking four months to review.

“I am calling on the Minister and his officials to urgently approve this funding so that families on the local authority waiting list can be accommodated.”

Calling all Sheep (and food) lovers…

Food features and family fun are top of the agenda at the free event Sheep 2018: Farm To Fork, taking place in Athenry on Saturday the 7th of July.

This year, to tie in with Galway having been awarded the European Region of Gastronomy designation, there will be a significant emphasis on food. This will be hosted in a specially designated Food Village.

Programme Coordinator for Galway ERoG, Elaine Donohue, said, “We are very excited to have such a unique showcase taking place in Athenry.

Our theme for the year is ‘From the ground up, feeding our future’, so we are encouraging people to get out and learn more about our food industry. It is important not to miss these opportunities to learn and engage at primary level so come along to Sheep 2018 for a family-friendly experience.”

Top television cook Catherine Fulvio is lined up to present two one-hour demonstrations on cooking lamb at 12 noon and 2pm. Lamb butchery demonstrations will also take place at 11am and 3pm.

A local food showcase will feature more than 20 producers from Galway and the West of Ireland. The Galway Gastronomy Van will be on-site delivering demonstrations and showcases from all of the producers with a full schedule for the day.

Health and nutrition as well as food waste are key messages at Sheep 2018: Farm To Fork with opportunities to meet awareness group Croí and the Food Waste Team’s recycling ambassador.

Galway 2020’s Project Baa Baa, led by Galway cheesemonger Seamus Sheridan, will be making its first appearance at Sheep 2018: Farm To Fork where it will be launched. Activities and demonstrations will include uilleann pipe music, sheep shearing, wool spinning, hand weaving and knitting as well as curing and smoking meats.

The county’s food heritage will be showcased with displays by local community groups, the Galway Gastronomy Heritage Project and the Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna. Craft workshops will be led by Loughrea Craft Club and craft maker Melanie Loren who works with straw. Music, song and dance seisiúns will take place at 10:30am, 12.30pm and 1.45pm, finishing with a céilí mór from 4pm until 5pm.

Expect a fantastic line-up of fun children’s entertainment, too, in the form of stilt walkers, tight rope walking and spinning plates. Or learn to milk a cow, or take a photo with some giant sheep.

Alongside this year’s Food Village, other attractions will include commercial exhibitors, sheep breed competitions and displays, as well as demonstrations of sheepdog training.

Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD today officially opened NUI Galway’s €34 million Human Biology Building, bringing together the existing disciplines of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology & Therapeutics at the University.

The building will be home to undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and will carry out cutting-edge research by academics from throughout the campus in the areas of Science and Medicine, and Engineering.

The Human Biology Building, funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and NUI Galway will create a platform for discovery, development and delivery.

It will also build on the output of NUI Galway’s cluster of world-leading biomedical research groups in areas such as regenerative medicine and stem cell research, cancer biology (particularly breast and prostate cancer) biomechanics and biomaterials.

Speaking at the opening, Minister for Health, Mr Simon Harris TD, said: “I’m delighted to officially open this building and its facilities, which will extend the capacity for and delivery of biomedical research at NUI Galway.

“NUI Galway researchers are tackling some of the most pressing issues of our times and the opening of this new building will, I hope, help to strengthen the university’s deserved international reputation as being amongst the very best in the provision of research-led education.”

Galway Food Tours will take to the coastal streets of Salthill for one day next month, showcasing the best of what the seaside village has to offer, from signature Galway roasted coffee to the internationally acclaimed Micil Poitin.

Poitín, craft beers, a little jazz and wine, Kombucha and coffee are just some of the refreshment highlights – all paired with signature small plates from the Black Cat, share platters from Oslo Bar, Seasonal veggie boards in The Nest and a sweet treat or two from Murrays local bakery.

Galway Food Tours started in 2015 by Sheena Dignam, the business has found its feet and its voice with Irish people on staycations and international tourists and will take place on Wednesday 22 August this year.

Sheena, who is now joined by Gosia Letowska, is on the streets of Galway showcasing the real Ireland, the incredible food, produce and most of all people who are behind what we are now seeing in our shops and on our plates.

Telling stories and sharing a slice of life is why people travel. Getting that insider culture and the real where to eat, drink, enjoy life in that city is invaluable.

The tour will begin at Micil Poitin new distillery where Padraig will talk through the making process and legalisation of this traditional Irish spirit, all whilst guests will enjoy a Cocktail Aperitif.

Then onto Oslo Pub which is owned by the Galway Brewery.

Here their Impressive selection of beers and international brews will be paired with tasty bites and there will be a talk on the microbrewery scene. Crossing the street to the Black Cat, the talk will turn to jazz and to accompany this, guests will taste a couple of their signature dishes paired with a glass of wine of course!

Onto the Funky boutique hostel, The Nest where Agatha Lisik (Who has a Masters in microbiology, she comes from a Polish tradition of pickling) will give a talk and a practical approach to fermentation/pickling and Kombucha making. This will be accompanied by seasonal veggie treats.

Finally, it’s onto the Barista Bus to sample the delights of Calendar Coffee Roaster and sweet Treats from local café/bakery – Murray’s.

The tour will kick off at 6pm. Tickets, €75 are available from www.galwayfoodtours.com or call Gosia 087-6444678.

A new anti-dumping awareness campaign It’s Not in Our Nature – Is it in Yours? for the Connacht Ulster Waste Region has been launched to create awareness around illegal dumping.

This comes as significant funding has been made available by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to tackle the issue.

Galway City Council has been allocated €53,263. A schedule of clean ups will take place over the summer months in areas including Sliabh Ban, Ballybane and the Dyke Road.

A clean up and an Awareness Campaign will take place in Westside, which will include engaging a consultant to complete a door-to-door survey.

This campaign is a proactive step to support the work being undertaken by Galway City Council and is being delivered in partnership with the Regional Waste Authorities.

Speaking at the campaign launch, Minister Naughten said: “I very much welcome the regional campaign which will further support this year’s Anti-Dumping Initiative framework.

“Not only will a wide range of clean-up projects led by Local Authorities take place, in addition, some Local Authorities have also sought funding for overt and covert surveillance equipment and drone technology to target dumpers.

“The aim is to reduce illegal dumping by providing funding for projects tackling the problem and to develop an integrated and effective combined approach with local authorities, communities and other state agencies.

“I am also delighted to announce that my Department has provided €61,500 for 22 mattress amnesty events which will take place across the region during the summer months.”

The new regional awareness campaign will support extensive clean-ups undertaken by local authorities throughout the nine local authority areas in the region– Cavan, Donegal, Galway City and County, Leitrim, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon and Sligo.

The importance of a clean green environment is critical in terms of making our region a better place in which to live, work and do business

Sean Scott, Regional Waste Enforcement Co-ordinator said: “Our overall aim is to eliminate unsightly illegal dumps and further protect our environment both in rural and urban settings as well as engaging with the public to ensure that areas remain clean once clean-ups have taken place.

“Significant costs are associated with cleaning up illegally dumped waste and there is an onus on all citizens to dispose of waste in the correct manner.

“I also welcome the Ministers support for a mattress amnesty.  Householders should contact their Local Authority for details of mattress amnesty events that are taking place,” said Mr. Scott.

Gary McMahon, Galway City Council said: “There is still a cohort of people who are irresponsible in disposing of their waste which ultimately results in small and large scale illegal dumps and to those individuals we appeal to cease this activity.

“Householders are being alerted to the fact that they are obliged to provide evidence of where they dispose of their waste and can be held responsible and fined for illegal dumping.

“Householders should retain receipts as proof.”

Members of the public are being called upon to continue to play their part by ensuring to dispose of waste responsibly using a permitted service and to take the time to report sightings of illegal dumping to the local authority or through the Environmental Protection Agencies reporting app SEE IT, SAY IT at www.epa.ie/enforcement/report/seeit/.

Well-known Galway Accountant Tom Hyland has announced that TJ Hyland & Co Accountants and Tax Consultants is now the proud sponsor of the Athenry Under-14s camogie team.

Tom has a keen interest in sport with a particular interest in hurling and camogie, and said: “Sponsoring the Camogie team in Athenry was an obvious choice for us as we are a 100% Irish brand.

“We also sponsor The Druid Theatre Galway – we take corporate social responsibility very seriously.”

Tom Hyland is a firm believer in hands-on management and is very much involved in the day-to-day management of his business.

Paul Kelly, Manager of Athenry U14 Camogie, said: “Athenry Camogie Club is currently the largest Camogie Club in Galway and is proud to have, for the first time in its history, 2 teams to represent them at U14 level.

“These 46 girls have been together for several seasons and have won County titles at many underage levels.  Both teams qualified for the county finals in 2018 in their respective divisions.

“All 46 girls had new gear bags generously sponsored by TJ Hyland & Co Accountants and Tax Consultants.  We look forward to a long relationship with TJ Hyland & Co into the future and are positive he will be there to cheer us on to many more victories.”

Tom Hyland has run his own business in Galway since 1979 and they are currently located at Steamship House, Dock Street, Galway.

He is a fellow of The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.

TJ Hyland and Co Accountants and Tax Consultants bring a real inspiration for what is possible in business in Ireland and see themselves as role models for the many aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small firms.