Problems with Debit Cards not working again in Galway

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June 21, 2018

Galway v Mayo - Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1 Round 3 — 11 February 2018; Roisin Flynn of Mayo in action against Mairead Seoighe of Galway during the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1 Round 3 match between Galway and Mayo at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile *** NO REPRODUCTION FEE ***

Galway face Mayo in the Connacht Senior Ladies Football Final this Sunday (24th June) as part of a double header with Roscommon verses Sligo who meet in the intermediate decider at 2pm.

The provincial finals have become a major sporting occasion in recent years with the curtain raiser providing as much excitement as the clash between the two senior rivals.

With Ladies Football enjoying a surge in popularity following their record breaking 46,000+ attendance at the 2017 All-Ireland Finals in Croke Park, a bumper crowd is expected to descend on Castlebar.

Connacth LGFA President Liam McDonagh described it as “the biggest occasion in Connacht” and chatted to Galway Daily before the double header.

Galway take on Mayo in the 2018 Connacht Senior Ladies Football Final on Sunday, 24th June. Throw-in at MacHale Park, Castlebar is 4pm.

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Senator Frances Black to Speak about Ireland acting on Palestine

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June 21, 2018

Senator Frances Black to talk about Ireland acting on Palestine - Galway Daily

Speaking in Kinvara, Galway tomorrow, Friday 22nd June will be Independent Senator Frances Black about her recent visit to Palestine.

Senator Black, will be talking at 7pm on Friday 22nd June about the people she met and the concrete steps Ireland can take against the ongoing injustice.

In 2014 Kinvara took peaceful action in response to atrocities faced by the people in Gaza by initiating a unique community boycott.

In July, Seanad Éireann will debate her bill to end Irish trade in illegal #SettlementGoods. In the Occupied West Bank, families are forcibly kicked out of their homes, fertile farming land is seized, and the fruit and vegetables produced are sold on Irish shelves to pay for it all. Though Ireland condemns the settlements as illegal, we continue to support them economically.

Senator Black will present the Occupied Territories Bill 2018, which can end this hypocrisy, and how people can show their support before next month’s vote.

She will be joined by Palestinian Ambassador Ahmad Abdelrazek, Human Rights Monitor Lisa Kerr & journalist Ciaran Tierney.

A Book of Condolences, signed by members of the Kinvara community following the killing of dozens of unarmed protesters and children in Gaza in recent weeks, will also be presented to the Ambassador.

The event is free and all are welcome to attend at The Courthouse, Kinvara, Galway.

For more information you can contact – education@galwayowc.org

Award-winning ‘Blue Planet’ cameraman to present at SeaFest 2018

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June 21, 2018

Galway News - Whats On - SeaFest 2018 — 30/06/2017 REPRO FREE: PowerFly’s world-champion flyboarders perform stunning aerial acrobatics at Seafest 2017 in Galway. Photo: Andrew Downes, xposure.

Flyboarding and seafood cooking demos, free kayaking, sailing, films and talks by Emmy and BAFTA-award winning underwater cameraman Doug Allan – all this and more at Galway’s SeaFest 2018!

SeaFest – Galway’s annual maritime festival – will hit the docks for its second year from June 29th to July 1st for a weekend full of free sea-based events and activities, including talks by one of the world’s best underwater cameramen.

Winner of eight Emmy Awards and five BAFTAs Doug Allan‘s previous work has included the BBC’s The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, and Ocean Giants.

Allan will present seven talks over the weekend, sharing his experiences from filming at some of the wildest and remote places on the planet at the festival’s purpose-built marquee The Atlantic Theatre.

Another special guest is Joan Mulloy, the first Irish female sailor to compete in the world-famous Solitaire du Figaro race, who will share how she will be undertaking this sailing challenge.

The festival aims to celebrate the amazing ways our oceans and seas enrich our lives.

Dr Peter Heffernan CEO of the Marine Institute said “SeaFest showcases Ireland’s maritime resources and also conveys an important message about the value of our oceans. Not only a source of food and transport, our oceans also support diverse ecosystems and provide opportunities for tourism and leisure.

“No matter how far you live from the shore the ocean affects our lives. SeaFest is a great opportunity to celebrate our marine resource, and get people talking about keeping our oceans healthy, as it’s a resource we all depend on.”

RTÉ documentary Ireland’s Deep Atlantic will be screened at the festival as well as Academy Award-nominated Irish animation Song of the Sea.

World-champion flyboarders will spin and spiral high into the air performing amazing tricks and flips three times a day in the heart of Galway Harbour.

More than 800 free harbour kayaking sessions are set to take place over the three days, with keelboat trips on Galway Bay and motorboat trips to the Claddagh as well as sailing sessions from Irish Sailing also available.

Galway News - Sailing at SeaFest — Sailing at SeaFest 2017 Photo: Andrew Downes, xposure.

Galway Harbour will also welcome one of the newest vessels in the Irish Naval fleet, the LÉ William Butler Yeats – which will be free for visitors to climb aboard and explore.

The Marine Institute’s marine research vessel RV Celtic Explorer and the Commissioner of Irish Lights vessel the ILV Granuaile will also be docked and open for tours as well.

There will be dynamic exhibits of live fish and shellfish species, and an under the sea virtual reality display where visitors can meet the creatures of the deep.

Ireland’s top chefs JP McMahon, Michael O’Meara and Oliver Dunne, and BIM’s Young Fishmongers of the Year will show festival-goers how easy it is to prepare fish and seafood at home through a series of live demonstrations.

And there will be plenty of creative and educational activities for kids – and parents – at a dedicated Kids Zone.

Through the Explorers Education Programme, children can discover Ireland’s marine life at touch tank displays, and learn about marine litter through a number of games and interactive activities.

Galway News - SeaFest family fun — Family at last year’s SeaFest Photo: Andrew Downes, xposure.

“SeaFest 2018 is truly a family festival,” said Dr Heffernan. “The range of exciting activities and attractions on and around the water aim to engage the young and the young at heart, in the magic and mystery of the ocean.

“All events and activities taking place over the weekend are free, making it possible for the entire family to enjoy the festival experience.”

Supporters for SeaFest 2018 include Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Bord Bia, Commissioners of Irish Lights, Department of Defence, Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Galway Harbour Company, Irish Coast Guard, Irish Sailing, the Marine Institute and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

To view the full festival programme visit seafest.ie. To stay updated on all festival announcements download the free SeaFest Festival App and follow SeaFest on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Maigh Cuilinn Community will unite on a Memorial Walk this weekend

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June 21, 2018

Diamond Hill Memorial Walk - Galway Daily

Family, GAA and the community spirit of Maigh Cuilinn will unite on a Memorial Walk up Diamond Hill this coming Sunday, June 24th.

A memorial walk has been organised in memory of the late James Devaney, a sufferer of Cystic Fybrosis, a husband, father of 2 boys, a lover of the GAA and a former coach of the Cumann Peile Maigh Cuilinn/Cumann Iománaíochta Maigh Cuilinn.

The memorial walk is being organised by the remaining coaches of the Cumann in memory of their fellow coach and friend James Devaney.

David O Reilly, both a fellow coach and friend of James spoke about where the idea of the memorial walk came from.

“James passed away in mid October. Some of us knew he was sick but he didn’t want to be defined by having Cystic Fibrosis (CF) so it wasn’t public knowledge.

“We didn’t want the year to go by and not have done something because then it’ll be pushed out to 18 months and then it’s 2 years and then people tend to forget about things so that’s the reason behind Diamond Hill.

“The idea of doing Diamond Hill was he always wanted to do it but he didn’t have the lung capacity to get to the top. His family would go out there and they would do it but he couldn’t get to the top.”

David emphasised the fact that the other four or five coaching members of Cumann Peile Maigh Cuilinn/Cumann Iománaíochta Maigh Cuilinn had spoken about doing something in James’ memory and ensuring it was ok with his family was their top priority.

“We discussed it with Shayna, his wife and she’s fully on board with it. There’s four or five of us driving it really if you know what I mean. We discussed things we wanted to do and how we could remember him best.

“This seemed to be the one that ticked all the boxes in the sense that families could get involved because a young person or an old person can climb Diamond Hill.

“The idea is that we all gather there at roughly 12 o’ clock/12.30 and let people set off on their own pace. If someone takes an hour and a half to get to the top – great. If they take two hours, if they take an hour, it doesn’t matter. It’s just let’s all try and get up there and if we have a load up there at one stage all the better.

“It’s not a race so people should take walking breaks or water breaks, just sit down and take a break. We will have bits and pieces from the football club to raffle off for the kids that are there and we might do an egg/spoon race.

“It’s not trying to raise a big load of money for CF, if we will that’s a bonus on top of what we’re doing basically but the more awareness we can get in James’ memory is what is driving this.

“We didn’t really envisage it was going to be a big fundraiser as such but more of a family day out, a memorial and that.

“All funds will go to CF – there are sponsorship cards and people donating money as well so there should be a decent amount gathered but that wasn’t the idea behind it. It was more to remember him.”

James was a loving husband and a father of two young boys, Michael 10 and Jack 6. He was a family man, a GAA man and a man of the community. He worked with the CF Foundation in NUIG where he was doing a lot of research on CF.

David recounts the joy James felt when a new drug was brought out a couple of years ago.

“There’s another kid in the village, she’s 11/12 and a sufferer of CF. He rang her parents straight away and said her future is going to be better. He wasn’t looking at it from a selfish point of view. He was delighted, he was very much part of the research crew.”

Sunday’s memorial walk is a chance for the community to unite in his memory, to remember the good times he had within the community and to help his remaining family. His wife Shayna, two kids, Michael and Jack, his brother Richard, sister Helen, and his in-laws will all partake in the walk.

“It’s more of a family day out with a picnic down at the bottom, some people will come out and they won’t walk because they just want to be involved.”

David urges the Maigh Cuilinn community to come together and partake in this family event in memory of a strong family figure within the community. Even if you don’t fancy climbing Diamond Hill there will be plenty of craic in Connemara National Park on the day. The James Devaney Memorial Walk takes place this coming Sunday, June 24th.

City Council gives full backing to Galway 2020 leadership

By

Briain Kelly

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June 20, 2018

Galway Daily news City council backs Galway 2020 management at special meeting GALWAY 2020

Galway City Council overwhelmingly gave its full backing to the leadership team of Galway 2020 on Tuesday evening, despite initial concerns about funding issues.

The city council called a special meeting to receive an update on the progress of delivering Galway 2020 at the June monthly meeting due to concerns about progress in raising funds and the departure of Creative Director Chris Baldwin.

Chairperson of Galway 2020 Aideen McGinley and Chief Executive Hannah Kiely said that despite some “bumps in the road” Galway is making good progress, with over 90% of projects outlined in our bid for City of Culture 2020 locked in.

52 projects throughout the city and county have been agreed on already out of more than 140 applications. 24 of those events will take place across the three wards of Galway city. Roughly 70% of the final programme will come from the bid book, with 30% open to further applications.

Funding worries for Galway 2020

The main area of concern expressed by councillors was a lack of clarity and communication over how much money has been collected and spent by Galway 2020 so far, and how closely that matches up with the projections shown to the council.

The city council has committed €6 million of the €46 million budget for 2020. The EU has also promised to fund Galway 2020 to the tune of €3.2 million. CEO Kiely said that of the city council’s commitment, €3.8 million was still outstanding, while the majority of EU funding would be delivered in 2019 and 2020.

The important point , she said, was that this funding would continue to come in right up to 2021, rather than having to be in place by January 1, 2020: “The first event is 18 months out, but the last event is 30 months out.”

Fears about the readiness of Galway 2020 were dismissed as premature alarmism by councillor Noel Larkin, “I’m not sure what people are expecting,” he said, “Are they expecting to deliver 2020 in 2018?”

Councillor Pearce Flannery agreed with councillor Larkin, saying it wasn’t the business of the city council to be micromanaging the company. The Service Level Agreement between the city council and the Galway 2020 has only been in place since May 8 this year, and commits the company to presenting the city council with quarterly updates.

The management team promised to return to the council with updated budget figures as soon as they are available.

Team 2020

Councillor Padraig Conneelly was the harshest critic Chairperson McGinley and CEO Kiely at the meeting, asking pointed questions about the departure of Mr. Baldwin and the appointment of a Business Engagement Director.

“From what I’ve heard here today I’ve no confidence in the ability of the Chair and the Chief Executive to deliver,” Councillor Conneelly said, “You’re creating a crater for yourself in the road, not a bump.”

Chris Baldwin was appointed Creative Director of Galway 2020 last year, but departed in the last few weeks in what has been called a mutual decision. Chairperson McGinley said she would not be discussing internal employee matters for privacy reasons, but that an announcement will be made about his replacement in July.

Chief Executive of the city council Brendan McGrath dismissed any worries about Mr. Baldwin’s departure, telling councillors that the first Creative Director of every single European City of Culture has left before the project was completed.

Irish, and its place in Galway 2020, was also a topic of interest for several councillors, “It’s one of the jewels of out county that we have one of the big Gaeltachts,” said Councillor Cathal O’Conchúir, “that jewel needs to be exposed.”

Councillor Mairéad Farell backed councillor O’Conchúir saying there should be a Gaeilgeoir on the management team as Galway is a bilingual city and county, “It’s not just about speaking about it, but speaking in it.” she said.

Motions of Support

Two similar motions were brought before the council for a vote. Councillor Noel Larkin proposed a motion saying the board of Galway 2020 had the full support of the city council, while councillor Flannery brought a similar motion specifying the the board and senior management had the council’s backing.

Councillor Larkin’s motion passed 14-3. Councilors Conneelly, Collette Connolly and Ollie Crowe cast the voteds against it, with councillor Mike Cubbard absent from the chamber. Councillor Flannery’s motion passed 13-4.

The only councillor who voted differently on the two motions was Mike Crowe. Councillor Crowe voted in favour of backing the board of Galway 2020, but declined to endorse the motion expressing confidence in the board and senior executives.

Ballinasloe and District Sports Notes (Wednesday, 20th June)

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June 20, 2018

Covering local sports news in Ballinasloe and the surrounding areas including Kilconnell, Ballygar, Ballymacward, Caltra, Ahascragh, Fohenagh, Mountbellew, Cappataggle and Kiltormer.

PADRAIG PEARSES (GALWAY)

Last week was a busy week for Pearses U12s, on both the hurling and football fields. They defeated Craughwell and St Michael’s in football and on Saturday also came out on top in the hurling against Meelick-Eyrecourt.

They have recorded 4 football wins from 6 games to date, with 2 wins from 2 in the hurling. Pearses U10s took part in a Blitz played last Sunday in Oranmore, with Oranmore-Maree and Castlegar also taking part.

Well done to Jack Barrett and Cathal Kitt who were part of the Galway McDonagh Celtic Challenge team that defeated Dublin Plunkett to advance to the semi-final stages.

Galway U21 hurlers played a historic first game in the Leinster U21 Championship last week, defeating Offaly in Tullamore. Pearses’ Cyril Donnellan was a selector and Brendan Egan was part of the backroom team.

St Kerrill’s N.S., Gurteen were unlucky to lose out to Tullykyne NS (Moycullen) in their Cumann na mBunscol 9-a-side hurling final. The game went to extra-time – 6-11 to 4-11.

Our condolences to the family of Jimmy Cogavin RIP, Rathfarnham. Jimmy is a native of Gurteen and brother of recently deceased Joe. Jimmy and Joe are sons of Tom Cogavin, a member of the 1923 Galway All-Ireland hurling winning panel.

The current Club Lotto jackpot is €13,400. This week’s draw was held in Ruane’s Glentane.

Details of upcoming and recent events will be online at 6pm every Wednesday.

If your club or society has any information you want to share, please contact sport@www.galwaydaily.com with news/results/reports/events/pictures etc. You name it, we want it! And anything received before 10pm the previous Tuesday night will be included.

Galway Band will entertain crowds on the longest day of the year

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June 20, 2018

Celebrating light and music – June 21st is not only the longest day of the year but also World Music Day, where local Galway Band is set to entertain crowds at the Rosin Dubh.

Bob Skeleton will be taking to the main stage in the Roisin Dubh tomorrow night at a free event from 9pm.

The 4 piece Midnight-Pop band Bob Skeleton are from Galway. Intertwining late night grooves and shimmering melodies to create a dynamic blend of West Coast cool and Mancunian mood.

2017 was a busy year for the band, releasing their second and third EP’s respectively in ‘If This Isn’t Love’ and ‘Boiling Point’, as well as the stand alone single ‘See the Moon’. To compliment a busy year of recording they also took their tightly honed live show across the country, including headline slots in Whelan’s and The Roisin Dubh respectively to full capacity rooms, as well as support slots with HamsandwicH and Otherkin.

They also made their Electric Picnic debut on the Body&Soul mainstage, showing their ability to captivate even larger audiences. After taking a brief break early in the year due to their drummer’s academic commitments, 2018 promises to be even bigger and better with tours and festival shows already in the pipeline.’

Bob Skeleton released ‘If You Want’ on May 25th 2018.

Head to the Roisin Dubh tomorrow night where you can see them live at the from 9pm.

Bray teen gets probation after falling asleep in nightclub toilet

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June 20, 2018

Galway News - Courts - Bray Teen falls asleep in nightclub toilet

A Wicklow teenager pleaded guilty to abusive behaviour and public intoxication at Galway District Court last week after falling asleep in a city centre nightclub toilet.

19-year-old Lauren McKeever of Bray, Co. Wicklow fell asleep in the toilet at Four Four nightclub in Abbeygate street on March 23 last year.

The court heard she was only in Galway for three nights on a weekend trip.

When her friends tried to wake her, she lashed out at them – kicking.

Neither Ms McKeever’s friends nor the nightclub security succeeded in calming her down, so the gardaí were called.

She had to be handcuffed and taken in to Galway Garda Station – where she remained aggressive until her father came to collect her after driving from Bray in the early hours of the morning.

The young woman has serious background medical issues and no previous convictions.

District Court Judge Mary Fahy told the court she hoped it was a “once-off” incident before giving Ms McKeever probation.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the nightclub in question. The article has been changed accordingly.

The Belly of the Whale to open 30th Galway Film Fleadh

By

Michael Malone

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June 20, 2018

The Belly of the Whale has been announced as the opening film at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh, which runs from Tuesday 10 July until Sunday 15 July.

The first feature film from director Morgan Bushe, the cast includes Michael Smiley (A Field in England), Pat Shortt (Garage), Lewis McDougall (A Monster Calls), Art Parkinson (Game of Thrones) and Peter Coonan (Love/Hate).

Bushe has previously directed an award winning short film If I Should Fall Behind which was IFTA nominated, The Other Side of Sleep and Anton Corbijn Inside Out.

After breaking free from his foster home, feral teenager Joey Moody returns to Laytown, a rural Irish town just over the horizon, in a bid to reclaim his family’s caravan park and salvage his friendship with his best mate and drinking partner, Lanks.

Meanwhile, on a mission to find the money to pay for his sick wife’s medication.

Ronald Tanner, a fractured soul, risks his meagre lifesavings on a get-rich-quick scheme that ends in abject failure and humiliation the hands of local big shot Gits Hegarty, pushing Ronald over the edge and off the wagon.

After Joey accidentally torches Ronald’s campervan and is forced to find the cash to repay him, the strange pair find themselves bonded together in misfortune.

In an effort to change their crummy existence they concoct a slapdash plan to rob the Pleasurama, the local amusement arcade, and the domain of the iniquitous Gits.

All that stands in their way of the good life is a group of toughs, their own incompetence, and fate itself.

Director Morgan Bushe said: “It was always our hope to screen The Belly of the Whale at the Galway Film Fleadh so we’re delighted and honoured that it’s been selected to open the festival and would like to take this opportunity to thank Miriam and Will for giving us this platform to launch this bold tale ahead of its Irish theatrical release.

“In the past I’ve shown all my shorts in the Town Hall so I know already how great the audiences are and I’m looking forward, along with our prodigious cast and crew, to now bringing my debut feature.”

Film Fleadh programmer Will Fitzgerald said: “The Belly of the Whale is the perfect film to open this year’s Film Fleadh. As a festival of discovery, we’re proud to open with Morgan’s first feature – a fun, anarchic Irish crime drama with an interesting mix of Irish, Northern Irish and Scottish acting talent.”

The six day 2018 Galway Film Fleadh welcomes a variety of filmmaking and filmmakers from around the world, attracting directors, actors, cinematographers and artists of all generations and cultural backgrounds. The Galway Film Fleadh celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year.

The Belly of the Whale screens at 7:30pm on Tuesday 10^th July, followed by a Q+A with cast & crew and an Opening Night Reception. Tickets are now available at www.galwayfilmfleadh.com.

Dealer throws €1200 of weed into neighbour’s garden

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June 20, 2018

Galway News - Courts - Neighbour's garden wall

A Doughiska man pleaded guilty of obstructing gardaí as well as possession for sale or supply at Galway District Court on Monday after guards raided his home in March last year.

Jakus Waclawski of Fearann Ri, Doughiska ran into his kitchen and threw €1220 worth of cannabis over a wall after seeing gardaí enter his house around 8pm on March 4, 2017.

Guards retrieved the drug from the neighbour’s garden where it fell.

They also found scales and deal bags in Waclawski’s house.

The young man co-operated fully with gardaí after the incident, admitting and apologising for his actions.

He has no previous convictions.

The court is waiting on a community service report before sentencing.

39,048 people waiting for an appointment at UHG is “outrageous and shameful”

By

Michael Malone

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June 20, 2018

The recent hospital waiting list figures which show the biggest waiting lists in the history of the State are ‘outrageous’, according to Niall Ó Tuathail of the Social Democrats.

The figures revealed that there are over 707,000 people waiting to be treated in hospitals.

“It is even more shameful that Galway University Hospital has the highest outpatient waiting list, with 39,048 people waiting for their appointment,” said the Galway West election candidate.

Mr Ó Tuathail, who has worked in healthcare reform for the English NHS and the Scottish Government, is calling for action from the government to reduce waiting lists.

“The government has sat on its hands with regard to healthcare reform. Successive health ministers have tried repeating the same failed policies over and over while letting dust sit on implementing Sláintecare, a proposal which has cross-party support and was voted for in the Dáil.”

He said that some of the implementation of Sláintecare could begin relatively quickly.

“A simple action for the government to start Sláintecare could the immediate resourcing of GP care and Primary Health Care Centres.

“Many procedures that are outpatient or day cases could be carried out in properly set up primary health care centre, at a reduced cost compared to hospital treatment and with patients seen quicker.”

LISTEN: “It’s Great To Be Getting Into Championship Mode” – TRACEY LEONARD

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June 20, 2018

After the disappointment of their 2018 National League semi-final defeat to Dublin, Galway’s ladies footballers put their Connacht title on the line this Sunday (24th July) when they meet arch rivals Mayo.

The Tribeswomen were comprehensive 3-12 to 1-8 winners over the Green and Red in 2017 thanks to two Mairead Seoighe goals and a three-pointer for Niamh Duggan.

Tracey Leonard also chipped in with nine points and has taken over the captaincy this year. She’s glad “to be getting into championship mode” and talked to Galway Daily.

Galway meet Mayo in the 2018 Connacht Senior Ladies Football Final on Sunday, 24th June. Throw-in at MacHale Park, Castlebar is 4pm.

Lidl Team of the League Division 1 Half forward Tracey Leonard pic.twitter.com/GNKDqf0YLW

— Connacht LGFA (@ConnachtLGFA) May 25, 2018

Oranmore woman on wine-chugging spree

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June 20, 2018

Galway News courts Man gets suspended sentence for alcohol theft

An Oranmore resident was up before Galway District court on Monday after pleading guilty to two counts of theft following a wine-chugging spree earlier this month.

Kelly Wall of Oakfield estate in Oranmore had previously admitted opening and drinking a bottle of white wine – valued at €13 – at Tesco Express on Newcastle Road on the morning of June 2.

The next day she did it again, this time at Monaghans Topaz Westside – opening and drinking a bottle of wine valued at €9.

The bottle had already been discarded by the time gardaí arrived on the scene.

Ms Wall has also been charged with the theft of six cans of Heineken valued at €12.90 from the same Tesco Express in late May – a case that will be heard in July.

The 48-year-old has 33 previous convictions.

District Court judge Mary Fahy said at the time that Ms Wall “needs to cop on”, adding that the court had “bent over backwards” to help her with alcohol addiction.

A three month imprisonment was suspended last year on the condition that she go to rehab.

The judge handed down an eight month sentence suspended on the condition that Ms Wall stay sober.

Fr David of Ros na Rún to MC a Father Ted Quiz in The Skeff Galway

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June 20, 2018

Fr Ted Quz in aid of Jigsaw - Galway Daily

Seán Misteal, better known as Fr David will MC a Father Ted Quiz at the Skeff Bar on June 28th.

The man from the Kingdom, Seán Misteal who hails from Dún Chaoin in the West of Dingle and is better known through his Fr David character on Ros na Rún will take centre stage on the night.

The Sagairtín, will be in charge of MC’ing the Fr Ted Quiz which is being hosted by Jigsaw Galway and The Skeff Late Bar and Kitchen.

Jigsaw Galway is a free and confidential service supporting the mental health and well-being of people aged 15-25 in Galway city and county.

Jigsaw’s aim is to support young people in Galway who are struggling to ensure they get the support they need, when and where they need it

The Fr Ted table quiz will take place on Thursday June 28th at 7pm with money being raised for Jigsaw as part of the Jigsaw Giro, a 480km cycle in September.

Entries will be accepted through the quiz email tedquiz@gmail.com with seats limited so it is important that you reserve your space.

There will be cash prizes on the night for winners as well as plenty of raffle prizes. Stay tuned to the Fr Ted Quiz events Facebook page for updates.

Local startups to watch: Newby Chinese language app

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June 20, 2018

Try the Newby Chinese demo here!

Galway News - Business - Features - Newby Chinese startup CEO Richard McCurry — Galway app startup Newby Chinese founder and CEO Richard McCurry

When you think of learning Chinese, you probably don’t envision your teacher as a Galwegian stilt-walking engineer.

But Richard McCurry seems to enjoy overturning people’s expectations.

“I didn’t mean to start an app startup. I just had an idea,” says the 35-year-old father-to-be sitting in his sunlit back garden in Mervue.

McCurry – a Galway native – is the founder and CEO at Newby Chinese, a cutting-edge Chinese language learning app.

Galway News - Business - Startups to watch: Newby Chinese — Newby Chinese home page

It has taken him years to find his passion.

After getting an engineering diploma, he worked with special needs kids, trained as an acupuncturist, then did stilt walking and fire breathing as a street performer as well as working with an aerial dance company.

He first went to China while touring the world as an Arcana entertainer with the Volvo Ocean Race.

The group stayed in Qingdao for a couple of weeks in the wintertime.

“There was good beer – it was a German town, it was a German colony back in the day – and Chinese people were just cool. I really liked chatting to them,” McCurry explains.

On the plane over he learned a couple of words of Chinese and ended up being the de facto translator for his team during their stay.

He later ended up doing an Erasmus in Granada for a Spanish and Economics degree at NUI Galway.

But while in Granada he finally found his true passion – and it wasn’t Spanish or Economics.

“I didn’t do either,” he says with a wry smile. “I studied Chinese instead.”

McCurry ultimately canceled his Erasmus programme and stayed in Granada to study Chinese full time for a year.

After college he drove a car from Ireland to Mongolia, ending up in Harbin – in the northeast of China – and teaching English for 6 months.

When he first came back to Ireland a few years ago, he started “messing around” with the Chinese language.

“I realised that it’s a super simple language – there’s no conjugations, there’s no prepositions, there’s no plural. They reduce everything down…like ‘Me hungry’. That’s how the language functions. So when I came back I thought I could teach it to people differently.

“When you approach Chinese, it’s kind of like learning two languages. You learn a bit of the spoken, but then you forget it all. And you’ve no anchor points for creating memories or associations, or remembering pronunciation – and you can’t read.

“Or you go and tackle the characters on their own, and then you just feel like you’re memorising these long lists of characters, and forget them all. So I thought, ‘what if you could do both at the same time?'”

McCurry started playing with drawings, cartoons and animations and transposing them with sounds.

The result is a gamified cartoon Chinese language learning app – Newby Chinese – that revolutionises how the language could be taught.

According to the CEO, the app “will fundamentally change how people interact with Chinese.”

McCurry and his business partner Sam Redfern spent three and a half years developing the app with a Dublin animation company.

Last year they won recognition as ‘Best Emerging Business’ for Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme, as well as runner-up for ‘Best New Idea’ at Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur awards.

And although their app isn’t quite ready for individual consumers, demand is so high they’re already rolling out a version for schools – and just sold the first licence to a school in Galway for September.

“We can basically tackle the top thousand words in Chinese. And they say if you have 2,000 words you can read a newspaper,” McCurry says.

Right now they’re focused on attracting investments to keep tweaking the app, and McCurry’s confidence is high.

“We’ll get it,” he states calmly. “Everyone wants to learn Chinese because it’s the biggest market, it’s the most spoken language on the planet. It’s the second language after English on the internet. So everyone wants in but they don’t want to dedicate ten years of their life to memorising characters and tones and all that.

“All over the world, nobody’s cracked it. Because 94% of kids drop out as soon as it’s no longer compulsory. People have said it’s impossible to learn. Other people have said there’s no point unless someone comes up with a methodology of learning it for Westerners. So it just goes on and on.”

But McCurry is certain that he’s found the key to Chinese language learning. And it’s not just for kids – it’s for everyone.

As the young founder says proudly: “We have the best technology on the planet for learning the most spoken language on the planet.”

Million Euro pay-off for PiP iT: A Galway-based company’s plan to change society

By

Erin Breen

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June 19, 2018

PiP iT galway business gets one million funding

A Galway businessman has gotten the green light on a million euro in funding for an idea that will pay off for his investors and for society in general.

It’s called Pip iT which stands for Pay in Person Information Technology and it is the first module of it’s kind to allow cross border bill payment, something needed for migrant workers

Ollie Walsh is the CEO for PiP iT. After seeing the need, he saw a way to fix it.

“It is hard for migrants to get bank accounts in their new countries and expensive to send money to support families back home. We have found a way to solve both of those problems,” he says.

And funders are on board. Enterprise Ireland has just announced it is investing $250,000.

The rest of the money is from venture capital funds, angel investors and supporters of social impact companies from Ireland, the UK and the U.S. Those are funders who help develop companies with ideas that not only serve investors but society overall.

They all see this payment transaction system, PiP iT as a social game-changer in finance.

Sending money home to a family member to pay a bill is expensive, risky and can end up going to something other than that bill. PiP iT teams up with collectors and remitters to make it possible and affordable.

Walsh sees it as digitizing cash.

“Say you want to pay a bill. You go to the app, put in what you want to pay and how much and get a barcode. Then you take that bar code to any post office in the UK and pay it in person.

“The money is remitted to the biller. It goes directly to the power company or the phone company. And 100% of what you pay goes to the bill, not to fees.”

How do they do that? Partly by putting the good they can do above the money they could make. They are a social impact company. It’s in their mission.

By dealing business to business they eliminate the security problems and the leakage. And where other payment systems charge as much as 10% of the transaction in fees, PiP iT charges only 1.5% and that is covered by the companies collecting the money.

“When you pay with a credit card the companies have a built in amount that pays that credit card charge say to Visa,” Walsh says.

“We have them paying that for these payments. So our money will be made in the quantity of payments. And we are confident the system will attract a lot of payments.”

PiP iT is already collecting payments in the UK, Canada, and South Africa and remitting payments in Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and Tanzania. He says the Philippines and India are about to come on line.

“A solid 70% of the Middle East is migrant,” Walsh says. “And there if you work in construction, domestic work or hospitality services you are paid in cash.

“You have to have a certain kind of visa to even open a bank account there and anyone in any of those trades can’t get that visa no matter how long they live there. They are in a true cash economy.

“They can’t get an account or a credit card. And they are usually there sending money home to support their families. But to get money there is expensive and risky.”

PipiT gets them out of that loop and allows them to avoid the high-fee payment systems they’ve had to use until now.

For now, they are researching migration patterns to see where their system is needed most. They are tracking where people are moving to and finding partners for collections…and where they are moving from to know where they need remittance partners. Once the network is there they plan to expand services to be able to lodge cash to a bank account back home and to e-wallets.

We’ll keep you posted.

You can read more about PiP iT here.

GALWAY GAA: SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP RESUMES THIS WEEK

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June 19, 2018

Corofin v Moorefield - AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Semi-Final — 17 February 2018; Kieran Fitzgerald of Corofin in action against Niall Hurley Lynch of Moorefield during the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Semi-Final match between Corofin and Moorefield at O'Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

The second round of fixtures in the County Senior Football Championship will take place starting next Wednesday (20th June) with three games on Saturday (23rd June) and four more on Sunday (24th June).

Tuam Stadium and Pearse Stadium will share four games each as Barna, Naomh Anna Leitir Mor, Moycullen and St. James take their first steps towards potential glory.

Defending champions Corofin begin the action when they take on Cortoon Shamrocks on Wednesday night.

#galwayfootball Galway SFC: RESULT: Claregalway 0-10 Corofin 1-17

— FlirtFMSport (@FlirtFMSport) May 20, 2018

Pearse Stadium hosts a double header on Saturday with the clash between Annaghdown and Killannin one of the games of the round. They meet at 7.30pm and is proceeded by the game between Moycullen and St. Michael’s at 5.45pm.

Tuam Stadium also hosts an important tie when Monivea/Abbey clash with Caltra at 7pm.

#galwayfootball Galway SFC: RESULT: Tuam Stars 1-06 Annaghdown 2-15

— FlirtFMSport (@FlirtFMSport) May 20, 2018

Two double headers will give the football faithful plenty of choice on Sunday with Mountbellew/Moylough’s showdown with a rejuvenated Killererin the top fixture.

They collide in Tuam Stadium at 5pm and are joined by St. James’ against Claregalway who throw in at 3.15pm.

And in Pearse Stadium on Sunday, Barna and Tuam Stars will begin the action when they face off at 2pm and that will be followed by the showdown between Naomh Anna Leitir Mor and Kilconly at 3.45pm.

#galwayfootball Galway SFC: RESULTS: Salthill-Knocknacarra 1-10 Killannin 0-13; Caherlistrane 0-13 Killererin 2-07

— FlirtFMSport (@FlirtFMSport) May 19, 2018

For Cortoon Shamrocks, St. Michael’s, Caltra, Tuam Stars, Claregalway and Kilconly, a second defeat will see their championship aspirations effectively over and the rest of the season will be about avoiding the relegation play-offs with three teams being demoted to the intermediate championship

Senior Football Championship Fixtures:

Group 1 –

Corofin vs Cortoon Shamrocks (Wednesday, 20th June – 8pm Tuam Stadium)

St. James vs Claregalway (Sunday, 24th June – 3.15pm Tuam Stadium)

Position	Team	Points	Played	Won	Lost	For	Against	Diff
1	Corofin	2	1	1	0	20	10	10
2	An Cheathrú Rua	2	1	1	0	12	10	2
3	St. James’ GAA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Cortoon Shamrocks	0	1	0	1	10	12	-2
5	Claregalway	0	1	0	1	10	20	-10

Group 2 –

Annaghdown vs Killannin (Saturday, 23rd June – 7.30pm Pearse Stadium)

Barna vs Tuam Stars (Sunday, 24th June – 2pm Pearse Stadium)

Position	Team	Points	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	For	Against	Diff
1	Annaghdown	2	1	1	0	0	21	9	12
2	Killannin	1	1	0	0	1	13	13	0
3	Salthill-Knocknacarra	1	1	0	0	1	13	13	0
4	CLG Bhearna	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Tuam Stars	0	1	0	1	0	9	21	-12

Group 3 –

Naomh Anna Leitir Mor vs Kilconly (Sunday, 24th June – 3.45pm Pearse Stadium)

Mountbellew/Moylough vs Killererin (Sunday, 24th June – 5pm Tuam Stadium)

Position	Team	Points	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	For	Against	Diff
1	Mountbellew	2	1	1	0	0	15	7	8
2	Killererin	1	1	0	0	1	13	13	0
3	Caherlistrane	1	1	0	0	1	13	13	0
4	Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Kilconly	0	1	0	1	0	7	15	-8

Group 4 –

Moycullen vs St. Michael’s (Saturday, 23rd June – Pearse Stadium)

Monivea/Abbey vs Caltra (Saturday, 23rd June – Tuam Stadium)

Position	Team	Points	Played	Won	Lost	For	Against	Diff
1	Milltown	2	1	1	0	23	13	10
2	Monivea-Abbey	2	1	1	0	16	8	8
3	Moycullen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	St Michael’s	0	1	0	1	8	16	-8
5	Caltra	0	1	0	1	13	23	-10

Galwegian Kids – Now is your chance to take part in the Junior Eurovision

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June 19, 2018

Galwegian kids, now is your chance to take part in the Junior Eurovision.

TG4 are currently looking for applications for the Junior Eurovision Singing Competition 2018.

This competition provides a great opportunity for the young children to represent Ireland at the Junior Eurovision, while singing in front of millions of viewers.

If you are between 9-14 on the 25/11/18 then there’s a chance it could be you singing in Minsk, Belarus in November 2018.

In 2015, Aimee Banks was TG4’s first winner and she sent shivers down the spines of everyone in Bulgaria with her operatic Irish language song, Réalta Mara.

In 2016 Zena Donnelly represented Ireland as she almost blew the roof from the Stadium in Malta with her song Bric ar Bhríce.

Last year, 2017, Muireann McDonnell’s magical rendition of Súile Glasa put everyone in Georgia under a spell with her voice.

In 2018 the competition is wide open! The chance is yours to take, to put your voice and your music across to millions of people all over Europe as Ireland’s representative.

To take this opportunity all you have to do is put in your application before the closing date 23/7/2018.

Permission has to be sought from parents to take part in the competition and either your mam or dad has to fill out the application form.

The form can be filled out here, where a list of all the rules can also be found.

For more information you can call 01-284 3877.

Five belated Father’s Day gift ideas

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June 19, 2018