22 Apr 2011

Angry flooding victims want to know why houses are still being granted permission on flood plains

GALWAY County Council officials have been asked to explain why they are continuing to give permission for the construction of new houses on flood plains after three Claregalway families who were forced to abandon their homes received a sympathetic hearing at the European Parliament this week.

After hearing of the hardship cases endured by the three families, European officials have asked the local authority to explain how it failed to deal with their needs after they were forced to flee their homes in the flooding of November 2009.

The families themselves are said to be continuing to grant permission for the construction of new homes in the Caherlea area where 13 families were forced to move out during the severe flooding 17 months ago. (more…)

20 Apr 2011

Cases Wine Warehouse

With all those sunny spells over the weekend, it may well time to crank up the BBQ and we’ve got plenty of BBQ wines to accompany the food at Cases – just ask us!

Plus, we have our ’30 Deals for the 30 Days of April’ still running to help you stock up for the big holiday weekends. Check out the deals below.

We’ll also have a real treat open on the Tasting Counter at Cases this weekend. Les Obriers de la Peira 2005. This big red from the Languedoc has achieved near legendary status in recent years and rather than hyping it any more, I’ll leave it to the critics: (more…)

18 Apr 2011

Claire Greaney – World Championship Dancer

Irish dancing has undergone a transformational makeover during the last twenty years. Traditional dress, natural hair and pale faces appear less often at competitions. Irish dancers, who are serious about their sport are now training like professional athletes, with most of them at the peak of physical fitness and passionate about becoming the best in the world.

To be the world’s greatest is an achievement that most people dream about. Few realise their dream and prove that they are the best in show. Claregalway girl, Claire Greaney is one such lady. A pupil of the Hession school in Galway, Claire, aged 20, has proven four times in succession that she is the World’s best Irish dancer. (more…)

14 Apr 2011

Martina’s new CD to benefit Goal

MARTINA Flaherty, who has been making such an impression performing with her daughter Rhianna in the TG4 competition Feis and Blood, will launch a new chapter in her music career in Monroe’s, Dominick Street, next Monday the 18th April.

Martina has been a major player in the Galway music scene for many years now, primarily as a vocalist. She has, however, been slowly developing her craft as a songwriter and it is this element of her talent that will be showcased on the night, with the launch of her new 4-track CD. (more…)

14 Apr 2011

Consultants appointed to progress work on new Claregalway bypass

With the prospects of the Gort to Tuam motorway not proceeding for several years, it has been confirmed that consultant engineers have been appointed to progress the Claregalway bypass.

And there are high hopes that the compulsory purchase of lands required for the road could commence in late summer or early autumn.

Is this is the case then construction of the 15 million route commence in early 2012 and would be completed before the end of the year.

With the M17/M18 motorway now in jeopardy because of a lack of confidence in investing in such a large roads project in this country, the focus of attention has now firmly switched to the Claregalway bypass.

Galway West TD Noel Grealish has been informed that RPS Consulting Engineers have been appointed to prepare the compulsory purchase documentation and progress this to an oral hearing in Claregalway. (more…)

14 Apr 2011

Operation Transformation’s (& local resident) Ronan Scully Enjoying Life’s Journey at the North Pole Marathon

Last weekend, I ran a marathon in the North Pole. For anyone unfamiliar with the marathon distance, it’s 26.2 miles, and a really long way to run and seems even longer when you’re running it on snow at minus 35 degrees. Though the marathon might be considered just an athletic event by some, from my experience over the weekend I would refer to it as an allegory for life. So, what life lessons can one learn from running a marathon or any specific challenge that we do in life?

It’s about the Journey, not the end result
Running a marathon reinforced to me the idea that in life, it’s about the journey, not the end result. As I ran, I realized that this might be the only time that I would ever run a marathon, so I needed to savor the experience. I thought, “This is it, the moment I have worked so hard for on RTE’s Operation Transformation programme.” I needed to enjoy the marathon experience, not wish it away and especially because it was at the North Pole and what an experience it was with many epiphanies and very spiritual moments at the top of the world where you could almost reach up and touch heaven. Often we wish our lives away, wanting to reach a certain place in life in order to be happy. However, oftentimes the satisfaction derived from setting an objective is not so much in attaining the objective, but in the anticipation and striving toward the objective. So, as much as possible try to enjoy the journey as much as the end results as I did with my North Pole marathon attempt. (more…)

12 Apr 2011

Community Games U12 Chess

The Community Games U12 Chess county final was held recently in Ballinasloe. Claregalway/Lackagh made history by winning this competition for the first time. Chess has been developing strongly in the local community since Miriam Mc Cann started the chess club seven years ago.

The Claregalway/Lackagh team have played in the community games chess competition many times but the County title has been held by Ballinasloe for the past number of years. (more…)

30 Mar 2011

Food and Wine night at the Townhouse Dining Room with Peter Cases

Hi there!

Well the next of our Food & Wine nights is coming up on Wednesday of next week, the 6th April in the lovely, funky Townhouse Dining Room, upstairs at Townhouse on Quay Lane, Spanish Arch.

Townhouse will be offering a starter and a main course, accompanied by 2 glasses of wine, for a great value €20! Head Chef Charlene will be preparing the gorgeous menu below, and Cases will be giving a talk on what wines to pick to match the food on offer:

Starters
Black Pudding Tartlet

Colleran‘s Black Pudding & Cashel Blue Cheese Tartlet with Apple Puree

Sautéed Irish Mushrooms

Creamy Sautéed Irish Mushrooms on Sourdough Toast with Rocket & Parmesan (more…)

29 Mar 2011

Swim, Walk, Run, Cycle or Row “A Metre in a Mile” in aid of Goal

People of all ages across the West and South of the country will be gearing up for The Kingfisher Clubs Annual “Metre to a Mile” challenge this Good Friday – the 22^nd April – in aid of Goal to help raise funds for their projects in the developing world.

Children, adults and all those young at heart will be donning their sports gear or swim kits to walk, run, cycle, row or swim any distance from a metre to a mile. This will be available in the 8 Kingfisher Clubs across Ireland on Good Friday with the aim of raising money to improve the lives of the poorest of the poor.

This event will be available to all Kingfisher members, but non-members may also join in, and be sponsored to raise money at any of the sites. Non members will have complimentary access to the clubs during the duration of their own fundraising challenge. (more…)

24 Mar 2011

Main commuter route set to close in Claregalway

The main commuter route between Galway and Tuam is due to close this Thursday 24th March at the Clare River Bridge to facilitate the construction of flood relief works.

The bridge is expected to remain closed until 20th June and during the closure, motorists will be diverted onto the specially constructed N17 Temporary Diversion Road.

It is hoped that the road, which consists of two temporary bridges and a roadway, will ensure that traffic flows through the town while the main bridge is closed. (more…)

22 Mar 2011

Claregalway Festival of Drama

The 29th Claregalway Festival of Drama ended with the Best Overall Production won by Prosperous Dramatic Society for their presentation of “November” by David Mamet. Prosperous Dramatic Society also took the best play in the Open Section and Lurlene Duggan of Prosperous Dramatic Society took the Best Director (Open) award. Prosperous Dramatic Society also took the Best Actor award with Robert Massey taking the award for portraying the part of Charles Smith in of “November” by David Mamet. Zita McGarry Kelly who played the part of Clarice Bernstein in of “November” by David Mamet won the Best Supporting Actress award. The Best Actress Award in the Open Section went to Marian Petit of KATS (Knocknacarra Amateur Theatre Society) who played the title role in “Portia Coughlan” by Marina Carr. The Best Supporting Actor Award in the Open Section was won by Martin O Donohue of Corofin Dramatic Society for portraying the part of Michael Martin Geraty in “The Righteous are Bold” by Frank Carney. (more…)