Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway County Council is calling for significant changes to planning legislation.
It follows a motion by Athenry/Oranmore Councillor Jim Cuddy, who says individuals from outside a local authority area should not be permitted to object to planning applications.
The motion has received unanimous support at county council level, and will now be forwarded to the Minister for Housing & Planning for consideration.
Councillor Jim Cuddy says the change would stop objections by individuals with no link to a county.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – 94 thousand euro in funding has been ringfenced for 12 animal welfare organisations across the city and county.
It’s part of a 2.5 million euro national fund announced by the Agriculture Minister.
The largest Galway allocation of 40 thousand euro will go to GSPCA in the city, while Connemara based dog rescue, MADRA, will receive 10 thousand euro.
Ten other animal welfare organisations across Galway will receive allocations of between 2,000 and 6,000 euro.

The South Galway Flood Relief Committee will meet with the County Council next month in a bid to further flood mitigation plans for the region.
The group of local residents gave a presentation to Loughrea area councillors at municipal district level this week.
The 13-member committee is highlighting a number of problem areas which are contributing to the ongoing flooding issues faced by residents of South Galway.
These include poor management of the Slieve Aughty Mountains, flow congestion at Kiltartan, the lack of an overflow channell between Coole lake and the sea, and poor overland drainage in Tarmon, Labane, Roo and Ballyboy.
Further meetings between the SGFRC and the county council will take place in the coming weeks.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – New bottle banks will be installed in Gort shortly.
The town has been without a bring bank facility since the Supervalu facility closed this summer.
A new site has now been found for a bring bank at the entrance to Lidl in the town – however the company provided the banks may not have the banks installed before Christmas eve.
Loughrea area councillor Michael Moegie Maher says it’ll help to prevent littering in the town from the New Year.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – A Galway West TD has asked the Defence Minister to admit that the re-organisation of the Defence Forces has been an ‘unmitigated disaster’.
Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Noel Grealish asked Minister Paul Kehoe to explain why soldiers from Galway are being transported to Cork on a daily basis.
He asked if the Minister would accept that the re-organisation of the Defences Forces in late 2012 into a two brigade structure has been been a disaster.
Deputy Grealish wanted to know how the re-organisation has affected the taxpayer.
Speaking in response, Minister Paul Kehoe said cost is not a concern – but the re-organisation has created some problems.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – There are plans for a pay and display car park at the former site of the Sacre Coeur Hotel in Salthill.
Rockport Limited has applied for planning permission for a temporary car park at the site in Lenaboy Gardens.
The former Sacre Coeur Hotel was demolished earlier this year after it was damaged by a fire.
Rockport Limited now plans to develop a car park on the brownfield site for a period of 5 years.
It would have 61 car spaces, 2 disabled spaces, lighting, CCTV and 5 pay & display machines.
It would also involve landscaping and paving, new boundary treatments and signage.
A decision is due from the city council in January.

An elderly man has died in an apparent farm accident in Athenry.
The 84-year-old was moving cattle when the accident occurred at Moorepark at lunchtime today.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene and his body has been removed to University Hospital Galway.
Gardaí and the Health and Safety Authority are both investigating the incident.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Moylough village could be set to get a new restaurant.
County planners have granted planning permission to Martin and Fiona Mannion for the change of use of O’ Malleys former shop into a restaurant/ take away.
Permission for the development of a restaurant / takeaway was originally granted back in 2010.
However this development did not take place within the following 5 years.
Now, M & F Mannion have been granted planning permission again to change the existing commercial unit into a restaurant and build a single storey extension to the back of the building.
The building is a proposed addition to the Record of Protected Structures.
Council planners have attached seven conditions to the grant of planning permission for O’ Malley’s former shop building in Moylough.
One condition stipulates that the restaurant must only operate between 8.30 each morning and midnight.

The Garda Regional Traffic Superintendent has issued a stark warning for Galway motorists for the Christmas period.
Superintendent Noel Kelly said 10 people have already lost their lives on Galway roads this year.
The Gardaí will be out in force this Christmas, and will be focusing particularly on drink driving, speeding, careless driving, seat-belts, vehicle lighting and use of mobile phones or other devices while driving.
Christmas is a typically high-risk period due to high volumes of traffic, and the fact that many motorists are undertaking longer journeys.
Superintendent Kelly said the arrest figures for the first three weeks of December show drivers are not heeding the warnings.
In the first three weeks of December last year, there were 22 arrests for drink driving in Galway City and County. That figure has more than doubled to 48 for the same period this year.

Tuam will fly the flag for Ireland in the Ukraine – and family and friends are already making plans to travel in support of Brendan Murray, who will be representing the country in the Eurovision next year.

Musicians and friends are already booking their flights to Kiev following the announcement that he will be representing Ireland in the Eurovision.

Brendan is a member of the boy band Hometown who played in front of a Tuam audience at the Sugar Beat concert last year. He is currently working in River Island in Galway City as the band are on ‘a sabbatical’ at the moment.

His parents Frank and Julieanne and brothers Daithí and Justin and sister Sinead are already looking forward to the event.

“We cannot believe that Brendan is representing the country. It is a major event as far as we are concerned. We just hope that he does the country proud,” Frank Murray told The Connacht Tribune.

Music manager Louis Walsh played a pivotal role in the decision-making process. As a music business veteran, Louis will also be using his extensive contacts in the music industry to source a song.

“Brendan is perfect for Eurovision, he has a distinctive voice and a look that I think will really appeal to audiences across Europe,” said Louis.

“I want to find the best song for Brendan to perform on that Eurovision stage. I’m going to use my own contacts in the business and I want to hear songs from Irish songwriters or songwriters abroad until I find the best song. I won’t rest until I do,” he added.

Frank Murray said that he was proud of his son and he hoped that he would do what the likes of Dana and Johnny Logan did. “They laugh at the Eurovision but Johnny Logan has done very well out it,” said Frank Murray.

Brendan performed Johnny Logan’s Eurovision winning classic Hold Me Now live on The Late Late Show. He said his mam and dad had been big fans of all the Irish Eurovision winners and of Johnny Logan in particular.

“I’m honoured and excited to be representing Ireland in Kiev in the biggest music competition in the world. I’m really looking forward to it. I was born in 1996 the last time Ireland won, so I hope that will bring me luck.

“But most of all I’m really excited about finding a great song that I can take to the Eurovision stage and give it my all,” Brendan added.

Brendan has been a member of boy band Hometown since he was 17. Hometown’s first single Where I Belong became the fastest-selling single from a debut act and the fastest-selling single from an Irish artist in 2014, reaching number one in the charts in Ireland.

The band’s second single, Cry For Help, was released in March 2015 in Ireland also reached number one. Hometown have toured extensively in the UK and Ireland and have supported such acts as Olly Murs, McBusted and The Vamps.

The closing date for submissions for songs is Monday, January 16. Frank Murray said that his son still had to go through a semi-final process and expressed the home that he would come through this.

A 55-year-old Aran man has been charged in connection with a violent incident which took place in his local pub on St. Stephen’s Night last year.

Mossie Joyce, from Mainistir, Cill Rónáin, Inis Mór, appeared in custody before Galway District Court this week.

Garda John Kavanagh from Kilronan Garda Station gave evidence to the court of arresting the defendant at Galway Courthouse earlier that morning and putting three charges to him.

Joyce was charged with assaulting Stephen Dirrane, causing him harm, contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, at Ostan Arainn, Cill Rónáin, on December 26, 2015.

He was also charged with committing violent disorder at the premises on the same date, in that he – along with Nathan Joyce, Thomas John Joyce and Ryan Joyce – used or threatened to use violence, thereby causing other people present to fear for their safety.

Joyce was further charged with a lesser count of assaulting Mr Dirrane on the same occasion, contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

Garda Kavanagh said Joyce made no reply when the three charges were put to him.

He said the DPP had directed the charges be dealt with summarily at District Court level.

A medical report from the local GP on the island, pertaining to Mr Dirrane, was handed into court.

In reply to Judge Fahy, Sergeant Gerry Dunne explained that was the only medical report available.  He said that while Mr Dirrane had been referred to a consultant, he did not attend, and there was no other report.

Judge Mary Fahy accepted jurisdiction to deal with the matter, subject, she said, to nothing else showing up on any possible future medical report.

Garda Kavanagh said he had no objection to Joyce securing bail provided a condition was attached that he not interfere with witnesses.

Judge Fahy remanded Joyce on his own bail of €500, with no lodgement required, to appear back before Galway District Court on March 8 next.

Bail was granted on condition Joyce have no contact, whatsoever, by any means – to include social media – with the complainant or any witnesses; and that he be of good behaviour.

The judge made an order directing that copies of all statements and CCTV be sent to Colin Lynch solicitors, defending.

She also granted Joyce Free Legal Aid and warned him that if he breached his bail conditions over Christmas he would be brought before a special court sitting at any time.

A Loughrea-based businessman has created his very own “Winter Wonderland” in his front lawn – in an effort to raise much needed funds for cancer care throughout the west of Ireland.

Located close to the Meadow Court Hotel on the main Craughwell/Loughrea road, Kevin Tuohy has decked out his garden in spectacular fashion, which has seen many passers-by take the time to stop and marvel at the impressive display.

Describing himself as ‘a child at heart’, Kevin has been putting together these notable Christmas lighting displays for many years now, but this is his first time doing so in aid of charity.

“Everybody was saying last year and the year before, ‘why don’t you do it for a charity?’ So, this year I said fair enough – I’d do it for cancer. I got a friend of mine to make two metal trees about three and a half to four metres (in height) and I ordered in pink lights. So, I made two purposely pink trees for cancer,” he said.

The display which contains approximately 32,000 lights, usually only contains two colours red and blue, but this year Kevin added in pink to coincide with the cancer care theme.

“I have music and the whole lot. The minute that the Christmas lights come on the music starts and it will be playing constantly.

“I have a list of people who helped me, through maintenance or whatever, so I put a thank you list out on the road and there are signs up on the front for Cancer Care West,” said the LED aficionado.

He is expecting an increase on his electricity bill of around €150 to cover the extra lights during the period.

As well as that cost, the businessman – and developer of Galway’s first crematorium on the outskirts of Ballinasloe – has also given up three and a half weeks of his time, usually working five hours a day, in the construction of this splendid spectacle.

Speaking about the overall cost of purchasing the lights he joked: “My wife doesn’t even know that.”

“It’s a good few thousand. I have been building it up bit-by-bit but this year we added a good bit into it just to make it. Between the signage, the lighting, the pink lights, the music. It’s lovely and we get severe crowds out there,” he added.

Donations can be made through a chute at the front of the house which is safely secured in a steel box attached to the wall and all proceeds will be given to Cancer Care West at the conclusion of the Christmas period.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – The leader of Galway’s united Methodist and Presbyterian church has called for respect to be reinstated to politics across the world.
Speaking on Galway Bay fm’s annual Christmas Messages programme, Reverend Helen Freeburn says there are lessons to be learned from the world events of 2016.
She says during the US election and the BREXIT discussions, there was an ‘extreme lack of respect’ between opposing sides.
Reverend Freeburn says valuable lessons can be learned from these national and world events.
Reverend Helen Freeburn is joined on the programme by Mayor of Galway Noel Larkin, County Cathaoirleach Michael Connolly, Diocesan administrator Canon Michael McLoughlin and Rector of Galway and Archdeacon of Tuam, Reverend Gary Hastings.
The hour-long programme is presented by Head of News Bernadette Prendergast, and will be broadcast on Galway Bay fm just after the 6 o’clock news this evening, and again after the 1pm news tomorrow, Christmas Day.
It will also be available as a podcast on the Galway Bay fm website from 2pm tomorrow.

The County Council is working to establish the identity of those responsible for serious illegal dumping in Ballindooley.
Councillor James Charity said the perpetrators used a vehicle to ram open a gate in the area and dump a significant amount of rubbish over a number of days.

He said the illegally dumped material includes household waste, building material and large electrical appliances.
The independent councillor said the water course where the waste has been dumped feeds into the Clare River and Corrib catchment, and now poses a serious health risk.
Councillor Charity said the material is now being carefully examined in an effort to identify and prosecute those responsible.

Road users have been warned to be extra careful if travelling on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with gusts of up to 110km/h expected.

A Status Yellow wind warning is in operation for Galway since midday (Christmas Eve) and is in place until 6am on St Stephen’s Day.

Until 3pm on Christmas Day, southwest winds will reach mean speeds between 50 and 65km/h with gusts between 65 and 80km/h, with strongest winds on the coasts in Galway, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick.

From 3pm Christmas Day, the warning is for westerly winds with mean speeds of 50 to 65km/h and gusts of up to 110km/ for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. That warning is in place until 6am on Monday.

Tonight and tomorrow, there will be outbreaks of heavy rain, becoming persistent at times, which could lead to localised flooding.

Meanwhile, the AA has warned road users to be vigilant and expect dangerous conditions.

“Wind-blown debris is likely to be a problem on secondary roads in particular. Bear in mind that high-sided vehicles are especially vulnerable on open or exposed roads. Be particularly mindful of cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians,” the AA warning reads.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard has asked members of the public to be mindful of the weather.

“Many people will be engaging in outdoor activities along the coastline, be it on exposed coasts, cliffs, piers, harbour walls, beaches, promenades or other coastal areas.

“The simple safety message is; Stay Back, Stay High, Stay Dry.

“There is a risk of some stormy weather on Christmas Day. A general improvement in weather conditions conducive to outdoor activities, is forecast from St Stephen’s Day. Spring tides that generate higher tides, peak in the latter part of the week and pose an additional risk.

“Lone swimming should be avoided and all swimmers should be cognisant that time in the water should be kept to a minimum as even the most experienced of swimmers can easily succumb to cramp or cold water shock.

“The three Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centres based in Malin, Valentia and Dublin, along with the Coast Guard Helicopter service and Coast Guard Volunteer units will remain operational over the holiday period.”

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Over 52 thousand euro has been allocated to angling projects across county Galway.
The funding will develop and enhance angling at six locations across Galway such as Oughterard, Cregmore, Headford, Clifden and Corr Na Mona.
The projects will be delivered early in the new year and will include improvement of road surfaces and car parking, as well as the provision of facilities to assist anglers who have a disability.
The projects are part of a half million euro National Capital Works fund operated by Inland Fisheries.

Boys and girls should make sure to be in bed early tonight, as Santa will make his deliveries quicker than usual because of the winds outside.

Along with his reindeer, he is expected to make landfall in Ireland ahead of schedule.

He will arrive in the south of the country first, before making his way up to Galway.

A North Pole spokes-elf said: “He’s already out on his rounds, and presents have already been delivered to millions of good boys and girls.

“Santa is ahead of schedule, because of the strong winds. He can fly in any conditions, but the wind makes the deliveries much faster. Boys and girls should make sure to be in bed early.”

The family of murdered city taxi driver Eileen Costello O’Shaughnessy, who was brutally killed 19 years ago, do not believe there is any hope of finding those responsible.

They haven’t heard from the Gardaí in recent years and do not even know if there is still an investigation ongoing into her killing. Her body was found in a laneway off the N17 on November 30, 1997.

The mother-of-two collected her last fare at around 8pm that evening to Claregalway – and two hours later she was dead. A local farmer found her body the following morning.

Eileen was originally from Corofin and her brutal murder shocked the whole community. Several hundred people were interviewed in the aftermath of her death but there were no arrests.

Her brother Martin Costello, who owns a bus hire firm in Corofin, said that he does not believe that anyone will be found at this stage.

“I haven’t heard anything and I don’t know if there is still an investigation,” he told the Galway City Tribune.

Around this time next year on the 20th anniversary of her death her family and taxi driver colleagues are planning to make another appeal for information about her murder in the hope of bringing the perpetrator to justice.

There were sightings of the taxi being stopped on the hard shoulder three miles outside the city on the N17 and it was then spotted turning right down Tinker’s Lane at Knockdoemore where the body was discovered by the local farmer the following day.

Subsequently, a taxi driving erratically towards Galway city was witnessed by other motorists that evening. Eileen’s blood-stained taxi was abandoned at the Lydon House bakery on the Tuam Road.

A number of people who were seen in the vicinity of where the body was dumped were asked to come forward, but they failed to do so despite repeated appeals.

Even a woman who approached another taxi driver in Eyre Square some weeks after the murder saying that she had vital information did not make contact with the Gardaí.

Eileen was savagely beaten to death and it is obvious that the perpetrator, whom she apparently picked up close to Galway City, drove her blood-stained taxi back in the N17 towards town and then abandoned the vehicle.

There have been TV, radio and newspaper appeals for information about the murder of the 47 year old mother of two and despite a number of lines of inquiry, investigating officers are no closer to finding her murderer.

“At this stage we do not believe that anyone will be arrested. The guards seem to have drawn a complete blank and we don’t hold out any hope of anyone being prosecuted,” Martin Costello added.

The murder had a terrible effect on Eileen’s mother who died eleven years after the tragedy – not knowing who was responsible for her daughter’s death.

Retailers have been advised to ‘tread warily’ in terms of posting pictures on Facebook or other social media outlets of suspected shoplifters or robbers.

Over recent weeks, some shop owners have posted images of suspected shoplifters – taken from CCTV cameras on their premises.

However, Gardai have advised retailers to immediately report any suspicious activity to them and to offer the investigating officer the opportunity of looking at any relevant CCTV footage.

“Posting images of suspected shoplifters on social media is certainly something we would strongly advise against.

“There are data protection issues here – and there is also the possibility of mistaken identity. It is never a good idea for anyone to be taking the law into their own hands.

“Of course, good CCTV footage is extremely helpful in investigating crime but it should be used as part of a Garda investigation,” a Garda spokesman told the Galway City Tribune.

There are also concerns that the publication of CCTV images could potentially prejudice a prosecution.

Earlier this week, two city retail outlets posted good quality pictures of suspected shoplifters on Facebook accompanied by an appeal for information on the individuals concerned.

According to one of the posts, the shoplifters involved were a couple of non-Irish origin – the shop owners asked anyone with information on the suspects either to contact the shop or the Gardai.

In another separate post – involving a mobile phone theft also from a city centre shop – they offered a ‘generous reward’ for anyone who could provide information on three male suspects.

Three accidents over recent months on a notorious stretch of city roadway are clear warning signs that more safety measures to be put in place, according to local representatives.

A section of the Grattan Road in the Claddagh area – close to the Mutton Island causeway – has once again been the scene of a number of accidents with walls knocked after vehicles went out of control.

Local residents have told the Galway City Tribune that the Grattan Road area has historically been the scene of a number of road fatalities – and warned that more could follow – unless safety measures are put in place.

Resident Jimmy Coffey, said that local people and the Residents’ Association, were extremely concerned at the spate of accidents occurring close to the bend in the road adjacent to the Mutton Island causeway.

“It really has been the luck of God that people haven’t been seriously injured or killed in the latest run of accidents. If pedestrians happened to be in the area at the time, then we’d be talking about another tragedy,” said Mr Coffey.

He said that the core problem along the Grattan Road was the speed at which vehicles were travelling and he also called for an examination of the causeway junctions where five roads were coming together.

“This section of roadway, sadly does not have a good record going back the years, as regards fatal accidents. What we want to ensure now is that measures are put in place to make Grattan Road a safer place for everyone,” said Jimmy Coffey.

Local councillor, Niall McNelis, told the Galway City Tribune, that there was an acceptance at all levels of the need to improve road safety along the Grattan Road.

“Early in the New Year, Grattan Road is to be designated a 30kph zone and this is a speed limit that we’ll all want to see strictly enforced.

“This is essentially a speed problem and designating Grattan Road as a 30kph city speed zone is a very important step forward.

“We will also be trying to get radar speed sign displays along the route which have been proven to help in slowing down motorists.

“The recent accidents along this stretch of roadway have been very worrying and thankfully there was no serious injury or loss of life, but from now on all traffic will have to slow down along this route. It has to be a top priority for all of us,” said Cllr. McNelis.

Grattan Road is one of the most notorious sections of road in the city for fatal accidents – back in December 1998, a young man and woman lost their lives, after the car in which they were travelling, crashed into a concrete seat in the area.