Galway Bay fm - News

The award winning Food On The Edge symposium will return to Galway for it's 10th Anniversary.  The symposium, with Evolution as it's central theme will be held in ATU Galway on the 27th and 28th of October.  Since its inception, Food On The Edge has become a global meeting point for chefs, food activists, authors, educators, producers and innovators, gathering to debate and explore the future of f...

SME's and social enterprises in the West are at risk of being unfairly excluded from vital EU supports. That's according to local MEP Ciarán Mullooly, who says it's due to unclear rules that Ireland has failed to fix. He says the issue centres on a test in EU law called the "undertaking in difficulty" test, which prevents state aid going to firms that are collapsing. Independent Ireland MEP Mulloo...

The 41st annual Conamara Sea Week Festival begins today in Letterfrack in north-west Connemara. The festival celebrates the unique and rich environment, marine life and cultural heritage of the region and this year's programme has events and activities to suit all ages, with workshops, art, music, talks, walks and much more. The festival also shines a light on climate action and biodiversity, high...

There has been a step forward for major wastewater schemes, worth a combined €40 million, in Mountbellew and Ballygar. The tender process for a contractor is well underway for both projects, with planning in place for Ballygar and planning submitted for Mountbellew, Uisce Eireann says construction on both projects is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, subject to statutory approvals. Gal...

The Dáil has heard that the Tuam-Athenry area is being "bombarded" with planned wind farms. Raising the issue, Fine Gael Deputy Pete Roche said he wanted to "shine a light" on the issue and find out the reasoning behind it. He was told the matter would be raised with Environment Minister Darragh O' Brien. Deputy Roche argued it's the worst impacted area in the country.

Ministers James Lawless TD and Martin Heydon TD have announced that Atlantic Technological University has secured Government approval to establish a new School of Veterinary Medicine, with the first students due to begin in 2026. The initiative, part of the Government's Veterinary Places Activation Programme (VPAP), will deliver 80 new veterinary student places nationally each year - 40 of which w...

Sinn Féin TD for Galway East, Louis O'Hara, has called for the NCSE Guidelines for the Review of SNA Allocations 2025/26 to be scrapped. The proposal would reduce the application window for additional SNA support to just six weeks, a definition Deputy O'Hara says is much narrower, and would unify mainstream and special class allocations. Deputy O'Hara added that Ministers McEntee and Moynihan must...

Representatives from 15 countries are in Galway this afternoon for the 2025 World Oyster Opening Championships. This year’s event will take place on Lower Cross Street at 3 pm on a stage hosted by the Latin Quarter to determine who wins the title, with Ireland represented by Michael Moran, who won the national title last night at the Kings Head. The championships are part of the 71st Galway Intern...

The Department of the Environment have confirmed that funding to the tune of €30,000, along with further funding of €30,000 provided by Galway City Council, will enable the continuation of the Galway Warm Home Hub until this December. Under the EU NetZeroCities Pilot Programme, Galway City Council secured €1m in funding over a two-year period to carry out a project focusing on energy efficiency in...

The Health Minister is being urged to host a cross-party meeting on maternity services at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe. Deputy Claire Kerrane says there's a huge amount of uncertainty and fear, after high-risk pregnancies were recently transferred away from the facility. The decision came amid a number of ongoing reviews into the deaths of several babies there, as well as serious harm to ot...

The Government must get more ambitious when it comes to equine therapy in the West of Ireland.  That's according to Galway East TD Albert Dolan, during a Dáil discussion on the new National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People.  The Fianna Fail TD argued the people and the facilities are there - but support is needed. 

Repeated vandalism at Ballinasloe's running track has prompted urgent calls from a councillor for stronger measures to protect the town's community amenities. Independent Councillor Evelyn Parsons has urged Galway County Council to develop a business case for a dedicated caretaker or contracted security firm presence covering key public facilities across Ballinasloe including the running track, pl...

Fine Gael TD for Galway East Pete Roche has called on the Government to increase funding for all grant schemes related to the construction, repair and upgrading of footpaths across Galway and the wider country ahead of Budget 2025. Deputy Roche is seeking the creation of a dedicated funding category that will enable local authorities and communities to deliver projects efficiently and safely in re...

Cllr Andrew Reddington has put forward a motion requesting that Galway County Council apply for a low-cost accident scheme at Bunnahively More in Corrandulla. An application for funding from the Department of Transport was not granted because there was insufficient data to demonstrate the number of accidents on the road. Councillor Reddington states that he has requested the Tuam District Municipa...

Volunteers from the Ukrainian Red Cross will arrive in Galway tomorrow to share their frontline experience from a country that has faced one of the world's largest humanitarian emergencies. The meeting is part of a tour of the country by the volunteers who are also visiting Limerick, Mallow and Dublin.  Since 2022, the Ukrainian Red Cross has scaled up to meet the needs of millions, mobilising vol...

Joyce Country and Western Lakes Geopark in North Galway and South Mayo has been granted UNESCO Global Geopark status at the 10th UNESCO Global Geoparks Council meeting in Temuco, Chile. This will be the first UNESCO Global Geopark in Connacht and the first on the island of Ireland to include a Gaeltacht (Dúiche Sheoigheach agus Tuar Mhic Éadaigh) and will be the fifth in the Island of Ireland, joi...

The launch took place last night of the 2025 Glenamaddy Ploughing and Agricultural Show at the Equestrian centre in Glenamaddy, with the show itself to be held on Sunday, the 28th of September. Approximately 8 to 9 thousand people visit Glenamaddy for the show, and organisers are hopeful that this year could see over 10,000 visitors on the day in the Galway town.  Last night also saw the launch of...

Galway City Council have announced the appointment of three new Urban and Community Development Officers to give targeted support to community and voluntary groups in the City. These roles will support the growth and empowerment of local communities, working closely with residents, community groups and other stakeholders to implement community development initiatives and enhance community cohesion...

Loughrea Seven Springs Day Centre is to finally return to five day a week services after a four year wait. Following a HIQA inspection, the HSE has approved a return to day services for 5 days a week at the Centre. The decision has been warmly welcomed by the Loughrea Concerned Citizens Group. The Seven Springs Day Centre was closed in March 2020 due to due to Covid-19 but was not reopened when re...

The University of Galway is launching an oral history archive of Irish showbusiness people as part of National Heritage Week. It aims to celebrate the lives and legacy of Irish performers from travelling cinemas, fairgrounds, circuses and sideshows. The archive 'Voices of the Showmen' is a partnership between the UG Library, Irish Street Arts, the Circus and Spectacle Network, Archives Ireland and...

A Galway Deputy has asked the Minister with direct responsibility for School Transport to intervene with the Department of Education towards sanctioning a further Bus Service for students attending Colaiste na Coiribe. It has emerged that some pupils had enrolled in the school only to find that no transport had been provided. Speaking to Galway Bay FM News, Deputy Connolly, who is the Fianna Fail...