South Galway

A BROTHER and sister threw up to 32 eggs at their aunt during a five minute long ‘egg assault’ on her outside their south Galway home two years ago, a court has heard. At Gort District Court, Mary Fahy said that her face got ‘banged’ and ‘bashed’ with the eggs thrown by her nephew and niece, Cathal Connors (25) and Michelle Connors (20) both of Fannaun, Peterswell in south Galway while she was driving past their home at around 6.30pm on October 17 2019. Mrs Fahy told the court, “It was bang, bang, bang, bang. I thought they were stones and they continued for five minutes or thereabouts and banging eggs off my face.” She told the court that her niece and nephew threw “a dozen and a score of eggs” at her adding that she saw Michelle and Cathal Connors “running out from the front door – they obviously had it set up”. Cathal and Michelle Connors each denied …

AN EXCITING new exhibition is to open at the Courthouse in Kinvara from Friday (November 19), in association with Kinvara Area Visual Artists (KAVA). Selected works by artist and sculptor Oliver Tennyson will be on show 11am to 4.30pm daily until November 28. The Louth-born artist describes his practice as lying “between realism and surrealism, with a tendency towards abstraction, influences range from Henry Moore to Frances Bacon, and beyond”. Oliver describes his current solo show as “a kaleidoscopic view of Ireland, the island we live on”. Themes explored in the show range from “mysticism, pagan origins, political upheavals, the work of poets and writers, its beauty and its scandals”, he added. Oliver was born near Dundalk, the oldest son of a farming family. He developed an interest in woodwork at an early age and by the age of 25 had become a self-taught musical instrument maker. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing mandolin, harmonica and concertina.  On the basis …

GORT River Walk recently saw the launch of a unique geolocated audio experience along its banks that celebrates the legacy of a famous Irish composer. David Murray, who has worked tirelessly with his colleagues in Gort to make the River Walk what it is, launched the Carolan’s Rambles Sound Walk and praised the vision of Sinead Hayes and Katharina Baker who drove the project along despite the unsettling year that has been. The roots of this venture span back to the 1700s when composer and famed musician Turlough Carolan was busy entertaining his hosts throughout Connaught, Clare and south Ulster until his death in 1738, at the age of 68. The year 2020 was the 350th anniversary of the birth of Turlough Carolan and Sinead Hayes, a young Galway musician, has made sure that we remember the legacy that Carolan has left to Irish music. Together with Katharina Baker of Coole Music and Arts, they have encouraged a phenomenal outpouring …

A KINVARA-BASED artist has launched a charitable initiative to support the work of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) emergency fund, after her own experience of working with migrants. Anne Korff, who has volunteered herself with refugees on the Greek island of Chios, is making a series of images available for sale, with proceeds going to the international medical charity. Roses of Hope – Meditations is the name of six reproductions of Anne’s work, which are 25cm x 25cm in size, ring bound and with a hanging attachment, ready to display on a wall. Proceeds from the sale of the book, which cost just €20 each, will go to the MSF emergency fund. The series was created as a series of paintings during the coronavirus pandemic. “Throughout the lockdown periods of solitude and isolation, Anne wanted to share her artwork as a way of providing support, inspiration and nourishment for the soul. Each painting is a meditation using energy, colour and …

THE iconic statue of Christ the King in the heart of Gort will be the focal point for a rejuvenated town centre, as a local fund-raising campaign has been intensified to provide upgraded seating, planting and paving. The Burren Lowlands Group, which works with 16 local parishes in North Clare and South Galway, has just teamed up with a local business woman to run a fund-raising raffle to boost efforts to cover the cost of enhanced paving around The Square. The Dolly Tub, which is a new business based in Peterswell and run by Susanne Orsford, has donated five gift boxes containing had-made sanitisers, balms, soaps and candles. “We have extended our fundraising efforts because, while we’re very grateful for all of the support received to-date, we need a little more money to really get the project right,” explained Kathleen Bell Bonjeau of Burren Lowlands. “We had hoped to have the second phase of the redevelopment complete by Christmas, but …

GORT Community School (GCS) recently celebrated a quarter of a century providing education in North Clare with the launch of a commemorative CD, entitled ‘Le Chéile’. The recording features past and present students and staff, and includes guest tracks from We Banjo 3, the Kilfenora Céilí Band and Séan Keane. Seán’s late wife, Virginia, had been a teacher at the school. The launch, which was performed by Séan Keane and Katharina Baker, was streamed live on Facebook because of the restrictions around the pandemic. On the day of the event, the school was also delighted to welcome Mary and Flan Noonan to unveil a plaque in memory of their daughter Eimear, a past pupil, who died in a tragic accident, while working as a teacher in France in 2017 Eimear was described by the school community as a very valued student, especially in the music department. As well as her love for Irish and French, Eimear was at the heart of …

IF you want to ruffle a few feathers, or shake off the excesses of the Christmas food fest, the Kilbeacanty 8K turkey run is for you. The ninth annual event, it has, to date, raised in excessive of €30,000 for Galway Hospice and the Gort Cancer Support Centre. “Last year, over 400 people ran, jogged and walk and some even pushed babies in prams and it was really fun,” said Pat Regan, adding, “It was for two great causes.” “Again, this year we encourage you to round up a group of lads from your parish and try to win the Pride of the Parish section with the first four from each parish to score. This was won last year by Kilbeacanty,” Pat said. Registration will be at McCarthys Lounge from 11.30am. This is also a 1k race for national school children and this will start at 1pm. The main event starts at 1.30pm.

Gardaí at Ballinasloe are investigating a single vehicle fatal road traffic collision which occurred at Coolagh, near Loughrea, in the early hours of the morning. The collision occurred at approximately 2.45am on the Loughrea to Killimor Road, about three miles outside Killimor,when the car collided with a concrete barrier.The 26 year-old male driver was seriously injured and taken to University College Hospital Galway. He was later pronounced dead in hospital. No other persons were involved. The road was closed to facilitate an examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators but has since reopened. Gardaí wish to appeal for witnesses in particular anyone who was on that stretch of road between 2.30am and 2.45am to contact Balinasloe Garda Station on 090 9631890, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.