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‘No Name’ Cathal is the perfect host

South Galway’s Cathal Broderick won Host of the Year at the No Name Club’s National Youth Awards in Kilkenny recently. More than 1,000 members of the organisation from all over Ireland gathered in the Lyrath Hotel, Kilkenny for the final of its Host and Hostess of the Year competition, with both awards eventually going to the west.Sixteen-year-old Cathal, a member of Gort No Name Club, was named Host of the Year, while Eadaoin Ni Mhaicin from Claremorris No Name Club in Mayo, was named Hostess of the Year.There was a large crowd at the event with members of clubs around the country supporting all 10 finalists. Cathal was backed by a vocal contingent from Gort No Name Club, as well as his proud parents Eamonn and Marian. The finalists were interviewed on stage by RTÉ’s Damien Tiernan before entertaining with a party piece. Cathal sang a very impressive rendition of Ed Sheeran’s Give Me Love. Prior to joining the local …

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Getting to the art of the matter at Seamount

A subject inspection into the quality of learning and teaching of art at Seamount College, Kinvara has recommended that the principal support and monitor the further development of art department practices to address dwindling numbers at senior cycle.Five main recommendations were made as part of the subject inspection, which was carried out last October 7 by the Department of Education and Skills.  The full report was released this week and found the subject is being “competently and conscientiously delivered”. It did note there were dwindling numbers in senior cycle art and advised the school to adopt an attractive learner-centred approach as a tool for sustaining viable numbers in the long term. The inspector recognised that resources had been put in place in the art department to facilitate students’ encounter with various media and materials, co-curricular activities, and preparation for the state examinations.Meanwhile the school’s use of information and communication technology (ICT) and video in the senior cycle history and appreciation …

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Gort planning criticised by An Taisce report

“CERTAIN guidelines were ignored” when planning was granted to a number of developments on South Galway flood plains, one local councillor believes. Granting planning permissions on South Galway flood plains was “madness” Councillor Gerry Finnerty said after a report published this week by An Taisce, the national trust, singled out a number of planning decisions in Gort for specific criticism.Another local representative acknowledged that too much land was zoned in the area over the course of the economic boom. State of the Nation: A Review of Ireland’s Planning System 2000-2011 was published this week and gave Galway County Council an F grade in planning or 31%. It was ranked joint 28 out of 34 local authorities nationally. Galway City Council came in third best with a C grade. “Isn’t hindsight wonderful? Yes, without a doubt, we rezoned far too much land in all town plans and we don’t need An Taisce to remind us of that now, Fine Gael Councillor …

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Educate Together gets green light to build

AN Bord Pleanála has cleared the way for the construction of a new school building for South Galway’s only Educate Together primary school. The board of management of Kilcolgan Educate Together National School cautiously welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála. Galway County Council granted permission to Tom Quinn, c/o Enplan Consultants Ltd, Tuam Road, Galway, back in August 2011 for the two-storey eight-classroom primary school. The project was also to include an indoor recreation area with a staff room, library, meeting rooms, resource rooms and parents rooms, outdoor play areas including an all-weather pitch, a detached building comprising a crèche at ground-floor level, medical consulting rooms at first floor level, 55 car-parking spaces, access from the N67 with turning circle and drop off area, pedestrian and cycle access from the N18 and associated works at Kilcolgan village.This decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by Suzanne Quinn, c/o Brendan Slevin and Associates, Gort but last week the board upheld …

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New chamber campaign to target GAA

BUSINESSES in Gort are hoping to cash in on some of the thousands of cars and buses passing the town daily. Gort Chamber of Commerce is working with local companies on a new campaign to attract groups into the town to eat, shop or stay.“Recently, during the GAA league, a number of stars stopped off in Gort. On one Saturday recently the Cork football panel stopped off for refreshments on their way to Castlebar to play Mayo. “On the same weekend, Waterford hurling star John Mullane was spotted walking about Gort before he made a successful return against Galway. The chamber is now working with businesses within the town to see if there is potential to attract similar business,” explained the chamber’s newly-elected secretary, Pauline Scully.According to Ms Scully, the chamber would welcome ideas from people in the area, local businesses and organisations that would bring sports teams and other groups into the town.“We are hoping to take this further. …

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Kinvara pupils develop new study aids

THREE South Galway girls are hoping to revolutionise study with a simple and innovative pupil stationery set. With the Leaving and Junior Certificate exams just two months away, second-level pupils are beginning to step up their study, with many going into study overdrive during the Easter holidays. With this in mind, three transition-year pupils, Ellen McCrossan, Helen MacMahon and Nicole Brennan of Seamount College, Kinvara, have just launched their range of study stationery. The group designed the set to help fellow students through the Junior and Leaving Cert.Made up of Revise Me bookmarks and Remember Me stickers, NerdMe study aids are new learning tools, which aim to increase organisational skills, avoid pupils over-highlighting, encourage focus on examinations and also aid pupils struggling with dyslexia using specific colours to highlight important information.Each NerdMe Study Aid pack comprises 56 Remember Me stickers in four colours, which allow pupils to highlight the section of the page they need to revise and eight Revise …

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A pathway to improved accessibility

GORT is set to be made more accessible next year after Galway County Council confirmed it has been in contact with the National Roads Authority (NRA) about footpaths in the town.Deputy Mayor of Galway County Council Bridie Willers tabled a motion at a recent meeting of the local authority, calling for the town to be made wheelchair accessible.“There don’t have to be complaints about this, anyone who looks can see the problem,” Councillor Willers told The Clare Champion.She said a survey in Gort by a disability interest group highlighted the shortfall with regard to the state of the footpaths. “There are some new footpaths in the town but others leave an awful lot to be desired. What we take for granted as accessible can be extremely difficult if you are pushing a wheelchair or a buggie or if you are visually impaired or have any mobility difficulty. You will find that lip or edge on a path is a disaster …

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