Gort

People the world over have waxed lyrical about watching the sun go down on Galway Bay. Now scientists have come up with a state-of-the-art system to view the famous bay in a new perspective.Researchers from the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway have deployed a sophisticated coastal radar system in Galway Bay, which transmits maps of the surface currents and provides details of the height and direction of waves from the shoreline directly to the institute. The cutting edge technology has many potential uses for research and for the local community and this is the first time it is being used in North Atlantic European waters.The Modelling and Informatics Group in the Ryan Institute, led by Dr Mike Hartnett, develops models to forecast marine conditions such as tidal currents, storm surges and wave heights. The group are currently carrying out research, in collaboration with IBM Smarter Cities Technology Centre, Dublin, to improve model forecasts using the radar data and meteorological data. …

THE provision of new information technology at one of Galway’s main public hospitals will dramatically improve efficiency and patient outcomes, according to Health Minister Dr James Reilly.University College Hospital, Galway has been the subject of severe criticism from public representatives at HSE Forum West meetings in recent months due to chronic overcrowding and high numbers of patients waiting on trolleys.If Minister Reilly’s plans come to fruition, it seems public patients will spend less time waiting to be admitted to the emergency department and should also get quicker access to a host of surgical and medical treatments.In addition to the introduction of a new Special Delivery Unit (SDU), Minister Reilly has unveiled plans for a new information technology system, which will enable managers to track the exact journey and length of time a patient spends going through different departments in UCHG.The minister hopes to rollout this new system, where managers will be able to track every consultant’s waiting list in every …

SOUTH Galway features strongly in the shortlist for the County Mayor’s Awards 2011. Galway County Council revealed the nominations on Monday with 35 individuals, community and voluntary groups getting the nod over seven categories for the inaugural awards, which will take place next month.Speaking at the launch of the awards, County Mayor Councillor Michael Maher said, “I am delighted to be hosting the first ever Mayor’s Awards for County Galway. When I took up the office of county mayor earlier this year, one of my priorities was to acknowledge and celebrate the great work that people and communities are involved in around the county. Over the years, the county council have shown their commitment to supporting communities through their various schemes,” he said.“The awards will recognise community activity in areas such as sport, arts, environment and energy efficiency, community enterprise, youth, age friendly and tackling exclusion and disadvantage. Thirty-eight public nominations have also been received for a special Volunteer of …

A SOUTH Galway man will bring a taste of the 19th century salon to Clare next month but not before performing his new show in his home village of Kinvara. Gerry Conneely will be Surfing the Zeitgeist in Johnston’s Hall at 8.30pm on Sunday. “The show involves a trip through time using romantic poetry as a prism with which to view events. It consists of historical narrative, storytelling and recitation. It tells the story of the modern world and its impact on Ireland, in the style of a 19th century salon. Its purpose is to entertain, while at the same time, demonstrating the effectiveness of the rural arts of storytelling and recitation. It is history through story and poetry, if you like,” Gerry explained.The show has been previewed and developed over the summer before a number of groups. “I performed it about three times during the summer. The first time I did it was at the Cruinniú na mBád festival …

A Kinvara woman received a boost this year as her Irish Kitchen Garden Calendar achieved the support of gardens and gardening organisations nationwide. Experienced horticulturalist Lynn O’Keeffe-Lascar gives practical expert advice as part of the gardening guide and calendar on a background of stunning photographs taken at some of Ireland’s most beautiful gardens. In 2009 Lynn, an outreach horticulturalist with a not-for-profit organisation, Kinvara Sustainable Development, started a project called The Irish Kitchen Garden Calendar from her home in Kinvara. The calendar included her own photographs from different gardens and her monthly tips on gardening. The aim of the calendar is to showcase Ireland’s wonderful gardens and to give Irish gardeners month-by-month advice. Lynn’s commitment to the project and her engaging enthusiasm brought the project through its first two years and now in its third year, she has achieved a breakthrough with national gardens and gardening organisations from all corners of the country supporting the project.“The Organic Centre is delighted …

A pilot project rolled out in South Galway centralising garda station administration has resulted in a reduction in crime, according to a senior garda in the area. As a result of the success of a pilot Community Policing Model in the Gort Garda District, the implementation of the model to the entire district has taken place. The project involves the creation of two administrative areas at Gort and Craughwell stations with each of the other five stations in the district being affiliated to their respective administrative area stations. Thus Craughwell is the administrative area station for Kilcolgan, Kilchreest and Ardrahan with Gort being the administrative area station for Kinvara and Shanaglish.“The impressive reductions in crime achieved as a result of the introduction of the pilot model and the increased resources it bought has paved the way for the models full, introduction across the district,” explained Gort Superintendent Patrick Murray.“The transfer or centralisation of administrative duties to Gort and Craughwell stations, …

A GORT Community School pupil has taken the top accolade at the National Career Skills Competition. Lough Cutra girl, Rachel McKnight, who is now in her final year of the Leaving Cert Applied programme, took first prize at the recent award ceremony in Dublin.The career skills competition award ceremony was held at the Department of Education and Science and was attended by Junior Minister for Training and Skills, Galway’s Ciarán Cannon.For the competition, pupils were invited to carry out a career investigation and to record their findings on the skills required for the role, following a work experience of their choice.“The project involved writing a report on the work experience I did and what I learned and how I did the work. It helped me decide if I wanted to do that career or not after school,” explained Rachel.The 16-year-old did her work experience every Friday throughout her first term in LCA in Paisti Beaga in Quin, Clare.“I learned loads …

GALWAY GAA club, Clarinbridge has been crowned Etihad’s first Best Club Down Under. The title was awarded by Etihad Airways, sponsor of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship, to the club that detailed its greatest achievement to date, both on and off the pitch.Clarinbridge beat rivals Bishopstown from Cork, Glynn Barntown from Wexford and Kilmacud Crokes from Dublin in a public vote for greatest achievement on www.etihadgaa.ie.The Clarinbridge club won a once-in-a-lifetime prize for Etihad’s Best Club Down Under competition. Etihad will fly Clarinbridge’s first team to Australia, where they will train with GAA legend, Nicky English ahead of the challenge game of a lifetime. Clarinbridge will play an Australian select team as the curtain raiser for the International Rules match between Ireland and Australia in the Etihad Stadium, Melbourne.“We are delighted,” said the club’s public relations officer, Joe Egan. “This competition has been running for three or four years. Portumna won it in 2009. The way we got involved …