Gort

LADY Augusta Gregory’s achievements are immense. As well as establishing Coole as a linchpin of the Irish Literary Revival, she co-founded the Abbey Theatre, wrote plays that were performed across the world, was a pioneering folklorist and a close friend and patron of WB Yeats. George Bernard Shaw called her “Ireland’s greatest living Irishwoman”.

IRELAND Reaching Out, the pilot project developed in South-East Galway from October 2010 through to July 2011 and culminating in a Week of Welcomes in June, is to expand countrywide.

A Brazilian student, who has been living in Gort for the past three years is the first recipient of a new NUI Galway scholarship for students from a non-EU country to study at the university. Heitor Gonzaga has taken up a place in the Bachelor of Engineering degree course.Heitor and his family came to Ireland three years ago where, after a couple of months with the English Language Support system, he entered the Leaving Certificate class in Gort Community School. For the past decade, Gort Community School has seen an influx of international students, with the majority of students from the Brazilian community. “We are delighted to see Heitor getting this award not just for himself and his family but for the whole Brazilian Community. From not knowing a word of English three years ago, to getting 510 points in his Leaving Certificate this year, is a remarkable achievement by any standards. I would also like to commend his teachers …

Kickboxing in Galway has never been stronger and after the International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) sanctioned event in Gort community hall on Saturday night, it has moved to an even higher level.Local fighter, Eric Daly, the current All-Ireland and five nations full-contact kickboxing champion, took on European number one ranked fighter, Sarwar Hamid, who fights out of the well-respected Kicks Gym in Brighton under the guidance of Chris Kent.The prize on this occasion was the IKF European Super lightweight full-contact kickboxing title.The fight, which was, the main event, lived up to all expectations and went the full championship distance between the two world-class athletes and had the crowd in a frenzy throughout.“Both men tipped the scales spot-on the weight division and entered the ring in tip-top condition and their fitness was a credit to both camps. The pace was incredible, with Daly and Hamid showing superb kicking ability coupled with excellent boxing skills but it was Daly who really impressed the …

THE renowned film producer, lecturer and theatre director, Lelia Doolan, will launch the 17th Lady Gregory Autumn Gathering this weekend.“Both Ms Doolan and Lady Gregory have a lot in common. Both were or are rebels and both promoted the arts as entertainment but also as a means to express a political opinion or to spotlight a struggle. Lady Gregory is credited with writing most of the explosive nationalistic play, Cathleen Ní Houlihan, with WB Yeats, who later wondered ‘Did that play of mine send out/certain men the English shot?’” mused Marion Cox, one of the organisers.At the recent Galway Film Fleadh, co-founded by Ms Doolan, her film, Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey, won critical acclaim for its portrayal of Bernadette McAliskey, a veteran of the Battle of the Bogside during the Northern Troubles.“Ms Doolan began her career in RTÉ. She had a battle royal over her insistence that an RTÉ crew should be sent to Vietnam to ensure that …

GORT man Eric Daly is hoping for revenge this weekend. The GMIT student will challenge for the vacant IKF European Superlightweight Full Contact Kickboxing title this Saturday before a home crowd against Sarwar Hamid, who fights out of Brighton in England.The pair last met in a studio in Norwich for the launch of an online television station dedicated to martial arts and in that exchange, it was the Briton that came out on top.“He beat me in the last round of that so this is a rematch of sorts. I know what he is like to fight so I am better prepared this time but then again he knows what I am like too. He is a nice lad and a good fighter so it should be fairly enjoyable, especially from the audience’s perspective. I am looking for revenge or payback,” Eric told The Clare Champion.The event has a further special significant for the South Galway man because he is …

SOUTH Galway would benefit economically if it was developed as a film location, according to local representatives. Recently the area, along with parts of North Clare, has been used as the backdrop to films including Seven Songs for Amy, which is still filming at Lough Cutra, and Asterix and Obelix, which concluded in the Burren last week.

SOUTH and East Galway is missing out on tens of thousands of tourists because of a lack of funds for the restoration of the iconic former home of poet WB Yeats at Thoor Ballylee.