Gort

THE establishment of a dedicated group to address issues that will arise during the construction of the new M18 motorway, which forms part of the new route from Gort to Tuam, has been proposed by Fine Gael Senator Ciaran Cannon.

A boil water notice imposed in Gort last March and due to last three months is still in place, albeit after a break of just over one week before Christmas. The notice looks set to be lifted in mid-February, almost a year after it was first announced.

THE inaugural Kinvara Rock and Road Half Marathon and 10km Road Race takes place on Saturday, March 5 in the South Galway village.

OVER 70 team leaders representing 30 South-East Galway parishes attended the Ireland Reaching Out information evening at the Loughrea Spa Hotel last Wednesday evening.IRO chairperson, Mike Feerick, presented a comprehensive update on the progress of the South-East Galway pilot project to date and plans for early 2011. Representatives from the parishes of Ardrahan, Clontuskert and Fohenagh spoke at the meeting outlining the details of their participation in the project so far. The speakers outlined the excellent enthusiasm for the project on the ground throughout their parishes, challenges met and overcome in initiating the project within their communities and progress achieved to date. The Ireland Reaching Out South-East Galway pilot Project was launched on October 28 in Loughrea by broadcaster and economist David McWilliams and is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The programme will enable parish communities to reconnect with those who have left the area and their descendants worldwide and bring social, cultural and economic benefit to the …

An Bord Pleanála has upheld a decision by Galway County Council to grant planning permission for the construction of a 15m² structure on the grounds of a house in Gort used for a home-baking business.Annemarie and Noel Smullen were granted planning permission by Galway County Council to build the structure ancillary to their existing house for use in conjunction with their home-baking business at 52 Burrenview, Gort last Summer. This was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by neighbour, Brid McNamara, care of Clarig Consulting Engineers Limited. Ms McNamara’s objection raised issues surrounding direct deliveries to and from the Smullen’s house and direct sales from the house and she stated that while the scale of the proposed structure may be small compared to other commercial structures, it would, she asserted, affect the residential amenity of the adjoining properties and being 4ft over the existing fence, would block daylight and sunlight from the adjacent garden. The objection stated that the development would …

GORT Community School opened its new sports and music facilities this year, 10 years after sending its first letter to the Department of Education and Science about problems with PE amenities.

WATER users in Gort had good news this week when Galway County Council announced that the precautionary boil notice, which has been in place in the town for the past nine months, has been lifted.

A SOUTH Galway garda made history recently when he became the first Irish person to speak and vote at a major international conference on arthritis and rheumatism.At 32, Philip Gleeson was diagnosed with acute inflammatory arthritis. The life-changing condition impacted severely on his life and he thought his career and his interest in sports were a thing of the past. However, thanks to information and support from Arthritis Ireland and the commitment and help of his employers, Philip continues to work full-time and is still involved in all the activities he loves.Last month, the 36-year-old travelled to Berlin where he represented Ireland at the European League Against Rheumatism Autumn Conference for People with Arthritis/Rheumatism in Europe. Philip serves on the National Board of Arthritis Ireland but that was not why he was selected to take part in the conference. “The main reason I was picked to go was that two of the topics being discussed were youth and a programme …