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Crowd down for first time this week at Ballybrit
Galway Bay fm newsroom – The attendance was down at Ballybrit last evening, largely due to the inclement weather.
A crowd of 23 and a half thousand braved the rain, down 2,300 on Friday of last year.
The smaller crowd meant a smaller turnover for the tote and bookies but they still took in 1.7 million euro between them.
The bookies turnover of just over a million euro was 340 thousand down on last year while the tote turnover of 711 thousand was 25 thousand less than last year.
Although the incessant rain dampened spirits at times, there was a huge cheer for Tuam jockey Leigh Roche when he was first past the post on the Harry Rogers-trained Botanical Lady in the Arthur Guinness Handicap.
Among the well-known faces in the crowd yesterday was newscaster Siún Nic Gearailt.
Today the races revert to an afternoon meet and the first of the seven race card is at 2.35, with full coverage here on Galway Bay fm.
The full preferred route for the Galway-Athlone cycleway project will be published online tomorrow.
It follows consultation with landowners over the past year – though there’s been vocal opposition in some areas.
The preferred route starts near Ballyloughane Beach on the east side of Galway City, and snakes it way towards Athlone, taking in a wide range of towns, villages and hinterland.
The anchor points are Oranmore, Renville, Clarinbridge, Kilcolgan, Kinvara, Gort, Woodford, Portumna, Meelick, Clonfert, Ballinasloe, Shannonbridge and Athlone Castle.
But while there’s no opposition to the cycleway in principal, there’s some discontent about certain elements of the emerging option.
There’s been criticism over alleged interference with areas of special conservation in South Galway, as well an alleged lack of engagement with some landowners in East Galway.
The entire preferred route will be published on the project website tomorrow and can be viewed at GalwayToAthloneCycleway.com.
Four public information events are also to be held next week.
They’ll be held at the Oranmore Lodge Hotel on Tuesday, the Lady Gregory Hotel in Gort on Wednesday, Portumna Community Hall on Thursday and at the Shearwater Hotel in Ballinasloe on Friday.
It’s expected a planning application for the ambitious project will be lodged with An Bord Pleanala sometime in 2024.
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Local TD Mairead Farrell says she has an awful sense that the Government is bringing Ireland “full circle” back to 2008.
Speaking during a debate in the Dáil, she argued it hasn’t done close to enough to help those struggling with the cost of living crisis.
And she said rents prices are out of control – and claimed the Government is now presiding over people being thrown out on the streets.
Sinn Fein Deputy Farrell said the reality is, the current situation is a direct result of Government policy.
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway-based Blue Teapot Theatre Company has received recognition as a provider of a quallity assurance programme.
The local company based in Galway city is well-known for its work involving people with intellectual disabilities in theatre.
The QQI process recognises the high quality work in developing, enhancing and implementing quality assurance processes.
Last year, the group bought a new building on Munster Avenue, which it’s now been revealed was possible thanks to Social Finance Foundation, Clann Credo.
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