Galway Bay FM News Archives
New twist to ‘jinxed’ ferry saga as ship is arrested
Date Published: 14-Apr-2011
BY CIARAN TIERNEY
The saga over the transfer of two former Aran islands ferries to a new owner in Mauritius took a new twist yesterday when the large Danish cargo ship which is due to collect them was arrested at Galway Harbour.
An order from the Irish Admiralty Marshal, Paula Healy, for the detention of the Thor Gitta effectively means that the Danish registered cargo ship cannot leave the docks with the Clann na nOileain and Clan Eagle 1 ferries on board.
The arrest, believed to be the first in 20 years at the port, is the equivalent of a High Court injunction and ensures that the multi-purpose 7,000 tonne ship will be unable to leave Irish waters pending the payment of a bond to the Irish authorities.
A complaint was received by the Admiralty Marshal at the High Court in Dublin and Ms Healy proceeded with the arrest warrant which was issued to the ship’s captain when staff from the Revenue Commissioners boarded the vessel at lunchtime yesterday.
A watchman presented the arrest order to the ship’s master and a ‘keeper’ from Revenue is set to maintain a presence on the boat over the weekend.
The detention of the ship comes a week after an accident in which three men were injured when one of the ferries, Clann na nOileain, plunged into the docks from a height of about 12 metres (40 feet) after a cable snapped on one of the cargo ship’s two 60 metre high cranes.
That accident occurred a week after another huge cargo ship, the German registered Pantanal, ran aground on rocks near Rossaveal after it was also deployed to pick up the two ferries. Throughout the past week, the Pantanal has been moored off Mutton Island as a team of welders have repaired the damage caused to the vessel.
Although a new cable has been sourced from the Netherlands for the Thor Gitta this week, yesterday’s arrest means that all three vessels will be left sitting in Galway Harbour over the weekend while the Pantanal continues to sit out in the bay.
For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.
Date Published: 07-May-2013
Tuam has secured it’s second import of hay from the UK this afternoon in a bid to address the ongoing fodder crisis in the west.
A load of between 40 and 50 bales arrived at the Connacht Gold store in Airglooney for distribution throughout the county.
It follows a similar load last Thursday to the Tuam outlet.
The co-op also took a load of imported hay to the mart in Maam Cross over the weekend, however most of the bales had already been pre-assigned to farmers.
Further loads of hay are expected to arrive across the west and north west tonight and tomorrow morning.
Date Published: 09-May-2013
281 offers of social housing were made by the city and county councils last year.
Figures provided by the local authorities show that 46 of these were refused.
Galway city council made 193 such offers in 2012 with 41 of these refused.
The majority didn’t like the area they were offered or disliked the property itself.
Galway county council made 88 offers of social housing last year with 83 of these accepted.
Reasons given for refusing five properties focused on the location or that the property itself did not meet their needs.
Date Published: 13-May-2013
Galway Senator Trevor O’ Clochartaigh has called on the government to provide more support for victims of domestic violence.
Figures provided to the Sinn Fein Senator show that domestic violence support group COPE accompanied over 80 women to court in Galway last year, but a further 214 women were unable to avail of such assistance.
Senator O Clochartaigh told Galway Bay fm news that more needs to be done to support victims of domestic violence.
Over 33,000 families in Galway are to benefit from a €100 increase in Child Benefit payments this week.
Free event in city to showcase how to recycle food waste
Galway Fire Services called out to gorse fires in three locations in the past 24 hours.
SuperValu parent company takes ownership of Knocknacarra landbank
€11m fit-out for new City Hall in Galway will go to tender
East Galway farm sells for €1.3 million
Burkes return home to revel in their local roots
Official opening of Galway’s new pedestrian and cycle bridge
OPW Minister to meet Council engineers on ‘flawed’ motorway design
Minister branded ‘a disgrace’ for reversing land rezoning in Galway City
