Sarsfields0-22

Castlegar 1-11

By Stephen Glennon at Kenny Park

A Ger Farragher-less Castlegar proved to be no match for a slick Sarsfields side when the two met in a disappointing SHC ‘A’ encounter at Kenny Park, Athenry, on Saturday.

Indeed, without their ‘Rock of Cashel’ – for that is what Ger Farragher has become in the East side of the city – Castlegar struggled to find any fluency in attack while his freetaking duties, despite a reasonable showing from stand-in Greg Thomas, were also missed.

In contrast, Sarsfields, even without Joseph Cooney and Darren Morrissey, were a cut above their opponents, giving an exhibition in point shooting throughout the fixture as eight players scribbled their names on the scoresheet.

To the fore was full-forward Kevin Cooney with ten points from placed balls while Alex Connaire (0-3), Darragh Donohue, John Cooney and Paddy MacCartaigh (0-2 each) and Adam Donohue, Leon Connaire and Michael Hanlon (0-1 apiece) also contributed.

Wind assisted, Sarsfields set the tone in the opening quarter, at the end of which they led 0-8 to 0-3 – although there was some confusion over Castlegar’s third point tallied by Jack Coyne.

Adam Donohue, Alex Connaire, Kevin Cooney (free) and Darragh Donohue were all on target in the opening seven minutes, after a Greg Thomas free had fired up the scoreboard in the opening seconds.

Further scores from Darragh Donohue, John Cooney and Kevin Cooney (two frees) ensured Sarsfields lost none of their early momentum – and not even a sprinkling of points from Oisín Connolly, Coyne, Thomas (free) and Donal Barry could dispel the notion that this tie was over before it had begun.

In the second quarter, Kevin Cooney (three frees), John Cooney, Leon Connaire, Alex Connaire and MacCartaigh elevated the victors into a 0-15 to 0-5 lead.

Pictured: Michael Hanlon of Sarsfields geting away from Castlegar’s Gearoid King during the clubs’ Senior A Championship tie at Kenny Park on Saturday. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.

By Brendan Carroll

Average rents in Galway City have soared past the €2,000 a month barrier for the first time, new figures have revealed.

The Daft.ie Rental Price Report for the second quarter of this year shows the average monthly cost of renting a place to live in the city hit €2,114 – the most expensive in the country outside of Dublin.

That represents a substantial hike of 13.3% on rental prices for the same period last year, one of the biggest jumps of any local authority area in the country.

In money terms, the increase means that people are paying just short of €250 a month more than they were this time last year … and in excess of €760 above what they were paying pre-Covid.

Galway’s new average places city rents dearer than in Limerick City (€2,107), Cork City (€2,005), Waterford City ((€1,616) and all other areas outside of the capital, where average monthly prices ranged from €2,244 in the North County area to €2,656 in the South County area.

In the rest of County Galway, average monthly rents came to €1,581, an increase of 9.9% on the figures for 2023.

To rent a three-bedroom house in Galway City now costs €1,828 a month on average while other rental prices are €2,357 for a four-bed house, €2,430 for a five-bed, €1,551 for a two-bed apartment and €1,279 for a one-bedroom apartment.

This year saw a huge jump in the cost of renting a room with a double bed in the city – a staggering increase of almost 40% year-on-year.

In the city centre, this will set you back by €757 a month on average (up 39.2%), while in Galway City suburbs the average is €664 a month (up 37.2%).

Single bedroom rentals are not much cheaper – €635 in the city centre area and €591 in the suburbs – though the increase on last year was much less than for a double, at 4.4% and 5.7% respectively.

The Daft.ie report also highlights the difference in cost between buying a property and paying a mortgage, as against renting, based on current property prices.

In Galway City, the biggest difference is in smaller properties – a one-bedroomed apartment would cost well less than half what people have to pay out in monthly rents — €530 in mortgage repayments, compared with €1,279 in rent.

Mortgage repayments on a two-bed house would also cost less than half what is being charged, at €746 a month, while a three-bedroom house would be €700-plus cheaper (€1,108 at current mortgage rates).

A four-bed house would cost more than €500 less (€1,837), while the difference in mortgage repayments and rents for a five-bed house is close to €140, at €2,292 a month.

But regardless of the cost, one of the biggest problems facing people needing a place to live is the difficulty in actually finding a property available to rent, or indeed to buy.

In the whole of the Connacht-Ulster region, there were just 240 homes listed for rent at the start of this month, down 6% on the same date a year ago and less than one third of the 2015-2019 average of almost 750 homes.

Across Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford cities combined, there were just 150 homes available to rent at the start of August.

“Where availability goes, affordability follows: supply is the single most important determinant of rental level. When supply is tight, rents are pulled up,” said Ronan Lyons, Associate Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin.

The city’s newest entertainment attraction very nearly ended up at the bottom of the sea on its way to Galway.

Escape Rooms are Europe’s latest growing entertainment craze. Enjoyed by Barack and Michelle Obama, Ariana Grande and many other high profile celebrities, they are becoming hugely popular due to their immersive, high octane fun and their adrenalin-fuelled cerebral quests.

A Dublin company, Escape Boats, have taken the Escape Room theme to another level, having built the world’s first Escape Room on a real boat.

The founders, Ronan Brady and Sam Field Corbett, bought the 108 year old barge in the Netherlands and brought her back for a complete refit in Dublin and launched the venture in 2017. Since then Escape Boats have been winning plaudits and praise from enthusiasts and press across the world.

The game uses real props, maritime equipment and a number of never seen before surprises to immerse players in what has been called ‘the best Escape Room ever’.

Escape Boats has now just opened its newest venue in Galway’s Old Dock on Long Walk after bringing the 85 year old barge the Norrie K, to Galway from the Netherlands.

The barge was sailed back under her own steam from Holland but encountered a force 7 storm in the English Channel. A rescue operation was launched by the RNLI to rescue the crew as the ship had taken on water and was in danger of sinking.

The crew stayed with the ship and luckily all returned safely to port. She limped into an English port, underwent major works and continued on her eventful voyage around the south of Ireland, completing her voyage in the Old Dock in Galway city centre.

The voyage was so eventful that one of the crew went on to write and perform a play about the journey.

Another interesting aspect of the business was the addition of an ex-army communications vehicle (a tank!) as part of the game. The owners sourced the vehicle in Eastern Europe and have incorporated it into the ship as part of the game.

They have tested the game on several experts and say that it has already been rated as the best and most immersive escape room ever played.

Anyone interested in trying out the experience can book online at www.escapeboats.ie The owners advice for anyone playing the game – expect the unexpected.

Pictured: The Norrie K, an 85 year old barge, now operating as an Escape Boat in Galway.

Tommy Larkins 1-24

St. Thomas’ 0-19

By DARREN KELLY AT DUGGAN PARK

AND just like that, the Galway senior hurling championship was blown wide open last Sunday as Tommy Larkins outplayed and stunned  reigning All-Ireland champions St. Thomas’ in this second round fixture.

It was the first win for the Woodford/Ballinakill outfit over their opponents in 10 years, when Eamon Hayes and Stephen Page struck goals in a 2-15 to 0-19 victory. And after fighting relegation in 2023, Tommy Larkins are now guaranteed knockout action this term.

St. Thomas’ made many uncharacteristic errors, struggled with puck outs, couldn’t find the energy generated by Larkins.  And then in the closing moments, they split between panicking and then lacking urgency as the champions suffered a first domestic reversal in two years.

While others will sit up and take notice, many should still be forewarned. St. Thomas’ lost to Turloughmore by 15 points in 2022 but still won a fifth consecutive Tom Callanan Cup two months later.

The happiest club with this result was Gort. Following their Friday night defeat to Killimordaly, only a Tommy Larkins win would keep them in the championship. They now must overcome their neighbours to prolong that involvement beyond two weeks but at least they have a chance.

St. Thomas’ had John Headd suspended but James Regan returned. And Conor Cooney was back in the starting line-up instead of Bernard Burke, while Evan Brady reverted from corner forward to wing back.

Kenneth Burke’s team had the wind in the first half but Larkins laid down a marker as Conor Slattery set up Ronan Murphy for their opener. Murphy began at wing back for the injured Darren Duggan but gradually pushed forward to devastating effect in the inside line.

Pictured: Cian Daniels of Tommy Larkins has first run on St Thomas’ Conor Cooney during Sunday’s Senior A Championship battle at Duggan Park. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.

Four of Ireland’s top traditional artists will be performing in Amharchlann Chois Fharraige | Seanscoil Sailearna in Indreabhán at 8pm on Saturday, September 21, as part of the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s annual Drawing from the Well Concert Tour.

Singer Iarla Ó Lionáird, dancer Stephanie Keane, accordion player Derek Hickey and fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain will be joined by special guests Mary Bergin and Mick Conneely for the Connemara concert – one of six stops on the nationwide tour.

Born and bred in Cúil Aodha – with Seán Ó Riada a neighbour and indisputable early influence – Iarla Ó Lionáird has carved a unique career in music both internationally and in Ireland.

A twice Grammy nominated artist, Ó Lionáird has has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Peter Gabriel, Nick Cave, Robert Plant and Sinead O’Connor. His unique singing style has carried him to stages and concert halls all over the world, from New York’s Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House and beyond. He is the vocalist with the Gloaming.

Stephanie Keane is an Irish dance artist, performer and choreographer from Limerick. She connects with the music, dancing the tune with her feet, and naturally understands the musician’s interpretation of the tune. Her style is free flowing, energetic and wild.

Derek Hickey, from Adare in Limerick, is well known to Galway audiences from his time with Arcady and De Dannan.

In 1991 Frankie Gavin asked Derek to join him for regular sessions in his then leased hotel in Kinvara – and the following year, Derek joined Arcady, Johnny ‘Ringo’ McDonagh’s band, performing alongside Frances Black, Brendan Larrisey and Patsy Broderick.

In 1995 he joined De Dannan, recording two albums and touring until they disbanded in 2003. Earlier this year, Derek was awarded prestigious TG4 Gradam Ceoil Musician of the Year award.

And Dublin-born fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain combines the richness of a family heritage of traditional music and a lifetime of classical music training.

Her unique musical pedigree has led her to experiment, collaborate and perform across many musical genres with artists such as pianist Eliso Virsaladze, fiddle player Martin Hayes, jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, actor Tim Robbins, and the avant garde string quintet Wooden Elephant.

Tickets and info are available at https://www.eventbrite.ie/ e/drawing-from-the-well-concert-tickets-940908581897.

Pictured: Singer Iarla Ó Lionáird

By Brendan Carroll

City planners have warned the developers of a proposed nursing home in Salthill that they need to scale back their plans – after they submitted a planning application to build a 154-bedroom facility.

Planning permission had previously been granted by An Bord Pleanála, in 2019, for a 60-bedroom nursing home on the site of the former Warwick Hotel.

But a new application was lodged with Galway City Council last month, seeking planning permission for a 154-bedroom facility on a site encompassing the former Warwick site, and that of the adjoining former Oasis nightclub, a former small shop unit and two semi-detached houses next door – all of which have been demolished.

Bartra Property (Galway NH) Limited are proposing to build a part four-storey, part five-storey development on the 1.3 acre extended site.

The owners of the Warwick site, Sharon and Paul Conlon of Rushmany Nursing Home Ltd, purchased the former hotel at the end of 2015 for a figure believed to be in the region of €700,000 and the following year secured planning permission for its demolition.

They were granted planning permission by Galway City Council for a 60-bed nursing home, a decision that was confirmed by An Bord Pleanála in 2019 after the sole objector failed to turn up at an oral hearing into his appeal.

The new application, encompassing the hotel site and the site of the adjoining properties, has been made by Bartra, a company owned by Mike Flannery, a major property developer – among the large projects his company is involved in is the O’Devaney Gardens redevelopment in Dublin, which will deliver more than 1,000 new homes

He also a director of Bartra Healthcare, a group of nursing homes and transitional care units.

The application describes Rushmany Nursing Home Ltd as still being the landowner of the main development site.

This week, city planners sought further information on the new planning application.

In a letter to the developers, they said that the proposed development, located on lands which are zoned in part residential and are not fully zoned CI [Commercial/Retail] would exceed the permitted plot ratio of 1.25:1 for CI zoned lands.

“In this case it is considered that the proposed development would need to be revised, reducing the size of the floor area in order to meet the requirements of the CDP,” it added.

Bartra have also been asked to give further information on a number of other aspects of the proposed development, including concerns about its proximity to the adjacent junction (with Lenaboy Park), the need for a climate Scheme Sustainability Statement, a ‘glint and glare’ study of possible effects on air traffic such as the UHG helicopter pad, and a report on shadow impacts.