Galway County Council has received national recognition for an innovative digital project that mapped over 40,000 graveyard memorial records across County Galway and made them publicly available online.

The ‘Digitising Galway’s Graveyard Heritage’ project was last night (Thursday) named overall winner of the ‘Community Engagement’ category of Esri Ireland’s annual ‘Customer Success Awards’ held in Dublin.

Working with and supported by Galway Rural Development, Forum Connemara, The Heritage Council, The National Monuments Service and Galway County Community Archaeology Service, Galway County Council provided funding to local groups to employ experts to train local communities to use mobile technology and to undertake drone mapping of graveyards resulting in a public release of 40,000 records from across the county via the Local Authority’s Open Data Portal.

This is the second national award to be picked up by the project after it was named winner at the Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards last October.

Outlining the background to the project, Barry Doyle, Geographic Information System (GIS) project lead for Galway County Council said, “We have been working with various community groups and organisations to collect and collating valuable data relating to those who are buried in various graveyards for several years.”

“Galway County Council, with funding from the Heritage Council, the Open Data Engagement Fund and its own resources developed and made available a mobile app specifically for use by surveyors at the local level for memorial surveys, along with associated data management and validation processes,” he added.

“This technology, along with drone technology, was made available to local community groups to expand the number of graveyards in the project resulting in the 40,000 records that are now publicly available.”

The Galway County Digital Mapping of Graveyards Project may be viewed at galwaycoco.maps.arcgis.com and data.gov.ie.

Pictured receiving the ‘Community Engagement’ award at Esri Ireland’s ‘Customer Success Awards’ are (from left) GIS Analyst Mackenzie Boland, IS Project Leader Barry Doyle, GIS Analyst / Developer Anthonin Lize, and GIS Technician Bridin Feeney of Galway County Council.

Galway Chamber of Commerce is hosting a business lunch later this week which will provide information on solar panels.

Industry speakers and representation from the SEAI will be on hand to answer questions and talk through grants and incentives.

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The ‘Simplifying Solar PV for Business’ event will take place at the Menlo Park Hotel from 12-2pm this Thursday (April 25th)

The event is free, and registration and more detail can be found here – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/simplifying-solar-pv-for-business-tickets-881284625037?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

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‘The Government has failed’ and there’s ‘no future here for the youth’.

Those were some of the big statements uttered from Galway County councillors’ mouths at this afternoon’s meeting as local election voting day – June 7th – looms.

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Parties clashed, and much of the discussion spiralled from a comment made about the value of one-off rural housing.

The feisty debate on housing began after Connemara Independent Councillor Tomás Ó Curraoin gave a passionate 2 minute speech of slating the state of housing in Galway.

The next few minutes were taken up with councillors from all parties and areas of Galway pitching in for their turn at the topic, with bureaucracy, the planning system, the Government and Europe all being blamed for the housing crisis.

Loughrea area Fine Gael councillor, Jimmy McClearn, says it seems that despite Galway County Council approving planning applications, many of these are then being turned down by An Bord Pleanála.

This statement was backed up by fellow party Councillor Andrew Reddington, who says it’s too easy for people to object to plans, and that the €20 cost for an objection should be much higher.

However, the heated debate really kicked off when Green Party councillor Alistair McKinstrey was met with a barrage of backlash when he suggested one-off rural housing is not the answer.

One of those to strongly oppose this statement was Councillor Reddington, who said saying rural housing is of the utmost importance.

Declan Kelly, an Independent Ireland councillor, also took aim at Councillor McKinstrey and his party, saying it’s time for change in Government that does not include the Green party.

Councillor McKinstrey came back in again to say he was supportive of people living near where they grew up, but this response likely did little to calm his fellow elected representatives.

While Fine Gael councillor and Cathaoirleach, Liam Carroll, took a bit of slack for uttering words of support for Fianna Fáil Councillor Albert Dolan’s two cents on housing.

Plenty of other comments and statements were muttered and shouted – but with little effect as it was next to impossible to make out most of what was said.

All in all, it was palpable within the chamber that the countdown to elections is on the minds of councillors, with the topical issue of housing taking up at least an hour of today’s meeting.

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Galway Bay fm’s Keith Finnegan is to be given the Freedom of the City next month by Mayor of Galway Eddie Hoare.

Councillors agreed at their meeting today that the top honour be bestowed on the newly retired broadcaster.

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The 62 year-old Mervue native retired earlier this month, hanging up the mic on Galway Talks after 34 years of broadcasting.

Keith received an IMRO Hall of Fame award in 2022, and also served as Galway Bay fm’s CEO for three decades until 2021.

He joins an elite list of 30 recipients of the high honour, including Nelson Mandela, Hillary Clinton and locally, businesswoman Mary Bennett and American immigration reform campaigner Billy Lawless.

Meanwhile, Galway County Council is also to honour Keith.

A civic reception to celebrate Keith’s distinguished service to the industry will be held at the Oranmore Lodge Hotel on May 20th, after the council’s monthly meeting.

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The Land Development Agency has been announced as the first patron of the University of Galway based Construct Innovate.

Construct Innovate is the national research centre for construction technology and innovation.

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It aims to provide industry-led, independent and evidence based research to tackle industry challenges, and meet the demands of Ireland’s building and investment programmes.

Construct Innovate says the LDA’s vision to provide housing that supports sustainable, inclusive and vibrant communities aligns with its own focus on people-centric innovation and research.

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There’s much frustration today over traffic congestion in Tuam caused by road works which are scheduled to last until Friday

Emergency resurfacing works commenced last night along the Tuam Bypass, causing delays of up to 40 minutes at peak times.

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The sections closed are the Northbound and Southbound Carriageways at Junction 20 Tuam to Milltown Roundabout

At the Ballygaddy Junction, the Northbound and Southbound On-Slips to the Tuam By-Pass are also closed.

Speaking to Galway Talks, Tuam councillor Donagh Killilea said he is hopeful the works will be completed before Friday

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A water outage is today affecting Headford surrounds, Kilconly GWS, Gurraun North, Logawannia, Ballyfruit GWS and Cloghanower GWS

It’s due to a burst watermain in Caherlistrane and will last until approximately 8 tonight

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Headford Town will not be affected

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University of Galway has marked Earth Day by announcing the winners of the Student Sustainability Leadership Awards as Molly Hickey and Peter O’Neill.

Peter, a first-year history student from Ballymacward, Mountbellew has been involved in youth activism for four years, culminating in representing Ireland at the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum.

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Laois native Molly Hickey is in second year BA with human rights and is the Students’ Union Environmental Awareness and Sustainability Officer.

Both students receive a €4,000 prize and will take part in an 8-week internship with the University’s new Sustainability Office this summer.

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An information evening on housing grants and supports will be held in Clifden this evening.

It’s being organised by Connemara Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Galway County Council, SEAI and Local Enterprise Office.

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A presentation will be given on the new online pre-planning enquiry system, while there will also be information given on Vacant Homes grants, Home Energy grants and Local Authority grants.

The event will take place between 7-9 this evening at the Station House Hotel in Clifden.

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