Corofin 1-11

Tuam Stars 1-9

By Alan Dooley at Tuam Stadium

COROFIN claimed the Division One league title for a third successive season last Friday evening at Tuam Stadium after a late Conor Carson goal ensured that extra time and penalties were not required this year to get the better of Tuam Stars, who will wonder how they came out second best for the second year running.

Given the fact that Corofin were without their seven Galway senior panelists, this was a golden opportunity for Tuam Stars to claim some silverware, but ultimately it was their inefficiency in front of the posts that cost them a first league triumph since 2019 with only ten scores registered from 24 attempts.

Corofin will not be happy with many aspects of their own performance, ending up with just over a 50% strike rate in front of the posts and plenty of unforced errors, but they timed their scoring burst to perfection, with Carson’s goal complementing three Jason Leonard points down the stretch as Gary Sice carved open the Stars’ defence on two occasions with perfectly timed handpasses.

Despite having not scored since the 33rd minute, Tuam Stars retook the lead when Brian Mannion guided over an excellent free from the right corner with a little under four minutes of normal time left to play. In Corofin’s next attack, though, Sice played an incisive handpass which caught the Tuam defence unawares and the impressive Carson burst through into the gap before playing a one-two with Micheal Lundy and then palming the ball to the net from close range.

Corofin suddenly had their noses in front for the first time since the opening half, but quickly had to rely on the sharp reflexes of their goalkeeper Bernard Power to keep out a powerful shot from the lively Mannion. The same player cut the deficit to the minimum with a minute left on the clock and Tuam had further opportunities to kick a leveller, but Corofin broke away in stoppage time for the classy Leonard to kick the insurance score.

The teams will meet again in the hampionship group stages and both were clearly in the business of marker-laying at various stages of the contest. Tuam decided to play with the significant breeze blowing into the Frank Stockwell end in the first half, but Corofin dealt with the challenge well in the opening minutes and led by 0-3 to 0-1 after 10 minutes.

Pictured: Corofin’s Dylan Brady is chased by Tuam Stars’ Cillian Reidy and Jamie Murphy during Friday’s Division One League Final at Tuam Stadium on Friday evening. Photos: David Cunniffe.

The Department of Education has given full approval for the immediate construction of a new two storey ten classroom school on a site in Carrabane village.

The new state-of-the-art school building will include eight mainstream classrooms and two classrooms for children with special educational needs, and extensive sports and assembly spaces, according to Galway East Deputy Ciaran Cannon.

“This is a crucially important investment in our local community, and one that’s urgently required,” said Deputy Cannon.

“We currently have over 200 pupils and 25 staff in Carrabane and they’re operating in difficult circumstances on a restricted site with numerous prefabs.

“This new school on a beautiful site adjacent to Carrabane forest and Kilconieron GAA Club will be utterly transformative for the whole school community. The building contractor has been appointed, final approval has been given to go to construction and we will see work on site very shortly,” he added.

The Fine Gael TD expressed his gratitude to Principal Gerry Murray, BOM Chair Murt Bryan ‘and all of the wonderful team at Carrabane NS for their work on this project’.

“My thanks also to Kilconieron GAA Club and Carrabane Community Development Company for their incredible support and collaboration in bringing this project to fruition. Thanks also to a local family who were instrumental in getting this project over the line,” he said.

“Throughout my twenty years in politics I have put education at the heart of my work and it’s been a privilege to work with truly remarkable school communities across East Galway in delivering the facilities that our children need and deserve.

“This announcement for Carrabane NS is particularly special for me, my son attended there, every member of the school team is so committed to education, and they deserve the very best,” he continued.

Local Fine Gael Cllr. Michael Moegie Maher said that the site for the new school was a particularly special one and would hugely enhance the experience of the children attending there.

“This is a very special site right at the edge of Carrabane Forest and next door to the superb sports facilities developed by Kilconieron GAA Club,” he said.

“In just a short time we will have an amazing community hub, with our school, sports facilities and forest amenities all interconnected.

“I’m very grateful to Kilconieron GAA Club for their co-operation and support in getting us to this day. We couldn’t have done it without them. I’m also grateful to my colleagues in the Planning and Roads departments of Galway County Council who advised us on the best approach to take in ensuring a successful outcome.

“My children all attended Carrabane NS, which is now over 80 years old, and it’s wonderful to see the next generation having access to top class facilities,” added Cllr. Maher.

It is expected that construction of the new school building at Carrabane will commence in the next month or so, with completion set for late 2025.

Pictured: Deputy Ciaran Cannon and Cllr Michael Moegie Maher at Carrabane NS this week.

It’s a solution that works from every perspective – treating older people in their own homes for illnesses that ultimately don’t require hospitalisation and helping to curtail the numbers waiting in the Emergency Department in the process.

It is called Pathfinder, the national HSE programme which aims to minimise attendances to the ED for older people – and since the service was launched in Galway a year ago, in June 2023, a total of 476 older patients in the county have avoided unnecessary trips to the ED.

Richard Percy from Corrandulla is one of them – and he was full of praise after his positive experience with the Pathfinder Service.

“I called for an ambulance when I became unwell at home and the Pathfinder team came straight out to me. They did an assessment and after speaking to my GP were able to adjust my medication, which helped immensely,” he said.

“Over the next while I had four follow-up visits form the Pathfinder physios to help me with my recovery. They also referred me to the Community Health Centre in Tuam where I am attending for ongoing care. Pathfinder is a fantastic service,” he added.

Pathfinder is delivered by Advanced Paramedics in the National Ambulance Service and a clinical team of Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists from Galway University Hospitals. The team respond to 999/112 calls for older people – as in, those over the age of 65.

Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist Conor Keady explained that there were specific criteria for Pathfinder calls.

“These are patients who are not acutely unwell, but maybe have had a minor fall, reduced mobility, back pain or signs of infection. We also do calls to resolve issues with blocked or dislodged catheters, which would otherwise require treatment at the hospital,” he said.

“When we call to the home, the patient is assessed by both an Advanced Paramedic and Occupational Therapist / Physiotherapist and if it’s safe and appropriate for the older person to be treated at home and recuperate at home then we will support them to achieve that.

“The service covers all of Galway city and county, with the team attending calls as far as Lettermullen in South Connemara and Eyrecourt in the east of the County,” added Conor.

One year after launching the Galway pathfinder team have made 585 home assessments and successfully managed to keep 81% of these patients safe and well at home.

A key element of the Pathfinder service involves co-ordinating with local GPs, community and voluntary services to ensure the patient has access to alternative pathways of care. GPs are particularly important as they provide expert clinical guidance and are best placed to advise on their patient’s history and health.

Dr Charlie Cox is a GP in Newcastle Medical Centre – and he was full of plaudits for the Galway Pathfinder team.

“Our experience of Pathfinder is hugely positive, as is that of our patients. The service provides timely care and assessment to vulnerable patients in a holistic manner and goes above and beyond what is asked. This is the epitome of excellent, patient centred care,” he said.

John Joe Mc Gowan, General Manager Operations – West, National Ambulance Service said that Pathfinder was a proven model which offers safe, alternative care pathways for many older people.

“I’m delighted that NAS, hospital and community services are working so well together in the Galway region. We are seeing very high stay at home rates with Galway Pathfinder where 80% of the patients we have seen did not need to visit ED within seven days of assessment and intervention.”

“For frail older adults, a hospital stay may result in a loss of independence and a need for extra assistance on discharge. If it’s safe and appropriate for these patients to be assessed, treated and supported at home, that is obviously the preferred outcome,” added GUH Hospital Manager Chris Kane.

“The Pathfinder service is a positive example of how integrated working across our health system can support a reduction in ED presentations for this group of patients; helping with patient flow and relieving pressures on bed availability in the hospital,” she said.

Pictured: Richard Percy shares his homemade cake at their home in Corrandulla with Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist Máire Doyle and Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist Conor Keady.

Galway star Matthew Tierney dropped into his local school during Active School Week – to launch a new initiative where pupils of Scoil Chuimín & Caitríona pledge to stay smartphone-free until secondary school.

Under the pioneering Smartphone Free initiative, pupils are asked to sign a contract not to own a smartphone while they are still in primary school.

And Matthew – one of the Tribesmen’s stars in that historic win over Dublin on Saturday – highlighted the positive aspects to getting outside, being active and healthy instead of spending time on “screens”.

He also spoke about how important it was to have healthy habits. In keeping with promoting overall well-being, a wide selection of fresh fruit and vegetables was available for all children to sample.

The smartphone free initiative is coming from the school’s Parents Aassociation, according to chairperson Ann Marie Guihen.

“We are really delighted that Matthew has come in to launch this. There has been an excellent response – so I am sure Matthew helped in this. We hope this will help our children’s learning, health and happiness as well as keeping them safe,” she said.

The move follows the advice of American experts who believe that you should wait to get your child a smartphone until at least eighth grade; pupils are on average 13 to 14 by then.

But statistics show that 42 per cent of American kids have a smartphone by the age of ten; by twelve, it’s 71 per cent – and by 14, it’s 91 per cent.

In the UK that figure is even higher with up to 91 per cent of eleven-year-olds owning one.

The consensus here is to steer clear of smartphones until the first year of secondary school at least – a move that this pledge would bring to fruition.

Pictured: Galway and Oughterard star Matthew Tierney with pupils of Scoil Chuimín & Caitríona, pledging to stay smartphone free until secondary school.

Galway members were among the representatives of the nationwide network of family resources centres who travelled to Dublin last week to urged the Government to put community at the heart of its upcoming Budget.

Representatives from the Family Resource Centres National Forum met with members of the Oireachtas at a briefing event in Buswells Hotel to urge them to adequately fund community services in Galway – and across the country – so that they can provide the level of support services that are desperately needed in local communities.

CEO of the FRCNF Fergal Landy, the Labour candidate in the recent Euro elections who lives in Oranmore, presented their pre-Budget shopping list to elected representatives.

The event was run by the Family Resource Centre National Forum, the national representative body for Family Resource Centres, to officially launch its Budget 2025 submission.

The Family Resource Centre programme is the largest community-based family support programme in Ireland.  Through a network of 121 FRCs, it supports families in communities experiencing poverty and disadvantage.

The primary call on Government as part of the submission, is for an increase in core funding for all 121 FRCs, to €240,000.

Earlier this year, Minister Roderic O’Gorman raised the minimum level of core funding to €160,000 per FRC.

However, this figure was identified six years ago as the basic level of funding for new FRCs. For Budget 2025, the FRCNF has identified the required level of funding per FRC as €240,000, for them to be able to adequately provide the services required of them.

“Budget 2025 will be a key opportunity for Government to maximise the potential of the FRC National Programme to increase its capacity to deliver for children, families, individuals, and communities in Galway and throughout Ireland – and in doing so, provide additional supports to communities coping with many challenges such as the housing crisis, poverty, the cost of living, and integrating new communities. But this cannot be achieved without adequate funding for our 121 FRCs,” said Mr Landy.

“The current level of funding of €160,000 per FRC is intended to cover the salary of three full-time staff members, operational costs and the running of services in the centre. This is just not realistic nor sustainable.

“The shortfall in core funding is leading to a recruitment and retention crisis of suitable, qualified staff and difficulties in maintaining appropriate premises to deliver the high quality supports our FRCs have become known for,” he added.

In addition to the increase in core funding, the FRCNF is also calling for no new Family Resource Centres, until the funding of existing FRCs is addressed – as well as the involvement of FRCs in the decision-making process, when the programme is expanded to ensure alignment to the existing FRC programme approach.

“We are calling on Government to commit to long-term funding so that we can plan for the future, invest in full-time practitioners and ensure that appropriate therapeutic supports are consistently available for families when they need it most,” said Mr Landy.

“We are also aware that Government is considering increasing the number of FRCs in 2025, however, we urge that the current funding issues be addressed before adding new centres to the programme,” he added.

Pictured: Galway East Deputy Seán Canney (second right) with Fergal Landy CEO of FRCNF; Louise Moran, Boyle FRC, and Mary Jackson, Tacu Ballinrobe FRC, at the launch of the Family Resource Centre National Forum’s pre-Budget submission in Buswells Hotel.

Loughrea Municipal District made history recently, with its first ever hybrid meeting with an online element.

The Annual General Meeting of the Loughrea MD took place in person at Galway County Council’s Loughrea Area Office on Barrack Street, and online via Microsoft Teams.

New technology had been installed in the meeting room to facilitate a hybrid meeting.

Nine Councillors elected in the June 7 Local Election were present at the meeting, and one – County Councillor Shane Curley (FF) – attended remotely.

Cllr Curley, who was in America, said it was an ‘early start this morning’ for him –10am commencement in Loughrea was 5am in New York.

Normally, Loughrea MD starts at 11am and the earlier time caught two councillors off-guard – Fine Gael’s newcomer Councillor Paul Killilea and poll-topper Councillor PJ Murphy both apologised for arriving late for a meeting that lasted 40 minutes.

Cllr Curley said he preferred to attend meetings in person but was pleased that the technology was now in place to facilitate remote attendance at future Loughrea MD meetings.

Outgoing Cathaoirleach, Councillor Jimmy McClearn (FG) confirmed to the Connacht Tribune that the Standing Orders, or rules of how meetings are conducted, did not preclude online attendance.

His successor in the chair, Councillor Martina Kinane (FF) said it worked well, but there needed to be some reconfiguration of the room so she could see the screen with online attendees.

It’s understood the online element, and hybrid meetings, will formally be inserted into Loughrea MD’s new Standing Orders for the next five years when they meet again next Monday, July 8.

Meanwhile, Councillors had a workshop on Monday, July 1, to discuss the Chief Executive’s Material Alterations to the Draft Loughrea Local Area Plan.

They must submit motions by today, July 4, which will then be debated at a special July 15 meeting dedicated to the Local Area Plan.

This meeting will be hybrid, too, but remote attendees online are not allowed to contribute to debate, and have observer status only, Cllr McClearn clarified.

Last Thursday was the first meeting of the new Loughrea MD, which is made up of five councillors in Gort/Kinvara Local Electoral Area and five from Loughrea LEA.

They were Shane Curley, Jimmy McClearn, Declan Kelly, Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher, Ivan Canning, PJ Murphy, Martina Kinane, Geralding Donohue, Paul Killilea, and Gerry Finnerty.

Pictured: Cllr Shane Curley makes a little bit of history, joining the Loughrea Area meeting from across the Atlantic.