Breaking News
Plans to redevelop Oranhill infill and brownfield site
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Plans have been lodged for the redevelopment of an existing infill and brownfield site in Oranhill.
The project led by Edmonton Develpments Limited would provide for a mixed use development comprising of 22 residential units and one commercial unit.
The area in question had been known locally as ‘the hole’ and was the source of great local concern among local residents in recent years.
The development would consist of a mix of three-bed semi-detached units and terraced townhouse units as well as two-bedroom terraced townhouse units and a mix of apartments and maisonettes.
The ground floor would also provide space for one commercial unit to cater for a crèche or retail or café use.
The proposal provides for new pedestrian and vehicular access form the Oranhill road with additional pedestrian connectivity to existing estate roads serving Oranhill Avenue and Oranview.
Residents of the Oranhill estate, which was built in 2002, held a protest at the site in 2013 in a call for adequate safety works to be carried out in the area.
It followed a long-running campaign pushing for safety work on a deep excavation which, residents said, had posed a serious safety risk.
The controversial hole had originally been dug up some years before that in preparation for the construction of a commercial centre which was never built.
Safety works have since been carried out.
County planners are due to make a decision on the redevelopment of the existing infill and brownfield site in March.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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