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Council agrees to pay funds to WDC for city arthouse cinema
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Funding of 162 thousand euro has been sanctioned by the City Council for arts and sporting groups from its marketing fund.
The biggest funding sanctioned was 50 thousand euro per annum to be paid directly to the Western Development Commission for a loan for the Solas Arthouse cinema.
It was agreed at last evening’s meeting to allocate 30 thousand euro to Connaught Rugby, 10 thousand to Macnas, 8 thousand to Galway Arts Festival for the Share Galway Initiative and 5 thousand euro each for Shantalla Gathering and Galway Women’s football.
The biggest debate over funding was for the Solas Arthouse Cinema.
The Council had already agreed to provide 200 thousand euro for the cinema at the Docks at a previous meeting.
However, last evening the City Manager recommended that the money be paid directly to the Western Development Commission.
This is because the WDC provided the bridging loan for the project.
Councillor Colette Connolly proposed that the motion be passed as she said the city can’t afford for the project to fail.
However, Councillor Michael Crowe raised concerns about bond for the project, which was put in place by the previous developers.
Solas is currently in the process of trying to secure that bond of 600 thousand euro after the previous developers were unable to complete the project.
Councillor Crowe wanted to ensure the Council’s 200 thousand euro is protected by ensuring the bond is paid before handing over the grant.
But Councillor Hildegarde Naughton said insisting that the bond money be ensured , before paying out the funds, will hold up the process of finishing the cinema.
The funding of 200 thousand euro to be paid directly to the WDC for the Solas cinema was passed by a majority of councillors.
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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