Connacht Tribune
Galway Erasmus students back on familiar ground for Christmas
Coming home for Christmas is a joy in any circumstances – but when you’re returning from your first extended period abroad, it’s even more special.
Shauna Moran, from Clonbur, has been on Erasmus in Toulouse since August, coming home only once for a quick trip during mid-term.
BY MARTHA BRENNAN
“I’m so excited to come home for Christmas, my brothers have been sending me pictures of the snow; home looks lovely at the moment”.
In contrast, the weather in Toulouse is quite mild at the moment, but the NUIG law student says that it doesn’t slow down any festivities in the French city.
“There is a huge Christmas market here and a massive tree, they turned the lights on Saturday which is a little later than home but the build-up is really exciting here”.
Shauna Moran from Clonbur
Shauna says that spending December in a city for the first time is different to her normal experience at home. “Everything is so much bigger but I think the spirit of Christmas seems quite similar here”.
Even though Shauna will only get two weeks at home for Christmas, she says that she could never imagine being away for it.
“I love it here but I do miss the comforts of home, especially my family and friends,” she says.
“I never thought about staying for Christmas, I’d be lonely here on my own and I can’t imagine missing Christmas. I can’t wait to see my little brothers and for Christmas dinner, you don’t realise how much you miss Irish food until you can’t have it!”
Brigid Fox from Athlone has been studying in Northern Spain for the past semester and says that while she loves the culture and the experience – she’s excited to return to NUIG after Christmas.
“I really prefer going to college in Galway but the build-up to Christmas is amazing to see here. It’s quite intense actually. Spain is a very religious country so Christmas especially is a very important time for them.
“The streets and shopping centres are covered in gorgeous lights depicting both the commercial and religious elements of Christmas; we even had the day off on the 8th!”
Luke Palmer, a third year journalism student with Brigid, will be returning to his hometown of Rosscahill soon from Southern Spain, where he says he loves his independence… but longs for mammy’s cooking.
“It’s beautiful here but I miss the craic of Galway. The spirit just isn’t the same,” he says.
“Christmas is also a bit different; the sixth was the big day for children but there’s a great atmosphere and a small market by my house which I love because it reminds me of home”.
While Luke says that it’s amazing to be immersed in a different culture, he can’t wait to see his family at the airport. “That’s what I’m mainly looking forward to about coming home, but Christmas dinner is a close second”.
Ruth Kelliher, also a third year in NUI Galway, has been in Groningen in the Netherlands for the past three months and explains how different Christmas is where she is studying.
“There’s no turkey or presents like we have on the 25th, instead they celebrate Sinterklass in early December where people dress up in soot and Saint Nicholas gives children presents”.
“The Christmas markets are amazing and there is beautiful snow at the moment, the Dutch are very into tradition here and celebrations are a lot more civilised. They go for one mulled wine or a rich beer and call it a night unlike Irish Christmas nights”.
Ruth says that she would love to spend Christmas in the Netherlands because of the scenery but only if her family were there. “I’m so excited to be going home; things you wouldn’t think twice about last year are so exciting now. I can’t wait to go back to Galway”.
“I also can’t wait to not have to cycle everywhere”.
Even though students can’t wait to return for Christmas, most are already planning the trip back.
“As much as I miss Galway sometimes, I’m really settled here and I’m looking forward to the New year when even more Galway students will be coming out- we’re really going to make the most of it” says Ruth.
As for Shauna: “I’m really happy that I’m coming back, I love it here. There are a lot of Irish students and we all sort of found each other. I’d hate to be coming home for good this week because it took a while to get settled so I’m really just enjoying the experience now”.
She jokingly adds: “And my French could do with getting a lot better too!”
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
