Galway Bay FM News Archives
Galwayman tells of the terror of the Japanese earthquake
Date Published: 14-Mar-2011
By Denise McNamara
A Galway man has vowed to leave their Japanese home behind and evacuate his three children in the event that the exclusion zone around one of the nuclear plants is widened.
John Sheehy from Ballybane has spoken of the sheer terror he experienced in the aftermath of the fourth-strongest earthquake worldwide since 1900.
He had just picked up his six-year-old daughter Ellen from kindergarten last Friday when the earth started to move at 2.45pm He ran out into the street but was unable to stand up.
“I had to sit down and I cradled my daughter in my arms. Roof tiles were flying off and smashing all around us. My car bounced two feet off the ground. It went on for five minutes. It seemed like an eternity. I can’t describe how terrifying it was,” he recalled.
He and his daughter walked the 20 minutes to the local school. On the way an aftershock resulted in a telegraph pole crashing beside them.They found all the school children gathered in the sports ground unharmed. He collected his two sons, Conor, 12, and Cain, 8.
Because of the failing mobile phone network, he then had a tense two-and-a-half hour wait before making contact with his wife, Chikako.
They got a nine minute warning that a tsunami was on its way.Their city Kashima – roughly the same population as Galway and located 150km from Tokyo – escaped the worst wrath of the giant wave because of its relative height.
“We got hit hard – there’s significant damage to houses, windows smashed, certain houses collapsed, roads were ripped up. But it’s nothing compared to what happened in the north where whole towns were completely wiped out,” John explained.
They live 150km south of the crippled Fukushima atomic plant, where two explosions have been reported and 200,000 people have been evacuated from the area
.“If they extend the exclusion zone from 20km to 50km I wouldn’t be hesitating. I’m not going to risk my kids’ health. We’ll get out for a few months until the radioactive levels go down. I’ll be knocking on my mother’s door,” added Mr Sheehy.
Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel
Date Published: 07-May-2013
Galway has a population of young people which is more than twice the national average.
According to information gathered by the Central Statistics Office, Galway’s population of 20 to 24 year olds is more than twice the national average.
The number of 25-34 year olds in Galway is also more than the norm nationally, with the two main colleges thought to be the main reason.
However immigration in Galway is much higher than in other areas at 19.4 percent, compared to the national average of 12 percent.
Date Published: 07-May-2013
A city councillor is encouraging people to donate goods directly to charity shops.
It follows allegations of thefts from clothes banks in Galway and across the country in recent months.
However, cameras are in place at some clothes banks and surveillance is carried out by local authorities.
Speaking on Galway Talks, Councillor Neil McNeilis said the problem of theft from clothes banks is widespread.
Date Published: 07-May-2013
A park ‘n’ ride scheme from Carnmore into Galway city could become a permanent service if there is public demand.
That’s according to the Chief Executive of Galway Chamber of Commerce, Michael Coyle.
The pilot scheme will begin at 7.20 next Monday morning, May 13th.
Motorists will be able to park cars at the airport carpark in Carnmore and avail of a bus transfer to Forster Street in the city.
Buses will depart every 20 minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes at offpeak times throughout the day, at a cost of 2 euro per journey.
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