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More gale force winds to hit Galway today
Galway Bay fm newsroom – More gale force winds are expected to hit Galway, especially coastal areas this afternoon and evening.
High tide is at 8 p.m and homes and businesses close to water are preparing themselves for flooding as gusts of up to 120 kilometres an hour hit the coast.
Earlier at high tide, waves of up to 20 feet threw rocks and debris over the prom onto the public road in Spiddal and Gardaí had to close one lane at time.
However, that road has since re-opened.
City Manager Brendan McGrath is being urged to provide a written report on the level of storm damage caused to the city over recent weeks.
Cllr Catherine Connolly says the damage must be assessed in detail so that the necessary government assistance can be sought.
She has asked that a report be given to Cllrs at this month’s meeting of the local authority next Monday.
City Council staff are now removing debris from the Promenade in Salthill and from Ballyloughane beach.
The prom from Seapoint to Grattan Road has re-opened but motorists are advised that there is still some spot flooding in places.
Cllr Terry O’Flaherty says a major clean-up will also be required for the Ballyloughane area.
A technical assessment is being undertaken at Leisureland in Salthill after serious flooding last Friday and will remain closed for the next few days at least.
General Manager of Leisureland, Paddy Martin says work is ongoing to repair the damage.
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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