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Ring of steel in place around Salthill ahead of Ed Sheeran concerts
Galway Bay fm newsroom – Ed mania has arrived in Galway – as the city gears up to host two massive concerts this weekend.
Over 60,000 fans are due to arrive in Salthill over the weekend to attend the Ed Sheeran gigs at Pearce Stadium.
Over 130 Gardaí will be on duty in Salthill this weekend as huge crowds of Ed Sheeran fans arrive for his two massive gigs at Pearce Stadium.
70 Gardaí will be on duty outside the venue, and another 32 will be on duty inside the stadium.
Sergeant Senan Wall says the barriers will be put up around Salthill this evening at 6 – but it wont affect the Darkness into Light walk, which takes place on the prom in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
In Salthill village, Ed fever has well and truly hit – there’s cardboard cutouts, banners and flags welcoming the former busker to Galway.
Ed’s relationship with the city is well documented – he busked on shop street back in 2003 when he was just 12 years old.
More recently, Ed brought his friend Saoirse Ronan along on a surpise visit to the city and Salthill where they caused hysteria while filming the video for the smash hit track, Galway Girl.
Gardaí are advising motorists that their ring of steel will come into effect in the west of the city from 6 this evening – and will remain in place until 1am on Monday.
There’ll be no access to the cordened area during these times – with the exception of residents, who’ve been issued with passes.
The 5 kilometer cordon perimeter is along the prom to threadneedle road, along kingston/taylors hill to rosary lane and lower salthill.
There’ll be restricted access to every route within this perimeter – but the main roads around the cordened area are all open.
Full details of public transport, parking, ticket entrances, and access for people with disabilities are available at garda.ie.
Sgt Senan Wall says there’ll be plenty of parking for concert goers withing walking distance of Pearse Stadium.
Despite the roads lockdock, salthill village is well and truly open for business.
The shops, pubs and restaurants are embracing what’s set to be one of the busiest weekends the village centre has seen.
Roger Sullivan from the salthill traders group says the village is ready for an amazing weekend.
Meanwhile, back in the city, the Latin Quarter is hosting its very own Ed Fest.
From today until Sunday, the popular social spot will be ‘Painting the town Ed.’
Highlights of the festival will include; Ed Sheeran DJ sets and tribute acts playing in the bars, Sheeran themed shop fronts and window displays, Ed Sheeran buskers on the streets, an Ed look-alike competition, and Ed Sheeran inspired food and drinks in the bars and restaurants.
Galway Bay fm will be keeping you up to date across the weekend with live reports and social media updates.
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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