Galway Bay FM News Archives
Singer-songwriger Bill Coleman set to cut the mustard at Galway gig
Date Published: 30-Mar-2011
Bill Coleman, a fast rising singer-songwriter from Cobh, Co Cork brings his arresting tunes to Róisín Dubh on Monday, April 11.
Coleman brought out his debut album, You Can’t Buy Back Your Life last year. The title is emblazoned on a colourful, eye-catching cover, and the phrase certainly jumps out at you. Bill, who has been playing guitar since he was 16, came across it while he was living in Dublin.
“I was going out for a night and I was on the top deck of bus, driving down Parnell Street,” recalls the man whose music has been compared to Elvis Costello and the Cure amongst others. “It was back in the day when in the skyline in Dublin you saw nine million construction cranes. There was a builder’s hoarding up and someone had graffiti-ed really roughly, and obviously very quickly, ‘You Can’t Buy Back Your Life’. I just looked at that and engaged with it immediately. And apparently it’s a line from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”
The first song to be released from Bill’s debut was I Want You to Know, a song that simply bursts out from the speakers. In the hands of an established act like Snow Patrol it would have been a sure-fire hit. But although it did get some airplay, it didn’t have the impact that newcomer Bill deserved.
“We did it as a single, and it’s one that Today FM’s Paul McLoone liked; he played it a good bit,” Bill says. “[BBC 6 DJ] Lauren Leverne was playing it in the UK earlier last year. So it got me a few different pieces but it didn’t take over the world, unfortunately. It goes down really well at gigs; I usually finish off the set with it.”
Although I Want you to Know didn’t take over the airwaves, Bill remains upbeat about his craft.
“It’s part and parcel of the whole thing, isn’t it?” he says. “Something like that can translate, you get lucky and all of a sudden it’s everywhere. And sometimes that’s not what happens. I’m in the situation where, in order to keep doing what I’m doing, I do need to bring home the bacon.
“I really enjoy writing songs and travelling around the place playing them to people. So long as I’m able to do that, I’m going to be happy enough at the end of the day.”
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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.
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
