Connacht Tribune
Support for Galway boutique’s defiant reopening plan
A groundswell of support has grown for a Galway City fashion boutique that plans to re-open in breach of Covid-19 regulations unless large supermarkets stop selling so-called non-essential goods, including clothing.
And Galway Gardaí has issued a reminder warning large retailers of their obligations under Covid-19 regulations, as independent shops that are closed grow more frustrated by the day.
Caroline McCarthy, proprietor of Lanidor, on Eyre Street in Galway, has been inundated with messages of support from retailers backing her plan to ‘take a stand’ against the multiples selling goods in breach of regulations while small, independent family-run businesses remain shut.
Ms McCarthy – who first announced her intention to reopen early in the Galway City Tribune last Friday – said her plight has struck a chord with independent retailers all over Galway, and all over the country.
“We’ve got a massive amount of support. They’re saying ‘fair play – you’re doing the right thing’. You can nearly tell from the tone of the reactions that people are finally getting it off their chests to somebody who understands that their business is closed and how they are suffering, and finally someone is standing up and saying something for them,” she said.
Since appearing in Galway City Tribune, the story has been picked up by local radio stations and national newspapers, while RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline show with Joe Duffy also featured Lanidor’s plan to reopen.
“A couple of emails came into us, and they are pretty heartfelt, you’d have to say. You’d think it’s not a heartfelt subject but it is; it’s people’s livelihoods,” said Ms McCarthy.
Under public health guidelines only ‘essential’ retail outlets are permitted to open. They are not permitted to sell ‘non-essential’ goods during Level 5. This is to stop people congregating and browsing in order to limit the spread of the virus.
Lanidor said that large supermarkets are flouting the rules, and it has threatened to reopen unless the authorities take action. It has encouraged others to follow suit.
“Why is there such a deafening sound coming out of politicians, and the Department of Enterprise? These stores are purportedly community-based, and are making their money from us as a community and as a country, and yet they’re putting us at risk by opening and flouting the regulations,” said Ms McCarthy.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed to the Tribune that retailers in Galway were inspected on foot of complaints about potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations.
She said: “We cannot discuss or comment on any named entity. Gardaí carried out enquiries following a report of non-essential items being offered for sale by a number of retail outlets in Galway City. No breaches of Covid Regulations were detected.
“The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A – Temporary Restrictions) Covid-19 Regulations 2021 are currently in force. Regulation 12 provides for restriction on ‘Carrying on or provision of certain business or services’, this is a penal regulation. The appended Schedule Part 2 to the regulations, as amended provides a list of ‘Essential Services’.
“An Garda Síochána has carried out and continues to carry out checks in support of Public Health Regulations. An Garda Síochána has published statistics on enforcement measures taken on the Garda website. An Garda Síochána has been consistent in our graduated policing response to supporting Public Health Regulations and guidelines in line with our tradition of policing by consent. This has seen Garda members engage, explain, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce.”
Lanidor hasn’t yet finalised a date for its re-opening.
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
