Dunphy Communications

18/08/2025

Galway County Council has expanded its vehicle fleet to support road maintenance across its five Municipal Districts and to boost its capacity to treat the county’s national secondary and regional roads during the winter months.

3 new 26t Renault tippers and 2 salt spreaders have been added to the vehicle fleet to boost road maintenance and winter gritting across its 5 districts.

The council has taken delivery of three new 26-tonne Renault tipper trucks at a total cost of €600,000. Supplied by Dublin-based Setanta Vehicle Sales North Ltd., the vehicles will assist Municipal District Offices in delivering the annual roads programme.

In addition, funding of just over €500,000 from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has enabled the purchase of two permanently mounted salt spreaders with brine-spreading capability. These vehicles form a key part of the Galway County Council’s Winter Service fleet, helping to keep strategic routes open during severe cold weather.

Last winter, more than 1,300 kilometres of the Galway road network were treated, with over 8,000 tonnes of salt spread as part of winter operations.

Photo: Declan Thornton, Driver; Liam Conneally, Chief Executive; Noel Divilly, Machinery Yard Supervisor; and Uinsinn Finn, Director of Services, Galway County Council, pictured with the five new trucks

14/08/2025

A Galway County Council delegation has met with local government officials in Washington County, Wisconsin, as part of a 22-year-old twinning relationship between the two counties.

A Galway County Council delegation has met with local government officials in Washington County, Wisconsin, as part of a 22-year-old twinning relationship between the two counties. Located north of…

21/07/2025

Galway County Council has announced that the next round of the Community Climate Action Fund will open this September, providing new opportunities for community groups across the county to take meaningful climate action at a local level.

The fund, which is supported by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is aimed at empowering local communities to develop and deliver climate projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience.

More - https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/galway-county-council/galway-communities-urged-to-go-green-with-fresh-climate-fund/

Photo: Representatives of Galway County Council, Galway GAA, MyWaste.ie, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and the local community pictured at the recent Green Clubs event hosted by Galway County Council at Ballinderreen GAA Club. Credit Mike Shaughnessy.

03/07/2025

Limerick has today been announced as the host city for the 2026 Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) World Championships, just two years before the sport is set to make its official debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The Fédération Internationale de Sports d’Obstacles (FISO), the global governing body for OCR, confirmed that the event will take place from August 7th to 9th, 2026 at Limerick Racecourse, with the University of Limerick serving as the official Athlete Village.

More than 4,000 athletes from over 60 countries are expected to compete, making it one of the largest international sporting events ever staged in the region.

Organisers say the economic impact will be significant, with the event projected to generate over €2.8 million for the wider Mid-West economy.

Obstacle Course Racing is one of the fastest-growing sports globally and has now been elevated to Olympic status for LA28. The sport blends speed, strength, and strategy, challenging athletes to overcome a range of natural and man-made obstacles — including walls, rigs, rope climbs, carries, and crawls — across courses of varying distance and difficulty.

The World Championships in Limerick will feature a range of formats, from short and explosive 100m and 400m sprints to 2–3km technical courses, a 15km endurance race, and high-energy team relays. The competition is open to professionals, age group athletes, Para-OCR competitors, and dedicated amateurs, making it a diverse and inclusive global event.

The successful bid to host the event in the Mid-West was prepared and submitted by the Obstacle Course Racing Association of Ireland (OCRA Ireland), Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau, Aimwell Events, the University of Limerick, and Limerick Racecourse.

https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/olympic-bound-ocr-world-championships-coming-to-limerick-in-2026/

30/06/2025

Galway County Council has welcomed confirmation from the Office of Public Works (OPW) that the Ballinasloe Flood Relief Scheme will advance to the planning phase during the first half of 2026, marking a key milestone in efforts to address long-standing flood risks in the town.

The progression will follow the successful completion of detailed scheme design and environmental assessment work.

The announcement was made during a meeting between Galway County Council and Minister of State for the OPW Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran TD, as well as Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, and Noel Grealish TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

During the meeting, progress updates were also provided on other local flood relief projects. Schemes in Clifden and Portumna are each advancing through different stages of development, while the Gort Lowlands scheme is nearing completion of its final environmental assessment and is due to be submitted to the OPW shortly.

More - https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/ballinasloe-flood-relief-scheme-to-enter-planning-stage-in-2026/

Photo: Pictured left to right at Áras an Chontae: Deputy John Connolly, Deputy Mairéad Farrell - Sinn Féin, Minister of State Noel Grealish, Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Minister of State Sean Canney TD, Cllr. David Collins (Cathaoirleach of the County of Galway), Brendan McDonagh (Executive Engineer, Galway County Council), Enda Gallagher (Senior Executive Engineer, Galway County Council), and Liam Conneally (Chief Executive of Galway County Council). Credit Galway County Council.

23/06/2025

A ‘Your Council Day’ banner adorns the front of Áras an Chontae as staff and Elected Members of Galway County Council mark the annual initiative.

Galway County Council is joining local authorities across Ireland this Friday (June 27th) to celebrate Your Council Day, a national initiative, through the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA).

Galway County Council will be shining a light on the essential services, community partnerships, and innovative projects delivered every day to the 193,000 residents of County Galway.

This year’s theme, “Building Stronger Communities”, reflects the Council’s breadth and scale of activity right throughout the county. From libraries, housing projects, roads to fire and emergency services, enterprise supports, tourism, community events, civil defence and climate action – the service to communities is vast.

https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/highlighting-local-services-galway-county-council-marks-your-council-day/

17/06/2025

Clifden Library has become the second branch library in County Galway to roll out the My Open Library (MOL) initiative, dramatically increasing public access to services with extended self-service hours, Galway County Council has confirmed.

The new service, which has also been in operation at Ballinasloe Library since 2020, allows registered users to access the library from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, seven days a week, 365 days a year—even outside of regular staffed times. As a result, weekly access hours have almost tripled, rising from 34.5 to 98.

Located in the centre of Clifden, the library now offers a wide range of self-service functions during unstaffed hours, including borrowing and returning books, using computers and Wi-Fi, printing and scanning documents, and accessing study space.

The MOL programme is part of a national strategy to modernise public libraries, promote digital inclusion, and foster community engagement. It is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, in partnership with local authorities.

https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/turning-a-new-page-clifden-expands-library-access/

16/06/2025

Galway County Council has confirmed that construction of the western section of the Athenry Northern Ring Road will commence in the coming weeks with a completion date of late 2025.

The Local Authority today (Monday, 16 June 2025) signed contracts with Tower Plant and Civil Engineering to deliver the scheme, located in the townlands of Ballygarraun North and Ballygarraun South.

Funded by the Department of Transport, the Athenry Northern Ring Road is identified in the Athenry Local Area plan as a key infrastructure project to support the economic development of the town and support housing growth.

The first section of the road, from Raheen Road (L3103) north to a roundabout junction with Ballydavid Cottages and the R347 was constructed and opened to traffic in mid-2013. This next phase includes the connection between the Presentation College and the Raheen Road (Ballygarraun North).

https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/work-to-begin-on-new-phase-of-athenry-northern-ring-road/

09/06/2025

Six of Galway’s historic civil parishes are stepping into the digital age with the launch of an innovative project that turns local heritage into interactive online StoryMaps.

In a major collaboration between Galway County Council, University of Galway, Galway County Heritage Forum, The Heritage Council, and community heritage groups, the rich histories of Stradbally (Clarinbridge), Monivea, Moylough, Moycullen, Gort, and Loughrea have been meticulously researched and digitally transformed.

Officially launched this week at a special event in Áras an Chontae, the project brings together traditional townland research and historical records in a newly digitised format. Drawing on rich sources such as O’Donovan’s Ordnance Survey Letters, Griffith’s Valuation, the Down Survey, and the 1901 and 1911 censuses, the initiative makes these valuable archives more accessible than ever.

The initiative is powered by the work of University of Galway students Carlos Grace, Giada Solito, Liam Flaherty, and Laura Daly. Over the past year, they have worked in close partnership with local communities and Galway County Council’s Heritage Office and GIS Department, unearthing stories, local lore, and forgotten histories that now live on through this accessible and engaging digital format.

https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/from-townlands-to-tablets-galway-heritage-gets-a-digital-makeover/

04/06/2025

St. Flannan's College has announced that Fr. Ignatius McCormack will retire from his position as Principal in September 2025, concluding his distinguished 24-year career at one of Ireland’s largest schools.

Fr. McCormack, a native of Kilcolman Parish in County Offaly, first joined the staff of St. Flannan’s in 2001 as a teacher. He later served as Dean of the Boarding School before being appointed Principal in 2017.

Over the past eight years, he has been a guiding presence in the lives of students, staff, and families, overseeing a period of growth, academic achievement, and spiritual development at the historic Ennis school.

https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/fr-ignatius-mccormack-to-retire-as-principal-of-st-flannans-college/

03/06/2025

Galway County Council has launched its new Heritage and Biodiversity Plan 2024–2030, a first-of-its-kind strategy in Ireland that fully integrates natural, built, and cultural heritage with biodiversity goals.

Unveiled at the Marine Institute this afternoon, the plan addresses key challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss through actions such as habitat protection, invasive species management, and heritage education. It also empowers communities to record, preserve, and celebrate local traditions.

Highlights include a biodiversity audit of Council lands, a Tree and Hedgerow Management Plan, and continued support for initiatives like oral history projects and conservation of built heritage.

This new plan builds on the success of the 2017–2022 strategy, including digitising 40,000+ graveyard records and reviving Barn Owl populations.

Details - https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/galway-county-council-unveils-landmark-heritage-and-biodiversity-plan/

30/05/2025

The Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) took to the streets of Athenry today to promote positive gum litter disposal.

As part of its Summer Roadshow campaign, the GLT collaborated with Galway County Council to promote the importance of proper litter disposal through fun education and awareness initiatives that highlight the negative environmental impacts of gum litter and draw awareness to the €150 gum litter fine.

A collaboration between industry, government and local authorities, and funded by Mars Wrigley, this year marks the launch of the campaign’s sixth cycle.

More - https://www.dunphycommunications.ie/news/70-drop-in-gum-litter-taskforce-hits-athenry-streets-to-tackle-waste/