Galway city has seen an especially sharp increase in asking prices in the first quarter of 2018.
The City saw an 11% increase on the year to €250,000 at the median, according to the latest myhome.ie report – the Irish Times’ property website.
Across Co Galway, the median asking price was €220,000 – up 10.6% on the year.
The report showed that in Galway the median asking price for a three-bed semi-detatched house was €200,000, an annual change of 1%.
The median asking price for a three-bed semi in Cork was €230,000 and in Donegal it was just €95,000.
For a two-bedroom apartment, the median asking price was €175,000 in the first three months of 2018, a huge 25% change on the same period last year. Again, to to compare, it was also €175,00 in Cork, and in Donegal it was €45,000.
€205,000 was the median asking price for a four-bedroom semi-detatched house in Co Galway in Q1 of 2018, which was a 3.5% increase on the last three months of 2017.
The report also showed that in 2017, the number of transactions over €1m nationally was 826 such – up 25% on the 661 recorded in 2016 and up fivefold from the 160 sold in 2011.
In Galway, the percentage increase was higher than the national average – at 42% – with 17 houses cracking the €1m price-bracket.
The most expensive housing transaction in Dublin was the €9.5m paid for ‘Gorse Hill’, Killliney, in July. Outside Dublin, the most expensive house was sold in Blackrock in Cork for €4.1m.
The trends presented in the report are based on actual asking prices of properties advertised on MyHome.ie.
Leis an comhlacht drámaíochta Fíbín ag céiliúradh 15 mbliain ar an bhfód i mbliana beidh an léiriú is mó a thugadar faoi go dtí seo i stair na chomlachta, Tóraíocht, ag cur tús lena camchuairt náisiúnta i Mí Aibreán.
Tá Fibín ar an comhlacht drámaíochta Gaeilge is mó agus is gníomhaí in Éirinn. Cuireann siad saothair nua agus chlaiseacha ar stáitse ar shlí cruthaitheach agus i stíl ar leith. Is é an aidhm atá acu ná lucht féachana agus déantóirí drámaíochta a cruthú sa todhcaí lena gcuid léirithe spreagúla.
Beidh an camchuairt náisiúnta do Tóraíocht á tosnú sa Ghaillimh an tseachtain seo chughainn idir an 9ú agus 10ú lá sa Town Hall Theatre.
Tá deis agaibh dul go Tóraíocht ag a 8.oo i.n. ar an 9ú lá agus tá sé le bheith ar siúl i rith an lae agus san oíche ar an 10ú lá mar sin tá deis agat é a fheiscint ar a 1.oo i.n. nó ag 8i.n. an tarna oíche.
Léiríonn Fibín Tóraíocht – leagan nua den scéal Tóraíocht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne – curtha in oiriúnt agus stiúrtha ag Mikel Murfi agus scríofa ag Philip Doherty. Is scéal grá lán le héachtaí aisteacha agus fathaigh é Tóraíocht a úsáideann amharcíomhánna cumhachtacha.
Bogann an scéal ar aghaidh níos tapa ná haon rás caranna, léimeann an scéal níos airde ná haon léimneoir cuaille agus tá dhá oiread grá sa sceál agus a bheadh ag aon Fhrancach agus Diarmaid agus Gráinne ag déanamh iarracht a bheith céim chun tosaigh ar Fionn agus na Fianna!
Tá cliar iontacht sa dráma – Méabh Ní Chualáin, Kate Finegan, Liz Fitzgibbon, Gráinne Bleasdale, Fionnuala Gygax agus Seán T. Ó Meallaigh agus beidh fotheidil Béarla ann do gach léiriú.
Is féidir an Pacáiste Réamh-rannpháirtíochta do scoileanna a fháil anseo. Tá eolas ealaíne agus oideachasúil ann maidir le téamaí an dráma, stíl an dráma, dearadh seit, soilsiú agus is fiú go mór dul tríd leis na daltaí chun go mbainfidh siad oiread taithnimh agus is féidir as an seo.
Costas €16/€12 ar na ticéidí agus is féidir tuileadh eolas a fháil anseo.
‘Narrating Self, Translating the Other’ Exhibition opening
Friday, April 6 @ 6pm
Gallery 1, Galway Arts Centre, 47 Dominick Street
Galway Arts Centre is delighted to present a group exhibition featuring artists from Engage Arts Studios:
Maeve Curtis
Simon Daly
Cecilia Danell
Deirdre Deegan
Brenda Flannery
Noelle Gallagher
Michelle Hill
Séamus Keane
Hilary Morley
Angela O’Brien
Ilaria Pellizzaro
Jane Queally
Avi Ratnayake
Vicky Smith
Ruby Wallis
Galway Arts Centre is delighted to present works by artists from Engage Art Studios Galway.
The exhibition is a snapshot of current studio practices, research themes and experiments in medium by 15 of the 25 members of the studios, located in Middle St and Francis St in Galway City.
While each artist has an individual practice and set of processes, they are interested in the nature of creating artworks in an age of mass image-based media where often time the image that represents an event, person or place becomes its own entity with its own truth and value, separate from reality and original source.
Cork beat Galway 3-12 to 1-11 last Sunday in Clonberne to book their place in the semi-finals of the LIDL Ladies National Football League.
Cork defeated Galway earlier today in the @lidl_ireland Ladies Football National League Division 1, booking themselves a spot in the semi-finals! #GAApic.twitter.com/xCKhonv1iY
Goals for Orla Finn, Marie O’Callaghan and Ciara O’Sullivan at crucial times gave the Rebelettes their fifth win from six games.
Afterwards, Cork manager Ephie Fitzgerald talked to Galway Daily and said he was thrilled to get the victory.
Video: Cork goalkeeper Martina O'Brien made some great saves in today's Lidl NFL clash with Galway, but Leanne Coen's goal finally beat her. See it all here.. https://t.co/HDrXaf3S8Rpic.twitter.com/PPYIUYDcWL
A total of 11 Connacht players have been selected for this week’s Irish underage internationals. The U19s take on France today (Tuesday, 3rd April) at the University of Limerick at 5pm – the game was originally fixed for the Sportsground before it was moved due to the adverse weather conditions.
Prop Ryan Lomas, hooker Dylan Tierney, backrow Neal Moylett, scrum-half Colm Reilly and back three Hugh Lane were all named in the squad, as was Cian Huxford who unfortunately injured his ankle and is likely to miss the remaining games.
Tom Tierney’s charges will face France again at the home of Connacht Rugby on Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm). The visitors had a recent outing against Romania, winning 41-7, and will play Scotland in Edinburgh after their two encounters with Ireland.
Out-half Dylan Prendergast has been named in the under 18 schools’ squad. Head coach Peter Smyth has rotated his squad for their under 18 Six Nations Festival second-round clash with hosts Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on Wednesday (kick-off 2.30pm) and Prendergast starts for the first time.
While in the clubs & schools squad there were four Connacht players chosen. They are tight head Liam Winnet, second row Darragh Murray, and centres Saul O’Carroll and Shane Jennings. Second row Iarlaith Laheen is among the standby list.
Mark Butler’s team play England U-18 Counties at HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth on Wednesday (kick-off 2pm) after last Saturday’s 51-12 over Canada’s under 19s.
Jennings shifts to the left wing from full-back and his Garbally College colleague O’Carroll lines out in midfield. The 2018 teams will meet for a second time at the same Portsmouth venue on Saturday (kick-off 12pm).
The Union of Students in Ireland today launched the national student-led campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment at the annual student Congress in Galway.
The campaign, Students For Choice, will be registering thousands of students to vote ahead of polling day on May 25th.
Speaking at the launch, USI President Michael Kerrigan said that Students for Choice will ‘take the baton that has been passed to us from generations of activists, and we will take this over the line.’
USI is the national representative body for the 374,000 students in third level education on the Island of Ireland, and is a member of the national civil society campaign, Together For Yes.
USI registered 18,000 students who have never voted before between September and November 2017 , adding to the upwards of 80,000 students registered to vote by USI in recent years.
Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel has been conferred with an honorary degree at a ceremony at NUI Galway today and gave advice to students interested in politics.
While at the University, he offered some advice to students who are interested in pursuing politics or social activism.
He said that whether your politics leans left or right, you should stay engaged in the most important thing – how we govern ourselves in the future.
The details for Connacht’s Junior Interprovincial series have been announced with action commencing at the beginning of the month.
Connacht begin with a home time against Leinster on Saturday, 28th April. The game kicks-off at 2.30pm in Ballinrobe while at the same time, Munster and Ulster lock horns in Muskerry.
The 2011 Grand Slam winners haven’t tasted victory since 2015. Their best result in the last two years was a 23-23 draw against the eastern side in 2016 and they only fell by one (15-14) in last year’s campaign.
The Junior Interprovincial Series gets underway later in the month. Here are the dates and locations of Connacht's three games: https://t.co/0fdap9nt86
However, their luck against the other teams haven’t been as good.
Seven days later (May 4th), the western province are on the road when they head to Ards RFC in Co. Down for their clash with Ulster. That game throws-in at 2.30pm. Ulster were 33-20 winners in 2016 and came out 34-5 winners last year.
The campaign concludes the following Saturday (11th away) with another away assignment against Munster. That game also has a 2.30pm kick-off and will take place in Old Christians RFC in Glanmire, Co. Cork. Connacht have only managed 10 points against Munster in the last two years losing 35-3 in 2017 and 50-7 the previous year.
MEP for the Midlands North West constituency Matt Carthy, has called on unionist leaders to engage in discussions on what a United Ireland could look like.
“Pretending that the debate isn’t happening or that change isn’t coming, doesn’t prevent the debate or the change, it just reduces your potential to shape it,” he said. “That is unfair on unionist communities who must be accommodated in our new, agreed Ireland”.
However recent talk of holding a referendum has been harshly criticised by Fine Gael.
Senator Neale Richmond commented: “At such a vital juncture in Brexit talks, with tensions across the UK, talk of a referendum on a United Ireland is wholly irresponsible.
“With emotions charged, the Irish Government is going to great lengths to reassure unionists in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain that the current negotiations are not an exercise in securing a United Ireland by stealth.
“It is vital that we respect the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom as a whole and crucially that of Northern Ireland.”
Matt Carthy used Brexit being imposed on the people of Ireland as a reason that the fate of people in Northern Ireland should not be decided by London and voters in England.
Matt Carthy MEP made the remarks during an address to the Easter Rising commemoration in Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh on Easter Sunday morning.
He said: “Ireland is once again at a point of great change. The Orange state is gone. The perpetual unionist majority in the North has ended. The forces of conservative Ireland no longer enjoy the unquestioning support of citizens.
“Orange and Green are now part of a rainbow of colours and identities. A new Ireland is emerging.
“We now have a real opportunity to end Partition and build a new and united Ireland.
“We must secure and win a referendum on Irish unity.
“We want to engage the unionist people and their representatives in the debate – we want them to tell us how a united Ireland can and should protect their identity, their culture, their place in this country.
“The refusal by unionist leaders, thus far, to engage in this conversation, is a failure on their part, a particular failure to those they represent. Pretending that the debate isn’t happening, that change isn’t coming, doesn’t prevent the debate or the change, it just reduces your potential to shape it. That is unfair on unionist communities who must be accommodated in our new, agreed Ireland.
“We don’t need to accept each other’s version of history to acknowledge the rights of everyone to remember their dead.
“The ongoing campaign by some unionist leaders against any element of commemoration for republicans needs to stop as does the facilitation of that campaign by elements within the media who should know better.
“Raymond McCreesh refused to be criminalised in 1981; we will not allow our remembrance of him and other IRA volunteers to be demonised in 2018.”
However, Fine Gael Senator Neale Richmond argued that a referendum on a United Ireland can only be deemed required by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
He also said that Sinn Féin MPs should change the 100-year-old policy of not taking their seats in Westminster – effectively ignoring their mandate – to ‘materially impact the lives of the people of Northern Ireland for the better’.
“It is clear that nothing of substance has changed in terms of political representation in the North that would merit such a referendum.
“Rather than floating such notions, the leadership of Sinn Féin should really be focused on re-establishing power sharing at Stormont.”
NUIG were crowned Connacht Women’s Cup champions on Sunday after a 39-0 win over Buccaneers. The league champions always looked in control as they ran in seven tries. Two came in the opening 10 minutes as Karen Douglas and Shannen Lane crossed over for a 10-0 lead.
Two further tries and a conversion before the break brought the score up to 22-0, and even though Buccaneers started to grow in the game as it went on, they were unable to get on the scoresheet before the half-time whistle.
That pressure from Buccaneers continued at the start of the second half, but any hope of an improbable comeback was ended when Amanda Forde touched down for NUIG’s fifth try 10 minutes into the second half.
From then on it was a case of the college seeing out the game, and they crossed over twice more to finish up as 39-0 winners. While Bucs can consider themselves unlucky not to put points on the board there was little doubt that NUIG were deserving winners.
Tuam/Galwegians suffered defeat in the Connacht Women’s Plate final beforehand as Castlebar won a 12-try thriller by 54-22. The Galway side led 12-0 thanks to Amanda Kelly and Andrea Donnellan – the second of which was converted by Emma Keane.
Sarah Walsh opened for Castlebar before Ursula Sammon touched down three times as the Mayo team went 26-12 up at half-time.
Tuam/Galwegians crossed over twice more within 10 minutes of the restart through Deirdre Morney and Cathriona Kavanagh. However, the rest of the game was dominated by Castlebar as they scored 28 unanswered points as Sammon and Darwyn O’Halloran ran in two tries each.
Their first season back in the top flight of league football resulted in a Croke Park final appearance and Galway football supporters weren’t too despondent after falling short to Dublin.
Three late scores finally ensured the All-Ireland champions won their fifth title in six seasons and maintained their position as favourites heading into the summer.
Well done Kevin Walsh and Galway footballers great start to 2018
“It’s one of disappointment with the result, obviously,” said Walsh to assembled media after Sunday’s game. “But, overall, taking everything into account, I suppose it’s a big learning curve for the team.”
“They’re disappointed we gave away a few late points, but, overall, for a team that I think with maybe five of those who started haven’t kicked a championship ball yet, it was important for us to see how they would react at headquarters.”
Despite the defeat, Walsh was happy enough with his team’s efforts as all attention now turns towards MacHale Park, Castlebar in six weeks and another joust with rivals Mayo.
The last time Easter Sunday fell on April 1 (1956), Wexford won the All-Ireland hurling and Galway the football. #GAA
“Overall, happy enough performance-wise,” added the 1998 and 2001 All-Ireland winner. “A few things in there we’ll have to improve on. But, overall, disappointed to lose.
“We haven’t even thought of Mayo this week. This was totally about getting ready for Dublin this week, but I’m sure while we’re thinking about this they’re getting the troops together so it’s going to be a heavy five weeks.
“It was important we were there coming up the stretch. We gave away a few late points, but we learned a lot overall. I think five of those lads haven’t kicked a championship ball yet, so it was important for us to see how they would react at headquarters.”
“You see lots of games where 14 beat 15, especially when it involves a team like Dublin. They’re All-Ireland champions for a reason and they showed it again today. They are really, really good at ball retention – that’s a lesson we’d be hoping to pick up from them.”
Dublin have won the Div 1 Allianz Football League beating Galway, Watch the Full-Time highlights here on GAANOW! pic.twitter.com/bJ8vcLuHaJ
Galway couldn’t stop Dublin clinching a fifth National Football League title in six years on Sunday but Kevin Walsh’s team ended their spring on a positive note ahead of facing Mayo in the Connacht championship on May 13th.
Late points from Philly McMahon, Eric Lowndes and Dean Rock eventually ensured Jim Gavin’s team atoned for last year’s loss to Kerry ahead of their attempts at a fourth consecutive All-Ireland title in the summer.
Galway were the only unbeaten team in Division One but were expected to struggle against the Metropolitans in Croke Park. However, they stayed with their illustrious opponents for most of the contest only to finally be taken down in the final five minutes.
Dublin deserved their win today. However, Leinster referee should have issued at least two black cards to Dublin players in first quarter. Cynically dragging down Damien Comer. Big bearing on game. Not good enough. @LeagueSundayRTE@TribesmenGAA@Galway_GAA
Rock and Paul Mannion gave Dublin an early 0-2 to 0-0 lead but Barry McHugh and Johnny Heaney levelled affairs by the 10th minute. Mannion forced a stop from Ruairi Lavelle within seconds of the throw-in, the first of three saves from the Inisbofin keeper.
The teams shared six points before McHugh put Galway 0-6 to 0-5 ahead on 21 minutes. It was the only time Kevin Walsh’s side led though they did go in 0-8 apiece at half-time. Mannion and Rock put Dublin back ahead but Heaney ensured parity.
Substitute Colm Basquel kicked two minors upon the resumption for an 0-11 to 0-8 Dublin advantage but Galway clawed back the deficit again before Shane Walsh made it 0-12 apiece.
Dublin were down to 14 players following a second yellow for Niall Scully but their experience in big game environments was starting to tell. After the teams exchanged minors again, Rock got through forcing another great stop from Lavelle.
The Ballymun Kickhams free taker converted the resulting 45 before Ciaran Kilkenny put two between the teams. However, Damien Comer, who terrorised Dublin’s defence on occasions, reduced arrears to the minimum setting up a mouthwatering finish.
However, Dublin pushed for the line with their three late points to clinch a 13th league crown. Galway’s hopes of bridging a gap to 1981 must wait another year but they gave a good account of themselves showing their intent ahead of the Connacht championship next month.
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Philly McMahon (0-1), Michael Fitzsimons, David Byrne; James McCarthy, Jonny Cooper, John Small (0-1); Brian Fenton, Michael Darragh Macauley; Niall Scully (0-1), Paul Mannion, Brian Howard; Kevin McManamon, Ciaran Kilkenny (0-2), Dean Rock (0-7, five frees, one ’45). Subs used: Eric Lowndes (0-1) for McCarthy (35 mins), Colm Basquel (0-2) for McManamon (HT), Eoin Murchan for Small (40 mins), Con O’Callaghan for Macauley (54 mins), Shane Carthy for Mannion (68 mins), Small for McMahon (70 mins).
Galway: Ruairi Lavelle; Declan Kyne, Sean Andy O’Ceallaigh, Eoghan Kerin; Cathal Sweeney, Gareth Bradshaw, Sean Kelly; Paul Conroy (0-1), Ciaran Duggan; Johnny Heaney (0-2), Eamonn Brannigan, Peter Cooke; Barry McHugh (0-6, five frees), Damien Comer (0-3), Shane Walsh (0-2, one free). Subs used: Gary O’Donnell for Heaney (62 mins), Tom Flynn for Cooke (67 mins), Patrick Sweeney for Conroy (68 mins), Adrian Varley for Walsh (70 mins), Johnny Duane for Bradshaw (70 mins).
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)
Dublin have won the Div 1 Allianz Football League beating Galway, Watch the Full-Time highlights here on GAANOW! pic.twitter.com/bJ8vcLuHaJ
Macnas is known throughout the world for its large-scale, interactive spectacle events for audiences, communities and festivals.
And now, the award-winning theatre company from Galway has teamed up with The Connacht Hospitality Group in support of The Macnas Young Ensemble.
Macnas, led by Artistic Director Noeline Kavanagh, is known across the globe with its shows involving up to 300 participants with audiences of 50,000 in attendance.
Founded in 2009, The Macnas Young Ensemble are a core part of Macnas and have presented their own stand-alone productions supported by Macnas.
Under the tutelage of Macnas Performance Director, Miquel Barcelo and other visiting facilitators, the group develop new work that is relevant to them and which feeds into the present and future of Macnas.
The Young Ensemble is open to anyone aged 15-19, the workshops take students through a range of performance styles including Commedia Dell’Arte, mask work, ensemble performance and physical expression.
Passionate about nurturing the next generation of Spectacle artist in Galway city and county, the Macnas Young Ensemble has 45 members and the workshops are free of charge and run throughout the entire year on a weekly basis making the support of The Connacht Hospitality Group invaluable to the next generation.
This partnership will allow Macnas to develop a world-class dynamic performance ensemble and Drumming troupe for Galway city and county.
This support will also help to deliver Young Ensemble and Drumming events locally, nationally and internationally and support Macnas to engage with communities enabling young people to access free high quality large-scale cultural performances and activities.
The youth drumming troupe aged 15 -19 which will be led by the Macnas parade Musical Director Orlagh De Bhaldraithe in collaboration with Eímhín Craddock, drummer and facilitator.
This troupe will pioneer new beats on the street with the Macnas signature high octane performance.
Macnas Artistic Director Noeline Kavanagh explained, “The Connacht Hospitality Group sponsorship is directly supporting local young people to have access to and engagement in the arts.
“It is a valuable and deeply appreciated partnership that will see a new generation of performer and musician emerge out of Galway to continue a legacy in the Spectacle arts on the streets of Galway and across the streets of the world.”
“We at the Connacht Hospitality Group, are delighted to be able to support a company as exciting and passionate as Macnas, as a group we have always been huge supporters of the local community through sports, festivals and local charities and we are very excited to be able to now extend this support out to the Arts.
“We believe in the message Macnas delivers and as a business we recognise the value the Arts has brought to our wonderful city, particularly as we build up to Galway 2020,” said Wayne Neilon Group General Manager.
“Macnas has a strong vision that encompasses the continual training and development of young artists and performers within the company to promote innovation and excellence, the partnership with The Connacht Hospitality Group will ensure this becomes a reality,” concluded Noeline.
For more information see www.macnas.com or see Macnas across all social platforms.
John Spillane plays the Black Gate
Wednesday, April 4 @ 8pm
The Black Gate Cultural Centre, 14 Francis Street
Tickets €20 available on the door
Cork’s very own heartfelt troubadour John Spillane brings his unique mix of folk and sean nós to The Black Gate.
October 2017 saw the acclaimed Irish Singer and Songwriter John Spillane, celebrate 35 years of an ever-consistent vastly illuminating and exciting career within the world of music.
Having sold over 100,000 albums in Ireland, John has also been awarded with two Meteor Irish Music Awards for ‘Best Act Folk’ and ‘Traditional’ act. His songs have been covered by many Irish folk lumineers such as Christy Moore, Sean Keane, Karan Casey, Pauline Scanlon, Solas, Mary Black, Méav, Sinéad Lohan, and Sharon Shannon.
Don’t miss this rare and intimate concert for 50 people only! This special event promises to be one to remember.
Adm. €20 (Tickets available ONLY at the Black Gate – open from 6pm daily – First come, first served)
Galway Together for Yes campaign launch
Tuesday, April 3 @ 7:30 – 10:30pm
The Harbour Hotel, New Dock Road
Come out for the official launch of the Galway Together For Yes Campaign!
The campaign – alongside the Galway Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment as well as the national Together for Yes campaign – works to repeal the 8th Amendment in a national referendum to be held at the end of May.
The panel of speakers at the launch includes:
Orla O’Connor – Co-Director of Together For Yes
Arlette Lyons – Termination For Medical Reasons
Eoin Daly – Lecturer from NUIG Law School
Dr Michael Creed – Doctors for Choice
More to be announced soon!
After the huge success of the launch of the national campaign, come join Yes campaigners to get the ball rolling in Galway and to find out how you can get involved!
All are welcome – this is a kid-friendly event.
The Galway Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment is a group of 25+ organisations represented in Galway that support repealing the 8th amendment.
Another successful Galway Food Festival culminated this afternoon in the Breaking Bread community feast, held in a packed Printworks gallery on Market street.
The feast featured live performances and food stalls from various Galway-based community groups serving to both highlight the plethora of different cultures in the most diverse city in Ireland as well as raise funds for Cope Galway.
And it was crowded from the start. Traditional Polish songs rang out from the performance area as children raced around picnic tables and throngs of people chatted and ate beneath colourful bunting and balloons.
Crowds at the Breaking Bread community feast on Monday afternoon in the Printworks
Tipperary native and ten-year Oranmore resident Eleanor Nolan, who attended Breaking Bread with her young son Ted, said: “I’m really enjoying it. It’s kind of a nice mishmash of absolutely every kind of food and fun that you could manage. There’s even food for him, which is great.
“We had a little bit of everything, really. I’m a coeliac, and the allergens and stuff are marked down, which is really handy…it was really really good.”
Longtime Moycullen resident Gloria Avalos – one of the founding members of the Mexican Community of Galway – commented: “I think it’s an amazing event, and it’s a great opportunity to taste the authentic food from the different cultures that are in Ireland, in this beautiful country.”
Avalos – who first arrived in Galway 29 years ago – helped run the eye-grabbingly colourful Mexican food stall, whose volunteers were wearing vibrant Mexican blankets called cobijas.
The Mexican Community food stall
They served chicken enchiladas with coriander and cheese on top, charro beans – traditional ‘cowboy’ beans made with chorizo and bacon – and carlota lemon cake for dessert.
But when it came time for her lunch break, Avalos wanted to try something new.
“I tried the Indian food and I tried the Lithuanian food, and the other one was French…very tasty, very different. It was nice. I’ve never tried Lithuanian food so it’s a fantastic opportunity for me.”
Several local organisations – including the Galway Anti-Racism Network, the Galway Traveller Community, The Burren Lowlands, and The Melting Potluck – were also serving food alongside the community groups of various nationalities.
Although most of the food came from all across the globe, traditional Irish standbys like coddle were also available for the less adventurous palate.
Ballybane resident Gabriella Toko, who was serving food with the Galway Congolese Association, said: “I love the event. I was working at it last year, that’s how I came to know about Breaking Bread. I’d heard about the food festival before, but I never actually got to experience it as much until I got involved last year.
“It’s great. I love it, personally. I think it’s cool having a lot of different nationalities come together and share whatever they have to share.”
So what’s on the Congolese menu?
Toko said: “Today we have two different dishes. We have puff puff, which is a traditional donut that we make from our country. So just basic ingredients: flour, yeast, sugar, vanilla extract for a bit of flavour. And we have ntaba, which is a lamb dish – it’s grilled lamb with onion, garlic, seasoning, all of that good stuff.
“And we have a homemade chili sauce that we serve with it. So it’s Scotch bonnets – really really hot peppers – a bit of garlic, a bit of onion, a little bit of seasoning as well in that. And it’s usually fried up, so it’s really good.”
First-time attendee and five-year Galway resident Arthur Demurger commented: “I think it’s very good…you never realise that there’s so many different communities in Galway. It was the same for the St. Patrick’s parade.
“I’m a tour guide, so I always tell people that Galway is very international, but this is a good sign of that.”
Demurger tried the Congolese ntaba lamb dish as well as Moroccan tagine. The verdict? “I like it!”
Local events organiser Paul David Murphy – who worked at Breaking Bread – said: “Great numbers in here. It’s fantastic. Loads of flags all around the place, loads of costumes, loads of artwork, and most importantly, loads of food!”
European Region of Gastronomy’s Deirdre Tully commented: “Galway was designated for this year’s European Region of Gastronomy, and as part of it, our objective as well is to celebrate cultural diversity and food and our culture in Galway. As you can see there’s loads of cultures here today, and it’s just wonderful.
“I actually for the first time tried some food from Ghana, and I had spinach and yams, and plantain…absolutely splendid. The flavours were unbelievable. I’m thinking about Filipino next.”
The Castlegar native added: “This is wonderful. Just to see so many cultures, so many people, but yet we’re all Galway. It’s great.”
Breaking Bread was organised by the Galway Food Festival and Galway 2020 in collaboration with Creative Ireland.
While the weather forecast for the evening doesn’t look great, it gives us the opportunity to laze around and finish off the last of those easter eggs guilt-free while indulging in some late night television. I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend the evening if I’m honest but the icing on the cake comes as Tristan Heanue’s ‘A Break in the Clouds’ will have it’s TV premiere tonight, the 2nd of April on RTE2 at 11.45pm as part of Shortscreen.
Shortscreen showcases the very best of Irish Short Films every Monday night on RTE2 with Heanue’s film being selected for this weeks episode.
‘A Break in the Clouds’ is the story of a young couple who struggle to adjust to life after the birth of their first child. The film was written and directed by Tristan Heanue starring; Tristan Heanue, Gemma-Leah Devereux, Marie Ruane and Linda Breathnach. Tristan Heanue and Paddy Slattery co-produced the film.
Heanue is currently basking in delight following his recent win at the Físín Pitching Competition which took place at the International Dingle Film Festival last weekend on the 25th March.
The Físín Pitching Competition is an annual competition which has taken place at the Dingle International Film Festival since 2011. This competition is aimed at encouraging many filmmakers to develop their films in the Irish language.
The Dingle International Festival has been on the road since 2007 and it has only served to go from strength to strength each year.
Heanue’s ‘Silence’ was nominated as the winning film from the Físín Pitching Competition as Heanue had to compete with four other nominees before his film was announced the winner.
Being a native of Connemara, he is delighted with the result of his film ‘Silence’ being produced by IFTA winner Eamonn O Cualáin. Speaking about the win, Tristan said,
“I am really thrilled to win. I’ve had this idea for this film for a few years and it’s a great feeling to know it will be made this year. Dingle Film Festival is one of my favourites. They have always supported my work down through the years and I’m so grateful to get the opportunity to make this film with them.”
“The film will be called ‘Silence’ and it is about a couple going to visit their daughter in hospital after a suicide attempt. It shows a couple struggling to communicate their feelings to their daughter or talk about what has happened.”
“The idea came from a real meeting I witnessed between a family in a treatment centre while I was visiting a friend a few years ago.”
While Tristan embarks on a new voyage with ‘Silence’ he is currently overjoyed with his film ‘A Break in the Clouds’ being premiered on RTE2 this evening 2nd April at 11.45p.m.
Wrap up warm tonight, get the popcorn ready and finish off those easter eggs in style while watching ‘A Break in the Clouds.’
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