Reminder – Clocks go forward 1 hour on Sunday

The clocks go forward by an hour at 1am on next Sunday morning, March 26th, marking the start of longer days as we head into the summer months. This effectively means we skip the 1am hour and go straight to 2am.

Clocks in the 27 EU member states will change at the same time, so you might have one less hour of sleep this Sunday if your life is governed by the clock.

In 2019, the European Parliament voted to end the seasonal time changes, but the decision has yet to be implemented. Indeed there has been much debate and little agreement amongst people as to whether we should continue to change the clock with the seasons.

REM, the phase of sleep where dreams happen and memory and learning function form, occurs during the last third of the night. Any additional disruption interferes with circadian rhythms (our evolutionary instinct to detect dawn or dusk) and makes us sleepier and disoriented. So ease yourself into the change if you can.

Cycle and bus lane for Dr. Mannix Road parked for now

From the Galway City Tribune –Public consultation planned for a proposed cycle lane along Dr Mannix Road in Salthill has been delayed yet again, with priority being given to bus and cycling measures nearer the city.

According to the Glenard Residents’ Association’s latest newsletter to people living in Glenard, D’Alton, Dr Mannix Road and Na Cúilíní the delay is due to planning for the BusConnects project, which is a massive overhaul of the city’s public transport network.

Under the plan, there are two bus routes planned for the area instead of one, with buses travelling up and down the entire length of Dr Mannix Road, instead of just one section of it (Dalysfort Road junction to Threadneedle Road junction) as is the case now.

“The threat of a ban on parking on both sides of Dr Mannix Road, the loss of trees and green areas to accommodate the cycle lane continues to hang over our area,” the newsletter stated.

“This is a source of concern to residents, not only on Dr Mannix Road but throughout our area as it would case parking overflow throughout the estate.”

A spokesperson for the association told the Galway City Tribune said residents were not against cycle lanes in general, but what was proposed would not work in this area.

“We have 43 houses with open driveways on that section of the road and most park outside their houses. A lot of people are elderly. There’s a huge amount of traffic with people dropping and picking up from the schools, people parking for Pearse Stadium and the GAA club – there are seven junctions off the Dr Mannix Road,” he explained.

“We are trying to reach a solution – that’s why we are proposing a 30km/h speed limit here as a compromise solution so everybody could use it and it would be safer for all road users.”

The plan for two bus routes along the full stretch of road would also remove space, with bus stops and shelters likely to be installed. That would also have to be taken into account before any cycle lane was considered.

Under the 2023 schedule of works planned by Galway City Council, the project is not mentioned.

A spokesperson for Galway City Council confirmed that while some early stage options for a “secondary cycle route” on Dr Mannix Road, the focus is on the development and delivery of Ballyloughane Active Travel Scheme; Doughiska Road South Cycle Network Scheme; Eglinton Canal Active Travel Scheme; Clybaun Road Active Travel Scheme; Bothar Stiofain Cycle Network Scheme and Ballybane and Castlepark Cycle Network Schemes.

“The progression of other routes, including Dr Mannix Road, will follow the development of the above schemes,” the spokesperson stated.

Snow

Soft and fluffy when it falls.

Wet, cold to touch, crunches underfoot.

White, very white.

Brightens up day or night.

Hides what lies underneath,

while footprints above reveal passing feet.

Be very careful how you go,

because its slippy in the snow.

Traffic on the roads compacts the snow,

from soft and fluffy to solid ice.

Be very careful how you go,

because crashing is not very nice.

As it melts it turns to slush.

Definitely not the time to rush.

Then there’s water everywhere.

Beware the danger and take care.

Nice to look at, nice to see.

But if one has far to travel, rather you than me.

Poetry for Your Pleasure

Save on Postage Stamps

It’s the time of year when many of us reach out to friends and loved ones, particularly those at a distance, through the simple act of sending Christmas cards.

Each year it becomes a little more expensive to do so and in the current inflationary environment many need to be a little frugal to make ends meet. You can reduce the costs by buying An Post postage stamps in the form of their Christmas bundles, offering a 20% reduction on the normal price.

You can get a booklet of 20 national stamps for €20 instead of €25.

You can get a booklet of 20 national stamps plus a booklet of 5 international stamps for €28.00 instead of €36.

Everything adds up including all the little cost savings you can make.

Maintenance Needed in Salthill Park and Surrounding Area

‘The photograph above is of the area just inside the Northwest corner of Salthill Park, beside the ESB substation.

There used always be some flooding here, but it’s become larger and more long-lasting since the Council tarmacked the pathway in recent years, and the surrounding grassed area is becoming swampy. As one local resident put it, “the law of unintended consequences.” A little bit of remedial work is required to drain the excess water away before we end up with someone suffering a serious injury or fatality. Some people are forced out onto the roadway and put themselves at risk.

The footpaths along Rockbarton Road and Ardnamara are in a terrible state with uneven and broken curbs adding further potential for injury in an area which according to the last census had one of the highest proportions of elderly people in the country, and for whom a fall can have serious consequences.

smart

smart

smart

smart

smart

smart

Councillors approve €113m budget for the city next year

Councillors voted yesterday (14/11/22) to approve a €113m budget for the city next year.

An amendment was proposed and passed that saw €650 thousand diverted primarily from the local authority’s electric vehicle allocation.

It was reported on Galway Bay FM this morning that this would instead be invested in a wide range of community allocations, including public lighting projects and floodlights at Pearse Stadium, a pregnancy loss garden and a study on tidal pools in Salthill.

The plan also includes €25,000 for a Glenard Crescent amenity and active travel initiative.

A Night for Ollie – Clayton Hote

A Night for Ollie – Clayton Hotel Galway, 7.45pm Saturday November 5th, 2022.

Well-known Galway sportsman Ollie Keogh was the victim of an unprovoked attack outside the family home in August 2022. Ollie suffered life threatening injuries which left him in the Intensive Care Unit of University College Hospital. He will be off work as a self-employed musician for the foreseeable future and is faced with considerable medical costs.

A fundraising concert to support Ollie with his recovery will take place in The Clayton Hotel.

Music will be from Point (friends and members of Pyramid), Katelyn Molloy, Corina K and Feedback.

Tickets are €10

Tickets can be got from https://www.eventbrite.com/…/a-night-for-ollie-tickets…

From  from Donnie Farragher (086) 2457400; Willie Grant (085) 7553120; and Ronan Coleman (087) 6972823.

Or from McGinns Hop House, Woodquay; Mervue United Football Club; Londis, Mervue and on Saturday night on the door at The Clayton Hotel.

Help Protect Your Property

Items like bicycles, electronics, farm machinery, jewellery and more are potential targets of thieves. Often the gardaí will recover stolen items but not know who the rightful owner is.

Property that is clearly marked is less attractive to a thief as it is more difficult to sell on. Should it be recovered by the gardaí, then if it is appropriately marked, it is more likely to be reunited with its owner. If you use your Eircode as an identifying mark, then the property can be traced back as belonging at your address. You could also use a UV ink pen to mark your property. Record information on items that are not suitable for marking, such as passports.

Photograph and record the unique information associated with your property and back it up to the cloud. Should your items be stolen, this record means you have to hand all the details needed to report this to An Garda Síochána and your insurance company.

• Name
• Description
• Value in euro/€
• Category
• Property type
• Make
• Model
• Serial Number
• Receipt

You have an extra hour this morning – so no rush

Success Manual

Hi,

I hope things are going well for you at the moment.

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Another is that we often fail to appreciate the accumulated effects of consistent small changes over time, either for good or for bad. We seek out big changes that we want to happen all of a sudden, but such changes are usually hard to come by.

We all want to be happy, but those who consciously chase happiness fail to find it. The secret is not to look for it, but to have a generally positive attitude, find something you want to achieve, and in achieving that something happiness just appears.

Circumstances can influence the degree of success or failure at any given point in your life, but over the long run the biggest contributor is the collection of habits you engage in consistently over the course of your life.

As to the question, “What is Success”. That is very much up to each of us to decide for ourselves.

I have taken what I have learnt from my own experience and what I have learnt from others to produce the “Success Manual: What does success mean for you and how do you achieve it?“

Success Manual Introduction – YouTube

This Success Manual course is a self-paced, online course designed to help you to:

• Decide what you consider success in life to be for yourself.
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Course can be purchased at https://gmg.teachable.com/p/success-manual.

For the month of October, it can be purchased for €10 instead of the usual €100. This is mainly to facilitate offering it to students who studied already with me, but the offer is open to anyone who wishes to avail of it. Feel free to forward this via email or social media to any of your contacts that you think might be interested in it.

Should you decide to purchase, make sure the special offer price is highlighted after you hit the enroll button.

Best regards,

Noel Molloy