Easing of Restrictions does not mean Easing of Social Distancing Requirements

The slight easing of restrictions to control the Covid-19 virus, while welcome, does not mean that there is any easing of the requirements for social distancing, good cough hygiene, or frequent hand washing.

As if to emphasise the continued need for caution Galway City Council blocked off the entrance to Leisureland yesterday in a bid to prevent people congregating in the car park there.

Over the last couple of days local hotels also took steps to indicate that their car parks were out of bounds for now.

Leaving Cert Maths and Physics Online Resource Packs

School is out for now but the work still needs to be done. The new target date of late July/ early August for the Leaving Cert exams should help in drawing up a time table to cover what you need to do to complete and revise your courses. But it also means you have to work for a longer period than originally planned. It is important to pace yourself and not become over tired or stressed before the exams take place. If you need to take a complete break for a day or two to rest and recharge, then do so.

The minister’s plans at the moment envisage leaving cert students having two weeks back in school in July before the exams. In planning your work you can only assume for now that this will happen.

I have put together an online Physics resource pack   and an online Maths resource pack which can be purchased from https://gmg.teachable.com/.

They contain the following:

A number of publications from Galway Maths Grinds including:

• Making the most of your Scientific Calculator

• Google Search for Students

• Making the most of the Formulae and Tables Booklet

Resources from the State Exams Commission website examinations.ie gathered here for convenient access:

• Past exam papers

• Marking Schemes

• Advice from Chief Examinations Officer

• Course Syllabus

Links to useful websites and video tutorials

Facility to download sheets of graph paper to print off.

Advice on how to prepare for and approach the examination

For the next couple of weeks they can be purchased from https://gmg.teachable.com/ for less than half the price of a single grind.

 

Nature and its beauty is free to everyone

Cherry Blossom

A word I seldom use is “Awesome”,

But it could certainly be used to describe the Cherry Blossom.

It brightens our lives in April time,

And of summer’s approach, it is a sign.

And says that winter to memory we can consign.

With a mass of pink, and sometimes white,

the cherry blossom is a a lovely sight.

The lovely flowers don’t last that long.

In a few short weeks they’re all gone.

But even as they fall, they please.

They fall like confetti with the breeze.

As the flowers from the trees are shedding,

it may bring to mind thoughts of nature’s wedding.

At this stage its a job well done.

Time to go out, enjoy the sun.

Nature and its beauty is free to everyone.

Lock Down Tightens in Salthill

Salthill Park Closed

entrances to Salthill Park

Barriers along The Prom

Barriers at Blackrock

Blackrock Closed

The City Council workers were out this morning erecting barriers to close off parks, The Prom and Blackrock to discourage people from congregating in groups.

Pandemic – making it through

The invisible enemy has been named Covid-19.

This pandemic is unlike anything that most of us have ever seen.

It will be tough but we’ll get through.

How hard it gets depends on what we do.

Its not natural to segregate,

as we lock down and await out fate.

But we are asked to stick together by being apart.

Stay away from those close to your heart.

Please understand that keeping “social distance”,

really will make all the difference.

Follow correct etiquette if you cough or sneeze,

so we can limit the spread of this disease.

One more thing the fight demands,

is simply that we often wash our hands.

 

 

At a minimum, these are the tactics we must employ,

if the enemy we are to stop and ultimately destroy.

Yes, isolation will be hard.

And of fatigue we must be on our guard.

And when the going gets really tough,

we must find ways to keep out spirits up.

In place of out stretched hand and caring touch,

in place of close company we crave so much,

we need ways to communicate our love and care,

and the feelings we want to share.

Its not natural to be in this state,

self-imposing isolation as we await our fate.

Some are really fearful and alone.

Their only contact might be by phone.

So make that call, send that text or post that letter.

You and they will both feel better.

So whether close or far away,

make that contact, now, today.

But keep in mind the restriction,

and the purpose of the isolation.

This is going to take a little while,

so seek out things that make you smile.

Meanwhile stay safe and stay apart.

We must endure but don’t lose heart.

 

Illegal Signage at Pearse Stadium finally removed.

We have received formal notification from Galway City Council that the illegally erected signage at Pearse Stadium has been removed and that the warning letter and enforcement notice has now been withdrawn. Enforcement proceedings have been discontinued in this case.

We are happy that this particular issue has finally been settled. However, it is not acceptable that it took 20 months to do so, nor that we had to seek help from the Office of the Ombudsman to have the case dealt with. It has cost the residents and the local authority to reach this stage. And at the end of the day, some may think it unreasonable that the serial offender received no penalty for not only flouting the law, but doing so up to the last before court proceedings would take place.

 

Who owns this Bike?

Child’s bike looking to be reunited with its owner.

Do you know who this bike belongs to? If yes let us know or contact Salthill garda station.

Free Stuff and Things to do during COVID-19 Crisis

Salthill Services have done up a little Colouring Book  for you. Print off the whole document or individual pages as you wish.

To access all ten books in Folan’s “Extra!” series of Leaving Cert Textbooks, click on the following link: https://cjf.ie/ExtraSeries.

Free minicourse on mental maths for quick calculations.

For all those parents wondering what to do with their youngsters with the schools closed – help is at hand. A wide array of writers and celebrities are now reading and recording children’s stories on social media, to assist the many mothers and fathers rapidly running out of ideas.  These celebrity narrations are hoping to inspire and entertain, and maybe, just maybe, grant you some peace and quiet.

Celebrity book readings are not exclusive to the coronavirus era, and YouTube contains a large archive of children’s recordings narrated by A-listers of all kinds. Courtesy of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Storyline Online hopes to raise literacy in English speaking countries the world over, and claims to record 100 million views per year.

 

Explore the wonders of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection with a virtual tour at https://www.nationalgallery.ie/virtual-tour.

Experience what life was like for passengers boarding the Titanic in Cobh through https://www.virtualvisittours.com/titanic-experience-cobh/

 

Remember you can get the following radio and TV stations via your TV.

Channel	Radio Station
11	RTE+1
21	RTE news now
22	Tithe an Oireachtas
200	RTE radio 1
201	RTE radio 1 extra
202	RTE 2 FM
203	RTE Lyric FM
204	Radio na Gaeltachta
205	RTE Pulse
206	RTE 2XM
207	RTE Junior Radio
208	RTE Gold
210	Radio Maria Ireland

 

And if you’re asking “What’s the catch with a lot of the free stuff?” — it’s basically twofold. Firstly, many of these services are ad-supported — just like good old-fashioned commercial TV. And secondly, like everything else online, they’re undoubtedly harvesting data from you. So before you sign up and dive in, just keep those two things in mind.

Was going to do a list of things myself but Shane Hastings already has a nice one here https://covid19.shanehastings.eu/giveback/

Here’s another: https://www.cnet.com/news/the-best-free-stuff-while-youre-stuck-at-home/

Intend to add updates over next few days. Feel free to make suggestions.

 

Dear Customer, stay calm, stay safe, stay well.

Dear Customer,

We think it prudent to take a little break.

It is the right thing to do for all our sake.

The nasty corona virus, Covid-19,

is spreading faster than anything that we have seen.

But you can be sure that we will be back,

as soon as we have overcome this attack.

Thank you for your custom up to now.

We will serve you again, when the situation will allow.

And it will be our proud endeavour,

To serve you even better than ever.

In the meantime we wish all our clientele

stay calm, stay safe, stay well.

 

This was the Promenade, Salthill at 8.15am  this morning.

New Restrictions on movement from midnight last night.

Last night Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announcement a two-week period of further restrictions on movemnt and association at a hastily arranged press conference, and said the drastic measures were necessary to try and combat Covid-19. All public and private gatherings are banned except for a few necessary exceptions.

The new measures apply until Easter Sunday, April 12th. They include:

• Everybody must stay at home in all circumstances;
• The exceptions are travelling to and from work, only where the work is an essential health, social care, or other essential service, and cannot be done from home;
• Shopping for food, household items, or meal collection is permitted;
• Attending medical appointments or collection of medicines and other health products is permitted;
• Providing vital care to children, elderly, or vulnerable people is permitted;
• Personal exercise is restricted, except within 2km of your own home. Children from your own home may accompany you, as long as you adhere to 2m social distancing;
• Social visits to family and/or friends that are not for vital reasons are prohibited;
• Community centres will be closed;
• Non-essential surgery and procedures, and other non-essential health services are postponed;
• Hospitals, residential, and prison visits are to stop, with specific exceptions on compassionate grounds;
• Cocooning will be introduced for citizens over 70 years, as well as specified categories of people considered extremely vulnerable to Covid-19;
• All public transport and passenger travel will be restricted to essential workers and essential services;
• There is to be no travel outside a 2km radius of your home for any reason other than those outlined.

 

Cocooning basically meansr citizens over 70 years, and specified categories of people considered extremely vulnerable to Covid-19. According to the HSE, over 70s and extremely vulnerable citizens are “strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact”.

Visits from people who provide essential support to you such as healthcare, personal support with daily needs or social care should continue, but carers and care workers must stay away if they have any of the symptoms of COVID-19. All people coming to those homes should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds on arrival to your house and often whilst they are there.

An Post workers will be on hand to check on those affected, he said. Community check-ins will also be vital.

 

Any elderly person who does not have someone to get their food etc can call Alone to arrange help. Their national phone line is 0818 222 024. This is a dedicated helpline for older people, launched in collaboration with the Department of Health and the HSE. Open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.

Or they can contact their local authority.