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MACNAS BRASS AND WIND WORKSHOPS

June 27, 2022

Macnas are starting a spectacle music troupe lead by Matthew Berrill, brass/wind musical wizard!  If you are a  brass/wind musician who has an interest in improvisation, experimental sounds, performance, and play and is excited about being part of outdoor spectacular events then come join their weekly workshops happening in September 2022.

Brass has been an integral soundscape within  Macnas’ epic works over the last decade and as part of their ongoing artistic program they are excited to work with the next generation of musicians for spectacle Theatre.

Open to musicians 14 – 20yrs

How to get involved:

Email victoria@macnas.com with an expression of interest, let us know what instrument you play and how many years you are playing. There is more info here https://www.macnas.com/works/macnas-spectacle-youth-theatre. 

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Yourells Hair Group are styling their business for the future

April 7, 2022

Yourells Hair Group to reinvest in two salons as they close the doors on Eyre StreetYourells on Eyre Street was opened by Carol Joyce and Anna Hosty in 2005, and became the first of three salons opened by the business partners.The Galway City location was followed by Yourells Moycullen in 2013 and Yourells Oranmore in 2016.The company said that all of the staff from the closing Eyre Street branch will be relocated to one of the other two branches.

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April 7, 2022

USE YOUR MUG

How many disposable cups are thrown away every hour in Ireland?Answer: 22,000 … Per Hour! If that number shocks you as much as it shocks us, then you can do your bit to help. Simply Use Your Mug! 8/10 Galwegians own a reusable mug but only 19% of those actually use it regularly. So Úsáid Do Mhuga to help protect Galway’s environment.It’s time for The ‘Use Your Mug’ campaign.Take action today simply with this, BRING YOUR KEEP CUP and USE IT.

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One Hub for Ukraine essential donations to open at Galway Race course

March 2, 2022

Volunteers and Essential Items urgently needed for the people of the Ukraine

From Friday 4th March, A centralised Galway Hub for Ukraine essential item donations will open. Galway Race Course Director Michael Moloney has offered up the space after Smakoteka Galway owner Kasia was inundated with donations this past week.

Today, Thursday the first truck is heading to Poland from Galway with essential items donated from people across Galway. On Friday next 11th March another truck will leave Galway for Poland. Donations are appreciated but only essential listed items which can be found on the Smakoteka Galway Facebook Page.  

Volunteers are being sought to help out here in Galway with this humanitarian crisis and people can get in contact with Donnacha at Volunteer Galway if they can give their time to this.

If you can volunteer contact https://volunteergalway.ie/ or ukrainesupport@volunteergalway.ie  To see what you can donate check out https://www.facebook.com/smakoteka.galway

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Goyas launch new celebration cake collection

March 1, 2022

The return of the traditional cake to mark reopening

Goyas has launched a new range of their signature celebration cakes for the year that is in it. For over 30 years Goyas have been at the party of thousands of people and have celebrated everything from a Christening to a 100th birthday.

Led by owner and baker Emer, the Goyas cake is a symbol of celebration and coming together. From the crowd-pleasing Chocolate Gateaux to the Vanilla Orange sprinkle cake, there is a slice of sweetness and joy for every palette.

Goyas, which is located on Kirwans Lane in Galways Latin Quarter is a firm favourite in the west. A gem nestled away from the busy Quay Street, Goyas bakery, retail and at home offering has taken a new direction since 2020.

Goyas was always a sit-in café for mid-morning elevenses and for lunch, but has since redefined itself as a retail space that introduced Goyas at Home. Home made savoury Quiches, soups and traditional home cooked dinners are available along with home baked scones, breads, tarts and signature bakes such as the luxurious caramel squares.

Celebration cakes and Goyas catering was launched in the early 90s and Goyas cakes quickly established themselves as the go to cake across Ireland for small- and large-scale events. A Goyas cake is traditional and timeless, from the Coffee walnut sponge to the chocolate biscuit cake and to the lemon drizzle cake, there is nostalgia wrapped up in every bake.

“Our celebration cakes were our biggest business, along with our catering. The two just go hand in hand. We have seen so many changes in our customers throughout the years and have adapted our business to suit what they needed. Now we are launching our celebration cake collection as we are ready to be together and truly celebrate life. Cakes have always been my passion and to know that Goyas has been in so many homes, at weddings and at the most precious moments for people, well that for me is the love in every bake,” explained Emer of Goyas.

A Goyas Celebration cake starts from €32.50 and can be ordered at https://goyas.ie/ or by calling 091-567010. Goyas is open Wednesday to Friday from 9:30am to 4pm and on Saturday from 9am. Stay connected through social media on Instagram and Facebook at Goyas Galway.

Featured In the Media Love

Bringing the inside out makes for idyllic stop on the Wild Atlantic Way

March 1, 2022

Moher Cottage, the design-led destination gift store and coffee dock beside the Cliffs of Moher, with panoramic views over Liscannor Bay is celebrating five years in business this March.

Now a firm favourite for a stop off on the Wild Atlantic Way, Moher Cottage is reopening their doors for the 2022 season on March 12th. Inside the renovated cottage, customers can pick up unique Irish made gifts, whilst sipping on a barista coffee paired with their own fudge which is made in store.

In 2021, Moher Cottage decided to extend and upgrade their Terrace at the cottage, which overlooks Liscannor Bay and is dog friendly!

The outdoor terrace has added so much to Moher Cottage, giving staff and visitors the opportunity to slow down, take 5, breathe and soak it all in. “The landscape around us really gives you that space and I find you really do get a renewed energy from taking the time to enjoy it. Overlooking our farm (seeing cows and calves grazing), Liscannor Bay and on a clear day you can see the Kerry mountains, making this terrace simply a beautiful place to be.”

“With staycations and day trips, people were exploring what was on their doorstep here in Ireland, the Terrace offered us an opportunity to ensure our business could stay open and also it was a feature we really needed to develop. Having a coffee,voted best in Ireland, a tea, some of their fudge or a slice of cake looking out across the water is, well, ideal. The pandemic gave us a kick in the right direction to get these jobs done!” smiled Caitriona who runs Moher Cottage with her Husband Kevin.

The family run business also launched the Moher Cottage Coffee Truck which was housed at the Cottage and brought to their nearby farm in Clahane, a gorgeous sea swimming spot and discovery spot on the wild Atlantic way.  With the rise in sea swimming and overall outdoor activity, the coffee truck was a very warm and welcome addition!

Moher Cottage is a sponsor and supporter of Liscannor GAA underage ladies’ team with sponsoring footballs in 2021 and this year new jackets with a commitment into 2023, something this small business is very proud of

Moher Cottage is open from March 12th everyday from 10am to 5pm. And ships globally from their online store year round.  To find out more check out www.mohercottage.com.

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Galway’s Westend launches the Sustainable Business Communities Initiative

February 7, 2022

Say YES to changing habits for the better of yourself, your home, your community and for each other.


TODAY Galway’s Westend launches the Sustainable Business Communities Initiative with Galway City Council Clean Energy Technology Centre and Lisa Regan Public Relations


This initiative is based on creating awareness of the importance of waste prevention, food waste prevention and resource efficiency amongst the many varied businesses in Galway’s West End. By working with commercial premises, this will lead to increased awareness taking Waste, Water and Energy themes into account.


This pilot scheme with businesses in Galway’s Westend will collectively aim to:


Reduce food waste

Reduce energy consumption

Reduce water consumption

Create a more circular supportive economy

Support Use your Mug Campaign to further communicate and encourage YOU to bring and USE your REusabales to stop the continuation of compostable container usage (20,000 coffee cups a day going to landfill)

Support and launch the Think Before You flush Campaign https://thinkbeforeyouflush.org/

Together we can and will do better through collective, positive and simple daily changes.

Stay tuned and remember the rules:
Shop Local

Bring your tote

Bring your Keep Cup

Walk or Cycle

Eat in Season

Support your LOCAL economy

And UP THE WEST

Featured In the Media Love Uncategorized

O’Connell’s Galway release Signature Cask Whiskey

January 27, 2022

50 bottles to go on sale this Friday 28 January 2022

O’Connells in Eyre Square in Galway City are exclusively releasing their Powers 12-year-old Single Cask Whiskey.

The journey to here was born out of a natural opportunity, when O’Connells after many visits (to Midleton Distillery Cork, the home of Irish Whiskey) had access to the best of casks stored in the warehouses. This led to the selection process of finding the O’Connells Cask.

200 years of expertise means the people in Midleton know all there is to know about creating some of the best whiskey Ireland has. With their help and guidance O’Connells have chosen a wonderful example of Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

“We managed to whittle down the final line up to 5 whiskeys from 5 single casks. These casks were all over 12 years ago, some even longer. For our final tasting and selection day, we came back to our bar off Eyre Square, our choice of cask was fairly unanimous,” explained Paul Flanagan of O’Connells.

This cask was originally laid down to mature on the grounds of Midleton in 2007, released and bottled in 2021 and now available in 2022.  

Tasting Notes on the Whiskey:

The whiskey starts to introduce itself straight out of the glass. Toasted oak, sweetness of toffee and caramel along with the subtleness of fig on the nose. A great intro into what’s to come. The first taste has a silky texture with spices coming in gently at first then gradually building up. Touches of dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans and nuttiness hit the taste buds. On the finish the oak notes slowly fade allowing the sweet and nutty tones to linger until the end.

O’Connells Powers 12-year-old Single Cask Release (€295) is available to buy from the bar in Eyre Square from 1pm on Friday 28 January 2022. For more information pop into the bar or connect with O’Connells Galway on Instagram and at https://www.facebook.com/OConnellsGalway.

In the Media Love Uncategorized

Can It! Fishmongers turned Tinmongers

January 20, 2022


Ireland’s busiest online Fishmongers gets canned


Covid, Lockdown and Hungry fishmongers has led to the beginning of a new way to eat the best of fish here in Ireland, www.fishtins.com. The online fish tin shop is introducing Ireland to a growing selection of some of the oldest traditional and world most famous canneries from Pointe de Penmarch (1920 ) in Brittany, Pollastrini (1889) in Italy, Olasagasti and Agromar in Cantabria Spain, Conservas Norte in Portugal, La Brujula from Galicia or El Capricho overall Winner at “The world 101 best canned products of the world.

The business idea was born during the first Lockdown of 2020, when most of the country was at home, the people at www.eatmorefish.ie were busy filleting, packing, providing an essential fish supply to thousands homes countrywide.

Long hours, hard work and empty stomachs, they began rooting and looting their own store for healthy lunch options and eating the few fish tins selection. “As lockdown went on, we began craving more variety and started trawling the internet for alternative fish tins. So many species, flavours, producers… and unique designs… We wanted them all, and our tins collection started growing bigger and bigger,“explains Stefan Griesbach.

With the growing collection of fish tins, an idea of business was born. Fishtins.com is a partnership between Vincent Corrigan and Stefan Griesbach, who are the men behind the successful online fish market www.Eatmorefish.ie.

With a passion for Fish, Seafood, Gastronomy, Parisian born Stefan is the founder of Gannet Fishmongers in Galway with over 30 years seafood expertise whilst Long Island born ex chef and sea angler Vincent are a well-appointed mix of talents.

Fish canning started 150 years ago to preserve perishable foods, long before the introduction of artificial flavourings, food preservatives and wasteful packaging (#noplastic) (#100%recyclable)

Like good Wine, quality fish tins get even tastier as they age. Fish tins are packed with Proteins, essential oils and other nutrients so offer a really simple and tasty way to eat more healthily.

“Frigate Tuna, Skipjack Tuna, Albacore tuna, Blue fin, Bigeye or Yellowfin Tuna … Not every Tuna tastes the same,” says Vincent. “Some of our everyday Tuna tins are perfect for a quick pescatarian office lunch, but others are so exceptional they deserve to be opened as a special moment. Wait till you taste some of our Cantabrian anchovies or pickled Galician mussels” adds Stefan.

To see the full collection of Fish Tins simply check out www.Fishtins.com and order yours directly to your door.

Featured In the Media Love Lifestyle Uncategorized

Irish Nail Company uses technology to give customers perfect manicure

June 16, 2021

Add colour, style and a bit of glamour to your look at home this year with Semilac Nail products. The Irish Company nail distribution company based in Athlone is launching their spring/summer products for nail care. This year the nail company is using technology to help you get the best from your polish at home. Semilac nail formula has been adapted to different types of nails and purpose. To make it even more user friendly, customers are prompted to take a quiz online to make that base selection even easier, which leads to you getting longer from your polish.

The new gel polish collection, Closer Again (Hoping soon we all will be back together and living life) will bring out those bright pastel colours that will brighten up any hand and look this summer.

“We wanted to bring freshness and energy to the nails.  Life right now is very hard and we are all trying to master each day as best we can. Our customers have become almost nail technicians over the past 12 months, it is so great for us to see people starting to love the process and becoming so good at their nails themselves. All the polish names for this season refer to the activities we cannot wait to get back doing, like Travel, Escape, Go out and Dance with Me, “Explained Piotr Kuznik of Semilac Ireland.

Semilac offer a large selection of products, over 300 gel polish colours. accessories, nail effects, devices. It has become a one stop shop for customers to get everything they need to get their nails looking beautiful.

The online nail platform allows people to get everything they need for their nails.

In 2020 the Semilac.ie website grew in users by 100% from their 2019 visitors and customers, growing from 42k to 85k.

The at home manicure might seem complicated or people simply like getting their nails done, but Semilac have developed a simple step hybrid manicure program and a starter kit that make it easy and possible to do at home. “All you need is a little practice,” said Peter.

For the perfect hybrid manicure, the base coat that connects the nail plate with the varnish as the first layer is the key and it often depends on it whether the manicure will last long.  Semilac offers a large selection of various gel polish base coats. To check out the full Closer Again collection or to shop the brand log onto www.semilac.ie or get social across Instagram and Facebook.

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Positive progress on Telecoms Cable connectivity between Galway and Iceland

June 16, 2021

Following the successful offshore marine survey earlier this year, Farice, (a company fully owned by the Icelandic Government, currently owns and operates two submarine cables linking Iceland to Northern Europe) announced this week that the IRIS Sub-Sea Telecoms Cable System connecting Galway to Iceland and onwards to Denmark and the Nordics, on existing Farice networks, has progressed significantly.

Farice has signed a contract with SubCom, LLC, a global undersea fiber optic cable system supply company, to install the IRIS Cable System in the summer 2022. All of the cable route design within Irish waters and environmental studies have been carried out and a formal application for a foreshore licence has been submitted to the Department of the Environmental, Housing and Local Government.

The offshore marine survey, conducted last year, coupled with detailed route engineering, was very successful and the cable installation design proves for stable burial of the cable throughout the route on the Irish continental shelf. In this regard the presence of the cable will not impact or interfere with fishing, recreational or marine users. The installation of the cable will progress at approximately 20km per day with simultaneous lay and bury, such that the installation process, out to the limit of the Irish continental shelf at water depth of 1,500m, will be completed in about 15 days. Work on the terrestrial section of underground duct and a termination station in Galway Port will be low- key and will take place in November of this year. The work on Ballyloughane Strand will be carried out in April 2022 and will take about five days to bring the cable onshore with minimal disruption to beach users.

The presence of the Farice system landing in Galway will provide direct high-capacity links to Iceland but also to Northern Europe via Denmark and will greatly increase capacity and connectivity in the Galway region.

For more information on Farice log onto http://www.farice.is/.

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80km Challenge for Galway Hospice this June

June 16, 2021

Galway Hospice has launched their 2021 challenge to mark the 11th anniversary of its annual Croagh Patrick Climb. The iconic Croagh Patrick is just under 800 metres high. So, this year to reach the summit from home – you can don the runners and choose how you will summit! Why not Walk, Run or Cycle 80km throughout the month of June – that’s 2.5km each day to reach the peak!



Whatever way you would like to reach the top is accepted and everyone who takes part in the Croagh Patrick Climb will receive a free Galway Hospice t-shirt.



“We are encouraging people to get moving in any way possible to help us raise vital funds for Galway Hospice. Covid-19 means we can’t climb Croagh Patrick together on 19th June, but you can still Climb for Hospice from home, “explained Mary Nash, Chief Executive of Galway Hospice.



To help raise funds, Galway Hospice are asking participants to set up an online fundraiser to share with family and friends through Facebook Fundraisers or iDonate (www.idonate.ie/climbforhospice)



All funds raised go to supporting Galway Hospice care. Galway Hospice is an integral part of the community, providing specialist palliative care by offering the right care with dignity and compassion to patients and families living with life-limiting illness when needed. Sign up at www.galwayhospice.ie/climb, contact Galway Hospice Fundraising on 091-770868 or fundraising@galwayhospice.ie