Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council

Galway City Council hosted a 'drop in' information evening on Affordable Housing on Monday 25 November 2024 in the Connacht Hotel. There was great interest in afforable housing options, showing the potential for future schemes in Galway City. On the evening, Galway City Council staff met with members of the public to discuss how affordable housing operates, with AIB, Bank of Ireland, PTSB and the Housing Agency also on hand to share advice and information. Burkeway Homes shared information on the first Affordable Units in the Garraí na Sailí development on Letteragh Road. These units are anticipated to deliver in Summer 2025. They will be advertised in January 2025, with the registration portal opening two weeks later.

🎨 Galway City Council invites applications for the Arts Organisation Grants 2025. Funding will support arts organisations, programmes and projects in 2025. The deadline is 24 January 2025. In accordance with the Arts Act 2003, funding is towards arts activity with the purpose of stimulating public interest in the arts, promoting knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts and improving standards in the arts. The grant strands are: 1) Professional Strand 2) Community, Voluntary and Amateur Strand Our approach ensures the evaluation and funding is tailored to the distinct needs of both professional arts and community organisation-led arts. For the Arts Grants 2025 online application process and guidance on how to apply go to https://lnkd.in/eXB543wU For further information, please write to Arts@GalwayCity.ie with subject line “Arts Grants 2025 Enquiry”. ------------------- Tá iarratais á lorg ag Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe do Dheontais Ealaíon 2025. Spriocdháta Iarratais: 14 Eanáir 2025 Is é cuspóir an Deontais Ealaíon suim an phobail a spreagadh, eolas, léirthuiscint a chothú agus caighdeáin sna healaíona a fheabhsú. Tá Deontais Ealaíon d’Eagraíochtaí in dhá mhír: 1) Sraith Gairmiúl 2) Sraith Pobail, Deonach agus Amaitéarach Le theacht ar an bpróiseas iarratais ar líne na nDeontas Ealaíon 2025 agus treoir maidir le hiarratas a dhéanamh téigh chuig https://lnkd.in/efVsRwxf

🌙 Disability Awareness Training - Night Out, Access In Portershed, 20 November 2024 Thanks to the Night Time Economy Businesses for attending and participating in the training, and to our partners Disability Federation of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Access for All Galway City, and Galway Youth Access Group. This initiative is part of the Galway City Council Night-Time Economy Action Plan 2024-2025. The plan aims to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for people with disabilities, ensuring everyone can enjoy Galway’s vibrant nightlife. This training is the first in a series aimed at enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in the night-time economy.

Galway Arts Centre, in conjunction with Galway City Council, announced the awarding of three art commissions under an innovative new artist-in-residence programme "The Air we Share". "The Air we Share" through artistic interventions, citizen science, and community action in Galway’s Westside, aims to deepen public understanding of air and its critical role in our shared environment. The selected artists are: - Leon Butler -Christopher Steenson -Paula McCloskey and Sam Vardy They will develop innovative and collaborative arts projects that interpret and respond to scientific concepts and data on air quality, the atmosphere, and climate. They have been awarded funding to develop their projects between now and July 2025, when the final artworks will be presented publicly. To read more about "The Air We Share" head over to www.GalwayCity.ie for more information. ‘The Air We Share’ is a recipient of the Creative Climate Action Fund, an initiative of the Creative Ireland Programme, funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics. The fund supports creative, cultural and artistic projects that build awareness around climate change and empower citizens to make meaningful behavioural transformations. Adam Stoneman Galway City Net Zero Cities Programme

🐝 Galway City Council is ‘buzzing’ to be a runner up in the ‘Sustainability and Climate Heritage Award’ for The Wild Bee Festival 2024 at the National Heritage Awards hosted by Síle Seoige on Friday 15 November 2024. The ‘Wild Bee Festival 2024’ was nominated for the award by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, in recognition of the festival’s work to promote sustainable practices and to raise awareness about climate change’s impact on heritage. The Galway City Wild Bee Festival in August 2024 was organised by Galway City’s Biodiversity Officer, and featured a weekend of free talks and workshops led by biodiversity experts from the National Biodiversity Centre, community groups, and Galway City Council's Craft Gardener and Biodiversity Officer. Pictured at the National Heritage Awards are (left to right): Dr Martina Moloney; Robert Steed, Craft Gardener, Galway City Council; Yesult Steed; Paula Kearney, Biodiversity Officer, Galway City Council; Kate Chandler, National Biodiversity Data Centre; Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive Officer, The Heritage Council; and Síle Seoige, who hosted the awards. Also pictured are the staff from Recreation & Amenity celebrating the Runner-Up announcement. For more information on ways to help pollinators, see www.Pollinators.ie 🌷

 On a snowy Thursday 21 November, the prestigious Green Flag was raised for the first time in Terryland Forest Park by Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Peter Keane, staff of Galway City Council and volunteers from Tuatha of Terryland Forest Park. This is the first time Terryland Forest Park and Kennedy Park (Eyre Square) were awarded the Green Flag, with Galway City Council now holding five flags for Quincentennial Park, Children’s Millennium Park, O’Sullivan Park, Kennedy Park (Eyre Square) and Terryland Forest Park. The Green Flag Award is an international mark of excellence for parks and green spaces, with applicants marked on stringent environmental standards in green-space management, and excellence of visitor attractions. The Awards are judged every year by a peer jury of green space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability, and community involvement.

The 2025 Historic Structures Fund (HSF) is now open for applications for grant funding for large scale conservation works to Protected Structures, structures eligible or proposed for inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures, structures within Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs), or within the amenity of a National Monument. The deadline for applications is the 17th of January 2025   A full outline of the grant, including guidance on making an application, the funding available, and the application documents can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eFvtg3BQ   You can also contact the Galway City Council Architectural Conservation Officer for further information / clarifications via Conservation@GalwayCity.ie

Galway City Council took home two awards at the prestigious Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards, held yesterday (Thursday 21 November 2024) in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin. The winning projects were ‘Galway City - Your Council’ Podcast in Communications; and ‘Reflections – A Commemoration of the Irish Women of 1923’ in Sustaining the Arts. The innovative pilot conservation grazing project ‘Buaile Bó Ballyloughane’ was also shortlisted in the Sustainable Environment and Biodiversity category. The Excellence in Local Government Awards, sponsored by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are held to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work being carried out by Local Authorities all over Ireland.  About the Projects: Galway City – Your Council Podcast: Local authorities provide over 1,100 services, across areas as diverse as beach maintenance, dog pounds, health promotion, strategic planning, tourism promotion, and housing supply. The ‘Galway City - Your Council’ podcast introduces some of the people delivering these services, and the valuable work they do every day in our city. Series two of the podcast launched this week - Listen wherever you get your podcasts or stream from GalwayCity.ie/Podcast Thanks to our host, Fergal O'Keeffe from Lume for creating a lovely space for our staff to share their stories! Reflections: In November 2023, Galway City Council, Galway Public Libraries, and Galway City Museum working together presented "Reflections," a programme commemorating the remarkable Irish women of 1923 as part of the Decade of Centenaries 2012 - 2023 initiative, supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports, and Media. This multifaceted project, in development since August 2023, is a heartfelt tribute to the women who shaped Irish history during a pivotal era. It has offered a platform for in-depth discussions, artist residencies, and creative exploration of their lives and contributions. Artists in residence were Áine Philips, Emily Cullen and Tracy Bruen. In December 2024, Galway City Museum will showcase and receive the beautiful banners made by the Dún Emer Collective, led by Artist Aine Philips, into the museum collection as part of Reflections—A Commemoration of the Women of 1923. Buaile Bó Ballyloughane Pilot Conservation Project In early 2024, Ballyloughane became home to a new group of residents, with the arrival of a family of Dexter cows, as part of an exciting biodiversity pilot project by Galway City Council. Working with a local farmer, Galway City Council brought eight Dexter cows to graze the headland east of Ballyloughane Beach over the winter months until March 2024, as part of the ‘Buaile Bó Ballyloughane’ pilot project. Results to date show increased biodiversity even after a relatively short grazing period – with wildflowers and nesting birds appearing in the Buaile. Chambers Ireland

Deadline Extended to 26 November 2024! 🎨 The Galway City Council Arts Office, along with Clare and Mayo County Council, are now inviting applications for the Levelling Access Artists Practice Bursary from artists with disabilities, one in each local authority area. The bursary is open to professional artists with disabilities working in any artform and at any stage of their career, resident in Counties Clare, Mayo or Galway City. The Bursary will support professional artists with disabilities to develop their practice; create new work or develop an artistic project with one award in each local authority area of €5000.00 plus specific access supports, resources and network opportunities. Check out www.GalwayCity.ie for more information and how to apply.

The ‘Galway City – Your Council’ Podcast is back! Galway City Council is delighted to introduce six of our highly experienced staff in series two of the ‘Galway City – Your Council’ Podcast. Local authorities provide over 1,100 services, across areas as diverse as beach maintenance, dog pounds, health promotion, strategic planning, tourism promotion, and housing supply. The ‘Galway City - Your Council’ podcast introduces some of the people delivering these services, and the valuable work they do every day in our city. In the first episode of the new series, we meet Galway City Council’s Community Climate Action Officer Tiarnan McCusker. Tiarnan has extensive experience working with children and young people taking positive action for the environment, as a Green-Schools Travel Officer, and Environmental Awareness Officer in Galway City council. Tiarnan talks to Fergal about changing the narrative around Climate to one of positive action, and some of the Climate Action projects and initiatives on-going in Galway City Council. He tells Fergal about the origins of his interest in environmental issues, including a week spent dry stone walling in Fermanagh in the sunshine as a teenager with Conservation Volunteers, to studying Geography in Liverpool. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or stream from GalwayCity.ie/Podcast #GalwayCityCouncil #GalwayCityYourCouncil