Crews have completed repairs to a burst watermain in Kiltimagh. The second burst in the area in 24 hours affected supply to approximately 50 houses in the Treankeel area. The works were expected to be completed by 4pm this afternoon, and full supply has now…

420 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed along with four more patient deaths. The National Public Health Emergency Team says all of the deaths happened this month. 183 covid 19 patients are in hospital, of which 50 are in intensive care. Seven more…

Galway native Catherine Corless has won the SAOL Project’s Irish Women of the Year award 2021. The East Galway historian is best known for her work in compiling information concerning the deaths of children at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam.…

A man arrested following the production of a firearm in Swinford on Wednesday has been released without charge. Gardaí from the Claremorris Community Engagement area, the Mayo Crime Unit, and the armed support unit carried out a search of a property in…

There is “a real danger that farmers will once again be the big losers” in the push by politicians and NGO’s to embrace ambitious proposals to increase biodiversity and address climate change through designated land policy. That's the view of the Irish Natura…

A fashion retailer in Galway City is reluctantly threatening to reopen its doors in the coming weeks to highlight the “grossly unfair” situation caused by larger retailers allegedly breaking Covid-19 rules. The owners of Lanidor on Eyre Street say they’re…

Up to one billion euro will be needed to provide redress to survivors of mother and baby homes, according to preliminary calculations by government. The Irish Times reports it's predicting the figure will be needed to provide even "modest" compensation. It…

A man has appeared before the courts charged in connection with an alleged assault in Sligo Town. The incident took place in Sligo Town centre at approximately 7pm on Thursday evening and led to the Pilkington Terrace and Chapel Hill areas being closed.…

A man remains in custody following the seizure of firearms in Swinford yesterday. It follows an investigation into the production of a firearm in the area on Wednesday. Gardaí from the Claremorris Community Engagement area, the Mayo Crime Unit, and the armed…

The Government's expected to approve an extended gap between Covid-19 vaccines in the coming days. The Irish Independent reports the health advice on the widening of the interval for Moderna and Pfizer jabs will be available to Cabinet on Tuesday. It's…

The Health Minister says people aged under 30 could be vaccinated against Covid-19 earlier to reduce transmission of the virus. Stephen Donnelly's asked the Department of Health to examine the possibility of revising the order of age cohorts. It means people…

Crews are carrying out repairs to a second burst affecting water supply to approximately 50 houses in the Treankeel area of Kiltimagh. It follows the successful completion of emergency repairs to a burst watermain in Kiltimagh yesterday evening. Irish Water…

The Minister of State for Disability says she's working with the HSE to speed up the assessment process for Primary Medical Certs. The scheme was suspended last summer after a Supreme Court decision, and only resumed in January. The certs allow for tax-relief…

Irish Water and Mayo County Council are working hard to restore water to customers in Kiltimagh and surrounding areas this evening following a significant burst on the main water distribution pipe feeding the town. Once the burst has been located, emergency…

420 new cases of covid-19 have been confirmed and eleven more patients have died. There 26 new cases in Galway, eight in Roscommon and less than five in Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim. 190 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 53 are in ICU.

Two men arrested in connection with the hijacking of a taxi in Galway last night are due to appear in court this evening. Gardai received reports shortly before midnight that a taxi had been hijacked and its driver forced out of the car on the M18. A man in…

Gardaí investigating the production of a firearm in Swinford on Wednesday have today arrested a man. Gardaí from the Claremorris Community Engagement area, the Mayo Crime Unit, and the armed support unit carried out a search of a property in Swinford town at…

Ballina Community Clean Up are organising a big Spring Clean this Saturday morning from 8am until 10am. It's all part of the National Spring Clean and the Earth Day Great Global Cleanup. As Covid Restrictions remain in place, participants are asked to bring…

Coláiste Pobail Acla, Achill Soundhas been granted funds under the Emergency Works Scheme. Mayo Fine Gael deputy Michael Ring says funding has been approved for electrical works to the original school area. This follows periodic inspection reports. The deputy…

Gardaí have arrested two men following the hijacking of a taxi in Co Galway last night. Shortly before midnight on Thursday, Gardaí received a report that two males who were passengers in a taxi had attacked the driver and stole his taxi. The driver was…

Crews are carrying out emergency repairs to a significant burst to a watermain in the centre of Spiddal village, affecting supply to customers in Spiddal and surrounding areas. Irish Water and Galway County Council Crews are working to repair this burst as…

There’s a call on Mayo TDs to support a bill which would entitle people attending hospital outpatient services to limited free parking. Mayo Aontú representative Paul Lawless has made the call and if passed, the Bill would allow for three hours of…

Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers says priority won't be given to Olympic athletes for COVID-19 vaccinations, ahead of the Tokyo Games this summer. Denmark, Hungary and Israel have pledged to vaccinate all of their athletes ahead of travelling to…

Mayo County Council Writer in Residence is a partnership between Mayo County Council Arts Service, Library Service and the Heinrich Böll Cottage Achill, with funding from Creative Ireland. It is an open competition to select a Writer, with the selection based…

IT Sligo lecturer Dr Marion Dowd will feature on the RTE Documentary “The Burren: Heart of Stone” this Sunday. The two-part documentary that took four years to make, takes a look at one of Ireland’s most unique landscapes. Episode two explores the underground…

There's been a slight increase in the number of people with Covid-19 in hospitals today. 190 patients with the virus are receiving treatment, up from 184 yesterday. Since last week there's been a 10 percent decrease. In the past 24 hours there have been 12…

Mayo county Council has confirmed to Midwest News today that "an administrative issue” delayed the publication on the authority’s online portal of some of the valid submissions to the Mayo Draft County Development Plan. Submissions to the Plan closed mid…

The role of the Coroner is essential in any investigation into the mass graves at the former Tuam Mother and baby home, according to Breeda Murphy the PRO of Tuam Mother and Baby Home Alliance. Earlier this week, the Oireachtas Children’s Committee heard from…

A man extradited from Poland yesterday is due to appear at Castlebar District Court this morning in connection with the cultivation and possession of drugs in the Westport area in 2017. The Polish national, aged 44, was arrested on arrival at Dublin airport…

Castlerea , county Roscommon, has the lowest house prices in the country, at 85,000 euro, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office. While Ballyhaunis in county Mayo has one of the lowest median prices in the country at €91,000. In…

Gardaí are investigating an alleged assault which took place in Sligo Town last night. Gardai attended an incident in Sligo Town centre at approximately 7pm yesterday evening which led to the Pilkington Terrace and Chapel Hill areas being closed. One man, in…

KBC bank is considering exiting the Irish market and is in talks to sell off performing loans to Bank of Ireland. Both banks signed a Memorandum of Understanding which would see both banks continue negotiations to transfer the loans. KBC's non-performing…

Progress is being made on the application for the proposed extension of Galway Harbour. Galway Chamber have welcomed the completion of a "Statement of Case" by An Bord Pleanála on the strategic infrastructure application. An Bord Pleanála stated that it was…

Ireland's current Covid-19 numbers are 'better than anything we could have hoped for a few weeks ago', according to the National Public Health Emergency Team. New cases of the virus have steadily dropped with 309 confirmed yesterday - bringing the five-day…

Fully vaccinated people against Covid-19 will be allowed to skip hotel quarantine, and isolate at home, after new advice from the Acting Chief Medical Officer. Quarantine bookings reopened overnight - but the European Commission has now launched an…

Two areas in Mayo have rates of Covid-19 in excess of the national average. The Castlebar and Ballina Local Electoral Areas have rates of 147 and 136 cases per 100,000 people respectively in the two-week period that ended on Monday. This compares to a…

Gardaí arrested a man and seized €90,000 worth of Cocaine and Cannabis herb following an operation in Ballinasloe. As part of an ongoing surveillance operation, Gardaí conducted a search in Poolboy Bog, Ballinasloe shortly before 3:45pm yesterday afternoon.…

A fifth person has been arrested as part of Operation Boxplot by Gardaí from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB). A male (20s) was arrested in Co Westmeath earlier today for an offence pursuant to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. He…

New Covid-19 infections fell over a fifth last week -- with NPHET now saying there are clear signs transmission is down. The latest data shows 309 more people have contracted the virus, and eight more patients are confirmed to have died. Health Minister…

A design team is to be appointed to progress plans that will benefit a number of areas in Ballyhaunis town. The design team will prepare detailed proposals - including a significant conversion and extension of the old convent school into a community hub, as…

Gardai in Mayo are advising the public to be aware of scam calls circulating across the county today. The caller identifies themselves as being from the Dept of Social Protection and goes on to tell the person that they have called, that he /she is under…

Gardaí have arrested four men this morning following planned searches in Roscommon, Cork and Tipperary. Four men (ranging in age from 23 years to 35 years) were arrested for offences pursuant to Section 72, Criminal Justice Act, 2006. They are currently…

Wild Mountain Thyme, the Irish romance starring Jamie Dornan and Emily Blunt and filmed extensively in the Crossmolina area, will be available to rent in both Ireland and the UK at the end of the month (April 30th). The film’s distributor has confirmed that…

Sixty-nine year olds are able to register for their Covid-19 vaccine today. The online portal and phone line opened at 10 o'clock this morning. The HSE is asking people to register on specific days based on their age to manage demand. HSE's Peter Buckley…

The people of Mayo will not accept the banning by any government of burning turf or wood in home fires. That’s the strong view of Ballinrobe based councillor Patsy O’Brien . The councillor raised the matter at this week’s monthly meeting of Mayo County…

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Aurivo Co-Op delivered a strong financial performance for 2020, according to the financial results published today. The Co-Op achieved a record sales turnover of over €488 million - up 9% on the previous year - and an operating…

EYE on the Edge, is a collaboration between the European Parliament and Galway 2020 and was originally planned as a two-day festival in Galway but in the current circumstances, will take place virtually at locations in Galway, Ireland and Europe from Friday…

New water sports facilities are to be installed at 22 beaches around the country - including Keel beach in Achill and Carrowmore beach Louisburg in Co Mayo, and Enniscrone and Rosses Point beaches in Sligo. Failte Ireland is announcing the scheme this…

A tech company with a base in Athenry, Co Galway is to create 120 jobs over the next two years. Nostra, one of Ireland's leading Managed IT Service Providers, is headquartered in Lucan, Dublin and has regional offices in Athenry and Moutmellick. It provides…

Mayo County Council is to begin engaging with landowners, over the next few weeks, to progress the extension of the greenway from Bertra to Lecanvey. Funding of half a million euro was announced by former Minister Michael Ring over two years ago towards…

A Galway Travel Agent is calling on the Department of Foreign Affairs to reopen the Passport Office to process outstanding passport applications in order to avoid a backlog of applications when international travel resumes. The Passport Office paused much of…

The number of Covid-19 patients in public hospitals has reached a low not seen since the beginning of October. 174 people with the disease were on wards last night according to the HSE. There's also less than 50 people in ICU with the virus for the second day…

Four local authorities - including Roscommon and Leitrim County Councils - depend on wind farms for over 10 percent of their rates income. A study by KPMG for Wind Energy Ireland reveals they contribute 22 percent of rates in Leitrim, 15.5 percent in Co…

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said there is “lots to be positive about” as the country is on track to ease Covid-19 restrictions further on May 4. The Tanaiste says that, despite bumps in the vaccine roll-out plan, Ireland is still on track to meet its targets. Mr…

The Government insists its target of offering a first dose to 80 percent of adults by the end of June remains on track, despite recent issues with Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca. It comes following news yesterday that Ireland will receive an extra…

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 12 additional deaths related to Covid-19. Of the deaths reported today, 4 occurred in April, 2 occurred in March and 6 occurred in January. As of midnight last night (Tues) 431 new cases of…

Historian Catherine Corless says religious orders should be forced to pay to help excavate possible mass graves at mother and baby homes. The government is bringing forward a bill which would allow the remains of children who died at the homes to be exhumed.…

The government has said it's still committed to the target of all adults having a first vaccine by June. It comes after news that Ireland will get 545,000 extra doses this quarter from Pfizer. It's hoped that will make up the shortfall that may be experienced…

IFA President Tim Cullinan has written to Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton to allow candidates to take the Driver Theory Test remotely. Almost 180,000 people are now queuing for a driving test, with even essential workers…

Plans by the owners of Ashford Castle in Cong to construct a 5-star hotel in Dublin City have been appealed. Dublin City Council has given permission to Red Carnation Hotels Ltd for the conversion and extension of a former Jesuit university students'…

A plan by the Department of Health for a new day hospital at Merlin Park in Galway falls well short of what was originally proposed. That's according to Galway-based FG Senator Séan Kyne. He has seen a plan under the Sláintecare programme which, he says,…

Tuam historian Catherine Corless has told TDs and Senators that rodents have gnawed on the remains of children buried at the former Tuam Mother and Baby Home. Ms Corless is addressing the Oireachtas Children's Committee, which is today examining a new Bill…

Gardai attended the scene of a road collision in Kiltimagh this morning. The collision involving a bus and a car occurred on Main Street at about 8.30, causing traffic congestion in the town for a time. Gardai say no-one was injured in the incident, and the…

A disabled car parking space on New Antrim Street in Castlebar, close to the National Driving License Service office, has been given the green light, and will be installed as soon as Covid restrictions allow the road marking works to be carried out. That was…

A new Bill, which would allow for the exhumation of remains at mother and baby homes, could damage survivors' chances of finding out what happened to their loved ones. That's according to the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, which is before the Oireachtas…

The number of people with Covid-19 in public hospitals has dropped to its lowest level since December 12th. There were 189 patients being treated in hospital last night, with 47 of these patients in intensive care. This include 2 Covid patients being treated…

Cabinet Ministers will discuss the latest setbacks for the vaccination programme when they meet this morning. The Taoiseach is to be briefed by the HSE and the vaccines taskforce as work continues on redrawing the roll-out plan, following a pause in the…

The HSE has confirmed the majority of AstraZeneca clinics have been cancelled for the rest of the week. However, it says a small number will continue for certain people over the age of 60. It follows NIAC's recommendation that the vaccine be used for people…

A plan for re-opening the country through May, June and July could be revealed at the end of this month. The Government is examining a number of areas that will be able to re-open as the number of vaccinations ramps up. An Oireachtas committee was warned…

358 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed this evening. After a spike in cases in Mayo and Galway yesterday, the figures across Connacht are low this evening - with 5 new cases confirmed in Roscommon, less than 5 in Mayo, Galway and Leitrim and no new…

Westport GAA Club Chairman Charlie Lambert has welcomed a €1 million euro donation from a local family who have a long association with the club. The club has received a €500,000 donation for their new pitch development on the Golf Course Road, with a promise…

Johnson and Johnson has delayed the roll-out of its COVID-19 vaccine in Europe as reports of rare blood clots in the US are investigated. American authorities have put a pause on the vaccine as they examine 6 reported cases among the 6.8 million doses given.…

Mayo County Council has announced a public art opportunity in Westport town. It’s a unique commission opportunity for a professional artist(s) to collaborate with the local community of Tubber Hill, Westport and the surrounding area on a public art project.…

A Castlerea-based GP believes public health officials are being "over-cautious" in their decision not to give the Astra Zeneca to people under the age of 60. Dr Greg Kelly says the incidence of blood clots related to the vaccine are extremely low, and every…

Health authorities in the US have recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson and Johnson Covid vaccine. In a joint statement , the Federal Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control say the move is out of an abundance of caution. It's after 6…

The 19thcentury built courthouse in Swinford is to be used again as a Coroners Court. An agreement has been reached between Mayo County Council and the relevant parties to use the extensively refurbished building for this essential service. The Courthouse in…

Now that people are free to travel anywhere within their county as Covid-19 restrictions are being eased, increased numbers are expected to flock to beaches, forest walks and other outdoor amenities in the coming days and weeks. Mayo County Council staff are…

A Ballinrobe footballer heading for goal without his boot, and a Louisburgh goalkeeper holding firmly on to the crossbar - are just two of the photographs by Ballina photographer David Farrell that made up his award winning portfolio in the 2021 European…

Irish Rail has all its documents compiled to submit an application for a new bridge at the notorious manual railway crossing at Kilnageer, outside Castlebar, and it’s expected the company will make the application shortly. That was confirmed by Mayo County…

The Department of Social Welfare has confirmed to Tuam based deputy Sean Canney that participants on Community Employment Schemes who are 62 years of age and have exhausted their lifetime participation on the scheme can apply for the Service Support Scheme…

Ballina photographer David Farrell won a major European sports photography award, for the second consecutive year, at an online ceremony in Rome on Sunday night. A record number of photographers from 25 countries entered submissions with a total entry of…

Transition year students at two Gaeltacht schools across Mayo and Galway are making their final preparations for the All-Ireland Final of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Clár na gComhlachtaí Competition 2021. Gaelcholáiste Chomáin, Ros Dumhach in Mayo and Scoil…

Scientists have confirmed the UK variant of Covid-19 is no more deadly or severe than the original strain. Two separate studies suggest patients weren't at any higher risk of developing 'long covid' or worse symptoms either. However, the research says it is…

The National Public Health Emergency Team will warn TDs and Senators later that the risk of a fourth wave of Covid-19 remains 'considerable' if restrictions are eased too quickly. Members of the group will be before the Oireachtas Health Committee to provide…

All AstraZeneca vaccination clinics due to take place today have been cancelled The Acting Chief Medical Officer says limiting the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to over 60s "will likely have an impact" on the country's vaccine programme. However Dr. Ronan…

The Department of Health has today been notified of no additional deaths related to Covid-19, while there have been 394 new cases of the virus. This includes 21 new cases in Mayo and 21 also in Galway. Elsewhere across the region, there were less than 5 new…

Westport Independent councillor Johno O’Malley walked out of today’s monthly meeting of Mayo County Council stating that he was leaving the meeting in protest over “being left in the dark” by council management over the disposal of land at Westport Demesne by…

Further changes to the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out plan are expected, as health officials meet this afternoon. It's expected the National Immunisation Advisory Committee will recommend AstraZeneca be used only for over-60s amid concerns about rare blood clots.…

More construction is resuming from today, but Roscommon Fianna Fail Senator Eugene Murphy has expressed frustration that restrictions still apply to the commercial aspect of the construction sector, and says many smaller family-owned construction companies…

The HSE and government should not present misleading information on the success of the rollout of the national Covid 19 vaccination programme. That was the view expressed by Castlebar Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne at the monthly meeting of Mayo…

Across the country all students returned to second level schools for the first time in 2021 today. First year students at St Joseph’s Girls Secondary School in Castlebar were delighted to be back, and four of the students - Ali Fitzgerald, Lucy Molloy,…

Tributes have been paid following the death of Canon John Fallon,retired parish priest of Kilmaine. A native of Balla, Fr Fallon was ordained to the priesthood in 1964 and served as a curate in Aughagower, Clare Island, Achill Island and Louisburg, before…

Tributes are being paid to a talented footballer who died in a single vehicle road traffic collision in Galway on Saturday. Maitiu O Domhnaill died following the crash near his hometown of Carraroe shortly before 3.50am on Saturday morning. Mr O Domhnaill,…

Clifden RNLI came to the aid of two walkers who got cut off by the tide yesterday evening. The crew were requested to launch the lifeboat by the Irish Coast Guard just before 6pm following a report that two people were stranded on Omey Island. The inshore…

There's been an increase in the number of patients with Covid-19 in hospitals for the third Monday in a row. The number of discharges from hospitals over the past couple of weeks on Sundays and Mondays have been low - which may contribute to the rise in…

Clew Bay and Achill are among the key study areas in SeaMonitor, a unique marine research project which is using innovative marine species tracking technology to better understand and protect vulnerable marine life in our oceans. The project is funded by EU…

Galway-based ÉireComposites is leading an initiative to develop a state-of-the-art marine hydrokinetic turbine, which aims to produce clean energy at a reduced cost. Design and manufacturing company ÉireComposites will lead an international consortium that…

A man and a woman are to appear before the courts in Mayo charged in connection to a seizure of drugs and cash. 130,000 euro worth of narcotics and over 17,000 euro in cash were seized in the Cross and Kilmaine areas on Saturday, with the two people - both…

All home building will resume today, with the easing of level 5 restrictions. The Unite union which represents construction workers has asked Nphet for guidance on the best testing regime for building sites. Non-essential construction works have been closed…

Cambodian officials have condemned a Co Mayo artist for doctoring archive photos of Khmer Rouge genocide victims to show them smiling in prison. Vice News pulled Matt Loughrey's work off its site yesterday, later saying the article did not meet its editorial…

Parents and students are being urged to play it safe as in-person teaching resumes for children and teenagers today. It's the first time some secondary school students will be at their desks this year. People are now free to travel within their home county or…

Three Covid-19 outbreaks have been linked to overseas flights, with two involving 'variants of concern'. The Department of Health says vaccinated people still need to enter mandatory hotel quarantine when they arrive here. The Department says three covid 19…

The Claremorris Agricultural Show for 2021 is cancelled. The decision to cancel the event for a second year in a row was announced this morning due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The agricultural show was fixed to go ahead on the August Bank Holiday…

150 new jobs have been announced in the Galway Gaeltacht this morning by Spidéal-based company Aran Biomedical. In response to growing business demand, they plan to increase their workforce by 150 over three years with the creation of highly skilled jobs in…

303 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed and 2 additional deaths have been reported. One of these deaths happened in March, and one in April. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn, has confirmed this is the lowest number of daily cases reported…

The community of Islandeady have lodged an objection to a proposed three-month road closure of the main road through their community ( L-1811), during the construction of the new N5 dual carriageway between Castlebar and Westport. Islandeady is nestled among…

23-year-old student Luke Silke has been selected as the new Aontú representative for the Tuam area. He succeeds former Tuam Mayor Martin Ward as the party's candidate, after he announced his retirement from electoral politics. Mr Ward served as a Tuam Town…

Gardaí have arrested two people following the seizure of €130,000 in suspected cannabis herb and cocaine, and €17,600 in cash after searches in the Mayo area yesterday. As part of an ongoing investigation into the sale and supply of drugs in the Mayo region,…

People are being warned of a new phone scam doing the rounds. Fraudsters are calling people claiming to be from the Department of Social Protection. In a statement, the Department of Social Protection's alerting people to these scam phone calls. They claim to…

The Government is set to pilot rapid Covid-19 testing in colleges before the summer. The Business Post reports the Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris, will bring a memo to Cabinet this week on the establishment of the pilot programme. It's seeking to…

Some Covid-19 restrictions will be eased at midnight tonight - after more than 100 days of lockdown. From tomorrow, people can travel anywhere within their county while two households can meet up outdoors. Schools will fully re-open to all students - and the…

Bookings on some flights to Ireland from the US have surged in recent days after the mandatory quarantine list was extended. Arrivals from another 16 countries, including America, will have to stay in a designated hotel for two weeks starting on Thursday. The…

Gardaí are investigating the discovery of apparent human remains in Galway Bay. The body was taken from the water in Mutton Island Causeway area of Grattan Park at approximately 3.20pm yesterday afternoon. The Galway RNLI, Gardai and a crew from the Galway…

The road at Carraroe in Galway has reopened to traffic following an earlier fatal road traffic collision. A man in his 30s died following the single car collision which happened on a minor road near Carraroe just after 3:45 this morning. Another man in his…

14 more deaths related to COVID-19 have been confirmed in the country this evening. Three occurred in April, one occurred in March, six occurred in February, and four occurred in January. 455 confirmed cases of the virus were also notified by health…

The late Shay Healy was man with ‘unbreakable spirit’ and an inspiration to all who knew him. That’s according to his first cousin Professor Seamus Caulfield, who has been paying tribute to the Eurovision winning songwriter. The 78-year-old presented RTE show…

A Mayo Councillor has said that the case for reopening the Western Rail Corridor is more compelling today that it was ten years ago. Sinn Fein's Gerry Murray says there have been six major developments that have pushed the WRC to the top of the political…

It is unacceptable that the Sligo Vaccination Centre was closed for four days over the Easter bank holiday weekend. That’s the view of Fianna Fail TD Marc MacSharry, who argues that the facility at IT Sligo should be open seven days a week to assist with the…

Eurovision winning songwriter Shay Healy has died at the age of 78. The Dubliner was also a well-known TV presenter, hosting the RTE show Nighthawks in the late 80s and early 90s. He composed "What's Another Year" for Johnny Logan, which won the Eurovision…

There were 200 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals across the country last night- down nine in 24 hours. Across the region there are seven receiving treatment for the disease at University Hospital Galway- down two, 3 at Mayo University Hospital, two at the…

There's more frost and icy temperatures on the way - with the current cold snap to continue over the weekend. Temperatures are set to fall as low as minus 3 tonight and there's a chance of snow on high ground. Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather says it'll be a…

Passengers arriving from another 16 countries will have to stay in mandatory quarantine hotels from next Thursday. The cabinet agreed to add countries including the US, Canada, France, Italy and Belgium to the list last night. Albania, Israel and St Lucia…

GPs have been told there'll be a shortage of Covid-19 vaccines for the over-70s next week. It'll affect practices who are due to get a delivery of jabs for the 70 to 74 age group, and administer their first doses. It'll delay the programme by two weeks, as…

A man in his 30s has died following a crash in Co. Galway. The single car collision happened on a minor road near Carraroe just after 3:45 this morning. Another man in his 30s who was a passenger is being treated for non life-threatening injuries at Galway…

There are 473 new cases of Covid-19 in the Republic, and 34 deaths. Only three of the deaths took place this month - with the others relating to January, February and March. 229 of the cases are in Dublin. Across Connacht there are 21 new cases in Mayo, 18 in…

A Mayo student has been shortlisted for "Access Champion of the Year" for the USI Awards later this month. Catherine Gallagher from Achill rose to prominence in recent months following her campaign to not lose her disability allowance as a result of winning a…

The hugely successful Mayo Day celebrates its seventh year on Saturday, 1st May 2021 with an outstanding programme of events to be viewed from around the globe. It’s a virtual festival again this year, but if anything, that has expanded the reach of this…

Delegates from the Fórsa trade union's education division have backed an emergency motion calling on the Government to complete the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccinations to staff within all special education schools. It said the vaccination schedule should take…

Teaching unions disgruntled over changes to the vaccine rollout are seeking an urgent meeting with the government and health officials. Members of the ASTI, INTO and TUI supported taking industrial action over the switch which means no profession will be…

Britain’s Prince Philip has died at the age of 99. Buckingham Palace announced his death this afternoon. "It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of…

The number of patients with Covid-19 in public hospitals has reached its lowest point in 111 days, with 209 people receiving treatment last night. Across the region there are nine patients with the virus at University Hospital Galway- down one, three at Mayo…

The Department of Education has sanctioned emergency funding for St.Teresa's Special School in Ballinasloe. Roscommon Senator Eugene Murphy says he's delighted with the news. "With ten extra students about to start in September in St Teresa's, the…

€3.3 million has been allocated to the LEADER Programme in Mayo under the Transitional LEADER Programme for the period 2021-2022. Deputy Michael Ring says it is an important component of “Our Rural Future”– the Government’s five year strategy for Rural…

Gardaí arrested five people in Headford following a managed containment operation on Monday. The operation began in Headford at approximately 6pm in the evening, when a car failed to stop for Gardaí. The car travelled at speed from Headford to Tuam and…

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has committed to a new study to examine the introduction a light rail system in Galway City. The Luas type system would aim to ease congestion in the city. Under the current proposals, a 17 kilometre line in Galway would cost…

A solution to the Enniscrone/Inishcrone naming debacle is expected later this month. That's according to Minister Frank Feighan who says meetings will take place on the third week of April between the Department and the legal team. Most residents and visitors…

The jury remains out on whether the old East Mayo railway line will be developed as a greenway or remain intact to secure a rail service The Draft Mayo County Development Plan (2021 – 2027) closed for submissions last month (March). It received an…

Forsa will discuss the change to the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine to an age based cohort today. It's expressing concern that there's a 'vaccine' lottery within special education. The union's holding its Education division conference online, which will…

The government's aiming to raise standards in the haulage industry. It's just launched a public consultation today on a Ten-Year Strategy for the sector for the first time. It outlines the covid and Brexit challenges facing hauliers at the moment. Junior…

7 additional deaths related to Covid-19 were confirmed yesterday, along with 400 new cases. There were 21 new cases of the virus in Galway, 6 in Mayo, less than 5 cases in both counties Roscommon and Leitrim and no new cases in Sligo. The reproductive number…

The Health Products Regulatory Authority says an Irish case of an rare blood clot associated with the Astrazeneca vaccine will be looked at as a priority. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee will decide in the coming days if it needs to issue further…

The 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 in the Castlebar Local Electoral Area is above the national average of 157.1. During the two week period from March 23rd to April 5th, a total of 57 new confirmed cases were registered in the area – equating to a rate of…

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 7 additional deaths related to Covid-19. Of the deaths reported today 2 occurred in April, 2 occurred in March and 3 occurred in February. As of midnight last night (Wed) 400 new confirmed…

Gardaí seized €20,000 of suspected cannabis herb having stopped and searched a car in Loughrea yesterday evening. Gardaí attached to the Galway Divisional Drugs Unit conducted the search shortly before 8pm in the Bookeen North area of Loughrea. A woman in her…

The HSE has confirmed that the number of Covid-19 vaccines administered in the Republic has hit the one million mark. HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid confirmed the figure at a press briefing this afternoon. Over 700,000 people have received dose one and over…

A new website dedicated to mapping Ireland's public toilets has 331 entries in just 4 days. Pee.ie is still accepting new locations, and has a map of bathrooms in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. The site says it depends on 'intrepid toilet users' to…

An immunology expert says fully vaccinated people should be able to move around largely unrestricted. It comes as NPHET is discussing a potential Covid-19 'vaccine bonus' today. At present, anyone who is a close contact of someone with Covid-19 has to…

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee is to look at whether age restrictions should be placed on the AstraZeneca vaccine. It's meeting today after the European Medicines Agency listed rare blood clots as a rare side effect. Health officials say the…

Gardai are advising of a scam where members of the public are receiving calls from texts from people claiming to be from the Department of Social Protection, and advising that their PPS number has been compromised. The person receiving the call is then asked…

Tomorrow is 65 Roses Day - the annual fundraiser for CF Ireland- but collections cannot take place this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. Instead, people are taking up a variety of challenges, and can also donate online. Ireland has the highest incidence of…

A Claremorris florist is making national headlines at present thanks to the generosity of a neighbouring Garden Centre, that has provided a location for her business to trade from during the present Level 5 Covid Lockdown. Aisling Warde of Blathanna Florists,…

Road users are being urged to take extra caution this weekend as Met Éireann has forecast showers of hail and temperatures as low as minus three degrees. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is advising drivers to be aware of dangerous road conditions hail showers…

There's good news for three Mayo schools, as funding has been approved by the Department of Education for 15 new rooms at St Tiernan's College, Crossmolina, and for special education classrooms at both Moyne College in Ballina and Scoil Mhuire agus Padraig in…

There are people aged over 90 in Co Mayo who have not yet received any Covid-19 vaccine to date, which is simply not good enough, according to Deputy Rose Conway Walsh. The Sinn Fein TD says she is aware of a 95 year old, house bound woman in the county who…

The five-day moving average of Covid-19 cases has fallen by 15% in the past week to 430. HSE figures show the number of patients in public hospitals with the disease has dropped by 19 percent over the last week to 220, with 56 of these patients in ICU. It…

The National Public Health Emergency Team will discuss a link between very rare blood clotting and the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine when it meets later. The European Medicines Agency has said it should be listed as a possible side effect, however stressed the…

Minister Norma Foley has informed Mayo deputy Dara Calleary that a major extension has been approved for St Tiernans College in Crossmolina. It comprises of 6 new general classrooms, a new DCG/Tech Graphic room,a new art room, a new science lab, 2 SET rooms,a…

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed of 5 additional deaths today of people who had Covid 19. 423 new confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in the past 24 hours in the Republic. 20 new cases of Covid 19 have been confirmed in…

The Department of Social Protection has issued a warning about scammers pretending to be from its offices. It says people have received phone calls where the caller asks for details like the person's name, PPS number and sometimes bank details. The department…

The Minister for Disability, Galway based Anne Rabbitte insists she is continuing to advocate for vaccine prioritization for teachers, childcare assistants and SNAs in Special Schools and classes. She admits she was taken aback by NIAC advice to government…

The three major teaching unions have voted in favour of a motion for industrial action, up to strikes.The ASTI, the INTO and TUI all backed the proposal today. They say teachers should be prioritised for vaccines, as they interact with dozens of children…

Gardaí in Mayo seized more than €29,000 in suspected cannabis herb and cocaine and seized 15 vehicles as part of a policing operation conducted in the Mayo Garda Division over the Easter bank holiday weekend. The joint operation was conducted from Good Friday…

The Government should consider rolling out Covid-19 vaccines to those in high-risk jobs - such as teachers, special needs assistants and Gardai - in parallel with the age-based rollout announced last week. That's according to Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin.…

Two teachers unions have backed a motion that could lead to industrial action. They are protesting a change to the vaccine rollout list, which will now prioritise someone's age instead of their job. The votes from the INTO and the TUI means the two unions now…

Over 1,000 people have already signed a new online petition, calling on Bank of Ireland to keep the Ballyhaunis branch open. Ballyhaunis is one of three branches in Mayo due to close in September - along with Kiltimagh and Charlestown - and this will leave…

Dog's Bay in Connemara has been named the most beautiful beach in the country. The Lonely Planet's newest listing ranked Trá Mór in Dunfanaghy in County Donegal as the runner up while Keem Bay on Achill Island came third. Trá Mór in Achill and Streedagh…

The go-ahead has been given by the Department of Finance for Mayo County Council to purchase the Castlebar Military Barracks, in a move being described as "a hugely significant acquisition by the local authority". Mayo Fianna Fail Senator Lisa Chambers says…

Three women who left a quarantine hotel in Dublin yesterday made it to south Galway before being turned back. They were stopped on the M6 motorway near Loughrea by a Garda traffic patrol. It's understood they were persuaded to return to the facility in north…

The one millionth dose of Covid-19 vaccine is due to be administered in Ireland today. The Government had previously aimed to get 1.25 million doses given to people by the end of March - however there were supply issues. Meanwhile, nine further Covid-19…

The latest figures show a significant reduction in the number of patients in hospital with Covid-19. Nationally, there were 220 patients with the disease in hospital last night, down 41 on the figure reported earlier, according to the HSE. The number of Covid…

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 9 additional deaths related to Covid-19. 3 of these deaths occurred in January, 2 in February, 3 in March and 1 in April. As of midnight last night (Mon) 443 new cases of the virus were…

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's defended the safety of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine - as UK regulators apparently consider restricting it in young people. That's because of continuing fears over blood clots. The head of vaccine strategy at the…

ISME says its with great concern it notes the coordinated threats from a number of unions to “explore any and all options, up to and including industrial action” as a result of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) policy advice to prioritise…

Close to 700 people have been tested in Ballinasloe in the pop-up Covid-19 test centre, that opened last Friday and runs until this afternoon. It was set up because there was concern about incident rates of the virus in the community. Ballinasloe-based…

Mayo County Council crews should be allowed work overtime to repair and maintain roads across the region. That’s according to Fine Gael councillor Gerry Coyle, who called for the ban on overtime to be lifted to avoid the county falling behind on road repairs.…

Galway based company Galmere food production has introduced on-site PCR Covid-19 tests for its workers. All staff at the Ballybrit facility are tested once a week, and all visitors entering the premises undergo the process too. Nasal swabs are taken by…

GoCar, a commercial car sharing company, intends to set up an operation in Castlebar later this month. It will have three locations in the town, with cars at the Castle Street and Market Square car parks and a shared van at the Mall. GoCar is expanding…

NPHET are making up the rules as it goes along and it’s not acceptable, that’s the view of Mayo Fine Gael deputy Michael Ring. He is calling for NPHET meetings to be made open to the public, insisting that other voices in addition to NPHET need to be heard as…

Gardaí seized approximately €6,900 worth of drugs, including suspected cannabis herb and cannabis jellies, during the search of a residence in Westport on Sunday. Three male juveniles have been referred to the Youth Diversion Programme in relation to this…

Ballina Gardaí attended the scene of an assault that occurred at Greenhills Estate, Ballina on Saturday night. A 19-year-old was taken to Mayo University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A 19-year-old man was arrested a short time later after a…

Gardaí are investigating an alleged assault that occurred in Ballina on Friday evening. A man, aged in his 20s, attended Mayo University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Investigations are ongoing.

Gardaí seized approximately €16,000 worth of cannabis herb during a search operation in Achill on Good Friday. As part of an investigation into the sale and supply of drugs in the Mayo Division, Gardaí executed a search under warrant at a residence in Achill.…

AT Management has announced plans to create 40 jobs in Sligo, with the establishment of a Sales & Marketing Contact Centre. The dynamic and fast-growing business employs 400 people across the UK. The private company has focused on revenue generation as a…

Delegates at the three teachers' union conferences are set to vote on whether to ballot their members for industrial action. It’s after the government changed the vaccine plan last week -- removing them as a priority category. Following advice from the…

Arrivals from 58 countries will be subject to mandatory hotel quarantine from this morning. Last week 26 high-risk states were added to the list, including Israel and the Wallis and Futuna Islands. The issue of mandatory hotel quarantine has been the source…

Outdoor transmission of Covid-19 accounts for 0.1 percent of the country's Covid-19 cases. Figures in the Irish Times show 262 of the total number of infections in the state have been attributed to being spread outside. However, the Health Protection…

Gardai were overtaken by a vehicle travelling inbound on the N4 dual carriageway in Sligo yesterday. The vehicle was swerving from side to side and when stopped, the driver was found to be intoxicated. Following his arrest, it was established that he was…

Gardaí have seized €124,000 worth of cannabis herb following the search of a residence in Boyle, Co. Roscommon today, shortly after 12pm. Gardaí attached to the Longford and Roscommon Divisional Drugs Unit obtained a search warrant for the premises following…

There were no deaths related to COVID-19 notified to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today. There are 320 new confirmed cases of the virus. New figures show that over 268,500 people have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. The Health Service…

457 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed. along with 3 more deaths. There has now been 4,718 COVID-19 related deaths in the Republic of Ireland and 238,148 confirmed cases. As of April 1st 2021, 893,375 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in…

Inspections to ensure householders and businesses are dealing with waste disposal in a correct manner will proceed when Covid-19 restrictions allow. Fianna Fail Councillor Damien Ryan was told in response to a motion he tabled at a meeting of the local…

The extensive delays being experienced by patients attending the Emergency Dept at Mayo University Hospital at present, is not acceptable, according to a Castlebar councillor. Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke raised his concerns over the situation at the…

An intensive care consultant says the number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 won't drop significantly until more people are vaccinated. There are 242 people in hospital with the virus, with 8 admissions in the last 24 hours. There are 8 at University…

A Galway TD is calling for the streamlining of HSE and hospital data bases to prevent vaccination no-shows. Sean Canney says separate data base systems run by the HSE and acute hospitals, and the non streamlining of that data, are leading to patients being…

The annual commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising will take place in Dublin today, led by President Michael D Higgins. There will be two non-public events - one at Áras an Uachtaráin and one at the GPO in O'Connell Street. For a second year, the event has…

Up to 950-thousand Covid vaccine doses will be given when clinics finish work today. People with underlying medical conditions are receiving their jab at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin today. While GP-led hubs are continuing to operate at the Helix, Munster…

Approval for how the Government is handling the Covid pandemic has dropped below 50 per cent. That's according to a Kantar poll in the Sunday Independent, which says 43 per cent of people are happy with how the government are dealing with the fight against…

511 new covid 19 cases have been confirmed and 2 more patients with the virus have died. It brings the death toll from the pandemic so far to 4,715. There are now a total of 237 thousand 695 positive tests in the Republic. As of March 31st, 865 thousand 460…

The outbound lane of the N4 from Sligo to Collooney has reopened to traffic following a two car road traffic collision. The crash happened just north of Collooney at approximately 9:30am this morning. Two people were taken to hospital as a precautionary…

A Status Yellow fog warning has been issued for Connacht tomorrow. The warning covers all five Connacht counties as well as Cavan, Monaghan and Longford. The warning comes into effect at 4am on Sunday morning and will last until 10am. Met Eireann says there…

The outbound lane of the N4 from Sligo to Collooney remains closed following a two car road traffic collision. The crash happened north of Collooney shortly after 9 o’clock this morning. Emergency services and Gardaí attended the scene. There are no reports…

Seven people have died from blood clots after taking the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in the UK. The medicines regulator there has confirmed there have been 30 cases within the 18-point-1 million who've had a dose. It's insisting there's no evidence to…

Almost 5,000 people are facing prosecution for not paying Covid-19 fines. According to the Irish Times, Gardai have issued over 18,000 fines but more than a quarter of them remain unpaid after 28 days. The majority of fines were issued for non-essential…

A senior member of NPHET says Covid-19 variants with no link to international travel have been detected in the State. It comes as the UK variant of the virus is being blamed for the number of cases plateauing here. 591 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed…

A 'Status Orange' forest-fire warning has been issued for the Easter weekend. The Department of Agriculture says warm and dry weather over the next few days means dead grass, gorse and heather are much more flammable. Coillte is appealing to the public not to…

Ballyglass RNLI inshore lifeboat launched to assist a fishing vessel in Broadhaven Bay in the station’s 1st call-out of 2021. The Irish Coast Guard requested Ballyglass volunteer lifeboat crew to launch to assist a 35ft fishing vessel at 12.30pm today in…

A further 591 coronavirus have been reported this afternoon, alongside eight more virus-related deaths. Across Connacht there 21 new cases in Galway, less than five in both Mayo and Sligo and there no new cases in Roscommon or Leitrim. This morning there were…

264 people with Covid-19 are being treated in Irish hospitals this morning. It's a three percent fall from yesterday's total, while there's also a decrease of 16 percent since last Friday. In the past 24 hours there were 18 admissions to hospitals, and 22…

Galway is to receive a multimillion-euro investment from medical devices firm Veryan. The development will create 20 new roles in the city where it has been operating since 2006. The money will be used to further expand and diversify Veryan's product…

A new walk-in pop-up testing site has opened today in Ballinasloe for people who have no symptoms of Covid-19 but who still wish to be tested for the virus. This brings to seven the number of temporary testing hubs seeking to find asymptomatic infections…

The Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland are issuing appeals for people to be safe if near water this Bank Holiday weekend. People are being asked to stay away from the edges of waterways within their 5k boundaries over Easter. Water temperatures are…

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 18 additional deaths related to Covid-19. Of the deaths reported today 11 occurred in March and 7 occurred in February. As of midnight, last night the HPSC was notified of 761 new confirmed…

There’s welcome news for residents along the busy Turlough road in Castlebar with confirmation that a new pedestrian crossing is to be installed, across from a new filling station and grocery store. Castlebar councillor Ger Deere had raised concerns, earlier…

A road safety advocate who lost his sister in a crash five years ago is urging the public to reduce their speed this Easter weekend. Neil Fox whose sister Donna was killed after being struck by a truck in Dublin in 2016 says not only does it end one life but…

The extensive delays being experienced by patients attending the Emergency Dept at Mayo University Hospital at present, is not acceptable, according to a Castlebar councillor. Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke raised his concerns over the situation at…

The death has occurred of a Castlebar man that was hailed as a hero when he rescued three occupants of a crashed light aircraft at Castlebar Railway station, back in the 1960s. John Burke (better known as Johnny) of Ballymacragh, Westport Road, Castlebar…

The price of an average second-hand 3-bed semi-detached house in Co Mayo is risen by 0.6% in the last 3 months, according to a new survey from Real Estate Alliance. It survey shows Mayo house prices have risen by 8% over the past year, and currently average…

Met Eireann is warning that temperatures will drop significantly from Sunday, after a dry and settled start to the Easter weekend. Good Friday will be dry with widespread sunshine and temperatures 12- 15 degrees. Saturday will be another dry day with good…

274 people with Covid-19 are in hospitals across the country this morning - the lowest total since December 26th.It's down from 294 yesterday. This includes just one Covid patient at Mayo University Hospital - the lowest of any hospital in the region. There…

Independent Roscommon County Councillor Ivan Connaughton has announced he will be stepping down as a councillor in the coming months. The Athleague-based auctioneer has served on the council since 2014, and was a former member of Fianna Fail. Last week,…

After 45 years in the Dail, former Taoiseach and former Mayo TD Enda Kenny will present a new TV show starting next week in which he explores Ireland's long-abandoned railway routes. Iarnród Enda is a 6-part series in the Irish language, starting on Monday…

Today is April Fools Day, and as part of a road safety campaign, motorists in Mayo can expect to see life-sized cardboard cut-outs of a Garda with a speed gun at roads across the county, with the message "Don't be fooled -speed kills and focus on your…

Two new walk-in Covid-19 test centres will open in Athlone and Ballinasloe tomorrow. The HSE is opening 7 such test centres around the country over today and tomorrow for 5-7 days to actively look for cases of the virus in areas where the number of positive…

Gardai and public health officials are appealing to the public to reduce social contacts this Easter weekend, to further reduce the impact of Covid-19. Gardai say the current public health guidelines - including the 5km travel limit - remain in place over…

The brother of a North Mayo woman who disappeared more than 20 years ago has thanked the public for the new information that Gardai have received in recent weeks. Sandra Collins disappeared on the night of December 4th 2000, and her jacket was later found on…

A new Covid-19 walk-in test centre is being established in Ballinasloe. The test centre will be set up in the Town Hall / Library Carpark in Ballinasloe this weekend. Minister Anne Rabbitte the walk-in test centre will be in Ballinasloe from this Friday…

Due to a water main burst in the Bangor area of Erris the areas of Derreens, Gortmore, Muinhin, Attavally, Cloontakilla, Glencullen and Glenturk will be without water this evening between the hours of 4pm untill 10pm. Mayo county council in partnership with…

There have been 411 new cases of Covid-19 across Ireland, as well as 6 deaths. Of the cases notified today, 150 are in Dublin , 31 are in Donegal, 25 are in Kildare and Wexford, 21 are in Offaly and the remaining 159 cases are spread across 17 other counties.…

Shoe shops are to be allowed to open to sell children's shoes. The government is finalising changes to the regulations after requests from parents. The bookings to measure and sell shoes will be appointment only. Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed the news in…

The An Post building on Eglington Street in Galway is to be developed as a permanent arts space for Galway city, according to local deputy Catherine Connolly. The deputy believes the development of this dedicated arts space is the first step in addressing a…

Gardaí in Galway have seized €28,000 worth of drugs following a search operation at a property in the city yesterday. Shortly after 2pm yesterday, Gardaí located €5,900 worth of cocaine on two persons at Presentation Road, Galway. As a result, a follow up…

A woman who rescued three teenage boys from the sea at Easkey, Co Sligo earlier this week has advised people to enjoy their local beaches, lakes and rivers, but always be aware of water safety. On Monday evening, three teenagers were swept off the pier by…

A number of households in the Castlebar area discovered brown-coloured water coming out of their taps earlier today, and yesterday evening they were suddenly left with no water coming out of their taps. Local Councillor Ger Deere contacted Irish Water this…

St. Brendan's College Belmullet has been approved a 14 room extension. This news has been confirmed to Midwest by Mayo Fianna Fail Deputy Dara Calleary who says it's been a very difficult few months for the Erris community but this investment will have a huge…

Director of Services with Mayo County Council Catherine McConnell insists there is no “sweet deal” between the local authority and the Hughes family in connection with the sale of almost seven acres of land in Westport. The sale of land on Westport’s Golf…

Three teenage boys were rescued after being swept into the sea at Easkey, Co Sligo earlier this week. The incident occurred on Monday evening when the three boys, all from the locality, were swept off the pier in high waves. Luckily for them, local surfer Zoe…

Details have been announced of a new €17 million scheme for hospitality businesses to develop outdoor dining capacity. Hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés can apply to Mayo County Council for grants of up to €4,000 towards outdoor tables and chairs, umbrellas…

A total of four Mayo-based charities have become the latest beneficiaries of Aldi’s Community Grants programme, with the charities each receiving a €500 grant from the Aldi store teams in County Mayo. A €500 grant was presented to Mayo Roscommon Hospice, Cara…

A Roscommon TD is calling for the Dáil schedule to be suspended to allow a debate on claims the Department of Health compiled dossiers on the family's of autistic children who have taken cases against the State. Independent Deputy Denis Naughten has written…

150 jobs have been announced by Hewlett Packard Enterprise in Kildare and Galway. The roles will be in cyber security, software development, global R&D and cloud consulting. The company has also announced Galway as its European hub for cyber secutiry. The new…

The Government has defended changes to the vaccine roll-out that have been strongly criticised by sectors which believe they should be given priority. The new model will see people vaccinated based on age after the over-70s, medically vulnerable and those…

The number of people in public hospitals with Covid-19 has dropped below 300 for the first time since St. Stephen's Day. 290 are receiving hospital treatment, with 65 of those patients in ICU. Last night's figures show 4 Covid patients being treated at Mayo…

From next Monday week, people will be allowed to travel within their own counties - or 20km from their home if crossing county boundaries. Social meet-ups will also be allowed outdoors with one other household from April 12th - but not in private gardens.…

House prices in Mayo increased by 2% in the first quarter of this year, according to the latest Daft.ie house price report. The average price of a home in Co Mayo is now €157,000. This is significantly lower than the national average price of €276,000.…

From next Monday week 12th April, people will be allowed to travel within their own county. Taoiseach Mícheal Martin has this evening outlined plans of a roadmap for lifting level 5 restrictions. From 12th April, all schools will be fully reopened, people can…

There has been a further 14 deaths related to Covid-19 and 368 new cases of the virus. It's the third lowest number of daily case numbers recorded this year. In this region, the new cases are very low across Connacht, with 5 in Mayo, less than 5 in both…

Cabinet Ministers are considering a significant overhaul of the vaccination programme. Once over-70s, people with underlying conditions and vulnerable people are vaccinated the system will change to one based on age. It means individual groups like gardaí,…

Two fully vaccinated people will be allowed to meet indoors under plans being considered by the Cabinet this afternoon. Ministers are also finalising the details of a roadmap that could see retail and personal services such as hairdressers open in May. It's…

A fire in a Castlebar Industrial Estate was brought under control this afternoon. Black smoke could be seen in the area around the Golden Mile Industrial Estate on the Breaffy Road in Castlebar. The emergency services attended the scene and appeared to…

Emergency services are attending the scene of a vehicle on fire at the Breaffy Road, Castlebar. Gardai and the fire service are at the scene at an industrial estate on the Breaffy Road, but Gardai say the road remains open to traffic.

An Achill-based priest is calling for Churches to be allowed to reopen for Mass, and claims people are bereft without the Sacraments. Fr Gerard Quirke says the isolation caused by the current Covid-19 restrictions is affecting the mental health of people…

The Cabinet is meeting this lunchtime, to make final decisions on what restrictions can be eased over the next month. It looks now as though no restrictions will be eased on April 5th as the Government adopts a more cautious approach, after a stark warning…

Sligo University Hospital has the second highest number of patients on trolleys nationally today. Latest trolley figures from the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation show University Hospital Limerick is the most overcrowded, with 53 patients on trolleys.…

The Mayor of Galway city, Mike Cubbard, has returned to work today after a two week break. The Mayor sought the break in his duties because of serious threats against him and his family over recent months. He told Midwest News today that during the break he…

The Mayo Chairman of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, Alan Gielty, is welcoming the government’s announcement yesterday to support the use of rural pubs as community spaces and hubs for local services. A new five-year rural strategy to promote living and…

The infrastructure is not in place to cater for the likely significant increase in “staycationers” this July and August that will holiday along the Wild Atlantic Way along the Mayo coastline, if the Covid Restrictons are lifted. That was the clear message…

The winners of the highly coveted Weddings Online awards 2021 have been announced, with plenty of winners across the region. The Weddings Online Awards are the Industry standard and the Oscars of the Irish wedding industry. Country House Venue of the Year…

The World Health Organisation and Chinese officials are going to release a full report later into where they think Covid-19 originated. A draft version of the research says the most likely route was from bats to humans through another animal. Investigators…

NPHET has warned the government against any significant easing of Covid restrictions over the next few weeks amid fears of a fourth wave before the summer. Public health officials gave a sobering presentation to a group of senior cabinet Ministers last night.…

4,011 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the past seven days - 202 more than the previous week. That's a 5 per cent increase in the space of a week. There were 331 Covid patients in hospital last night, which includes 70 in intensive care.…

A 43-year-old man missing from Co. Mayo has been located, Gardaí have confirmed. Jerzy Sala had been missing from Castlebar since the early hours of Sunday morning. He was located safe yesterday. Gardaí thanked the public and the media for their assistance.

This evening's figures from the Department of Health show one additional death from Covid-19, with 539 new confirmed cases of the virus. This includes 26 new cases in Galway, 9 in Mayo, and less than 5 in counties Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim. The 14-day rate…

A vintage tractor stolen in West Cork last week has been found over 400 kilometres away in Co Leitrim. Gardai received a report last Wednesday that the tractor had been stolen from a shed in Schull in Co Cork. A Garda investigation got underway, and the…

A Westport bookshop has been named Best Independent Bookshop of the Year on the island of Ireland. Tertulia Books, located at The Quay in Westport, has fought off stiff competition from bookshops in Co Down and in Dublin to win the honour in the 2021 British…

The National Public Health Emergency Team has been meeting to discuss the potential easing of some COVID restrictions. The 5 kilometre limit, small outdoor gatherings, outdoor sport and construction are being considered. The HSE says this round of easing of…

Gardai in Mayo have confirmed that they are continuing to investigate the disappearance of Sandra Collins from Killala two decades ago. A fresh appeal for information was launched last December, on the 20th anniversary of her disappearance. A Garda spokesman…

Gardai have issued an appeal for information on a man missing from Castlebar since yesterday morning. 43-year old Jerzy Sala has been missing from his home in Castlebar since the early hours of Sunday morning. He's described as 6 foot in height, with a slim…

St Teresa’s Special School in Ballinasloe is in urgent need of additional classroom accommodation, according to Roscommon based Senator Eugene Murphy. Senator Murphy recently visited the school, based at the Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre. He says it has ten…

There are 329 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals across the country. This includes 68 in ICU, according to the HSE’s update on acute hospitals at 8pm last night. There are 14 patients with the virus at Sligo University Hospital, 7 at University Hospital…

The Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) has announced a new partnership with Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) that will see the creation of two new degree courses for students. The courses are Ceramics Skills & Design and Jewellery and…

This afternoon the government will announce details of a new “worker-led” decentralisation plan that is aimed at encouraging and expanding remote working. A major new government plan - 'Our Rural Future' also commits to a fund to re-purpose vacant buildings…

Two people were arrested and a quantity of drugs seized in Westport last night. Shortly after 11pm, Gardai seized €100 worth of cocaine and benzos valued at about €276 at The Point in Westport. A man in his 30's and a woman in her 20's were arrested. They…

Mayo deputy Michael Ring has today been informed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) that funding of €3,349,500 has been approved to Mayo County Council for the provision of sustainable transport projects in Mayo. The funding approved for Mayo projects…

Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board will be able to apply for capital investment of up to €507,500 from Government. The funding will be provided via SOLAS for the delivery of small-scale infrastructure and improvement works, and for the…

Tax breaks for working from home are set to be examined under a new plan from the government to incentivise people to move to rural Ireland. The 'Our Rural Future' plan also commits to a fund to re-purpose vacant buildings in rural towns to turn them into…

A public health expert is optimistic that pop-up testing in areas with outbreaks will help control coronavirus. It's after the HSE set up five walk in testing centres on Thursday - four in Dublin and one in Tullamore, County Offaly. It comes as 604 new covid…

NPHET will make recommendations this afternoon on what restrictions can be eased after April 5th. Senior Ministers will then meet to consider the issue before a full cabinet meeting tomorrow. The country's senior public health officials meet this morning amid…

For the first time, the HSE can say it has delivered over 100-thousand Covid-19 vaccine doses in the space of a week. After days of embarrassing revelations over the Beacon Hospital's vaccine clinics, HSE boss Paul Reid says the programme is "heading to a new…

604 more people in the Republic have contracted Covid-19, and 13 patients with the virus have died. The fortnightly national average infection rate has risen to 164.5 per hundred thousand people. Offaly, Donegal and Dublin have the highest infection rates,…

It is of vital importance that Michael O'Brien from the Neale is commemorated on the Centenary of the Tourmakeady Ambush on May 3rd. That's the view of Fianna Fail Councillor Damien Ryan who says the opportunity can't be missed to recognise and honour the…

Mayo TD Alan Dillon believes five key areas should be prioritised ahead of the expected easing of restrictions over the coming weeks. The Fine Gael Deputy has summarised the issues being raised by his constituents into five sections. These are the return of…

Just one in five restaurants can serve customers outdoors, so a plan for a full re-opening is needed. That's according to the Restaurants Association of Ireland, as outdoor dining could resume in mid May. Taoiseach Micheal Martin is due to announce changes to…

Almost 27,500 people received a Covid vaccine dose on Thursday. Just under 19,000 of those were first doses, with 8,500 getting their second. 760,000 vaccine doses have been administered in this country, with 211,000 of those fully vaccinated.

Maternity leave for city and county councillors will be examined by a cross-party group tomorrow. Six female councillors will meet with Local Government Minister Peter Burke. There is currently no provision in law for ministers, TDs, senators or councillors…

The Beacon Hospital gave Covid-19 vaccines to office staff working at the headquarters of a creche chain. The Irish Mail on Sunday reports 36 administrative staff at Park Academy Childcare, including its CEO, were vaccinated by the private hospital. The paper…

An infectious diseases expert says pressing ahead with the reopening of schools is likely to create "exponential growth" of Covid-19. 624 more people have tested positive for the virus, and two further deaths have been confirmed. Across the region there are…

A housing charity is asking the Government to extend the ban on evictions to include people who are not in arrears. The Government will decide whether to lift the 5km travel restriction from April 5th - if it does, the eviction ban will come to an end. The…

Sinn Fein trail Fine Gael by just one per cent in the latest opinion poll - with backing for Fianna Fail continuing to decline. Fine Gael has the top spot on 30 percent, with Sinn Fein in second on 29 percent. But the Taoiseach's party Fianna Fail has slumped…

Non-essential shopping, outdoor dining and countywide travel could be allowed from mid-May under proposals to ease lockdown. The Sunday Times reports it'll be dependent on the vaccine rollout ramping up to a million doses a month. Tomorrow, the cabinet…

The UK is planning to offer 3.7 million doses of spare Covid vaccines to Ireland. The Sunday Times reports it would be the first time the British government has exported vaccines to the EU. UK ministers are said to be concerned that if the Republic fell…

A wind warning has been issued for Mayo, Galway and Donegal. The Status Yellow alert comes into effect at 1pm this afternoon and is set to last until 6pm this evening. Met Eireann's advising that gusts of up to 100km/h are expected. Onshore winds will also…

The Irish Hairdressers Federation is calling for their sector to be allowed re-open for the fully vaccinated. It says the move could act as a major boost to elderly people and healthcare workers after a difficult year. The Federation believes hair salons have…

624 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed and 2 more patients have died. 308 cases are in Dublin, with 41 in Kildare, 38 in Donegal, 31 in Meath, 29 in Offaly and the remaining cases are spread across 18 other counties. Across the region there are 12…

Just under half of first year secondary school students have missed out on receiving the HPV vaccine. New HSE figures show 53 per cent of pupils were vaccinated between September and December last year. It's a significant drop on the 80 per cent of students…

The Minister for Health has suspended vaccine operations at the Beacon Hospital in Dublin. There's an exception for people who have already been scheduled for their jab at the centre - 'alternative arrangements' will be made for others. It follows the news…

The Garda Representative Association says a 'proper plan' is needed to get members appropriately placed on the vaccination priority list. Senior Garda management met with the GRA yesterday and confirmed that officers will be allowed accept 'left over' doses.…

The Government should communicate numerous options on the return of on-site learning at higher education institutes depending on the progress of the vaccine rollout. That’s the call coming from the President of NUI Galway’s Students Union Padraic Toomey. He…

The new Vice President of GMIT Mayo and Head of the newly established School of Health Science, Wellbeing & Society has been appointed. Justin Kerr was chosen by the President and Governing Body of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, succeeding Professor…

More than 30,000 people in long-term care haven't been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The HSE says over 107,000 people had got first doses by last Sunday - but only 77,000 got second doses. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín says it's absolutely shocking that…

The boss of AstraZeneca says Ireland can expect a "large volume" of vaccines in the coming weeks. In an interview with The Irish Times, the new country president Dan Wygal says the firm's overcoming some manufacturing problems it's encountered. 827,000…