Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_07_01/GA_0107_E1_010.pdf 

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10 N E W S

Galway Advertiser

July 1 2004

Chinese kerbs delaying Eyre Square, says city manager

Work continues on the beautiful kerbing at Eyre Square. Photos: Mike Shaughnessy

A view from above. How the new paths at Garvey's corner will look.

BY KERNAN ANDREWS Business on the east side of Eyre Square is suffering due to the length of time it is taking to complete construction work there according to Cllr John Mulholland. According to a council report works to the east side of the square (which runs from Richardson's to

Garvey's) have been slowed down due to a delay in receiving kerbing from Asia and additional archaeological investigation, prompting Cllr Padraic Conneely to ask why stone from outside Ireland had to be used. In a report given to each councillor, City Manager John Tierney

said that the work on the east side has been delayed primarily becaue of the length it took to receive kerbing from China. At Monday's city council meeting, during a discussion on the Eyre Square refurbishment scheme, Cllr John Mulholland asked if extra work could take place on

the east side as the work is having a negative impact on the businesses there, with people reluctant to go down that side of the street. "It's unreasonable to expect them to put up with what they have to put up with," he said, while Cllr Declan McDonnell asked for the council to hold

consultations with the traders. Cllr Terry O'Flaherty asked when the works to the east side of Eyre Square will be finished and what kind of surface will be put on the road. She was told there will be a temporary reinstatement of the road to meet the needs of summer traffic and it will

brought up to full standard after "the busy period". Cllr Padraic Conneely said he wanted an update on the times and schedule of work for the refurbishment scheme. He then commented on the progress of the work but was cut off by Mr Tierney who said Cllr Conneely's remarks were

unfair comments about both the contractors and the council. Mr Tierney assured councillors the square is still on course to be completed by October 20 2005, but that situations can arise, beyond the control of the council, which can cause delays.

Spectacular new facilities opened in time for summer racing festival
BY JULIE TIERNEY A range of state-of-the-art facilities-- including a new weighroom, media centre, and administration building -- was officially opened at Galway Racecourse on Tuesday in time for this year's summer racing festival which takes place from Monday July 26 to Sunday August 1. Completed at a cost of 1.4 million and officially opened by the Minister for Arts, Sports, and Tourism John O'Donoghue this week, the new developments are part of the committee's ongoing commitment to expand and enhance facilities at the course. According to John Coyle, chairman of the Galway Race committee, those attending this year's summer festival from stable staff to the punters are sure to benefit greatly as result of this phase of redevelopment. "We are confident that our commitment to the redevelopment of Galway Racecourse will continue to set us apart as the premier racecourse in Ireland," he said. "A trip to the summer festival is a unique occasion in the Irish racing calendar thanks to our constant focus on improvements at all levels." Facilities for jockeys include new jockey rooms which include male and, for the first time, female saunas. A new weighroom and medical centre, which includes a drug testing area, have also been developed for jockeys. Owners and trainers will be provided with a new extended unsaddling area while stable staff will benefit from a new toilet and shower block in the stable yard.
John Moloney manager of Galway Races, with John O'Donoghue, Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, John Coyle chairman of the Galway Race Committee, and Tim Naughton race steward, at the official opening of new state of the art facilities at Galway Racecourse, including a new weighroom, media centre and administration building on Tuesday. Photo:- Mike Shaughnessy

Chinese Delivery

Chinatown
Ph. 528844

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Oranmore

Ph 792211

The racing press will be accommodated in a high spec media centre complete with tote facilities should they fancy a flutter. A new admissions building is expected to greatly improve ease of access to the course while an administration building, canteen, and stewarts' room are also new developments for the course. This summer's festival will have 51 races commanding a total prize fund of 1.7 million. High profile feature races will include the Galway Guinness Hurdle worth 180,000; the HewlettPackard Galway Plate, 170,000; the McDonogh

Handicap, 130,000; and the Michael McNamara Builders Handicap worth 100,000. This year a bonus of 25,000 will be awarded should the same horse win both the GPT Amateur Handicap and the Guinness Galway Hurdle. There will be a guaranteed jackpot of 50,000 on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday; 70,000 on Wednesday and Thursday; and a jackpot of 30,000 on Saturday and Sunday. The leading trainer award will be sponsored by Chanelle Veterinary with the leading jockey prizes sponsored by Rooney Life and Pensions Ltd. Paddy Power Bookmakers will

sponsor the prize for best turned out horse. Among several special events at the festival is the traditional Ladies Day on Thursday 29. Anthony Ryan Ltd will again sponsor the Best Dressed Person Competition where three of the most elegantly dressed people are up for awards. Anthony Ryan's will also sponsor the Most Elegant Hat competition on Ladies Day. Television coverage will be provided by RTE on the first four days of racing and by TG4 on Friday while local radio updates will be provided by Galway Bay FM which will be onsite for the seven-day meeting.

Another innovation is the introduction of the annual badge entitling racegoers to all 12 days racing throughout the year in Galway at a discounted rate of 160. These, and all other tickets, can be purchased online at www.galwayraces.com Sponsored by HewlettPackard, the website provides real-time news and information on entries, withdrawals, jockeys, trainers, going changes, overnight declarations, and results. It contains detailed maps and travel directions to the racecourse as well as a history of the races with all the results from 1995 to 2003.