Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_08_12/GA_1208_E1_008.pdf 

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8 N E W S

Galway Advertiser

August 12 2004

WHB employee chosen Oranmore on track for as Rose of Tralee escort
BY MARY O'CONNOR A Western Health Board employee has been selected as an escort for this year's Rose of Tralee Festival which kicks off on August 20. Philip O'Connor (26) is one of three Galway men all from the Ballinasloe area - who have been chosen to be escorts at the famous Kerry event. The others are Declan Finn (23) a communications adviser and Oliver Lawlor (24) a relationship Manager with ACC Bank. Philip, who is originally from Ballinamore Bridge between Ahascragh and Ballygar but now lives in Ballinasloe, was one of more than 400 men who applied to be escorts at the long running festival which is televised by RTE on the 24th and 25th August. He is the eldest of six children and is a woodwork instructor at the Creagh Training Centre for adults with special needs in Ballinasloe. Philip says he feels privileged to have been chosen and is looking forward to the famous six day festival. "It has long been an ambition of mine to be an escort. I feel the festival is an important event in Irish society. When I saw an article in one of the local papers asking people to apply I decided to go ahead." He was one of 60 young, free and single men who were shortlisted and subsequently interviewed and assessed by a panel of judges in Dublin. He was then selected as one of the 28 finalists who will escort the national and international Rose contenders at the festival. He says the judges were looking for outgoing, grounded and unflappable men who would look after the Roses. Each escort must raise 2,000 and Philip has achieved this thanks to his main sponsors- Declan Egan's Pub in Ballinasloe and Irish Cement Ltd.

park and ride facility
BY KERNAN ANDREWS

Philip O'Connor of Ballinasloe chosen as an escort for this year's Rose of Tralee festival. Photo:- Mike Shaughnessy

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Galway may get two park and ride facilities, one in Oranmore and one on the city's west side, over the next few years, to help deal with traffic congestion in the city. According to the city manager's report on the public consultation process for the Galway City Development Plan 2005 - 2011, an "opportunity exists" for the provision of park and ride facilities associated with the Galway City Outer By-pass and proposed bus priority measures. The plan wants to investigate developing a pilot park and ride facility at Oranmore on city council owned lands as well as on a site serving the west side of the city. The city council will work in conjunction with the Galway County Council, service providers, and the NRA in the provision of additional park and ride facilities. Any details with regard to a park and ride facility at Oranmore will be subject to public participation through the planning process. One particular submission to the development plan requests an area of land zoned RA in Renmore should be rezoned for commuter car park/park and ride. It states the current zoning is restrictive and has resulted in under use. However the council feels these lands are too close to the city centre to make a park and ride facility at this location viable.

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