Galway Advertiser 2005/2005_07_21/GA_2107_E1_016.pdf 

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16 N E W S

Galway Advertiser

July 21 2005

TALK O' THE TOWN
COMPILED BY JULIE TIERNEY
jtierney@galwayadvertiser.ie

Galway's Big Brother connection
Ex-Bish student Ryan Daly who is going into his final degree year in film production at Ravensbourne College in London, joins Endemol Films this week and begins work with the production team on Big Brother.

On yer bike -- sideways
We've come across all kinds of pedalling bikes -- mountain, hybrid, BMX, tandem, racing, and the traditional bike, of course, to name but a few. But how many of you have heard of the Sidewaysbike? Many of you will have seen this peculiar bike on the streets of Galway or in the Macnas parade this week. This set of wheels is like nothing you've seen yet! It is ridden forward and is balanced by using the human left to right balance. It uses independent (non linked) front and rear steering. The ride is very wavy, sort of like skiing, with a capacity to drift to the right or left. The front and rear steering makes the bike much more manoeuverable than a single steer bike, according to its inventor Michael Killian from Dublin. While taking a bit of getting used to initially, it is easy once you get the hang of it, he says. "It is sort of like riding a horse where you cannot lean on the reins but all body movements come out of your seat and saddle. The saddle is a unicycle saddle, you would slip forward off a regular bike saddle." Michael decided to introduce his unique bicycle in Galway during the Galway Arts Festival because: "The arts festival has a great way of looking at things." And he's been quite happy to give a `spin' to those who ask. While the bike won't win the Tour de France it will provide hours of fun, he promises. The bike is a prototype at the moment but the Dublin man hopes to be selling them before Christmas. For more information check out his website www.sidewaysbike.com

Caption Corner

Mike Killian with his prototype Sideways bike.

Let the family go bonkers
Hundreds of great entries to last week's photo which featured Padraig Joyce getting some advice as he waited to collect the Nestor Cup after beating Mayo. The winning entry is that sent in by Mary Gibbons, Rathgranagher, Cloghans Hill, Tuam, which has Padraig being told "Your mammy said dinner is ready, so don't be late." Congrats Mary and you win a 20 book voucher for Charlie Byrne's Bookshop. Now for this week's competition. Our photo shwos Connemara woman and TV anchor Grainne Seoige and top jockey Barry Geraghty as they launch the Race Ball to be held next week in the Radisson. What do you think is (has) been said. Write it on a postcard and send it to Caption Corner, Galway Advertiser, 41/42 Eyre Square, Galway or by email to dvarley@galwayadvertise r.ie Best of luck! -- DV It can be difficult take part in fun activities like bowling when you have small children to mind but now you can at City Bowl, Oranmore, which recently opened the Bonkers Soft Play Area, an area

HP Race winner
Congratulations to Mr Peter Kelly of Ballyglunin, Tuam who won two tickets to next Wednesday's race meeting courtesy of Hewlett-Packard. Thanks and better luck next time to the hundreds of others who entered!!

`Your mammy said dinner is ready, so don't be late.'

specially designed for children and toddlers between the ages of 0 and 10. In fact there's something for everyone -- City Bowl is an emporium of family entertainment with games to suit all ages, featuring Extreme Bowl which is the latest bowling experience, simulator games including the brand new FX Simulator virtual reality game, pool tables, and Laser Quest. The new Bonkers Play Area, which is situated upstairs in the centre, has been designed to keep toddlers, pre-schoolers, and young children amused for hours on end with very imaginative and

exciting play facilities. It includes soft cushioned rockers in the shape of crocodiles and tigers, soft building blocks, a baby ball pool, treasure hunt, shape games, and bendy mirrors. Next to it is a larger ball pool area and a fun obstacle course with crawl tube, slides, a spiders layer, and dizzy disk to name but a few. There's also a battle zone area and kiddies car track featuring a fun car wash, and large toy petrol pumps. While the children are enjoying themselves adults can enjoy the facilities of the coffee dock area and the broadband Internet access.

The entertainment centre is open seven days a week from early morning until late each evening. It also features Crisp Restaurant and the six screen Omniplex cinema on site, along with the City Bowl entertainment centre. To celebrate the launch of Bonkers Play Area, City Bowl is throwing a party for all the family this Sunday from 2.30pm until 5pm. There will be fun galore for children of all ages with free Extreme Bowling, Laser Quest, Bonkers Play Area for the smaller kids, children's entertainers, and much more. For more information call City Bowl on (091) 388980.