Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins has recorded a Covid19 message for the Irish people in a special address for independent radio stations. President Higgins expressed sympathy to those who have lost loved ones to the pandemic.

He says that this virus will pass and when it does we can show our appreciation by supporting what is local. 

He added that other people have to be praised as well. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the many others who are risking their safety in order to ensure the continued delivery of necessary services”.

Galway Bay fm newsroom:

The Adult Cystic Fibrosis Team at UHG will use online video conferencing instead of face-to-face outpatient appointments during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The team began work on its telemedicine project at the start of this year, which involves delivering a physiotherapy service to patients online.

The video link technology allows patients to speak with physicians, the clinical nurse specialist, the dietitian and a physiologist as required.

The video consultation covers everything patients would normally get from a face-to-face meeting, apart from respiratory testing and measuring of vital signs.

Plans are being formulated to conduct these types of tests remotely in the future however.

Meanwhile, each member of the clinical team can access the video link from different rooms – allowing them to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Galway Bay fm newsroom:

A Garda Sergeant has been appointed to Headford Garda Station for the duration of the Coronavirus crisis.

It’s the first permanently deployed member of the force to the village garda station in years, with current Gardai from Tuam using the building only when they’re in the area.

It’s understood the move is in line with HSE and Government advice on social distancing.

In a statement to Galway Bay FM news, An Garda Síochána said the restructuring will “provide greater resilience and prevent contagion in An Garda Síochána.”

Tuam area Fine Gael Councillor, Andrew Reddington says the extra Garda support will be a great asset to the local communities:

Galway Bay fm newsroom – The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that 13 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Ireland have died.

·        9 deaths located in the east, 1 in the south, 3 in the west of the country.

·        The patients included 4 females and 9 males.

·        10 patients were reported as having underlying health conditions.

There have now been 98 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

The median age of deaths in Ireland is 82.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed of 402 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, as at 1pm, Thursday 2nd April.

There are now 3,849 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

The HSE is now working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “We have a more detailed ICU report available this evening. Of 148 cases admitted to ICU, 25 of those cases have been discharged, sadly there have been 14 deaths from ICU and 109 remain in ICU. The median age of ICU admission is 62.

“I would also like to highlight a worrying scene I witnessed during my visit to hospital on Tuesday evening; empty waiting rooms and empty beds. While protecting yourself from COVID-19 is a priority, no one should ignore signs that they may need medical attention for other ailments such as lumps, chest pain or other concerns. Please do not ignore any symptom outside of COVID-19. The hospitals are there for all ailments, not just COVID-19.”

Galway Bay fm newsroom – There are now 3,849 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

The HSE is now working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.

Today’s data from HPSC, as of midnight, Tuesday 31^st March 2020 (3,282 cases), reveals:

·        48% are male and 50% are female, with 160 clusters involving 659 cases

·        Median age of confirmed cases is 48 years

·        932 cases (28%) have been hospitalised

·        Of those hospitalised, 134 cases have been admitted to ICU

·        841 cases (26%) are associated with healthcare workers

·        Dublin has the highest number of cases at 1,838 (56% of all cases) followed by Cork with 272 cases (8%). Galway remains at the lower end of the cases, with 88 confirmed to date. There were no new cases today.

Today on the show Keith looks at the Chambers Survey, what we can and cannot do during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government formation, recently elected Senators and much more.

Remember Galway Bay FM is always switched on, tune into Galway Bay FM for the best music you know and love. Click HERE for the weekend schedule, and if your looking for something to watch this weekend well look no further because we have selected some of the best bits on the telly over the next 3 days.

TONIGHT

RTÉ TWO – Natural World – 7:30pm

Save The Panda

An exploration of the work of the Chengdu research centre in China’s Sichuan province as staff try to conserve giant pandas and embark on the risky process of reintroducing some of them back into the wild.

RTÉ ONE – Fleadh Ceoil – 8:30pm

Back again with a traditional music performance by duo Timmy Doyle and Fiona Nic Conmara, with presenter Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh joining in, playing with Séamus Begley and friends. The series ends with the Senior All Ireland Céile Band Champions, Cnoc na Gaoithe céile band.

TG4 – Big Jake – 9:05pm

What’s better than a good ole country-western? A country-western starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara.  Bandits attack a Texas ranch and kidnap a boy, demanding a $1million ransom. However, they have reckoned without the intervention of the youngster’s tough grandfather, who sets out on the trail with the aid of his two sons, a cunning tracker and his faithful dog.

RTÉ TWO – In The Name of The Father – 9:30pm

Unemployed young Irishman Gerry Conlon (Daniel Day-Lewis) gets by as a petty thief in 1970s Belfast. When local IRA leaders get fed up with him, he flees to England and meets up with his friend Paul Hill (John Lynch). On the same night that the IRA bombs a nearby pub, the friends get kicked out of their communal digs and are forced to sleep in a park. He returns to Belfast but is arrested as the prime suspect in the bombing and imprisoned, where he spends 15 years trying to clear his name.

RTÉ ONE – The Late Late Show – 9:35pm

Once again The Late Late show will be presented by Miriam O’Callaghan tonight. Michael Prendergast, a man we’ve most likely seen on social media over the last few days. A 28-year-old from Kerry who was hospitalised with Covid-19, speaks about his experience of contracting the virus. Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, is in studio to discuss the marked increase in calls to the service by concerned elderly members of the community who are living alone, while Gavin James performs a number of songs. Joe Wicks and Laura Whitmore speak from their homes, as well as John Sheahan and Philomena Begley.

Virgin Media ONE – Fast & Furious 7 – 10:00pm

After defeating Owen Shaw and his crew and securing amnesty for their past crimes, Dom, Brian and the rest of the team return home to live normal lives again. However, Shaw’s older brother Deckard – a rogue Special Forces assassin vows revenge on Dom, who he holds responsible for leaving Owen in a coma. Action thriller sequel, starring Vin Diesel, Jason Statham and Paul Walker in his last film role.

SATURDAY

RTÉ ONE – CARS 3 – 6:35pm

Perfect flick for the little and big kids. Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast cars, the legendary Lighting McQueen finds himself pushed out of the sport that he loves. Hoping to get back in the game, he turns to Cruz Ramirez, an eager young technician who has her own plans for winning. With inspiration from the Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns, No. 95 prepares to compete on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage.

TG4 – Opry an Iúir – 8:25PM

Daniel O’Donnell returns to the Millennium Forum in Derry to present a tribute show to George Jones. He is joined by George and Tammy Wynette’s daughter Georgette Jones, alongside Jimmy Buckley and Robert Mizell who share their George Jones stories and experiences.

RTÉ ONE – Pat Shortt’s Music From The D’Telly – 8:30pm

Featuring archive performances from Amy Winehouse and Robbie Williams, plus a rarely seen 1982 interview with Rory Gallagher and the story of a government-appointed song collector.

RTÉ ONE – All Round To Mrs Brown’s – 9:30pm

Mrs Brown’s Boys creator, writer and star Brendan O’Carroll dons Agnes’s famous cardigan and curly wig once again as he throws open the doors of the larger-than-life Irish matriarch’s home to host the Saturday night chat show. In the third episode of the series, Agnes and the family are joined on the show by Spice Girl Mel B, comedy actor and Little Britain star Matt Lucas, with his mother Diana Lobatto. Plus, a special musical performance from Jax Jones and Raye.

RTÉ ONE – The Tommy Tiernan Show – 10:35

We really forward to this show every week, neither Tommy or the audience knows who the guests are!

SUNDAY

RTÉ TWO – Home School Extra – 11:30am

A takeover `YouTube-style” format, where youngsters from all over the country re-connect by uploading and posting video messages and content that can be showcased.

RTÉ ONE – Keys To My Life – 8:30pm

Brendan Courtney meets Eurovision legend Johnny Logan who traces his life through homes in which he has resided in Copenhagen, Howth, Drogheda and London.

RTÉ TWO – Hot Pursuit – 9:00pm

An uptight, accident prone police officer desperate to prove herself has to protect a gangster’s widow who has agreed to give evidence against a drug lord. They end up forced to go on the run together and are pursued across Texas by hitmen and corrupt cops. Crime comedy, starring Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara.

Podcasts

Some podcasts you might like to listen to:

The Blind Boy Podcast

Doireann Garrihy

Irish History Podcast

Galway Bay fm newsroom – NUI Galway will confer more than 300 graduates online next week.

Due to restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the University will not be able to hold them in person and will mark the occasion through Facebook live instead.

On Monday 190 future doctors will be conferred.

NUI Galway pushed forward their final year exams to ensure they would be available to enter the healthcare workforce.

For more on this story, tune in to Galway Bay fm on the hour..

Galway Bay fm newsroom – A Galway mental health charity is offering free remote counselling services for those struggling with their mental wellbeing during the coronavirus crisis.

Helplink Mental Health is based on the Headford Road and provides accessible, free or low cost mental health services in the west seven days a week.

The offer of 6 free counselling sessions is available to those who have been laid off during the covid-19 crisis, people dealing with gambling, alcohol/drug addiction and those living abroad or who’ve recently returned to Ireland due to the pandemic.

The app which is available on smartphones, laptops and tablets, makes use of an easy-to-use video/phone app for counselling appointments.

CEO of Helplink Mental Health, Lochlann Scott says its a stressful time for Irish people at home and abroad.

For more on this story, tune in to Galway Bay fm on the hour..

Galway Bay fm newsroom – A new Contact Tracing Centre has been established beside University Hospital Galway.

The centre is located in a building owned by local heart and stroke charity, Croí, and has been set up in partnership with the HSE.

The Galway charity says it has ceased all face-to-face programmes in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19 and therefore, decided to offer its vacant buildings to the HSE.

It follows the establishment of a seperate Contact Tracing Centre at GMIT earlier this week.

Croí has also offered its Courtyard Apartments, which usually accommodate the families of patients in emergency cardiac care, to staff at UHG.

The charity says the apartments can be used to accommodate ICU staff on the frontline who need to stay away from their families as part of infection control.

However, CEO of Croí, Neil Johnson says the charity’s services are still available to those in need.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been informed that 22 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Ireland have died.

·        18 deaths located in the east, 3 in the south, 1 in the west of the country.

·        The patients included 11 females and 11 males.

·        16 patients were reported as having underlying health conditions

·        Median age of today’s reported deaths is 80

There have now been 120 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland.

The median age of deaths in Ireland is 82.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed of 424 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, as at 1pm, Thursday 2nd April.

There are now 4,273 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Today’s data from HPSC, as of midnight, Wednesday 1^st April 2020 (3,655 cases), reveals:

·        48% are male and 51% are female, with 171 clusters involving 626 cases

·        Median age of confirmed cases is 48 years

·        1,039 cases (28%) have been hospitalised

·        Of those hospitalised, 148 cases have been admitted to ICU

·        948 cases (26%) are associated with healthcare workers

·        Dublin has the highest number of cases at 2,077 (57% of all cases) followed by Cork with 292 cases (8%).

Galway remains at the lower end of confirmed cases at 98, with an increase of 7 in today’s report.

Our Alan has put together a monumentally uplifting set of tunes to get you up and dancing around your kitchen or living room this weekend. All handpicked to help you beat the self-isolation boredom and blues. Dance your worries away with this set of ultimate bops. You’re welcome!

1. Little Mix ‘Break-Up Song’ – Our fave girl band have been delivering nonstop anthems for almost a decade now and this is one of their best yet. It’s totally 80s but still totally fresh. Future nostalgia you could even call it.

2. Dua Lipa ‘Physical’ – It’s a banger and a half from one of the world’s hottest pop stars. Missing the club? This will bring the club to your sitting room this weekend for 3 minutes and 13 wonderful seconds.

3. Lady Gaga ‘Stupid Love’ – It’s not quite her finest moment but we’re glad Queen Gaga has ditched the country vibes (yawn) and brought back a catchy slice of electro-pop. About time Gaga!

4. The Weekend ‘Blinding Lights’ – Yeah, it’s been on repeat for months already but it’s such a glorious blast of air-punching synth goodness, that it has to be included on any Top 10 list.

5. Billie Eilish ‘Bad Guy’ – She’s the best thing to happen to music in years and totally lives up to the massive hype. This is a particular moment. Pop perfection.

6. Doja Cat ‘Say So’ – It’s an absolute jam with more funk than you can handle. Vibe out to this super slick track and you won’t have a care in the world.

7. Joel Corry ‘Lonely’ – We won’t hold the fact he was on Geordie Shore against him but only because this is such a tuuuune! I tried so hard not to like it but lost.

8. Niall Horan ‘Nice To Meet Ya’ – He’s the nicest guy in pop. He’s Irish. Enough said. Oh, and the song is sexy as hell.

9. Lindsay Lohan ‘Back To Me’ – It’s the pop comeback none of us knew we needed in our lives. It’s a bit naff. A bit cringe. And a lot amazing. She’s everyone’s favourite hot mess so it’d be only criminal (no pun intended) not to get your groove on to this.

10. Robyn ‘Dancing On My Own’ – This song takes on new meaning as we’re housebound indefinitely. The pulsing synths and heavenly vocals already make it one of the best pop songs of all time but now it needs a rebirth as the official quarantine anthem. Self-isolation goals right there people.

Sarsfield’s Siobhán McGrath has been named the AIB Camogie Club Player of the Year for 2019/20. Siobhan scored the winning goal during Sarsfield’s victory over Slaughtneil in the AIB All-Ireland Senior Camogie Club Championship Final in Croke Park.

Siobhan spoke to Oisin Langan

AIB are proud sponsors of the Camogie, Hurling and Football Club Championships and are in their seventh year sponsoring the All-Ireland Camogie Club Championships. 

Minister of State for Sport, Brendan Griffin, today hosted the latest online meeting with representatives of the sporting sector. The engagement focussed on the broad range of impacts on sporting organisations as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The sports sector individuals represented today were: Philip Browne (IRFU, CEO),  Ciaran Gallagher (Gymnastics Ireland, CEO), Sarah Keane (Swim Ireland, CEO),  Chris Kitchen (Triathlon Ireland, CEO),  Miriam Malone (Paralympics Ireland, CEO),  Matt McKerrow (Cycling Ireland, CEO), Mary O’Connor (Federation of Irish Sport), Gary Owens (FAI), Peter Sherrard (Olympic Federation of Ireland, CEO), Tom Ryan (GAA, CEO), John Treacy (Sport Ireland, CEO), Paul McDermott (Sport Ireland).

Minister Griffin said: “Through my ongoing engagements with the sporting sector, I am acutely aware of how Irish sport is being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The resilience and commitment of the people who organise and run sport in Ireland has been very evident during this crisis. I greatly appreciate that, like so many other sectors, sport in Ireland is determined to play its part in these testing times.With no fixtures taking place and major events being postponed, every sport has been brought to a halt.

The Government is so appreciative of what sport has done for the country at this time, including making facilities available as well as sports club members looking out for vulnerable people in our communities. All those who love sport are missing their normal pursuits and this is very difficult for sports people at every level. 

We are all are united in the aim of ensuring that the sector will recover when sport returns. The Government’s range of vital supports is helping sport in Ireland to survive and we will continue to maintain a constant dialogue with the sector during this rapidly evolving situation.

The Covid-19 crisis has highlighted just how important sport is to the Irish people and I know that sport will have an enormous role in helping Ireland return to normality when we get through this situation.”

In 2016, Galway Bay FM commissioned a series of interviews with Galway Sports Legends.

The interviews were conducted by Gemma Ni Chionnaith and she spoke to 10 stars who presented the county with pride.

Over the next couple of weeks, Galway Bay FM look back on the series continuing today with Noel Mannion.

The Ballinasloe man won 16 caps for Ireland between 1988 and 1993 and played in the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

He also scored one of the most memorable tries in Irish Rugby history against Wales in the 1989 Five Nations.

Delia Kelly

Cappaghnaughton, Mullagh.  Private funeral to take place.  A memorial mass in celebration of Delia Kelly’s life will be held at a later date.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to the work and enduring legacy of Connemara-based author Tim Robinson, who has died from the Covid-19 virus in London.

Mr Robinson – who was also an artist and cartographer – was 85 years old and lived for many years in Roundstone with his wife Mairéad.

Originally from England, he moved to the Aran Islands in the 1970’s – and most of his subsequent work was focused on Connemara and The Burren.

In a statement, President Higgins says he will be remembered for his deep understanding of, and affection for, the landscape, heritage and people of Connemara, the Burren and the Aran Islands.

Mr. Robinson died at a London hospital just two weeks after the passing of his wife Mairéad.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Boston Scientific has confirmed it plans to reduce working hours for its Galway workforce in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The firm – which employs almost 4 thousand people in Galway – says the move is temporary in response to a significant impact anticipated in the second quarter.

For all Irish operations, working schedules for employees will be reduced and some non-essential manufacturing will be put on hold, where sufficient supplies already exist.

Boston Scientific says the actions are being taken to allow the firm to be in a better position to support customers and patients once healthcare systems begin to recover and elective procedures return to normal volumes.

Galway Bay fm newsroom – The Regional Executive of the IFA for the Galway area has welcomed clarity secured on the cutting of domestic turf during the Covid-19 crisis.

Turf cutting on non-designated bogs has now officially been deemed an essential service in the agricultural field.

IFA Regional Executive for Galway/Mayo, Roy O’ Brien, says it’s a welcome move – but those cutting turf must adhere to the same strict guidelines as everyone else.

To hear more, tune into Galway Bay fm news….