In the final episode of the first series of 'Galway City - Your Council', Fergal meets Brian Sheridan, the Harbour Master in the Port of Galway, to find out more about the role of a Harbour Master, and the importance of the Port to Galway City now, and in the past and the future plans for the port of Galway. This is the last episode in the first series of Galway City - Your Council podcast. We hope you've enjoyed listening to some of the people working in your local authority. Listen back to...

Our penultimate weekly guest is Galway City Council’s new Irish Language Officer Marcus Ó Conaire. Marcus is tasked with promoting the Irish language and you will hear a great chat now about the role of the Irish language in the history, geography and culture of Galway. As the local authority for Ireland’s third largest city - a leader in culture, education and business - Galway City Council is delivering services for a population of 83,456, with a 2023 revenue budget of €113 million, and a...

Our guest this week is Paula Kearney, Galway City Council’s first Biodiversity Officer. In a professional career which spans over 20 years, Paula has provided strategic advice and managed multi-disciplinary inputs for Environmental Impact Assessments on a wide-range of projects including wind farms, greenways, roads, water treatment and flood relief schemes. In her current role as the Biodiversity Officer, Paula facilitates and co-ordinates the implementation of the Galway City Council...

Our guest this week is Helen Kilroy is the Head of Finance and Director of Services for ICT. Helen is a Chartered Accountant, having worked in practice in a number of senior roles in EY, Deloitte and BDO, before joining the local authority sector.   Helen is responsible for the Council budget of €113m and is working with the senior management team to drive corporate governance, digital transformation and income maximisation.   Helen talks to Fergal about her interesting journey from studying...

Our guest this week is Tom Costello who is a Dog Warden from the Ballybane Dog Pound. Galway City Council seeks to promote responsible dog ownership - the basis of which is licensing and control of dogs. Dogs are wonderful pets and are loyal and dedicated companions. However, if you are considering taking a dog into your life, or if you already have a dog, it is important that you think seriously about the commitment that dog ownership entails. Being a dog owner is a huge responsibility -...

Our guest this week is Emmet Humphreys, Senior Executive Architect in Housing, in Galway City Council.   Emmet discusses his career as an architect from his studies in Sweden to a private practice in Drogheda to public service in Roscommon and Galway. Emmet has always had a keen interest in urban planning and the crucial role of collaboration between all the stakeholders including civic, commercial, community and cultural interests. This is a fascinating discussion for anybody interested in...

Our guest this week is James Reynolds who is a technical officer with the Galway City Museum. James chats about how they go about the conservation, storage and preservation of all the fascinating objects in the museum. We interviewed Eithne Verling who is the director of the Galway City museum on ep11 last week and we now have part 2 this week of our focus on the Galway City Museum The Galway City – Your Council series can be listened to every Tuesday where we will be chatting to some of the...

Our guest this week is Eithne Verling who is the director of the Galway City Museum. The Galway City Museum mandate is to explore and share the rich history, archaeology and culture of Galway from prehistoric to modern times. So as you can imagineour chat with Eithne touches on history and culture from the ancient BC ruins of the Aran islands, to the early church to medieval trade to exhibitions featuring U2 and Hip Hop music. Fro details on the Galway City Museum go to...

Our guest this week is Edward Conlon, a Housing Liaison Officer. Galway City Council own and manage over 2,000 properties and the Tenant Liaison Officers provide a wide range of services to tenants including advice to tenants on all details of their tenancy agreements, developing Residents Associations, providing details of services being provided by Galway City Council and assisting in problems like anti-social behaviour. Listen now to my interview as we chat about Edward’s role as a housing...

This week in Galway City – Your Council, Fergal meets Mary Lyons, who retired from Galway City Council in 2012.   Mary worked in the home as a housewife for 30 years, before returning to paid work in Galway City Council at the age of 52. On her return, Mary realised how invaluable her skills running the home, raising 5 children, being a foster parent to over 30 foster children, and being involved in various committees, were in the workplace.   Her life experience meant she found herself well...

Our guest this week is Ian Brennan, the facilities manager for the Leisureland complex in Salthill which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. Leisureland has been serving the community of Galway City where many thousands of people have learned to swim, while many more have attended concerts, performed on the stage, or visited the amusements and mini golf. We chatted about the history of this iconic building and Leisureland’s future plans.  The Galway City – Your Council series can be...

Our guest this week is Brian Barrett who is the acting director of services covering Corporate Governance & Services, Community, Climate Change and Galway City Council’s humanitarian refugee response including the Ukrainian crisis. We also chatted about what makes Galway city such an attractive city for both companies and people to work and live in.  The Galway City – Your Council series can be listened to every Tuesday where we will be chatting to some of the people who deliver Galway...

Sharon Connolly is a Senior Engineer in Galway City Council, with responsibility for Environment, Parks and Recreation, and Capital Sports Projects.  Sharon has worked on projects around the world, including Ireland, the UK and Qatar, and has over three decades experience as an engineer.   Sharon started her career when far fewer women were getting opportunities in STEM industries – Sharon sheds insight on her experiences and challenges, including her move from private consultancy to the...

Our guest today is Pat is McPhilbin who has worked for over 30 years with the litter management unit who cleanup the streets of Galway for 365 days of the year. Pat chats about what his role entails and the changes he has seen in Galway over the 30 years. The Galway City – Your Council series can be listened to every Tuesday where we will be chatting to some of the people who deliver Galway City Council’s services and celebrate the valuable work they do in Galway City. As the local authority...

Our guest is Fergal McGrath, Manager of the Town Hall and the black Box Theatres, which are Galway City's Municipal Theatres. Fergal has worked in the cultural sector for over 30 years and is closely associated with the growth and development of a number of leading Irish companies and organisations including Galway Arts Festival, the establishment of Baboró Children’s Arts Festival, and the world renowned Druid Theatre Company. Fergal talks about the evolution of the Galway arts sector over...

Our guest this week is Jason Craughwell who is the coordinator of the Galway Sports Partnership. Galway Sports Partnership is an initiative of the Irish Sports Council to create a national structure to co-ordinate and promote the development of sport at local level.  The main aim of Galway Sports Partnership is to increase the level of participation in sport, recreation and physical activity, to ensure that local resources are used to best effect and that sustainable structures are...

Our 2nd guest is Aisling Colreavy who is the Healthy Galway City Coordinator responsible for coordinating community-led projects and initiatives that aim to improve the health and wellbeing of those living in Galway city. Aisling is involved in the implementation of targeted initiatives in the areas of healthy eating, physical activity, mental health, sexual health, tobacco free and alcohol harm prevention and reduction, with a particular focus on disadvantaged communities and those at risk...

Our first guest Brendan McGrath has been at the helm of Galway City Council for the past decade and has just retired after 47 years of public service. Throughout his impressive and extensive career, Brendan has worked in a myriad of roles in various local authorities in Meath, Wexford, Roscommon, Kildare, Galway County and Galway City Council. Brendan reflects on his time with Galway City Council and he shares great insights from a long career in local government.    The Galway City – Your...

Join us wherever you listen to your podcasts on Friday the 23rd of June when we celebrate “Your Council Day” with the launch of our new weekly podcast series Galway City – Your Council. Every Tuesday we will be chatting to some of the people who deliver Galway City Council’s services and celebrate the valuable work they do every week in Galway City. As the local authority for Ireland’s third largest city - a leader in culture, education and business - Galway City Council is delivering...