The control of the beef sector is in the hands of too few and needs more competition – that’s the view of Supermac’s head, Pat McDonagh. As reported by the Irish Independent, Galway man Pat McDonagh, whose restaurant chain buys around 30,000 tonnes of Irish…

Galway City misses out on a small cruise ship due to weather conditions yesterday morning. The Silver Wind cruise ship, a small vessel with a passenger capacity of upwards on 300 passengers, was unable to dock in Galway Bay in the early hours of Friday.…

Our summer of 2019 looks set to end as it began – with rain showers defying the best efforts of the sunshine to break through. Met Eireann warned that the country faces yet another week of mixed conditions with intermittent spells of sunshine, but rain…

Heritage Week 2019 kicks off today, with over 2,000 events being held around the country to celebrate and promote our built, natural and cultural heritage. Many of the events over the next week are free of charge, and are hosted by local communities,…

A class of graduate nurses in Galway face unemployment or emigration because of a recruitment freeze, according to a local Fianna Fáil TD. Eugene Murphy says 64 students are about to complete an internship in University Hospital Galway. But he says they've…

A Grange Institute of Technology Sligo student has won the Allergan Innovation Award. Patricia Regan of the Faculty of Science at IT Sligo won the prestigious award along with €7,500 for her pioneering research into Alzheimer’s disease. Her research aims to…

Gardai in Galway are investigating after a cemetery on the west side of Galway City was subjected to 'mindless' and 'disgraceful' vandalism overnight. Galway City Council says sometime between the hours of 4.30am on Thursday, and 8.30am on Friday, a…

Mayo Fianna Fail deputy Lisa Chambers says the government’s Public Services Card scheme was flawed from the start, and is now deemed to have broken data protection laws The State has been told it must delete data held on 3.2 million citizens, which was…

The HSE has confirmed to Senator Michelle Mulherin that a full time GP position in Lahardane has been offered to an applicant, and it is now awaiting the successful applicant’s response to the job offer. There has been increasing concern in Laherdane over the…

Carraig Donn, the Westport based retailer of fashion, jewellery and giftware, have today announced plans to open a new retail outlet and warehouse in Castlebar. The company, which currently operates 40 outlets across Ireland, plan to open their latest store…

St. Joseph’s Secondary School in Foxford has been approved funding for a significant extension to the school under the Additional Accommodation Scheme. Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring has welcomed the announcement. He told Mid West…

The Public Services Card has been found to be breaking data-protection laws. The State has now been told it must delete data held on over 3 million citizens that it gathered as part of the card's roll out. The Data Protection Commissioner carried out an…

Next Monday 19th August is the opening date for the new financial assistance scheme for beef and suckler farmers. Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has confirmed that the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure will be open for applications from next Monday 19th August…

Financial constraints are preventing the Saolta Hospital group from hiring, as Minister Harris promised, all graduating nurses for a twelve month contract. In response to Midwest news today asking why Mayo and Galway graduating nurses were not all being…

There have been delays on trains on the Sligo-Dublin line this morning . Due to a mechanical fault, delays of over 40 minutes were reported. It's understood the mechanical issue has now been resolved, but there are some knock-on delays to services.

36 primary schools across the country, including 2 in Mayo, have been selected for a hot school meals pilot scheme. It's a new initiative from the Department of Social Protection to provide a hot lunch to students on a daily basis from next month. Scoil…

The runway at Shannon Airport has re-opened. It was closed since early this morning after a main-wheel well of a plane carrying US military caught fire. A number of flights have been cancelled and delays are expected throughout the day. Passengers are advised…

Two young sailors were safely rescued close Old Head in Clew Bay yesterday. Just before 4pm the Beach Lifeguards on Old Head beach near Louisburgh raised the alert when they observed the crew of a small sailing dinghy about 1.5 nautical miles north east of…

Galway Educate Together School is one of 17 schools across the country identified as having structural issues. The schools were constructed by the same company that built the 22 schools where defects were discovered last year. All schools built by Western…

Despite a promise by Minister Simon Harris that all graduating nurses would be offered a 12 month contract on graduation in an attempt to address the shortage of nurses in our hospitals, that is not happening for nurses graduating from Mayo and Galway…

All flights at Shannon Airport have been temporarily suspended. The airport says it's due to an incident on a Boeing 763 plane, and all passengers and crew have disembarked. Emergency services are at the scene, and the airport says more information will…

Students receiving their first round CAO offers later today are being urged to treat it as the only one they get. Thousands will be able to log on to the CAO's website from 2pm and find out if they're successful in getting their preferred course. The offers…

More talks are to take place next Monday to try to resolve the beef farming dispute. Earlier this week, discussions were had between farming organisations, Beef Plan and government agencies, and it has now been decided to continue negotiations next week. The…

The funeral of a Galway teenager who died after falling ill at a debs is taking place this afternoon. Jessica Moore was pronounced dead in hospital in the early hours of Monday morning, a short time after the event in Ballinasloe. The Loughrea woman was due…

A number of people were taken by ambulance to Mayo University Hospital today following a six-vehicle collision near Balla. The N60 Castlebar to Balla was closed to traffic earlier this afternoon following the multi-vehicle collision but has since reopened.…

A Roscommon TD has slammed what he calls "continued efforts by the HSE and Government" to close the Rosalie Unit in Castlerea. Despite a number of promises made by the Government in recent years, the HSE is continuing with its campaign to close the unit and…

The Mayo Peace Park in Castlebar is attracting thousands of tourists each year, but at least one pedestrian crossing is needed in the area - according to local FG Councillor Ger Deere. He says people are having difficulty crossing the busy N5 on the Lannagh…

The Ambassador of the Korean War Veteran's Memorial Foundation in the US is visiting the Mayo Peace Park in Castlebar today. Hannah Kim has visited war memorials in a number of countries across the world, to pay respect to those who fought and sacrificed…

A number of festivals across the region, that were at risk of being cancelled, have got a reprieve , as a new licence is being sought to allow Civil Defence volunteers to continue providing emergency medical cover. A problem around the licensing of first-aid…

A Mayo TD is concerned that small and medium-sized businesses are ill-prepared for Brexit. The findings of a study by the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation reveals that 50% of SMEs have not actively planned for Brexit. Fianna Fail's Brexit…

Roscommon-Galway TD Eugene Murphy says it's essential that the talks between the Beef Sector stakeholders produce results for Irish farmers. The Fianna Fail TD says it was the determined action farmers supporting the Beef Plan movement protests over the last…

The heartbroken father of a Co Galway teenager, who died suddenly after her Debs Ball, has said her death has left an “irreplaceable hole” in the family’s lives. 19-year old Jessica Moore from Bullaun, Loughrea passed away in the early hours of Monday morning…

Judging in the 2019 Pride of Place competition is taking place in three areas of Co Roscommon over today and tomorrow. The all-island competition recognises community contribution to the local society, and the three areas nominated in Co Roscommon this year…

With over 1,700 students in Mayo receiving their Leaving Cert results today, the Road Safety Authority based in Ballina is reminding students to celebrate safely and responsibly. Chief Executive Moyagh Murdock says this is the start of an exciting new chapter…

The HSE is taking its time in coming back with answers on its plans for a full time GP service in Lahardane. That’s according to Mayo Fine Gael Senator Michelle Mulherin. The Senator is seeking clarification following a packed public meeting that took place…

Almost 250 million euro promised by religious orders for victims of historical child abuse has yet to be paid. The payments were committed to the State over a decade ago to help with the cost of supporting victims. The Christian Brothers offered playing…

The Agriculture Minister is urging "continued constructive dialogue" between those involved in the ongoing beef sector dispute. Michael Creed's comments come after progress was made following discussions yesterday. Developments were made on market…

The National Novena at Knock Shrine gets underway tomorrow (Wednesday) with a variety of speakers over the nine days. Former Taoiseach John Bruton is the guest speaker tomorrow on the theme Faith Future and Europe This year is the 140th anniversary of the…

It's Results Day for over 1,700 students across Co Mayo, who will receive their Leaving Cert results today along with 59,000 students nationally. The results will be available in schools this morning, and will also be available online from 10am at…

Tributes are being paid to the young woman who died after a debs in Ballinasloe, Co Galway. Jessica Moore, from Loughrea, was partying with friends in a hotel on Sunday night when she became unwell. The 19-year-old was pronounced dead in Portiuncula…

The beef talks in Backweston, county Kildare adjourned after more than 12 hours of discussions between the various parties in the early hours of this morning. The independent Chairman Michael Dowling is to circulate a document based on the proposals that were…

A post mortem examination is due to take place tomorrow on the body of a young woman who died after becoming unwell at a Debs Ball in a hotel in Galway in the early hours of this morning. Emergency services were called and the 19-year-old was brought to…

Lifeguards throughout the country found more 300 children wandering close to water without any supervision last year. In 2018, lifeguards rescued 303 people who were in difficulty. Irish Water Safety, based in Galway, says lifeguards should not be treated as…

An inquest was told today that a rare allergic reaction to a drug which is commonly prescribed for stomach disorders caused the death of a 48-year old Mayo woman in August last year. The hearing into the death of mother-of-four Amanda Niland of Mountain,…

The Bishop of Elphin has hit out at underage drinking, and has criticised adults who give or sell alcohol to teenagers. Bishop Kevin Doran said the streets of Sligo were full of young people having a laugh and enjoying the atmosphere at the Summer festival,…

There are working people on the minimum wage in this region that cannot afford to pay for their prescription tablets and so go without medication for a number of days in any month. That’s according to the Cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District,…

Irish Water, working in partnership with Galway County Council have restored water to the Kilkerrin/Moylough Public Water Supply . Areas supplied by Slieveroe Water Tower suffered loss of water supply due to a deterioration in raw water quality as a result of…

Today sees the launch of National Chipping Week. The nationwide campaign has been organised by Dogs Trust to raise awareness of the importance of microchipping your pet. This week, the charity is offering a Microchip Certificate Amnesty, allowing dog owners…

Roscommon Independent deputy Denis Naughten has sought reassurance from Minister Charlie Flanagan that Roscommon Town will retain its status as a Garda Divisional Headquarters in any re-organisation of Garda Divisions. He says recent reports on a draft…

The Beef Plan Movement and Meat Industry Ireland are preparing to meet today, to try and break the deadlock in their dispute. Farmers have been protesting at processing plants over the low prices for their animals, but the action's been suspended for the…

Changes to the way schools grant exemptions from Irish are coming in from September. One of the major changes means that students in special schools or classes will be automatically exempt. Almost 40,000 pupils avail of Irish exemptions. For the first time in…

The Agriculture Minister says he hopes progress can be made at talks between farming stakeholders tomorrow. Members of the Beef Plan Movement and Meat Industry Ireland will be among those attending, in their dispute over animal prices. Michael Creed says the…

Two adults and two children have been taken to hospital after a crash in Sligo. Two vehicles collided at around 8 o'clock this morning at Dunally Cross on Sligo/Manorhamilton Road. One of the cars caught fire after the crash, and the road has been closed for…

Irish Water's being ordered to cut 100 million euro off its running costs. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities says, compared with similar companies in Britain, its costs are up to 42 percent higher for supplying water and up to 62 percent higher for…

There's a mass exodus of football supporters en route from Mayo to Dublin, as Croke Park hosts the Mayo minors V Cork at 3pm and the senior All-Ireland semi-final between Mayo and Dublin throws-in at 5pm. Tens of thousands of Mayo supporters are making their…

Gardai say their investigations are continuing into a multi-million euro VAT Carousel Fraud. A man in his 50's was arrested as part of the investigation earlier this week, and was questioned at Castlerea Garda Station under section 50 of the Criminal Justice…

Beef farmers are warning they'll restart their protests immediately if no progress is made in talks on Monday. Last night, the Beef Plan Movement called off their pickets outside meat factories - including Dawn meats in Ballyhaunis - after 12 days of…

Sligo woman Geraldine Lynch has been named the county’s Local Hero by Sligo Retail Park for her work in championing the plight of people with invisible disabilities at Ireland West Airport, Knock. Geraldine, whose mission is to eliminate stigma and…

A countrywide weather warning ended this morning. However, there's some more bad conditions expected this weekend. A status yellow alert was lifted at seven o'clock this morning after heavy downpours overnight. Up to 40 millimetres fell in some places.…

Recent CSO figures show that there has been an 86 percent drop in the number of children cycling to school. There have been calls for schools to set drop off points away from the entrance to encourage students to walk or cycle. In Denmark, there is a law…

It’s stalemate on Day 13 of the farmers protest outside meat factories over the collapse in beef prices. Hundreds of jobs remain on the line in factories and there’s the threat of a court battle against protesting farmers by the meat plants. Westport based…

Tens of thousands of people are set to descend on Dublin this weekend. More than 82 thousand are heading to Croke Park tomorrow for the All-Ireland semi final between Mayo and Dublin and ahead of that big game the Road Safety Officer for Mayo is appealing to…

The beef industry is in a deepening crisis with hundreds of jobs on the line in factories and the threat of a court battle against protesting farmers, members of the Beef Plan. The Beef Plan movement, frustrated with the collapse of beef prices to farmers,…

A man in his 50s has been arrested in connection with a multi million euro VAT fraud investigation. Gardai say since 2016, almost 30 million euro has been identified moving through banks accounts linked to several companies here and in the North by an…

A Coast Guard helicopter has airlifted a diver today to Galway University Hospital. The diver is understood to have been diving at the wreck of the Lusitania about 12 miles off the Old head of Kinsale, and suffered a diving illness. The diver was recovered…

New figures show almost 6,000 children are waiting to see a social worker. According to Tusla, 949 of these children are regarded as 'high-priority' cases. Meanwhile, a total of 600 children in state care are waiting for a social worker to be assigned to…

The organisation representing meat factories says it's extremely disappointed that efforts by the Agriculture Minister to bring together all the beef sector stakeholders was rejected last night by the Beef Plan, who refused to participate. Meat Industry…

A number of meat factories have been forced to lay off staff temporarily as the Beef Plan protest enters its 12th day. Meat Industry Ireland has confirmed that nine meat factories have stopped working and some of these plants have temporarily laid off staff.…

Universities have recorded a sharp increase in the number of students wearing banned smart-watches in exam halls. The Irish Times reports that most third-level institutions ban the use of Fitbits, Apple Watches and other devices which allow users to upload…

A Sligo TD has called for both sides in the UK pilots dispute at Ryanair to begin talks on finding a solution to the current dispute, for the sake of passengers. His call comes as Irish passengers face an increasing risk of holiday disruption. The British…

GAA fans are still having difficulty getting their hands on tickets for this weekend's sold-out All Ireland semi-final between Dublin and Mayo. Some tickets are appearing for resale at three times the market value despite extra tickets being made available…

The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed is again appealing to members of the Beef Plan movement to accept his invitation and to enter into talks to resolve the ongoing protests outside meat factories. A number of meat factories have been forced to lay off…

A project by Mayo county council has been shortlisted in the national competition Chamber Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards. In a new category announced this year called Age Friendly Initiative, Mayo county council has been nominated for its Age…

More tickets for the All Ireland senior football semi final between Dublin and Mayo at Croke Park this Saturday are on sale from usual GAA sources since 10 o’clock this morning. Midwest Radio has received reports that Supervalu and Centra stores are selling…

Students attending college in Galway this year can expect to see college accommodation increasing in price by between 3 and 4%. A new survey by the Irish Independent shows every college has increased rent costs for the new academic year- at a time when high…

More tickets will be released later for this Saturday's All Ireland semi-final between Mayo and Dublin. Thousands of fans missed out yesterday, despite spending hours in queues online and in Supervalu and Centra shops across Mayo. The GAA is to investigate…

As protests continue outside a number of meat factories across the country, including Dawn Meats in Ballyhaunis, a Mayo Senator has reiterated her call for the Beef Forum to be reconvened. It's Day 10 of protests by the Beef Plan Movement, who are mounting…

The GAA are hoping to put more tickets on general sale for the All Ireland senior football semi final between Mayo and Dublin, once club allocations are finalised. Saturday's showdown is set to be an 82 thousand sell-out at Croke Park. Thousands of Mayo…

Irish Rail has confirmed that one additional train will run from Dublin to Mayo on Saturday night, following the All-Ireland semi-final clash of Mayo and Dublin. The Mayo minors are in action at 3pm Saturday, while the senior semi-final throws-in at 5pm.…

The search for tickets is underway in earnest, ahead of the Mayo V Dublin All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday evening in Croke Park. Long queues are reported at Supervalu and Centra stores across Mayo all day, since tickets went on sale at 10 am this morning.…

A status yellow thunder warning has been issued for nine counties - including Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Longford, Louth & Meaty. Met Éireann predicts heavy thundery downpours this afternoon and evening, with a risk of localised…

The Achill Island Lifeboat crew had a busy Bank Holiday weekend. On Saturday evening,a yacht and its crew got into difficulties off the Mayo coastline. At about 6pm, the yacht was reported as having problems near Davillaun island and the Achill Island and…

It's day 9 of the protest action by beef farmers outside a number of meat factories across the country. Yesterday evening, up to 200 members of the Beef Plan Movement took part in the ongoing action outside the Dawn Meats plant in Ballyhaunis, with a large…

Since tickets went on sale at 10 o’clock there have been large queues across Supervalu and Centra stores throughout the morning. Dublin and Mayo’s clash in Croke Park is expected to be a sell-out and fans from across the county have queued online for the…

There was a large turnout to a public meeting held in the Community Centre in Lahardane last night to discuss the need to secure a doctor’s dispensary in the village, to ensure that local people will continue to have access to a local GP. The meeting was…

The lack of any disabled car parking space on the street where the National Drivers License Office is located in Castlebar is completely unacceptable, according to local Fine Gael councillor Ger Deere. He raised the matter at the monthly meeting of Castlebar…

Supermac's has been successful in gaining a landmark EU decision against McDonald's to partially cancel the 'Mc' trademark, after fast food giant McDonald’s had claimed exclusivity over it. The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has ruled…

Today is the ninth day of protest action by beef farmers outside meat factories around the country over the collapse of beef prices. More than 150 members of The Beef Plan Movement were outside the Dawn Meats plant in Ballyhaunis yesterday Bank Holiday Monday…

Due to high winds, yesterday’s World cup brown trout angling competition on Lough Mask was cancelled until Saturday week. August 17th. A decision to cancel the international event was taken yesterday morning in light of the weather forecast, with fishing to…

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious road traffic accident in Kilkelly. The one car collision occurred close to the Applegreen station on the Knock road. Motorists are advised to approach with caution as the road is described as treacherous at…

Spokesperson for the Beef Plan Movement says its about more than fighting for an increase in the price of cattle. Vice-chair of the Western Region, David Whelehan, said that the movement’s goals stretch far beyond the price of cattle. He cited…

Gardaí in Castlebar are investigating reports of three break-ins at Castlebar business premises this week. Gardaí in are investigating a burglary at a butchers shop on Davitt street in Castlebar. Its understood intruders gained entry at approximately 2.40am…

The Road Safety Authority says driving after a boozy brunch is just as dangerous as doing it after a night out. We're being told to take extra care this weekend after a 7 per cent rise in road deaths so far this year. 90 people have been killed in crashes -…

The Minister for Agriculture is being accused of sitting back and watching from the side-lines as Ireland's beef farmers sink to their knees. Fianna Fail's spokesperson on Agriculture says the Government can't expect farmers to continue carrying losses as…

A status yellow rainfall warning is in place for Connacht, Donegal, Clare and Kerry. Met Eireann says heavy rain is expected during this afternoon and evening. It's forecasting up 30 millimetres to fall over a short period of time. The warning is in place…

The bathing ban enforced at Rosses Point and Mullaghmore beaches earlier in the week has been lifted. A high level of bacteria was found in water samples taken at the sites of the two Sligo beaches. The HSE conducted a further test on the 1st of August and…

Gardai in Castlebar are investigating reports of two break-ins at Castlebar business premises this week. In the early hours of last Wednesday, Midwest Radio News understands that a Castlebar butchers was forcibly broken into with a number of goods taken from…

The IFA claims a new trade deal between the US and the EU is another huge blow to Irish farming. Yesterday, President Donald Trump signed an agreement that will allow the States to export a lot more beef to Europe. It follows the Mercosur deal, which would…

Mayo County Council has confirmed that agreement has been reached on the purchase of Victoria House, Ballina. Contracts and paperwork will be completed over the coming weeks and subject to all relevant requirements, construction of the Mary Robinson Centre…

A man was rescued from a dangerous situation in Connemara yesterday afternoon by the volunteer crew of the Clifden RNLI, together with Coast Guard helicopter personnel and Cleggan Coast Guard volunteers. A couple were out walking at Slackport,a remote place…

For the second year, Aurivo Consumer Foods business has won the prestigious award for Best Dairy Supplier at the annual checkout ‘Best in Fresh’ Awards. The awards recognise Ireland’s leading fresh suppliers in six categories as voted for by the industry.…

Miss Universe Mayo, Shona Tuohy from Breaffy, Castlebar, was crowned first runner-up at the star-studded Miss Universe Ireland final in the Mansion House, Dublin, last night. Dubliner and NASA analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly (25) was crowned the 2019 Miss…

€62,200 in funding has been announced today by Minister Micahel Ring under the Leader Programme to support two community initiatives in Mayo. Both are based in Westport. The Edible Landscape Project (15,000 euro) – the funding will be used for training for…

A woman in a wheelchair has been a patient at Mayo University Hospital since the middle of March this year and is refusing to accept discharge, claiming that no home care package or medical plan has been provided for her. According to advocate for the…

The list of nineteen wild birds nesting along the roadways as cited by Minister Josepha Madigan’s department last month as the reason for not allowing hedge cutting along roadways in August is absurd. That’s the view of Castlebar based Fianna Fail councillor…

One in five primary school students are being taught in overcrowded classrooms. Almost half of primary schools have a classroom of 30 pupils or more. While there's no set limit on primary school classroom sizes, the Department of Education recommends no more…

It’s Day 5 of a continuous protest by farmers in Beef Plan Movement outside Dawn Meats in Ballyhaunis. Beef Plan Movement members have been protesting at a number of factories around the country since Monday morning last, over plans to cut the suckler cow…

Seven volunteer lifeboat crew members from Ballyglass RNLI came to the rescue of a large juvenile dolphin which became stranded at Bundúla, in Blacksod Bay, just outside Belmullet yesterday morning (1 August). The alarm was raised by concerned former RNLI…

Gardai are advising that the road at Cloghans Hil, Ballinrobe is closed to traffic, following a collision. A single-vehicle crash took place this afternoon. Gardai say no-one suffered life-threatening injuries, but the driver is receiving treatment. The R332…

Clifden RNLI have become the first lifeboat station on the west coast of Ireland to receive the latest in lifeboat technology, the Shannon class lifeboat. The vessel is the first modern all-weather lifeboat to be propelled by waterjets instead of traditional…

Ten people have died on roads in Mayo, Galway and Roscommon so far this year. Nationally, since the 1st January, 89 people have died on Ireland's roads, which is a 7% increase in fatalities compared to this time last year. Of the 89 fatalities, two people…

The official route for Cannonball 2019 has been announced as the supercar spectacle is coming back to Ballina on Saturday September 7th for a pit stop at 4pm. Cannonball was last in Ballina in 2014. Now the Super Cars are ready to make an entrance once again…

It’s a “festival of football” this weekend in Castlebar as Mayo face Donegal in the Super 8s in Elverys McHale Park at 6pm, with a place in the All Ireland semi finals up for grabs. Gates will open at three, and fans will be provided with musical…

393 people are waiting for beds in hospitals across the country this morning. 275 are waiting in the emergency department, while 118 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital, according to the INMO. The worst-hit hospital today is Cork University Hospital with…

There will be no further allocation of tickets to clubs for Saturday's game between Mayo & Donegal in Elverys MacHale Park. There will be no more tickets sold in shops, online or outside the ground on the day. This news was confirmed at a Mayo County Board…

Farmers are in their fourth day of protest outside Dawn Meats in Ballyhaunis. Beef Plan Movement members have been protesting at a number of factories - including Ballyhaunis since Monday - over plans to cut the suckler cow herd by half and prices being by…

Funding needs to be found to deal with the volume of potentially dangerous trees over hanging public roadways. That’s the view of Kilkelly based Fianna Fail councillor John Caulfield. At the monthly meeting of the Claremorris/Swinford Municipal District, the…

The Derriunumera recycling centre outside Castlebar has reopened to the public, after a technical issue closed the facility this morning. The recycling centre, operated by Mayo County Council, closed for a time while the issue was resolved. A council…

There's good news for almost 13,000 consumers served by the Lough Talt water supply in south Sligo and parts of Mayo. A boil notice has been in place on the water supply for most of the past year and a half, and is still in place. However, Sligo County…

President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina will attend Day 3 of the Galway Races today. It's an evening meeting, with the 7-race card at Ballybrit getting underway at 5.10. The Galway Plate is the feature race today. Yesterday's official attendance at…

Most local Garda divisions are set to double in size as part of a massive shake up of the organisation. The Irish Examiner reports that the new proposed policing model would see the number of Garda divisions cut from 28 to 19, with a similar reduction in the…

The Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council is calling for a visitors centre to be established in Newport to remember Princess Grace of Monaco, as well Grace O'Malley the Pirate Quinn, and the stained glass artist Harry Clarke. Irish-American actress Grace Kelly…

Trains on the Sligo-Dublin line are running as scheduled this morning, following delays and disruption for a time yesterday evening. The line was closed between Maynooth and Dublin for a number of hours, after lightening damaged signalling on the route.…

A protest by members of the Beef Plan movement is continuing outside a number of meat factories across the country. It's day 3 of the protest outside Dawn Meats in Ballyhaunis, where the number of farmers protesting swelled to well over one hundred at a time…

Farmers who are members of the Beef Plan movement are continuing their protest outside a number of meat factories, with upwards on 30 farmers remaining outside Dawn Meats, Ballyhaunis overnight. The protests have continued throughout the country this morning…

A former Christian Brother, with an address in Co Mayo, has been remanded on bail after he was charged with indecently assaulting a 14-year-old schoolboy while teaching in Cork in the 1980s. 65-year old Edward Bryan appeared at Cork District Court yesterday…

Gardai in Ballina are investigating what's described as “a serious incident” that occurred on the Killala Road, Ballina on Thursday night, or the early hours of last Friday morning (July 25/26th). An alleged sexual assault occurred on a woman aged in her mid…

The Infection Prevention and Control Team at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) won two categories at the recent Hospital Professional Awards – the GSK Infectious Diseases Project of the Year Award and the Consultant-led Hospital Team of the Year Award. The team…

Midlands-Northwest MEP Matt Carthy claims the British Government is 'playing a very dangerous game' over Brexit. The Sinn Fein MEP is calling on the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to intensify his plans for a no-deal scenario. Boris Johnson says the UK will leave the…

The number of vulnerable people waiting for home help support around the country has soared to around 7,200. In Mayo 341 people are waiting for the essential service, 285 in Galway, 153 in Roscommon and 230 people in Sligo-Leitrim. That’s according to today’s…

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has recently erected new road signs in the county, and has erected them in locations that are proving hazardous to road users, limiting visibility at junctions, according to Ballyhaunis based Fine Gael councillor John…

The official opening of the extensively refurbished Straide Davitt Community Hall takes place next month. Over two years of commitment and community support have resulted in a welcoming, purpose built facility now available for everyone to use and enjoy. On…

Kieran Whelton Motors in Knock has been named as Best Presented Cars in Connaught. The Dealership is amongst the first set of winners of the 2019 Car Dealership Awards which are hosted by CarsIreland.ie and Ulster Bank’s Lombard to recognise and reward…

The gates have opened at Ballybrit , as the Galway Summer racing festival gets underway this evening. Horse racing enthusiasts and fashionistas from across the country will gather in Galway this week for the 150th year of the renowned festival. The first of…

33 people in Co Mayo are on the waiting list for the Fair Deal scheme, with 45 in Galway and 24 in Sligo / Leitrim. The waiting list nationally has increased by 16% in just 3 weeks, according to the Irish Independent which claims a funding crisis is looming…

A Muslim Mosque in Galway has been vandalised overnight. Damage was caused to the mosque on the Old Monivea Road in the east of city in the early hours of this morning. Worshippers going to pray this morning found there had been a considerable amount of…

Members of the public can have their say on a new study of the Moy Estuary at one of a series of public consultation meetings. First Western, a company providing Learning and Development Solutions for Tourism Businesses and Destinations, has organised the…

The Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has announced details of the €100 million Beef Exceptional Aid Measure for Irish farmers. The funding is being provided by the EU and the Irish Government in recognition of the difficult circumstances beef farmers are…

The Beef Plan Movement is holding a number of what it describes as 'peaceful protests' outside meat factories this week as it calls on members to not trade today (Monday). Farmers protested outside ABP Bandon yesterday and are outside Dawn Meats in…

The Irish Air Corps has come to the assistance of a pilgrim climbing Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday. A woman in her mid forties is believed to have suffered a minor heart issue and was airlifted to Mayo General Hospital earlier. Another climber was sent to…

Beef farmers across Ireland will refuse to trade tomorrow to protest against plans to reduce the national herd. This week, the Climate Change Advisory Committee recommended cutting cattle numbers by 53 per cent, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Members of…

Today is Reek Sunday in County Mayo, with up to 10,000 people expected to climb Croagh Patrick. Pilgrims began the three-mile trip over a 750-metre climb at first light this morning and will continue right throughout the day. Hourly masses will be held at the…

The Manchester and Edinburgh flights to Ireland West Airport Knock have been cancelled today. Both flights have been cancelled due to operational and crew issues with Flybe. Ireland West Airport Knock say that all passengers affected will be assisted with…

Mayo TD Lisa Chambers has expressed concern over low staffing levels in the Mayo University Hospital’s Maternity Ward. There are currently 10 fulltime staff vacancies at the maternity Ward and a 2014 government review found that the hospital was 5 staff below…

The south Mayo village of Shrule is “damned with dereliction”, but it’s not the only village or town in the county with the problem, according to Ballinrobe based Fine Gael councillor Michael Burke. The councillor made the remark at this week’s monthly…

Archbishop Michael Neary will celebrate Mass in Saint Mary’s Church, Westport, at 6.30pm this evening to mark the official beginning of this year’s pilgrimage. He will also celebrate Mass on the summit of Croagh Patrick at 11 o’clock in the morning on Reek…

A county Roscommon attraction centre will host a group of international scientists tomorrow showcasing land features and settlements formed since the last Ice Age. The International Quaternary Association (INQUA) are visiting the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre as…

Weather forecasters are warning people of hot temperatures in Ireland this weekend. They won't reach the record levels of much of Europe over the past few days. However, it will be mainly dry and bright here - except for some showers forecast for Dublin and…

This weekend is the busiest of the year on Mayo's Holy Mountain, Croagh Patrick, with the annual Reek Sunday pilgrimage attracting large numbers of pilgrims from across the country and overseas. Order of Malta is urging those planning to climb the Reek to…

The Football Association of Ireland is expected to re-elect Donal Conway as its president later today. He's the only candidate for the role despite opposition from the Sports Minister and Sports Ireland. Last week the association held an EGM which passed a…

Fianna Fáil's spokesperson for children claims Ireland has tougher laws for dirty kitchens than creches. Galway TD Anne Rabbitte is calling for Tusla to have more powers to take action against childcare facilities where there's a risk to children. It's after…

An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for a large wind farm in Co Galway. A number of strong objections were lodged against it. Arderroo Wind Farm asked the planning appeals board for planning permission for 25 wind turbines in rural Connemara - in…

A 67-year-old man has admitted killing a well-known runner in Galway. Noel Lenihan of Cardinal Road, Mervue was due to stand trial for murdering Christopher McGrath at his home on March 12th 2017. He pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter…

The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed was in Ballaghadereen this afternoon, for the official opening of a new spray dryer facility at the Aurivo Dairy Ingredients plant. The new dryer is a significant element in Aurivo's €48 million capital investment…

A well-attended public meeting in Enniscrone last night heard concerns about plans to erect a telecommunications mast in a densely-populated area of the town. Sligo County Council has granted planning permission to the ESB for a 20-metre mast at a…

An Bord Pleanala has granted permission for realignment works at Glenisland on the R312 road linking Castlebar and Belmullet. Following a lengthy planning process, the go-ahead has now been given for a realignment of a section of the road to replace the…

Judges in the Entente Florale competition are visiting the Co Mayo village of Mulranny today. The international competition promotes a greener and more pleasant environment in European towns and villages. The judges are due in Mulranny for a flag-raising…

As part of a Garda crackdown on child pornography, raids were carried out across six counties this week - including Galway. Under Operation Ketch -which targets the possession and distribution of online child pornography, search warrants were executed at…

The Government has given the green light to a Bill that would reduce the fees paid by Independent Radio stations on an annual basis. At yesterday's Cabinet meeting, Ministers backed the Broadcasting Amendment Bill which allows for the levy to be reduced by up…

The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed will visit Ballaghadereen today, for the official launch of a major investment at the Aurivo Dairy Ingredients plant in the town. Aurivo has invested €26 million in installing a new spray dryer at the Ballaghadereen…

Two brothers involved in the theft of some €205,000 from a reclusive, elderly woman in Galway have each been sentenced to six years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended. According to the Irish Independent, the now 76-year-old woman can no longer…

Claremorris area councillors have approved two road closures to facilitate a safety project at a notoriously dangerous junction on the N17. A new bridge is being put in place at the Lisduff junction, which has been the location of a number of fatal and…

A Mayo TD is urging TII - Transport Infrastructure Ireland - to prioritise funding for a new Ballina Relief Road. With traffic delays of up to 45 minutes at peak rush times, Ballina-based Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary says the proposed 2 km relief road linking…

The HSE has apologised in the High Court to a 69-year old Sligo woman who suffered a major stroke after she was discharged from a hospital without her blood-thinning medication. According to the Irish Independent, the court heard Mary Moss continued…

A Garda investigation has been launched after 3 non-nationals were found hidden in the back of a truck in Galway. The men, who are believed to be from Sudan, were found when the truck was searched yesterday at Fisheries Field in Galway city. They were…

People expecting to avail of day care service at the McBride Home in Westport, are having their service cancelled at the last minute, on a regular basis over the past number of weeks, and the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Westport based Fianna Fail…

Why is Mayo county council only starting to carry out essential verge and hedge cutting along the main roads in the Claremorris Municipal District in late July/this week? That was the question raised yesterday by the Chairman of the county’s Roads SPC,…

The death has taken place of former Midwest Radio Broadcaster John Duggan. John Duggan a native of Killashee in County Longford was a talented and prolific composer of song and verse and a broadcaster here on Midwest Radio for twenty years. He spent the last…

Plans for almost 1,100 new homes in three counties have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála. They include student accommodation for 405 in the Headford Road in Galway, and 288 apartments in nearby Mervue. There are also plans for 98 houses in Bettystown, Co…

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorists are all taking their lives in their hand trying to safely use the Golf course road out of Westport. That’s the view of local Independent cllr Johno O’Malley who has called on council officials to immediately address the…

It’s not acceptable that Erris contributes so significantly to the rates collected annually by Mayo County Council, yet the area fails to get a fair share of spending by the local authority in return. That’s the view expressed by Erris based Fine Gael…

University Hospital Galway is the most-overcrowded in the country today, with 41 patients on trolleys. The latest Trolley Watch from the INMO shows 429 patients waiting for a bed at hospitals across the country today - the highest number at UHG, with 15 on…

A bird strike near Ireland West Airport Knock delayed the Knock-Gatwick flight by several hours yesterday evening. A spokesperson for the airport confirmed that there was a bird strike just before the Aer Lingus service landed. As a result, an engineer had to…

59 on the spot fines were issued last year to dog owners in Co Mayo. Of the fines issued by Mayo County Council, just 24 were paid 11 people were prosecuted, with 5 convictions. The dog warden in the county told Midwest News this morning that the majority of…

Residents in Balla and commuters using the N60 are concerned about vehicles increasing speed and breaking the lights at the ongoing roadworks on the outskirts of Balla village. That's according to Fine Gael General Election candidate in Mayo Alan Dillon, who…

Irish author Kevin Barry has been longlisted for the Booker Prize for his book "Night Boat to Tangier". The Limerick-born writer who now lives in Sligo has won numerous awards for his work including the Dublin International Literary Award, the Rooney Prize…

6,000 psychiatric nurses across the country will begin industrial action this evening. The Psychiatric Nurses' Association says its members will work only their contracted hours because of health management's failure to address a recruitment and retention…

Up to 2,000 people will gather in Castlebar later this evening for Midwest Radio's "A Night With the Stars" concert. The event will mark the 30th anniversary of the radio station first going on air in July 1989. A number of Ireland's top musicians, singers…

The Aran Islands RNLI volunteer crew was called out on Saturday evening last, to come to the aid of a sailor whose yacht got into difficulty. The all-weather lifeboat was launched at about 5.30pm Saturday evening, as a yacht with one person onboard…

Boris Johnson has been elected as the new leader of the British Conservative Party. Mr Johnson defeated his rival Jeremy Hunt and will become the next British Prime Minister. The announcement was made in the last hour, after the counting of votes concluded.…

The High Court has approved a 10.5 million euro settlement for a 12-year-old boy who suffered a severe brain injury at birth. Sam Forde was delivered by emergency C-section at Sligo General Hospital on August 20th 2006 and has since been diagnosed with…

A short story competition to be judged by award-winning writers, Thomas Morris and Wendy Erskine is part of this year’s Castlebar based Wild Atlantic Words literary festival. The closing date for entries is Friday, August 30th at 5pm. Entry forms, along with…

A planning application has been made to Mayo County Council for approval to carry out restoration works and a sustainable access at Croagh Patrick. The project, which is expected to take many years to complete, will address the issue of erosion on the…

6,000 psychiatric nurses will resume their ban on working overtime tomorrow. It's after talks to resolve a dispute between the Psychiatric Nurses Association and the HSE broke down last night. The dispute centres on the recruitment and retention of mental…

Minister Sean Canney is calling on the government to immediately allocate additional funding to cash strapped Galway county council. The Galway East based Independent Minister for Rural Affairs has called on the Minister for local Government John Paul Phelan…

Roscommon GAA is warning businesses against sponsoring posters not affiliated with the county team. It has received reports that businesses are getting calls to give €150 to show support to Roscommon GAA on a poster. However, the county PRO Hugh Lynn, is…

Whirlpool is warning that some of its tumble dryers pose a fire risk and should be immediately unplugged. It says anyone who owns a dryer that was made before September 2015 should unplug it immediately and stop using it. The company is recalling the dryers…

News doors are needed to replace the three doors on the Church on the summit of Croagh Patrick. Fund raising for the necessary renovation work is underway as preparations continue ahead of this Sunday – Reek Sunday, the annual pilgrimage climb. Large numbers…

As the country celebrates the achievement of Offaly’s Shane Lowry, winning the148th Open Golf Championship at Royal Portrush yesterday, people in Crossmolina and right across Mayo are remembering the football exploits of Shane’s uncle, Sean Lowry. Sean lived…

From the 1940s when homes across Ireland started to be electrified, it changed the lives of women dramatically, taking a lot of the drudgery from daily household chores. An exhibition entitled “Kitchen Power” examining the effect of rural electrification on…

Factories need to realise that a finished lamb needs to be securing a price of at least 100 euro for the farmer. That’s according to IFA Connaught Regional Chairman Padraig Joyce. Sheep farmers are demanding a worthwhile premium of 30 cent per kg for Quality…

Talks will take place at the Labour Court today in an effort to resolve a dispute involving 10,000 health service workers over the implementation of a job evaluation scheme. The talks will be attended by SIPTU, the HSE, the Deptartment of Health and the…

Long serving Ballina councillor Annie Mae Reape says there is huge frustration among councillors in the Ballina Municipal District as they were told at this month’s meeting of the authority by council officials that the 2019 budget for public realm spending…

A group of Spanish students perform The Green and Red of Mayo on flight from Knock to Barcelona-Girona airport. The students spontaneously broke into a rendition of The Saw Doctor's song on this morning’s flight to the Spanish city. Ireland West Airport…

Midwest News understands a two-vehicle collision has taken place this evening on the N17 between Claremorris and Ballindine. The collision isn’t believed to be serious as the road remains open. However, there are some delays along this route.

Iarnrod Éireann issues a statement to remind customers in Mayo that there will be no alcohol permitted on the Dublin bound services. It comes as Mayo prepare to make the journey to Croke Park to play Meath this Sunday afternoon in the Super 8’s. A…

Ambulance workers from the Psychiatric Nurses Association say they've been left with no choice but to go on strike. 500 of them have begun a 24 hour walkout across the country as part of a dispute over union recognition. The workers will still deal with…

A do not drink notice has been issued for the Cloonmore/Cloonlavish Group Water Scheme. Mayo County Council issued the warning today for the scheme, located west of Knock, as it emerged that the group’s water scheme is contaminated by oil. Following advice…

The Mayo Road Safety Office is tackling the danger of “lane hogging” as Mayo GAA fans head to Croke Park this Sunday. The local Road Safety Office hopes to change the habit of road users who stay in the overtake lane and in doing so make the roads safer. On…

The Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring will officially open the newly enhanced Bower’s Walk in Ballinrobe at 11 o’clock this morning. The historical path is in place in the South Mayo town since the 1700s, and extensive restoration…

The price of new and used diesel cars could go up by as much as one thousand euro under plans to cut carbon emissions. The Finance Minister is being advised to overhaul the motor tax system and help squeeze out second-hand imports, the Irish Independent…

There could be a backlog at A&E departments across the country later today as ambulance workers from the Psychiatric Nurses Association go on strike from 2pm this afternoon. 500 ambulance staff, are staging a 24 hour walkout as part of a union recognition…

Met Éireann has extended a Status Yellow warning for rainfall to all counties this morning. Thundery downpours could lead to accumulations of between 25 and 40mm, with the risk of localised flooding. The alert remains in place until 3 o'clock tomorrow…

Tomorrow (Saturday) a unique family reunion is taking place on Achill island. The last family to live in the Deserted Village in Achill , the Callaghans, are gathering for the occasion. Anthony Callaghan and his sister, Annie Ward, were both born and raised…

An exhibition examining the effect of rural electrification on women in Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s will be launched by former President of Ireland Mary Robinson at the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, in Turlough Park, Castlebar, at noon today.…

The Irish Wheelchair Association Belmullet has been shortlisted for the Irish Healthcare Centre Awards 2019. The Irish Healthcare Awards are Ireland's leading medical Awards and are hosted by Irish Medical Times and its publisher MPI Media, the Awards are now…

Over 500 ambulance personnel members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), including members in this region, will strike for 24 hours from 2 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, 19th July) in pursuit of their demand for the right to be represented by the PNA as the…

Ireland has published its first ever Social Enterprise Policy. It will help businesses whose main objective is to achieve an impact on their societies. 26 policy measures or actions are to be delivered over the next four years. The Minister for Rural and…

The green light has been given for the development of five new social housing units in the village of Bonniconlon. At this week’s monthly meeting of Ballina Municipal District councillors approved a Part 8 planning to allow the long awaited development to go…

The cervical cancer steering committee will meet later this morning, after a week of controversy which has dogged the national screening programme. Patient representatives will get an opportunity to question health officials over why 800 women experienced…

There should be a review into the decline in adoptions in Ireland. That's according to Fianna Fáil's spokesperson on children, Galway based TD Anne Rabbitte. A new report shows adoptions in Ireland have fallen by 40 per cent over the past five years. In 2013,…

The board of the Psychiatric Nurses Association is meeting today to consider the progress of recent talks in its ongoing dispute with the HSE. Both parties have held discussions over the past week, with a view to resolving recruitment and retention issues.…

A Cabinet Minister claims Eir is acting like 'a spoilt child' over the National Broadband Plan. The company pulled out of the tendering process, but claimed last month it could roll it out for only a billion euro. That's a third of the contract-price the…

Households which use too much water could be charged up to 500 euro a year. Irish Water has been given the go ahead to start charging customers who are wasting water. The utility is to write to households which are using over the set allowance. Homeowners…

One of the busiest stretches of roads in the region, the N84 Galway to Headford road at Curraghline has made no progress in its priority listing for road projects by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. A Galway county councillor claims that motorists using this…

A new Oireachtas report is making several recommendations on how to improve transport in rural Ireland. The 'Regional and Rural Transport Policy' will be launched in Carrick-on-Shannon this afternoon. It's being published by Leinster House's committee on…

The incoming President of the European Commission has not wavered one centimeter on the Brexit backstop. That's the view of Fine Gael MEP for the Midlands Northwest Mairead McGuinness who was speaking after last night's vote in Strasbourg. Ursula von der…

An Taisce has welcomed the decision by Heritage Minister Josepha Madigan not to proceed with Regulations which would allow hedge cutting in August this year. The Heritage Act 2018 allowed the Minister the discretion of permitting hedge cutting on a trial…

Senator Frank Feighin has been added to the Fine Gael ticket to contest the next general election in the Sligo/ Leitrim constituency. The additional place on the party’s ticket arose after former TD, Leitrim based Gerry Reynolds pulled out of the race a few…

Thousands of people flying a variety of kites are expected on Achill Island this Sunday for the annual Mayo International Kite Festival- Pure Magic. The event which is free of charge, is an opportunity for families and individuals to get out in the open air…

The Jackie Clarke Heritage Garden in Ballina is just one of a number of Mayo locations that have today been awarded a prestigious Green Flag Award for 2019 by An Taisce. The number of International Green Flag Award Sites has surged in Ireland this year. The…

Ten new full-time jobs are to be created in Sligo by Connolly Motor Group, which has just been appointed as main dealers for SEAT in Sligo. Connolly’s SEAT will open in Collooney in October and the company will make a significant investment in a building that…

Athlone native, and the Chancellor and Diocesan Secretary in the diocese of Elphin, Fr Michael Duignan is to become the new Bishop of Clonfert. He will succeed Bishop John Kirby who is retiring. The Archbishop of Tuam Dr Michael Neary has extended a very warm…

Irish water has again confirmed that it has no intention of developing a regional sludge hub at Belleek in Ballina, nonetheless it has plans to develop the site already there, as an expanded dewatering location. It has now agreed to undertake an odour study…

Farmers are being reminded to stop and think when working on a farm. According to the Heath and Safety Authority, 12 people have been killed so far this year in farming accidents. Accident support group, Embrace Farm, says it's vital they think about what…

People are being urged to be careful of wild-fires over the coming days. A spell of dry weather, with moderate winds, has increased the fire risk. There was a large gorse fire on the Arigna mountains on the Roscommon/Leitrim border last night, and a bog fire…

Funding of €82,300 for two, first responder organisations, in Mayo has been announced this morning by Minister Michael Ring under the First Response Support Measure of CLÁR. The Mayo branch of the Irish Community Rapid Response is to receive 50,000 euro for…

Minister Seán Kyne has this afternoon launched a new SIRO rollout to provide Galway city with access to the most powerful broadband service in Ireland. The first homes in the county were connected to the network in Oranmore last week. The Galway rollout will…

The community of Enniscrone is mounting a protest campaign in opposition to planning permission granted to the ESB by Sligo County Council last Monday to erect a 20 meter telecommunications mast at its sub-station site at Frankford, Enniscrone. The mast is to…

It's hoped the new 9.2 million euro Hospice Unit in Castlebar will open to patients later this year, however, it depends on when funding becomes available from the HSE to staff the facility. Local politicians and council officials were given a tour of the 14…

The need for better infrastructure to be provided by Mayo County Council on the access roads to Mayo blue flag beaches, and on the beaches themselves, was raised by Fine Gael Westport based councillor Peter Flynn at this month’s meeting of Mayo County…

Minister Ring approves over €290,000 to support 6 Mayo voluntary groups to transport people for medical services The Minister for Rural and Community Development, has allocated €290,887.50 in funding to six community care organisations in Mayo which provide…

Funding of over €11,000 has been allocated for three community organisations in Co Mayo, to assist the integration of migrants into the local communities. The Minister for Rural & Community Development Michael Ring has announced grants of €4,950 for…

The Arts Council has selected Tuam for a 3-year pilot programme for investment in the arts. It's hoped the pilot programme, with funding of €150,000 per year, will encourage the local community to get involved in developing the arts in the town. A public…

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed access to the Japanese market for Irish sheep meat. Minister Michael Creed said the deal was ‘agreed in principle’ during a Trade Mission to Tokyo last month and that an export certificate as…

Green party leader Eamonn Ryan wants Achill's Saoirse McHugh to contest the Seanad by-elections for the party. McHugh impressed for the Green’s in the European elections and missed out on a seat in the Midlands North-West constituency after votes were…

Next Tuesday 16th July is the closing date for nominations for the Mayo Friendly Business Awards. The awards are run annually by Junior Chamber International, to recognise businesses that excel in serving the needs of the local community and have a genuine…

An overtime ban was suspended yesterday after talks between Psychiatric Nurses' Association and the HSE. Progress made in the recruitment of nurses, but the focus will turn to allowances in more discussions next week. The PNA's Peter Hughes says there remains…

The RNLI and GAA are bringing a winning partnership to coastal communities around the country. They've signed up water safety ambassadors to deliver water safety advice to young GAA fans about the risks of drowning. The RNLI's Paddy McLaughlin says the…

Mayo public representatives and council officials were given a tour today of the new Hospice Unit in Castlebar. The new 14-bed in-patient Hospice Unit cost over €9 million - and has been paid for through monies collected in fundraising efforts over the past…

Yesterday's Dail vote rejecting the EU / Mercosur trade deal is very significant, as it sends a strong message to the Government that Ireland must reject this deal. That's according to Midlands-Northwest Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy. The Sinn Fein, calling for…

For a second successive day, psychiatric nurses are refusing to work overtime in a dispute with the HSE over recruitment and retention of staff in mental health services. The action is impacting on community services across the West, according to the…

Iarnród Éireann is reminding the general public and interested organisations that the deadline to participate in a public consultation on proposals to extend the Western Rail Corridor is next Wednesday 17th July. Working to terms of reference specified by the…

Some women may have waited almost a year now for a result from their cervical check screening. That's according to Fianna Fáil's health spokesman, Stephen Donnelly. The HSE says 800 women haven't received the test-results because of an IT problem at a US…

The Minister for Community and Rural Development Michael Ring warned his Cabinet colleagues not to treat his department as a “soft touch” for projects that come under their responsibility. He also accused local authorities of failing to spend the 2018 Clar…

More than 480 people in county Mayo alone are likely to be diagnosed this year with a new case of cancer. That’s according to the latest statistics in cancer research. Almost 2,000 people in the county availed of the services provided by Mayo Cancer Support…

There was disruption to traffic in Castlebar earlier this afternoon following a collision close to the Moneen roundabout on the N5. The incident occurred about 2.30pm on the Ballyvary side of the roundabout. Emergency services attended the scene. There are no…

The Sinn Fein motion in the Dail this afternoon calling on the government to reject / scrap the Mercosur deal has been carried by 84 votes to 46. Fianna Fail deputies backed the Sinn Fein motion. Farmers are strongly opposed to the deal because of the amount…

There are 70 American students in the county Roscommon village of Ballintober at present, all taking part in an annual international archeological study programme entitled “Castles in Communities, the archeological project at Ballintober Castle”. This evening…

The Taoiseach and Agriculture Minister cannot ignore that protests that took place outside Dail Eireann yesterday by farmers over the Mercosur deal. That's according to Roscommon Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy, who asks - if the Government is serious about…

A Ballinrobe-based meat wholesale company has won awards at the World Steak Challenge, which was held in Ireland for the first time yesterday. 15 Irish producers won a total of 75 accolades at the awards, with entries from 25 countries. Dawn Meats, Liffey…

Legendary comedian Brendan Grace has died at the age of 68, following a short battle with lung cancer. A Dublin native, Brendan Grace began his career in entertainment as a singer, but later turned to comedy, becoming well-known for characters such as Bottler…

A Midlands-Northwest MEP insists it is possible for the Irish Government to scrap the Mercosur deal. Today, the Dáil will vote on Sinn Féin's motion calling for the trade agreement to be rejected. Farmers strongly oppose the deal because of the amount of beef…

6,000 members of the Psychiatric Nurses' Association will begin an overtime ban today in a dispute with the HSE. The union says it's in response to a lack of meaningful progress in talks at the Workplace Relations Commission over recruitment and retention…

Mayo Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary is calling on the Government to reinstate history as a core subject in the Junior Cert cycle immediately, otherwise he says he risk a significant decline in the number of second-level students across Mayo studying the…

The 27th Annual Mayo People of the Year Awards will be officially launched this evening in the Breaffy House Resort Hotel in Castlebar. Again this year the awards are sponsored by The Connaught Telegraph, Mayo Rehab and Mayo County Council. Any person or…

A Roscommon teenager is one of the finalists in a competition to create a new chocolate bar. 17-year old Callum Clogher from Dysart is one of three finalists in the Cadbury Inventor competition, which called on chocolate lovers in Ireland and the UK to create…

Irish shoppers are paying high food prices yet farmers are not getting the benefit, according to a survey released today by Roscommon deputy Denis Naughten. The survey carried out this week, excluding special offers, shows that the farmer gets €3.76 for a…

435 Electric and Hybrid cars have been sold in Galway City in the first 6 months of this year - which is a 62% increase on the same period last year. The figures were released today by Done Deal, and show that, nationally, almost 10,000 new Electric and…

It's been confirmed that hundreds of young school leavers with a disability who take up training programmes this autumn are to have a special allowance axed. The rehabilitative training (RT) allowance, worth €31.80 a week per student, will no longer be paid…

Hundreds of farmers from Mayo, Galway, Sligo and Roscommon are in Dublin today to join a protest outside the Dail against the Mercosur deal. The trade deal would see up to 99-thousand tonnes of beef enter the EU from South America every year - leading to…

Sunday 18th April 2021 will be Ireland's next Census Day. The census is held every five years, and Galway West TD and Minister of State Séan Kyne - who has responsibility for the Central Statistics Office- has confirmed that, taking into account a number of…

Former Taoiseach John Bruton has been confirmed as the guest speaker at the opening day of this year's Knock Novena. The annual Novena attracts thousands of pilgrims each day for the 9 days of the event. This year marks the 140th anniversary of the Apparition…

Ballina Gardai are advising people to expect very heavy traffic in the town today, as the annual Heritage Day takes place, along with the funeral of a popular Garda who died suddenly on Saturday evening. 50-year old Detective Garda Martin Mitchell of Killala…

More than 1,000 farmers will protest outside the Dáil today against the Mercosur deal. Bus loads of farmers are travelling from across the West for today's protest. The deal would see up to 99-thousand tonnes of beef enter the EU from South America every year…

Gardaí are seeking assistance from the public in finding a teenager missing from his home in Sligo. 16-year-old Kian Dwyer was last seen in Sligo town on Saturday, and it's believed he may have travelled to Tallaght in Dublin. Kian is described as 5-foot, 11,…

Power supplies were restored earlier this afternoon on Achill Island. About 200 customers in Achill had been without electricity since about 9.30 this morning due to a fault, but supply was restored around lunchtime. About 1700 customers in the Swinford and…

Phil Hogan has been nominated for a second term as European Commissioner by the Taoiseach. Leo Varadkar said the nomination was an endorsement of the last five years Mr Hogan has spent in Europe. He's praised him as a skilled negotiator who's been good for…

Gardai are investigating a drugs seizure in Roscommon Town last Friday afternoon. Following a search of a house on Racecourse Road in Roscommon at about 4pm, Gardai recovered a quantity of cannabis and MDMA. A youth in his late teens was arrested and a file…

About 200 customers on Achill Island are without electricity since earlier this morning due to a fault. The fault was reported shortly before 9.30 am and ESB Networks are working to repair the fault, with an estimated restoration time of 1pm this lunchtime.

The IFA will be intensifying its campaign against the Mercosur trade deal this week. The farming organisation is holding a lobby session for all TDs and Senators today to build opposition to the deal. As part of the campaign, IFA is highlighting the…

A garda investigation is underway into allegations of fraud voting in a Sligo electoral area last May, following a complaint by Fine Gael General Secretary Tom Curran. Independent cllr Declan Bree told a meeting of Sligo county council yesterday that there…

The Government is being called on to do all it can to stop the new EU/South American trade deal going through. The Irish Farmers Association says the Mercosur deal is bad for farming communities, the environment and the consumer. The agreement will see…

People, especially elderly people, are afraid to walk down the main street of Castlebar because of the intimidating/threatening behavior of individuals and groups of young people, taking over the streets of the county town. That’s according to Castlebar…

Judging in the Pride of Place competition takes place this morning in Straide from 9.30am to 12.30 pm. A 20 minute video presentation on the village has been compiled, together with a booklet created from the Straideprideofplace.ie website. Everyone in the…

Eleven food businesses were issued with closure orders from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in June – the highest number in any month so far this year. Four food businesses at Dublin's Moore Street Mall received closure orders because of mouse and…

The community of Knock will be putting its best foot forward tomorrow afternoon when the judges in this year’s 2019 Pride of Place Awards will be visiting the Marian village. The Pride of Place Competition is an all-island competition, organised by…

A Mayo teenager has qualified for the finals in the Aldi Foróige National Junior Baking Competition, taking one of the top two places in the Regional finals. Jessalyn Jennings, aged 13 from Brickens Foróige club in County Mayo impressed with her chocolate…

A patient's chance of dying after a heart attack or stroke can vary significantly depending on their hospital, a report by the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System has revealed. A number of hospitals across Ireland are ranked with much higher…

Former junior minister,Sligo’s John Perry has warned Fine Gael it risks losing power at the general election if he is not on the party ticket in Sligo-Leitrim. Mr Perry told today’s Irish Independent, that if Fine Gael is not serious about winning two seats…

Ireland West Airport has announced a new partnership with Connacht Rugby and Ireland Outhalf Jack Carty. It’s part of a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the airport’s links with the community. Jack Carty, a Roscommon native, currently plays for…

The sudden death on Saturday of a Ballina based detective garda has shocked and saddened the local community and his many colleagues within the garda force. Detective Garda Martin Mitchell, Killala Road, Ballina, investigated many cases of serious crime over…

The new Bishop of Cork and Ross says Leo Varadkar needs to learn from comments he made about Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin. During a Dáil debate this week, the Taoiseach said the opposition leader reminds him of a priest who preaches then sins behind the…

Good news on the weather front. If yesterday's gloomy conditions put you in a bad mood - you can start smiling again today. Met Eireann's John Eagleton says the national weather forecast for the next week shows the warm weather isn't going anywhere.

Former solicitor Michael Lynn who is accused of multi-million euro thefts was in court today as part of preparations for his trial next year. Mr Lynn (50) with an address in St Alban's Park, Sandymount, Dublin, is facing 21 charges relating to the alleged…

Irish Rail is advising passengers that no drink will be allowed on board its Galway and Westport services out of Dublin on Monday morning and afternoon. The trains also won't be selling alcohol from the catering trolleys. The 5 services are expected to be…

Mayo County Council has today welcomed the news that US Vice President Mike Pence is considering a visit to Ireland later this year. In a statement to Midwest News it says that its records show that Vice President Pence’s grandfather Richard Michael Cawley,…

1300 competitors will take part tomorrow morning in the Achill Half Marathon and the 10km race. The annual event attracts huge numbers annually, and Achill today is already a buzz with visitors and competitors. The Half Marathon gets underway at 10.30am and…

The Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development Ciarán Cannon will host a public town hall consultation meeting at The T.F. Royal Hotel & Theatre in Castlebar on Monday evening next, July 8th, from 6 to 8pm, to get the public’s view on…

Two Galway brothers face sentence later this month for stealing over €205,000 from a vulnerable old age pensioner by carrying out bogus repairs to her home over a two-year period. According to today’s Irish Thomas Coen (46), with addresses at Corrib Park,…

The number of children being admitted to adult psychiatric units is a scandal, according to Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy. 111 children have been admitted to adult mental-health facilities over the past 18 months - 84 last year and 27 so far in 2019. The HSE…

The Department of Foreign Affairs says US vice-president Mike Pence has indicated his wish to visit Ireland this year. It says it has had contact with the US administration on the proposed visit, but that it remains unconfirmed. It's reported dates in early…

Mayo is Ireland's second luckiest county in the Euromillions game, according to the National Lottery. 23 EuroMillions top prize winners in Mayo have shared over €51 million in prizes since the game was launched in 2004. That translates into a top prize winner…

Gardai and the Health & Safety Authority are investigating the sudden death of a man in his 50's on a farm in Co Roscommon. The farmer's body was discovered yesterday and reported to Gardai, but it's not clear when he died. Gardai attended the scene at a farm…

Midlands-Northwest MEP Mairead McGuinness has been re-elected First Vice-President of the European Parliament. The Fine Gael MEP secured over 93% of the votes in the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday evening. Mairead McGuinness, who topped the poll…

Gardai are investigating the sudden death of a man in his 50's on a farm in Co Roscommon. The farmer's body was discovered yesterday and reported to Gardai, but it's not clear when he died. Gardai attended the scene at a farm in the Killeglan area of…

The Mayo Fire Service were called to a house fire in the early hours of this morning near Bohola along the N5. The house was extensively damaged in the blaze. Smoke from the fire made driving conditions difficult earlier this morning along the N5 but it has…

Thousands of football fans from Mayo and Galway will be travelling to Limerick this Saturday for the round 4 All-Ireland football qualifier, and the replay of the Ladies Connacht final. Gardai and Mayo County Council's Road Safety Office are urging drivers to…

Paramedics who are members of the Psychiatric Nurses' Association will protest at Leinster House later, demanding the HSE recognise their union. They plan to strike for 24 hours starting at 7am on the 19th of July in the eighth day of industrial action in…

SuperValu in Westport is the first ever retail store to have Solus light bulbs delivered by a drone. Solus piloted the drone delivery experiment in controlled conditions and is the first lighting company to use drone technology to carry out a retail delivery.…