County Galway

Betsy Cornwell is a New York Times bestselling author living in Ireland.

Her forthcoming memoir and her first book for adults, titled The Old Knitting Factory, Set in County Galway, Western Ireland, is the story of a historic 1906 knitting factory that Betsy has transformed into a safe haven for single artistic moms and their children, including child care funded by donors.

Betsy has published many young adult books, including Reader, I Murdered Him, The Circus Rose, Mechanica, The Forest Queen, Venturis, and Tides.

I'm so excited to welcome Betsy Cornwell to Should Have Listened to My Mother.

When you got the news yesterday that the final judicial review had been removed in the High Court, what was your reaction to that? ongoing cycle approaching 14 years now

I suppose I suppose shock I suppose in one way that it happened so quickly we were expecting it would go on until about Christmas and then we'd have more time because we've been working with we've been trying to engage with with Galway City Council, Galway County Council and trying to get meetings.

And we know that once the notice to treat is issued, you're very limited with time.

So I think that was the initial shock, first of all, is that this is going to happen probably before Christmas.

Yeah.

And when you say you've been trying to engage, in what form has that been over the past few months?

Through Noel Grealish, we have been trying to have meetings with Galway City Council, Galway County Council, city managers in both cases and TII to move on.

You know, like the CPO process is, we've always said it since the beginning, is not fit for purpose.

Faster with the soaps, maybe.

Yeah, maybe, maybe, but, you know, I think of Tomás O'Shea when he said one time, you know, hammer the hammer, like, when you go seven or eight pints ahead, you know, this is your chance to hammer the hammer, like, and, you know, I was looking at the Galway County final yesterday, and Tommy Larkins were up six pints, and they got it free, and, you know, 30 metres outside, and they went for a goal, you know, went... put it over the bat, we'd have put them seven in a three-score game.

It's

just things like that, inexperience, I suppose, there.

That came with victory over Cushendall and Ballycastle.

Loch Ray secured a third consecutive hurling title in Galway with a one-point win over Tommy Larkins in Salt Hill.

Tiernan Killeen levelled the game in stoppage time before then scoring the match-winning point.

In football, the Downs of Westmeath will meet Wexford's Colin Aron in the quarter-finals of the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship.

While UCD will play Drogheda United on Saturday in the League of Ireland promotion relegation play-off, UCD yesterday beat Bray Wanderers 3-1 in the First Division play-off final.

They had finished second behind Cork City in the regular season, draw to finish second from bottom in the Premier Division.

Galway golfer Liam Nolan has secured a DP World Tour card for 2027.

Nolan finished 14th at the Hotel Planner Tour's Grand Final in Spain.

The second play is As Do I, written and directed by Siobhan Dunlan.

They will be performing in Ballinacill Community Hall in County Galway on Saturday the 7th and Sunday the 8th at 8pm and tickets can be got at the door.

They will also perform in McNamara's Baron Scarrow from the 13th to the 15th of November at 8pm sharp.

Tickets will cost €10 cash only at the door on the night and they will have a raffle also on the night.

I think it's very proactive and really welcome the fact that Gort has been recognised as one of the 26 towns selected.

And I suppose from the outset, I want to say that it's important to note that Gort has other regeneration projects, proposals underway by Galway County Council It already has a million euros allocated to it.

So I think coupled with today's announcement, I think it's very promising and it's very exciting for Gort and for local people to see their town being selected and I suppose acknowledged what can be there for Gort.

But I suppose as well, I think representing a county as a whole, I just hope this isn't just a one-off, you know, project.

You know, I hope that we in Galway County Council grasp, you know, all the opportunities with both hands so that we can roll this out into all the other towns and villages around the county.

Yeah, you mentioned that earlier funding for Gort in this regard.

Is this just an add-on to that or do you see some extra scope here?

we really need to know how, we really need to work to see how we can, I suppose the most important thing is to encourage businesses to get involved.

She also really believes in professional collaboration, and this is central to her work.

She's an active member of the IPPN and has served as a National Council representative for Galway County and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for IPPN.

And she's actually the first elected deputy principal to the Board of Directors.

So a pioneer in many ways, Aoife, and you're very welcome.