Do you have an undiscovered raw talent? The CU FACTOR- Talent Competition is organised by Galway City Credit Unions and allows our community an opportunity to perform music, song, dance or comedy act. After the success of last year, we are delighted to bring this event to the people of Galway.

The CU FACTOR- Talent Auditions takes place in Móinín na gCiseach Community College, Wellpark on Saturday 14^th April from 12 noon to 3pm. 

The City Final will take place on Saturday 21^st April in Móinín na gCiseach Community College, Wellpark at 7pm. First Prize on the night is €500. The Grand Final for County Galway will take place on Sunday 13^th May in Leisureland where the CU Factor Winner will receive €1000 in prize money.

Click here to download your CU Factor Entry Form

Click here to download your CU Factor Competition Rules

Photo 1: Scoil Naomh Bride, Tullykyne National School; Senior Winners

Photo 2: St. James National School, Bushypark; Junior Winners

Pictured at the launch were Paddy O’Donnell of St Columba’s Credit Union, Mayor Cllr Hildegarde Naughton, and city manager Joe O’Neill. Photograph by Aengus McMahon

Mayor of Galway Hildegarde Naughton has called on people to submit their nominations for this year’s Mayor’s Awards, saying that all nominees are winners in their own right.

The annual awards honour those who have contributed to the community through voluntary work, and at the launch of the ninth awards this week Mayor Naughton called on the people of Galway to nominate unpaid volunteers for their work in the community in the city.

The sponsorship arrangement for the Mayor’s Awards will see the three credit unions operating in Galway city continue their involvement in these very successful awards.

St Columba’s, Naomh Padraig, and St Anthony’s & Claddagh credit unions have come together as joint sponsors of the Galway City Credit Unions Volunteer of the Year Award, and each of the three is also sponsoring one of the individual awards.

At the launch the Mayor welcomed the continuing commitment of the credit unions as sponsors and praised them for their ongoing support of local communities in tough economic times.

The Mayor’s Awards 2012 will again acknowledge outstanding people and organisations that, through their commitment to participating in unpaid community and voluntary activities, have had a significant impact on the quality of life of their communities in Galway city.

Nominations are invited from people resident in Galway city for individuals or organisations in eight separate categories, namely St Anthony’s & Claddagh Credit Union Arts, Culture, Heritage & Cúrsaí Gaeilge Award, St Columba’s Credit Union Residents and Local Areas Award, Naomh Padraig Credit Union Social and Community Service Award, Business Volunteer of the Year Award, Sports Volunteer of the Year Award, Children and Youth Support Award, Young Volunteer of the Year, and the Galway City Credit Unions Volunteer of the Year Award.

Each award winner will receive a Galway Crystal trophy and a cheque for €700, while all nominees will receive a specially designed certificate at the awards ceremony, which will be held in the Black Box Theatre in April.

The closing date for nominations is Wednesday February 29. Nomination forms are available from City Hall, the credit union branches in the city, or click here to download the nomination form.

Click here to download the Mayor’s Awards Brochure.

The Credit Union Commission has also concluded that a further 26 credit unions could be in similar difficulties. As loan arrears throughout the State’s 408 credit unions reaches €1 billion, the Government has warned that a number of struggling credit unions may have to merge with stronger ones in order to survive. These turbulent times have prompted fears for the future of credit unions throughout the country, with Galway members expressing their concerns. However the ILCU has moved to allay these fears, assuring members in Galway that their savings are safe and secure. Speaking to the Advertiser yesterday a spokesperson for the ILCU said: “A strong, viable, and competitive credit union alternative to the remaining commercial banks operating in the State is a public imperative. ILCU is focused on how this alternative can be provided and on identifying the legislative and regulatory changes that are required to ensure it will be achieved.

The deliberations of the Governmental Commission on Credit Unions continue towards agreeing a comprehensive strategy around a restructuring of the credit union movement in the Republic of Ireland. The Commission will report to the Minister in March 2012. “Undoubtedly, the economic downturn has had an effect on credit unions and 2011 proved a challenging year for all financial institutions. However credit unions in Galway are working hard to continue to deliver services to their valued members.

Credit unions have been serving local communities around the country for over 50 years now, in this time credit unions have come through periods of economic unrest and we believe that this will be the case now. In fact credit unions have performed well given the current financial crisis compared to the banks. The vast majority of credit unions have sufficient funds available to lend to members once an appropriate evaluation of the members’ ability to repay has been completed. And while the lending restrictions implemented by the Registrar of Credit Unions at the Central Bank are having an impact on some credit unions, others are completely unaffected by these developments and continue to offer and promote loans to established credit unions members.

“There are currently 20 ILCU affiliated credit unions operating in the Galway area with 178,000 members and assets of €735,000,000.” The ILCU wants to reassure members in the Galway area that savings are safe and secure and are guaranteed of up to €100,000 per member under the Government’s Deposit Guarantee Scheme. We would urge any member that has any queries, to contact their local credit union where a member of staff will be happy to answer questions.

Winners of the St Anthony’s and Claddagh Credit Union Christmas double car draw, Mary Moloney and Paddy Oliver pictured with Motorpark’s Shane Carroll and St Anthonys and Claddagh Credit Union President Frank Colohan in the Westside branch on 15th December 2011. Paddy and Mary won a Ford C-Max and Ford Mondeo respectively.

The 47th Annual General Meeting of St. Anthony’s & Claddagh Credit Union took place on Wednesday, 14th December 2011. The meeting took place in St. Patrick’s School Hall, O’Brien’s Bridge at 7.30p.m. with 205 members attending.

Click here to view St. Anthony’s & Claddagh Credit Union 2011 Annual Report.

Congratulations to all who entered this years Credit Union Art Competition. Winners were awarded at a presentation evening in Westside Credit Union on 7th December.

Pictured are first place winners Alexendra Casburn, Tom Ostheimer and Diarmuid Hayes pictured with the runners up Rionach McGanley, Thomas Hayes , Beibhinn Creighton, Andrea Casburn, Pater Best Lydon and Hansel Odual, along with St Anthony’s and Claddagh Credit Union staff Marie Horkan, Ted Coyle and Frank Colohan.

Best of luck to entrants who go on to represent Galway in the next stage of the competition, these finalists are in with a chance to be featured  in the 2012 Credit Union Calendar.