Shares in  plunged by as much as 40% yesterday, wiping around €41m from its market value, after the Irish explorer reported disappointing initial results from its highly-anticipated return to drilling off the west coast of the country.

Irish explorer Providence Resources looks to be close to a deal with a rig contractor as it continues to ready itself for a return to drilling in Irish waters next year.

Providence Resources is eyeing a start date of next June for drilling at its Druid oil prospect in the Porcupine Basin off the south-west coast.

A number of so-called ‘super-majors’ — a term typically used to describe the biggest eight, or so, oil companies in the world — have shown interest in offshore assets held by freshly financed Irish explorer Providence Resources, its chief executive said yesterday.

No one knows a city like a local. So who better to give the lowdown on Galway than Síle Seoige. She describes her perfect day in the county to Ciara McDonnell.