Author name: oisinkelly

President Michael D. Higgins has been invited to attend the Orange Order’s annual parade in Rossknowlagh next year. The Grand Master of the Orange Lodge of Ireland Edward Stevenson issued the invitation at Saturday’s march, the only demonstration in the Republic and one of the biggest of the marching season. The President is awaiting a […]

Donegal County Council is urging all property owners who have yet to pay their Non Principal Private Residence charge to do so before the end of the summer. The council says the charge has been payable since 2009, and anyone who hasn’t paid since then now owes just over €4,000. However, from September, that will

There are fears that Asda decision to reduce its workforce across the UK could mean job losses in Strabane. The chain confirmed yesterday said it would cut 1,360 posts across Britain and Northern Ireland as part of an overhaul of its store management structure. There has been no confirmation as to where the cuts will

Car sales in Donegal were up 76% on first day of the new 142 registration period compared to the same time last year. The figures have been welcomed by SIMI which says they show an increasing number of consumers are returning to the market. SIMI’s Suzanne Sheridan says the growth in Donegal is off a

A young Killybegs man who died while on Holiday in Spain has been named locally as Ryan O’Shea. It is understood the 19 year-old died following a fall at a resort close to Terremolinos. Ryan is a member of a well known fishing family – he was on holiday with family members when the accident

A Donegal County Councillor has said that re-offending criminals should be sentenced to ‘hard labour’. Councillor Patrick McGowen says that simply sending reoffenders to prison for a few weeks or months doesn’t work. He says people are being robbed and terrorised in their homes across Donegal, often by people who have already been jailed for

A Donegal man has died while on holiday in Spain. The 19 year-old from Killybegs died at a resort close to Torremolinos. It is not yet known how the young man died. He has not been named. We will have more details later:

The body of a man, who had been missing since the weekend, has been found near Downings. Michael Green, from Rathmullen, had been missing after his empty yacht had been moored in Sheephaven Bay for over a week. The alarm was raised when the coastguard became aware that his yacht, named Wood Magic, had been

A Donegal North East Deputy has said that Fine Gael elected representatives in Inishowen need to clarify their position on Cockhill Bridge. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said that it is understanding that local Fine Gael elected representatives have been giving assurances that a new bridge at Cockhill will be funded by this Government. But in

A Donegal Senator has accused the Government letting down rural Ireland. Brian Ó Domhanill says the Government should have implemented recommendations made by the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas. The commission, chaired by former footballer and GAA pundit Pat Spillane, made a number of recommendations about services and facilities in rural communities, and how they

There were 19,808 people signing on the Live Register in Donegal at the end of last month, 581 more than the May figure, but down 1,670 on June 2013. That’s a year on year fall of 7.8%. The biggest percentage decrease was recorded in Killybegs with 1,194 people on the register, a fall of 9.4%.

The Denis Donaldson inquest was told today that criminal inquiries have now extended to another police force’s juristiction.. Garda Supt Michael Finan said that there had been “a recent significant development” in the investigation which had travelled outside the state since the last inquest hearing on March 27. Assistance requests were being prepared for another

Dublin City Council has refused an event licence for 2 Garth Brooks concerts at Croke Park. 3 of the 5 gigs scheduled for later this month have got the go ahead. The city council has yet to issue it’s formal decision, but the GAA has confirmed the gigs for Monday the 28th and Tuesday the

Just over a million euro is coming to Donegal through the government’s Capital Sports allocation programme. The biggest allocation is to Castlefin Celtic Football Club which receives 100 thousand euro while Drumkeen United gets 90 thousand euro. Other beneficiaries include the Sheephaven Sub Aqua Club, the Lifford and Rosses Athletic Clubs Mountcharles Rowing Club and

The HSE has ordered a full investigation after a ‘spy camera’ was found hidden at Letterkenny General Hospital. The camera, which was hidden in a cardboard box, was located at a maintenance office and allegedly used for security surveillance. This came to light after a whistle-blower contacted the Tirconail Tribune newspaper. The CCTV device has

A group of thirty Fianna Fáil Councillors from the West and North West is calling on Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to immediately take measures to deal with the issue of plummeting cattle prices. Last night, the Councillors met with the party’s Agriculture Spokespersons Éamon Ó Cuív TD and Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill, as well as

Institutes of Technology Ireland and IBEC have launched a new research and innovation strategy, and are highlighting how ITs are working with industry to generate growth and jobs. In one of his last functions as a minister, Ruairi Quinn said ITs are at the forefront of change across the education sector. That was echoed by

A Cross Border project to enhance IT and communications technology in the North West over 20 year ago will make a submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement tomorrow. ERNACT, the European Regions Network for the Application of Communications Technology was set up by Derry City Council and

There are no grounds to appeal the decision not to prosecute John Downey for the Hyde Park bombing, the Attorney General for England and Wales has said. Dominic Grieve was giving evidence to the NI Affairs Committee as part of its inquiry into the On the Runs scheme. Under the On the Runs scheme, letters

ESB says its joint broadband project with Vodafone will see regional towns get access to faster broadband than Dublin or Cork. The 450 million euro venture will be rolled out to 500-thousand premises across 50 towns in all 26 counties by 2018. The fibre broadband project will be the first of its kind in Europe

The Aranmore Lifeboat today went to the asssistance of two yachts, both believed to have been taking part in the Round Ireland Yacht Race. The first call out involved a yacht with a damaged boom on which two sailors sustained minor injuries, the second had a damaged main sail, and requested an escort into port.

It’s been confirmed that there will be no subsidy to cover the free bus pass scheme for the elderly on the Buncrana to Derry route. McGonagles Buses have been running the Buncrana to Derry route since Lough Swilly buses went bust in April. They have been charging elderly passengers half price on the route, despite

A Donegal County Cllr has said that the closure of the Ulster Bank branch in Lifford is a huge blow to the town. The closure of the sub-office will leave Lifford now without a bank at all. In recent years branches of Bank of Ireland and AIB have also shut in the town. Cllr Gerry

The Northern Ireland Executive has given its approval for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development headquarters to move to Ballykelly. DARD has said around 700 posts will be relocated to the former Shackleton army barracks in two phases. A DARD spokesperson said 340 posts should be relocated by the end of 2017 when building

The road safety organisation PARC is welcoming news that changes are being made to the way the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission operates. It follows a report from the Oireachtas Justice Committee which makes a number of recommendations which Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald says she will be implementing. They include bringing the Garda Commissioner under GSOC’s

Gardaí in Letterkenny are renewing their appeal in relation to an Aggravated Burglary which took place at Feddyglass, Raphoe a year ago yesterday. Gardai are hoping that anyone with any information which may progress the investigation will come forward, partiocularly anyone who saw any suspicious activity on the N14 Letterkenny to Lifford road on July

Ulster Bank is to close its sub-office in Lifford. It’s one of 7 branches and 3 sub offices around the country. The plans were outlined to staff today and also include plans to shut 5 branches North of the border in Belfast, Newtownabbey and Hillsborough. Last year the bank closed 11 separate locations in the

A music student who was rear ended in her car in Carrigaline in Co Cork on her way to conduct a children’s carol concert is to receive damages of 6.8 million euro. The High Court heard Hazel McGarrigle of Drumstevlin House, Donegal lived for music. She was just 25 at the time of the collision.

Following on from penning what became the anthem for Donegal’s All -Ireland success, Rory Gallagher has released a new track ahead of the pro boxing debut of Jason Quigley. His native Twin Towns and the whole of the county will be cheering on The Golden Boy Promotions fighter when he makes his pro debut in

A legal expert has described the first Irish prosecution for criminal damage to a social media account as a wake up call. A 30 year old Donegal man yesterday received a 2,000 euro fine for criminal damage after he admitted posting an offensive message on his ex-girlfriend’s Facebook page. Barrister Fergal Crehan – who specialises

County Councillors have adopted a variation to the County Development Plan which will see new conditions imposed on wind-farm developments. The changes include a set back distance from homes and to dezone some river catchments to protect fresh water pearl mussels. It is understood the executive of the council recommended the changes were not adopted

A decision by Letterkenny Town Council to permit an new exit from from Letterkenny Shopping Centre onto the Port Road has been appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The council awarded conditional permission for the road which would allow drivers only turn left – but local businessman Eddie Tobin has objected. As part of his objection

Groups representing the elderly say rural Ireland could be devastated if private bus companies pull out of the free travel scheme. It comes as private transport companies have warned that they’ll have to pull out of the scheme unless the government increases its funding. The government says it has no plans to scrap the initiative,

The search will resume today for a missing Buncrana man whose empty yacht has been moored in Sheephaven Bay for over a week. The alarm was only raised last weekend when the coastguard became aware of the situation, and called in the gardai. Yesterday’s search involved teams on the ground at low tide, in the