Author name: oisinkelly

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

New figures show Donegal to be the third most dangerous county in the country to drive in. The Road Safety Authority figures, which are based on population rank Donegal the third most dangerous behind Kerry and Cork. The figures show that the national average of deaths on Irish roads per county last year was 41

A Donegal man has avoided a jail term for criminal damage to his ex-girlfriend’s Facebook page after he admitted posting an offensive status update on it. The 30 year old was acquitted by a jury last month of raping and falsely imprisoning the woman in her home on the same date. It’s the first prosecution

Damian Timoney from Donegal Town, Co. Donegal has won €35,000 at the National Lottery’s Money Spinner Damian also won a luxury holidaya at the event held at Breaffy House, Castlebar, Co. Mayo on Saturday. The winning ticket was purchased in Spar/Timony News, Bridge Street, Donegal Town.

The Director of the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies says state subsidies for regional airports should be reassessed, arguing that such subsidies may give the regional airports an unfair advantage, while working against balanced regional development. Professor Jim Deegan makes the comment in a paper prepared for the Shannon Airport Marketting Consultative Committee. Speaking

    House prices in Donegal rose by 5.6% in the second quarter of the year. This was the second highest rise in the country during the second quarter of this year, according to figures published today by myhome.ie. However, the figures also show the county has the second cheapest house price levels in the

The man found dead in an apartment in Bundoran at the weekend has been named as Jonathan Braniff, nicknamed Shorty. The separated father-one-one boy, is from Downpatrick, Co. Down, but lived in Bundoran for five years. His body will undergo a post mortem examination today at Sligo General Hospital, with Gardai understood top believe that

The search resumes today for a local sailor after his yacht was found moored off Sheephaven Bay. The vessel has been anchored in the bay near Ards for up to the past ten days. However, the alarm was only raised over the weekend when the coastguard became aware of the situation, and called in the

Donegal County Council will convene a special council meeting tomorrow to consider and vote on Variation No.2 to the County Development Plan. The variation proposes a ten times wind turbine height set back distance from homes. At present there is no distance specified in the county development plan. The variation also proposes that Donegal County

Four men have been arrested this evening after a tractor was stolen in Newmills yesterday. The Blue Fiat Newholland 110-90 limited edition tractor was worth €35,000. Four men were arrested in Burragh this evening. The owner of the tractor and a number of neighbours came across the men who were trying to strip the tractor