Author name: oisinkelly

A new opinion poll has Sinn Fein now as the most popular party in country. Today’s Millward Brown opinion poll in the Irish Independent has Sinn Fein on 26%, carrying on from their success in the recent elections, while Independents are also faring well on 29%. The paper goes so far as to claim that

Donegal North East Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn is calling for an overhaul of Ireland’s interception and surveillance laws. It follows revelations from Vodafone that Irish authorities have made over 4000 requests to secretly track phone calls. The mobile operator today revealed surveillance practices of governments in the 29 countries it operates in, but said it

There were 19,227 people on the live register in Donegal at the end of May, down 1,444 on the same period last year. That’s a year on year fall of 7%, with figures down in all eight local offices. The highest percentage drop was 10% in Donegal Town, where there were 1231 signing on, while

As well as an Independent Chair and Vice-Chair being appointed for this year, a pact has been agreed on the rotation of the future Chairs of the Council. Independents, Sinn Fein and Fine Gael will all have a year each, while Fianna Fail will take the Chair for two years out of the five. Barry

A former traffic warden fought back tears today when she claimed her successor tried to intimidate motorists at her mother’s funeral. The case was described by Judge Mary Devins as “almost like guerrilla warfare” between the two traffic wardens for six years. 40 year old Patricia McCafferty was in Ballyshannon District Court giving her defence

A Co Donegal couple have collected a cheque for over 12 million euro from the National Lottery. The delighted winners,  who wish to remain anonymous, won the prize in last Wednesday’s Lotto draw (4 June 2014). The last time the jackpot reached near this amount was in March 2012. “This means a lot,” smiled the happy

A number of concerned parents in the Ballybofey area contacted the Shaun Doherty Show regarding the loss of after school care for their children with Autism. The children gained so much from this service including social skills and the ability to communicate their own needs.  Glebe House was decribed by one parent as a sanctuary

  Computer users have under two weeks to save themselves from a cyber attack blamed for millions of pounds of fraud across the world. Homes and businesses have been warned  to secure personal and vital business information on their computers before a gang of international cyber criminals begins another campaign of hacking which has so

Independent Cllr John Campbell has been appointed has the first Cathaoirleach of the newly formed Donegal County Council. His vice chair will be Independedent Cllr Nicolas Crossan. The two were finally chosen after lengthy discussions between parties and independents that lasted from last night to the early hours of this morning, and further discussions took

The extra charges accuse her of failing to stop at an accident, failing to stay at the scene and failing to report a hit-and-run to gardai. Roohan, from Boyanagh on the Leitrim/Donegal border outside Ballyshannon is accused of the offences at Ardfarn near Mr McSherry’s home outside Bundoran on August 25 last year. The defendant

The crisis in the health service is being highlighted again today this time by a Donegal patient who claims she had to wait 12 days in hospital before being told of a further 18 month wait for an operation. According to the woman, she was admitted to Letterkenny General Hospital last Saturday week in pain

The former manager of Inishowen Community Radio has won his case for unfair dismissal at the Employment Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal also awarded Jim Doherty 40 thousand euro but he admits he is unlikely to receive that as the station is now defunct. Mr Doherty left the station in controversial circumstances in 2012 – last

Detectives from Serious Crime Branch investigating dissident republican terrorism in Derry have arrested a 38 year old man in Belfast. The suspect was arrested in the early hours of this morning in north Belfast. He has been taken to the Serious Crime Suite at Antrim police station for questioning.

An appeal has been lodged to allow a windfarm proposed for one of the most scenic parts of County Donegal go ahead. React Energy was refused permission by Donegal County Council for the construction of a number of turbines at Altilow, close to Lough Eske – that decision has now been appealed by the company

A Donegal Councillor says the decision by An Post to retain the Post Office at Leitermacaward is a direct result of the efforts of the local community. Cllr Marie Therese Gallagher says she’s been told by the An Post’s main spokesperson that the case made by the committee formed following a public meeting in the

Gardai have been given new information about a number of abuse allegations against former Gaeltacht teacher Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí. The Irish language summer school founder has been accused of abusing dozens of victims in the 1970s and 1980s. He passed away in March 2013 while under investigation for sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy in the

Donegal’s 37 councillors have gathered in Lifford for the local authority’s Annual General Meeting – which has already been adjourned. Highland Radio News understands an agreement had been reached that would see a Sinn Fein Chairperson elected. However it is believed that an all inclusive pact agreed overnight has been revised to give the chairperson’s

The Sisters of Bon Secours say they will co-operate fully with any inquiry the Government carries out into discovery of a mass baby grave in Co. Galway. Almost 800 dead babies and infants were found in a septic tank on the grounds of a former Mother and Baby Home just outside Tuam. In a statament

The post office in Lettermacaward has been saved from closure. It had been proposed to close the premises, but after local consultation, An Post has confirmed that the facility will remain open. Tenders will not be invited in the local area who are interested in becoming the Postmaster or Postmistress. Junior Minister Dinny McGinley says the

Donegal Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill has criticised Environment Minister Phil Hogan after a Fianna Fail motion aimed at defending the partnership ethos at local development companies was defeated in the Dail last night. Significant changes are being made in how Local Community Services, including the LEADER Programme, are delivered, but Seanator O’Domhnaill says instead of

The identity of Ireland’s newest millionaire remains a mystery. A lucky punter has won over 12 million euro having purchased the winning ticket at the American House Newsagents on Main Street, Bundoran. It is the second jackpot winning ticket sold at the outlet. The winning numbers were: 13, 14, 24, 31, 35 and 43. The

Here are the pictures that show a Gosafe van overtaking in a dangerous fashion on a Donegal road. The picture was taken by a motorist in Donegal with a dashboard mounted camera at the weekend. The GoSafe van appears to cross an unbroken white line whilst overtaking another vehicle. The man who took the picture

Irish Country Living has corrected figures released this morning which actually show that all three Donegal Driving Test centres have pass rates well above the national average. The investigation into national driving test pass rates did that the chances of success can differ significantly between test centres across the country. Author of the investigation Aisling

Police in the North have not handed over information requested by the Police Ombudsman about the murder of Denis Donaldson. It understood the PSNI has refused to hand over information requested by investigators looking at claims that police officers may have contributed to the death of former senior Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson, who was

Donegal pubs and businesses have dominated a list of smoking ban breaches. The HSE published the list today saying, in general, compliance with the Public Health (Tobacco) Act, which banned smoking in the workplace including pubs, had been high since its introduction 10 years ago. In total 11 premises breached the smoking ban in the

A waitress has been charged with dangerous driving causing the death of skilled surfer Alan McSherry, 48, in a hit-and-run collision. Lisa Roohan, from Boyanagh on the Leitrim/Donegal border outside Ballyshannon, is accused of the offence near Mr McSherry’s home outside Bundoran on August 25 last year. Lisa Roohan appeared at Ballyshannon District Court last

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the North has said it is outside Invest Northern Irelands control on whether or not businesses locate in Strabane or not. Invest Northern Ireland confirmed last week that seven businesses are still interested in locating at a business park in Strabane. In December 2012 Invest NI released

Newly elected Independent Donegal County Councillor Dessie Shiels says the first meeting of the local authority this Friday is a farce. The first 45 items on the agenda is to fill positions on forums, committees and groups as well appoint the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the council. Councillor Sheils says no consideration is given to

County Donegal has retained all of its 13 Blue Flags. An Taisce today announced the International Blue Flag Award and the National Green Coast Award recipients for 2014 confirming the news. Donegal also retain its 6 Green Coast Awards. The 13 beaches to retain their blue flags in Donegal are Bundoran, Culdaff, Fintra, Downings, Killahoey,

The Donegal Youth Service has launched a new website, creating a central hub for information on all projects, events, services, training and other work carried out by the DYS. The site was formally launched by Judge Paul Kelly, who praised the training provided for young people, and how it helps them get on in life.

There will be an open air mass tomorrow night at Malinbeg Pier in memory of all fishermen who lost their lives in the seas off Donegal. The crews of the Carraig Una and the Evelyn Marie will also be remembered at the mass which takes place at 8pm. This is the first time the mass

Donegal Senator and Fianna Fáil Seanad spokesperson on Agriculture & Food Brian Ó Domhnaill has expressed concern about the abolition of the Sheep Grassland Scheme. The Senator says Minister Simon Coveney is scrapping the essential programme without establishing a sustainable replacement. He says this will lead to a reduction in payments to sheep farmers in

A Donegal man will be sentenced later this month for criminal damage of his ex-girlfriend’s Facebook page after being acquitted of false imprisonment and rape. The thirty year old accused, who cannot be named, had pleaded not (NOT) guilty at the Central Criminal Court to falsely imprisoning and raping the woman at her home in

4,539 Donegal Students have this morning began their the Leaving and Junior Certificate exams. 2,134 are sitting the Leaving Cert in the county, a further 2,405 are taking on the Junior Cert.   Minister of State for Training and Skills, Ciarán Cannon, is urging students to try not to get too stressed. Meanwhile, it’s emerged

British and Portuguese police are using sniffer dogs to search an area of scrubland in Praia da Luz where Madeleine McCann went missing 7 years ago. Workers have been using strimmers to clear away undergrowth. Sky’s Tom Parmenter is there:

A 16-year-old learner was stopped while driving a tractor on a public road in Co Donegal over the weekend. He was pulled over by gardai in Buncrana, while operating the vehicle on a narrow country road. A picture of the incident was posted on the official garda Twitter feed, along with an appeal to farmers

A car stolen in Eglinton late last week is believed to have been used in criminal activity in Co Donegal. The white Ford Focus was stolen from the driveway of a house at Dunboyne Park in Eglinton in the early hours of Friday last. Police in Derry say several other cars were searched through at

Households in Letterkenny will have three bins from next month, with the introduction of a brown bin for household food waste. Under the new ‘Household Food and Bio-Waste Regulations’, all householders in the Letterkenny area will be required to separate their food waste and make it available for conversion into compost by placing both cooked