Author name: oisinkelly

Parents of primary and second-level students are being urged to sign up for new anti-bullying training. The Education Minister Ruairí Quinn has unveiled a 40-thousand euro fund which will provide for up to 70 training sessions by the end of the year. It’s being run with the help of the National Parents Councils and will […]

A man and a woman are in a stable condition in hospital following a serious single vehicle collision near Dungloe last night. The incident happened in the townland of Craugheyboyle between Dungloe and Loughanure. Five emergency vehicles including NowDoc, fire crews and ambluances attended the scene. Both the man and woman who were in their

A Sinn Fein cllr has condemned an attack on an Orange Hall outside of Derry on Friday night. Thugs broke into the hall and ransacked the building, spraying graffiti and stealing banners before making off. Sinn Fein cllr Paul Fleming has voiced his anger at the incident, stating that there is no place for such

It has been confirmed that Jim McGuinness will continue as Donegal manager for the 2014 season. Following a meeting on Saturday morning, McGuinness confirmed a willingness to stay on in the role despite a disappointing season. McGuinness steered Donegal to an Ulster and All-Ireland title in 2012 but this season, suffered relegation in the league and

Gardai are appealing for information following an attempted armed robbery at the Majestic Casino on the port road in Letterkenny last night. At around 10.45pm a man entered the casino and help up staff at knifepoint. The man continued to threaten staff demanding cash, however left the premises a short time later empty handed. The

The potential for more adventure tourism business in Donegal was highlighted this week, when a number of providers exhibited at Fáilte Ireland’s annual Adventure Tourism Forum in Ennistymon Co Clare. 45 specialist travel agents attended from several countries from India to the US. A number of operators from Donegal attended this week’s Ennistymon conference, accompanied

A new European Direct Information Centre has been opened at the library in Gweedore, providing full information services in the Irish language for the whole county. A centre has operated at the Central Library in Letterkenny since 2005, and when the county library service  was awarded the contract for the service again last year, the

A Sinn Féin councillor in Derry says some agency must take responsibility for St Peter’s School in the Creggan, which has been targeted by vandals and arsonists since its closure at the end of the last school year. Last week the fire service dealt with a major blaze at the former school, the second since

Police at Strand Road in Derry are appealing for witnesses to a hit and run RTC involving a pedestrian in the Buncrana Road area last weekend. At around 11 o’clock on Sunday night last, a black Peugeot hatchback car was driven down the Buncrana Road. The driver, believed to be male, turned right into Springtown

Donegal Action Against Austerity are to travell to Dublin next week to take part in a mass ”Peoples Assembly”. The protest will take place at the gates of the Dail on Wednesday, the day TD’s return from their Summer break. Donegal Action Against Austerity are urging people from the county to join them in Dublin.

A senior official with Donegal County Council says the newly established Letterkenny Gateway Economic Forum has the capacity to ensure the town maintains and enhances its gateway status. Michael Heaney, the council’s Director of Community, Culture & Planning Services says the forum is bringing together councils, businesses, community groups, educators and others to ensure that

It’s been confirmed that the board of the West – North West Group of Hospitals will hold a public meeting in Letterkenny on Tuesday afternoon next. It’s expected that the meeting, at 2 o’clock in the Mount Errigal Hotel, will see a presentation from management at Letterkenny General Hospital on specific plans to restore the

A North West MEP says rather than scrapping the Seanad, the second house should be reformed and given a very specific task of examining and analysing EU laws. Marian Harkin says the Dail does not have the time to do so, and what tends to happen is EU regulations are implemented without discussion. This, she

New guidelines will be published by the Government today which will see all schools forced to address cyber-bullying. Education Minister Ruairi Quinn will unveil the new procedures this afternoon – and it’s expected they’ll call for all primary and secondary schools to develop an anti-bullying policy with the input of parents, teachers and pupils. The

A woman in her 20s who was arrested last night over the hit-and-run death of Alan McSherry in Co Donegal has been released without charge. The body of 48-year-old Alan McSherry was discovered on a road at Ardfarn, Bundoran, in the early hours of Sunday, August 25th. The woman who is in her 20s was

The North West Cancer Support Group says the cancellation of its ‘Bling Ball’ at the end of this month will not effect the provision of subsidised flights from Donegal Airport to Dublin for cancer patients. In a statement on her Facebook page, organiser Mary Mc Ginley of Burtonport who founded the charity, said the lack

Gardaí investigating a fatal hit-and-run traffic collision at Ardfarn, Bundoran,on Sunday 25th August 2013 have arrested a female aged in her 20s. She was arrested earlier today in Ballyshannon and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at Ballyshannon Garda Station. A Garda investigation commenced when the body of 48-year-old Alan

A Milford resident remanded in custody on drugs charges today asked for a special diet in prison. Defence solicitor Kieran Fitzpatrick asked that 32-year-old Gerard O’Connor, who is a Muslim, be given halal meat in his meals at Castlerea Prison. Mr Fitzpatrick, who made no application for bail, also asked that O’Connor be given medical

Reacting to the announcement by the British Government, relatives of some of the victims have said that they have been left with no choice but to proceed with a judicial review. Stanley McCombe, whose wife Ann was killed in the bombing, said he’s “devastated” by the British Government decision. Mr McCombe said the reasons given for the

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers has announced that the British Government will not be holding a public inquiry into the Omagh bombing. Twenty-nine people were murdered in the Real IRA attack. Theresa Villiers said she did not believe there were sufficient grounds to justify a further inquiry beyond those that have already taken

Up to 500 people offered prayers in Annagry Church last night for Loughanure teenager Conor Boyle who remains seriously ill in a UK hospital following a weekend car crash near Peterborough. The Mass saw a huge turnout of young people, many of them friends and relatives of the young Rosses lad – together with a

New traffic lights are being switched on outside Letterkenny Institute of Technology this morning, with motorists being advised to be careful on the Port Road. The switch on his morning comes ahead of the opening on Monday of the new college car park opposite the main entrance, which will provide over 220 spaces. LYIT Director

Over 1.9 million euro in tax settlements was paid by Donegal companies and individuals in the second quarter of the year. In total, the Revenue Commissioners received over 22.6 million euro from 136 settlements between April and the end of June. Six of the Donegal settlements were for figures in excess of 100,000 euro. In

Sinn Féin says the Troika’s mortgage arrears targets are ‘lacking ambition’. Last night the EU-ECB and IMF said it wants Irish banks to reach agreements with one quarter of borrowers in arrears by the end of March next year. Some financial experts say that target may be difficult to reach for lenders. But Sinn Féin

A new report says authorities in the North have failed the families of those who died in the Troubles. It’s been launched by Amnesty International – which says that allegations of collusion have never been fully investigated and that a number of people behind some of the worst atrocities of the Troubles still walk free.

A man with an address at Milford is due to appear at Sligo District Court this morning(Thurs) on charges linked to the seizure of more than €100,000 of cannabis linked to searches in Sligo and Donegal. The man, aged 33, is from Dundalk. An English woman in her 20s who shared his Milford address and was arrested

The Bundoran lifeboat and Killybegs coastguard were this afternoon tasked to help in the rescue of a man who sustained an injury on a bot off County Sligo. The alarm was raised when the man failed to return from a trip, and friends contacted the coastguard. Bundoran RNLI spokesperson Shane Smyth says there was an

  The Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Centre has finally opened to the public, offering information and the services of a trained and qualified cancer nurse. The centre is located at Letterkenny Shopping Centre, close to the Penney’s premises there. It’s the first time such a centre has been located in a commercial area, an innovative

Highland Radio, Ireland’s most listened to local radio station, is delighted to announce the appointment of Billy Patterson and Patricia McBride to the board of Donegal Highland Radio Ltd. “We are very excited to welcome Billy Patterson and Patricia McBride to the Board of Highland Radio” says Donegal Highland Radio Chairman, Gerry Rabbitt. “Both have

North West MEP Marian Harkin has accused the EU Commission President of political posturing, imbalance and inaccuracy. During his “State of the Union” address to parliament today, Mr Barroso gave an upbeat assessment of the European economic situation, telling MEPs that recovery was in sight for Europe and that the situation in bailout countries such

The Northwest continues to be the area were there are most PSNI stop and searches. The Policing Board report found 1,915 stop-and-searches were carried out in G District (Foyle, Limavady, Magherafelt and Strabane) between the 1st of April and 30th of June this year. There were almost 2,000 stop and searches in Foyle, Limavady, Magherfelt

Calls have been made for Letterkenny to host a marathon or a half marathon. Earlier this year the Walled City Marathon in Derry was a great success with over 2,000 people taking part. The last time Letterkenny held a marathon was in 1983. Cllr Dessie Larkin, who raised the possibility at this weeks monthly meeting

The Roads Minister in the North has confirmed that the A5 scheme is ‘delayed’ and has not been abandoned. And Minister Danny Kennedy has said that the assessment dealing with EU Habitats Directive is on-going. In April this year a High Court order quashed the decision to go ahead with the A5, and it could

The Vice-Chairman of the Donegal Education and Training Board has said that yesterdays drugs seizures in the county highlight the importance of the Garda Drugs Unit in the county. Gardai seized almost 150,000 euro worth of cannabis yesterday afternoon. A house was searched at Leitir, Kilmacrennan and 150 cannabis plants were discovered, while around 1.2kg

A West Donegal community activist has announced that he is to run in next years local elections. Michael Mac Giolla Easbuig, who was heavily involved in the Cant Pay Wont Pay campaign, previously said he had no intentions of going into politics. But he now says that he has been approached by a number of

A convicted rapist who went missing while out of jail on licence is not to be pursued – for now – in the Republic. That’s because he is now back in custody in Northern Ireland and is facing a sentence there. 29-year-old Joseph McCabe, whose address in the Republic was given as Belcruit caravan park,

Two men have escaped with a sum of cash after robbing a Derry shop at knifepoint. Police say the two men carried out the robbery at the Glenowen Park shop at around 5:50pm yesterday evening. Police have asked anyone who may have witnessed anyone acting suspiciously in the area or who has any information to

Gardai in Donegal have seized almost €150,000 euro worth of cannabis this afternoon. The seizures come after a man and woman were arrested in Sligo last night for being in posession of €80,000 euro worth of cannabis. 200 cannabis plants, with an estimated value of €120,000 euro were seized at two growhouses in Leiter, Kilmacrennan.

The government is being urged to extend the deadline for applications for special needs supports in schools. All applications for new supports must be made by Friday week, but Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue says that current deadline is ‘unfair and unrealistic’. Deputy Mc Conalogue, the Fianna Fail Education Spokesperson says any child

Ten charges of illegal fishing against six men already part-heard will go ahead for a complete hearing at a special sitting of Glenties District Court on October 10. This was announced at Dungloe District Court today by Judge Paul Kelly. The cases are among a total of 137 charges against 40 men and one woman

Extra parking is to be provided in the vicinity of the Donegal Hospice to improve traffic flow during removals. The issue has been raised by Councillor Lisa Culbert who has got backing to make up to 22 new spaces available close to the building. Councillor Culbert says the move will ease pressure on families at

A former and a current traffic warden in Bundoran have confronted each other in court. Former Bundoran traffic warden Patricia McCafferty has been accused of harassing her successor Eddie Duffy. Both appeared in Donegal District Court, where the case was adjourned after Ms McCafferty, representing herself, sought extra documents from the prosecution. Judge Denis McLaughlin