Author name: oisinkelly

A Buncrana Councillor is asking why it took a team of army explosives experts six hours to get to the town yesterday. The specialist team travelled by helicopter to Inishowen after a suspected pipe bomb was found on a wall outside Tullyarvan Mill in Buncrana. The device was reported at 10.30 yesterday morning, but wasn’t

The Chair of Donegal County Council’s Housing Committee says the council should be given scope by the government to acquire houses and address the large waiting list for housing in the county. Cllr Dessie Larkin was speaking after Housing Minister Jan O’Sullivan announced a supplementary allocation for the council of just over 354,000 euro which

Donegal Deputy Joe Mc Hugh is meeting with the head of HSE West today to get an update of the restoration of services at Letterkenny General Hospital. Work is continuing with decontamination and sterilisation of equipment, re-stocking of critical supplies and re-establishment of diagnostic radiological capability at the facility which was devasted by floods earlier

Missing woman Siobhan Mc Nulty has been located safe and well in Dublin. The 44 year old was reported missing yestersday having last been seen in the Knocknamona area of Letterkenny on Monday last.

There was a unique cultural link up between Derry and Kerry following a visit to the city by the 32 Rose of Tralee contestants. The North’s Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, says the people of Derry are indebted to the organisers of the festival for bringing the roses to the UK City of Culture. The

Gardai are urging caution on the roads around Letterkenny after an oil spill last night. Several minor collisions have been reported overnight and this morning from the Mountain Top to the Port Road via Business Park Road. Donegal County Council is dealing with the spillage, but gardai are urging continued care.

Gardai investigating the alleged cyberbullying of Erin Gallagher and Ciara Pugsley are reportedly close to indentifying the computers used. Ask FM, which has been associated with the teens’ tragic deaths, says its released the IP addresses linked to the bullying messages. 13 year old Erin from Ballybofey, and 15 year old Ciara from Leitrim took

A new survey has underlined once again the drop off in the construction industry in County Donegal. The GeoDirectory has recorded 31% decrease in new buildings in Donegal in first half of 2013. 224 new residential and commercial buildings were recorded in Donegal for the first six months of 2013, according to new figures released

Letterkenny Youth Information Centre will provide a phone helpline for those receiving Leaving Cert results today and tomorrow. Staff at the Port Road based centre will also be available for young people and parents to bring along any queries that may arise following students receiving their results. Youth Information Coordinator, Gareth Gibson is also keen

It’s been confirmed that work is to begin on a £70,000 safety scheme on the B48 Lisnarragh Road, Plumbridge. The scheme will see a particularly bendy section of the Lisnarragh Road at Devine’s Memorials realigned allowing road traffic users a clear line of sight. The North’s Roads Minister Danny Kennedy has announced the scheme would

Army bomb disposal experts have declared a suspected pipe bomb in Buncrana a false alarm. They were called to the scene at Tullyarvan Mill in the Town after the discovery of a suspicious object on Wednesday morning. The scene was sealed off with some people told to remain inside the Mill  for their own safety

The Department of Social Protection says it’s office in Letterkenny is processing over 50,000 additional claims for payment under the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, with half of those claims already processed, including all claims received in June. The dedicated section on Olover Plunkett Road is processing claims which were received on 19July

The new Finn Vally Leisure Centre in Stranorlar will open to the public this weekend. The long awaited opening of the swimming pool and gym facilities will finally open after decades of campaigning locally for the facility. The new leisure centre has created 15 new jobs. Finn Valley Athletics Club also already employs 15 staff.

The family of the Irish woman being held on drugs charges in Peru says they are is confident she will be fully exonherated. The family of Michaella McCollum Connolly from Dungannon have issued a statement saying they are making arrangements to travel to Peru to visit her. She and her Scottish friend Melissa Reid stand

Over 55,000 Leaving Certificate students are receiving their exam results today, just over 2,000 of them in Donegal. 1,959 students sat the Leaving Certificate exam in June, another 133 sat the Leaving Cert Applied. The number of candidates sitting the tests this year fell to its lowest level since 2007 – but the uptake for

Fianna Fáil says the government needs to do more to make college more affordable. The calls comes after a survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions revealed it can cost up to 950 euro per month to send a student to college. Eight out of ten parents save for an average of eight years

There is anger in Castlederg after a Wreath laid at the Cenotaph for murdered Michael Darcy has been taken from the site. The wreath, to honour one of the founding members of the Castlederg Young Loyalists’ Old Boys Flute Band, was taken sometime between Sunday and Monday. Mr Darcy was shot by the IRA in

Lough Derg will have a new prior from the start of September. In his 2013 clerical changes for the Diocese of Clogher, Bishop Liam McDaid has named outgoing prior Monsignor Richard Mohan as Parish Priest of Clones in County Monaghan. The new Prior of Lough Derg and Parish Priest of Pettigo will be Fr Owen

A new survey has found that Donegal was the top location for Irish people who enjoyed a so called Staycation during the summer heatwave. According to figures from ebookers.ie, the county enjoyed an 800% increase in bookings. Other areas that benefited include Bray (400%), Adare (400%), Kildare (400%), Killarney (273%), Limerick (242%), County Cork (224%)

Parents are contributing an average of 400 euro a month per child for third level education. That’s according to a survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions which also shows that 80 per cent of parents have to lend financial support to struggling students. 71 per cent of parents now say their family budget

 The Archbishop of Lima has visited Michaella McCollum Connolly in jail in Peru. The Tyrone native and her Scottish friend Melissa Reid were arrested at Lima airport last week – and accused of carrying 11 kilos of cocaine between them. Archbishop Sean Walsh told the Irish Independent, he believed Michaella and Melissa were set up.

A Derry businessman who was the victim of a paramilitary-style shooting in his Waterloo Street shop has been charged with possessing CS gas canisters. Raymond Coyle was shot by dissident republicans for selling so-called legal highs in his shop in February 2010, and was threatened last year with execution. 55 year old Mr Coyle from

The Director-General of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann says there is a very unique spirit in Derry this week following the opening of the 2013 Fleadh Cheoil yesterday. Thuosands thronged Guildhall Square for the opening performed by President Michael D. Higgins and Deputy First Minister Martin Mc Guinness. Labhras O’Murchu says scarcely has the opening of the

The Coast Guard says there is little doubt that the quick actions of a member of the public saved the lives of two men who fell from a boat in Greencastle last evening. The Greencastle Coast Guard boat and shoreline team and Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 were tasked to the two men in the

The CEO of the Killybegs Fishermens Organisation has said another fleet decommissioning scheme may have to be introduced next year. Sean O’Donaghue was speaking after the European Commission announced deductions from the 2013 fishing quotas for a number of species, including a 10% reduction  in Ireland’s haddock quota, to offset overfishing last year. Sean O’Donaghue

The latest edition of the National Housing Construction Index shows that Donegal continues to report a percentage drop in planning commencements. The figures were compiled by Link2Plans-dot-com. The reported examined every housing construction planning application and planning commencement from January to June 2013, in the production of the National Housing Construction Index. The Index gives

Donegal anti austerity protesters says they intend to run candidates in next year’s local elections. The next meeting the activists from Donegal will be attending will be on September the 14th in Dublin. Donegal Action Against Austerity says the purpose of the meeting will be to agree a programme that candidates through out the country

The final hurdle for the extension of Dungloe and Glenties Sewerage scheme has been passed with the government today announcing over 5 million euro allowing the projects to progress. The long awaited work involves the provision of new wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations and sewers in Dungloe & Glenties. It is expected that work will

The family of a Tyrone woman – facing up to 25 years in prison in Peru – says they’re very concerned for her wellbeing. 20-year-old Michaella McCollum Connolly and a friend were arrested at Lima Airport on Tuesday – on suspicion of trying to smuggle 1.7 million euro worth of cocaine out of the country.

  A Senior Government Minister is dismissing reports that pensions will be cut in the next budget. The Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney was responding to newspaper reports that the Government is looking at cutting the old-age pension by around 10 euro a week, to make savings of up to 300 million euro. The government needs

A Republican parade has passed off peacefully this afternoon in Castlederg in Co Tyrone. The Tyrone Volunteers Day Parade commemorated republicans who died during the Troubles, including two IRA men killed by their own bomb. Several hundred bandsmen and republican supporters took part in the march. Hundreds of protesters, including some family members of IRA

There was a major boost for Castlefinn this evening with the news that a new Childcare service is being put in place. It emerged last week that the current service was to cease with the loss of as many as 10 jobs.  A public meeting was told however that every effort would be made to

With thousands of students in Donegal due to get their leaving cert results next week, drinkaware dot ie has urged them to celebrate responsibly. The website points out that it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of the night and end up overdoing it. Approximately 2000 students sat the Leaving Cert

The annual Apprentice Boys of Derry parade is taking place today with activity on the Cityside starting at 9 o’clock. The Apprentice Boys Parent Clubs, accompanied by 9 Bands will parade around the City Walls, lay a wreath at the War Memorial in the Diamond and then parade to St Columb’s Cathedral for a church

A 20-year-old woman whose family launched a worldwide Facebook campaign when she disappeared has been arrested by police in Peru on suspicion of trafficking $2.3 million of cocaine. Celebrities and sports stars had taken part in the plea for information and the Irish government had become involved. It turned out that dancer and part-time night-club

The HSE has released the following update on services at Letterkenny General. Services operating normally Maternity, Dialysis and Chemotherapy services have not been affected by flood damage. The hospital is providing limited Paediatric services for GP referred patients who do not need access to radiology services. The Laboratory service is operating with some limitations. Patients