Author name: oisinkelly

Organisers of this year’s All-Ireland Fleadh have said they still need several thousand bedrooms in Derry. The event is now only less than a month away, but organisers are saying there is no accommodation crisis. The festival of Irish music, which is the largest event in the UK City of Culture calendar, is expected to […]

It has emerged that Donegal County Council this week had to remove two tonnes of litter from Donegal’s beaches. The local authority is now appealing for the public to act responsibly when visiting Donegal’s beaches during this spell of good weather. The council says that over the recent hot spell it has increased the cleaning

Two women charged in connection with a hijacking of a car in Derry that later crashed in Donegal were released on bail today at Derry Crown Court. Finnvola Gallagher and Cheryl Gardiner both aged 20 and both of no fixed abode were charged with aggravated vehicle taking on July 5. At today’s hearing it was

A new report says there is no direct connection between online-bullying and suicide. Last year – Erin Gallagher in Ballybofey and Leitrim teenager Ciara Pugsley took their own lives after alleged cases of bullying on a social networking site. However the Oireachtas Communications Committee says research from the US indicates the issue is rarely the

A Twin Town’s businesses man has rejected claims from Councillor Cora Harvey that a cut in rates can’t come from Donegal County Council. The Twin Town’s Chamber of Commerce wants a 25% cut in commercial rates to help struggling businesses, but Councillor Harvey says local services would lose investment if it came from the local

Foyle MLA Meave McLaughlin is renewing calls for an All-Ireland Tourism Authority, saying that recent Northern Ireland Tourist Board figures would indicate the ‘Our Time, Our Place’ tourism strategy isn’t working. Ms Mc Laughlin says while a specific analysis of the strategy isn’t yet available, figures would indicate that that overseas tourism into Northern Ireland

UK businessman Alan Sugar says ‘the devil in him’ made him invest in Doctor Leah Totton’s business in the Apprentice. IN the final episode of the current UK series night, he invested a quarter of a million pounds in the Derry doctor’s skin care clinics. She says she was surprised at how forceful she was

A County Councillor has backed calls from the Twin Town’s Chamber of Commerce for a significant business rates cut but says in reality it can’t come from Donegal County Council. The Chamber of Commerce wants a 25% cut in commercial rated to help struggling businesses but Councillor Cora Harvey says local services would lose investment

The North’s Health and Safety Executive has begun an investigation into the death of a 37 year old man in an accident in Derry yesterday. The man fell off a ladder in Strand Road shortly before 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon. He was rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

There has been a small drop in the number of houses sold in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2012. However, new figures show a 20% fall in the value of the properties sold. The latest figures from the Property Register Show that in the first 6 months of

A Donegal TD says it’s very worrying that the government is considering diluting the Rural Broadband Plan. The plan initially envisaged connection speeds of 30 megabits per second being made available to every household in the country, but now Communications Minister Pat Rabbittee is indicating that may be a maximum rather than a miniumum target.

Tá fógartha ag Donnchadh Mac Fhionnlaoich T.D., an tAire Stáit sa Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, go bhfuil deontas de €9,072 ceadaithe aige do Choiste Halla na Paróiste i gCill Charthaigh, Co Dhún na nGall chun cur ar a gcumas trealamh cistine agus ranga a cheannach. Ag fógairt an deontais seo, dúirt an tAire Stáit

A High Court jury has failed to reach a verdict in a defamation action brought by a Donegal over an article by Sunday Times columnist Brenda Power. The jury was discharged today after deliberations lasting almost eight hours resulted in no agreement. The case will be relisted for another hearing before a new High Court

The event organising committee of the Sandhouse Hotel Solo Challenge had for a long time endeavoured to find a way to adequately bring their relay solo run from Donegal town to a fitting conclusion upon arrival in clones this Sunday at the end of a 120km journey through the night. Thankfully due to the hard

The family of a Donegal man who died by suicide claims not enough mental health supports are available for those who need them. 47-year-old John McLaughlin died last Thursday on the same day of his sons anniversary. His son Mark was killed in a crash in Inishowen in July 2010 which claimed eight lives. Speaking

The husband of a woman missing from her County Tyrone home for just over a week has made another emotional appeal for her to return. Eight days ago, Lisa McGowans husband Paddy returned to their home in Drumquin, after working in Dublin – but his wife was nowhere to be found. Police have been searching

Over 2.5 million euro is to be invested in the seafood sector in Donegal, the bulk of the money from the private sector backed by government funding of 735,000 euro. The investment is part of a national package to be announced this afternoon by Marine Minister Simon Coveney, with a projected total of 1,200 new

Police in Strabane are warning home owners and car owners in the town to be vigilant following a recent spate of break-ins. There has been a number of thefts from gardens and vehicles in the Jefferson Court and Carricklynn Avenue area of the town. The PSNI have said that residents have reported seeing a dark

It’s emerged that the the North Donegal Money Advice Budgeting Service (MABS) has an average waiting time of 20 weeks, the longest in the country and five times the state average of four weeks. North Donegal MABS also has the highest number of number of people awaiting their first appointment at 160. In contrast, waiting

The Department of Social Protection says its confident a social welfare payment error won’t be repeated. Almost 33 thousand people did not receive their allowances today – due to a processing issue. The payments – which include maternity benefit and jobseekers allowance – will be made by 8 o’clock tomorrow morning. Sean Reilly from the

The jury is out in a defamation action brought by a Donegal man who previously sued a midwife for interrupting him filming the birth of his first daughter. Dubai based property broker John McCauley claim he was defamed by an article that appeared in the Sunday Times in March 2009, after he lost the court

The Minister responsible for planning says she’ll have to organise a second inquiry into irregular planning decisions. Jan O’Sullivan said a new inquiry team would be appointed in the coming weeks. Last month, the Department of the Environment agreed to a High Court order overturning its own findings of no evidence of wrongdoing in the

The families of the eight Inishowen men killed in a road traffic collision three years ago have been told by a judge the case will be made a priority. The case against 24-year-old Sean Kelly, who is charged in relation to the crash in which eight men lost their lives, has been adjourned on a

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh will lead the government’s charge in the north and west for the Abolition of the Seanad. The former Senator has been appointed the North/West Director for the Seanad Abolition Referendum On his appointement, Deputy McHugh described the Seanad as ‘shockingly undemocratic’ with just 1% of the population voting to elect the

Foyle assembly member Mark H Durkan is to replace his SDLP colleague Alex Attwood as environment minister. Mr Durkan was elected to the assembly in 2011 and had been the party’s social development spokesperson. Speaking to Highland Radio News monents after he was informed of the news,Minister Durkan said it was a very proud day:

It has emerged that thieves who targeted a car at Leck Graveyard on Sunday escaped with hundreds of euro in cash. There has been strong condemnation of thieves who broke into two cars at different graveyards in Letterkenny at the weekend. The first incident took place at Leck Graveyard on Sunday as two ladies were

The Mayor of Letterkenny is hitting out at news that the HSE may be forced to cancel plans to hire 477 new mental health staff – because of overspending in the health sector. Junior Mnister Kathleen Lynch had announced that 35 million euro would be set aside to recruit in areas such as community services

Homebase has gone into examinership. The company has 15 shops in Ireland, including a store in Letterkenny and employs over 550 staff. The home improvement store says the purpose of the examinership is to re-structure and to put the business on a sustainable footing. Homebase has suffered a one third reduction in sales since 2009.

Omagh bomb suspect Seamus McKenna has died after falling from scaffolding last week. McKenna was working as a labourer on a building site in Kilcurry near Dundalk, Co Louth, when he was injured in the accident last week. The 58-year-old was taken to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where he died on Sunday. McKenna, who was

The EU Fisheries Commissioner is promising to move on imposing sanctions on Iceland and the Faroes for overfishing of mackerel. Commissioner Maria Damanaki said last night mackerel stocks could be destroyed by the unilateral setting of quotas by Iceland and action will be taken within the next month. Marine Minister Simon Coveney described the Icelandic

The Government has awarded funding for a major refurbishment project to go ahead at St Eunan’s College. This is in addition to last month’s announcement that grant for its prefabs to be replaced with permanent accomodation. The latest grant will allow for major refurbishment to a section of the school to allow for new accommodation

Letterkenny Sinn Fein Councillor Gerry Mc Monagle has described the thieves who robbed two cars at different graveyards in Letterkenny at the weekend as the lowest of the low and heartless. Cllr Mc Monagle was speaking after being informed by one of the victims of the robbery on Sunday. The first robbery took place at

A Donegal chiropractor will be sentenced next week for breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and then dragging her back into the house and assaulting her. Helen McEvily (33) was at home after a night out when Kevin Ginty (46) climbed in through her sitting room window. She managed to leave the house and call the

Bus Eireann has confirmed that its route between Letterkenny and Dublin will be fully wheelchair accessible by the end of 2013. It is after the issue was raised at Letterkenny Town Council’s meeting last week by Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh. It was argued that in the absence of a rail service, the route was widely used

Buncrana’s Mayor has appealed to beachgoers to take their rubbish home. Councill Peter McLaughlin also wants stricter enforcement of littering laws after broken bottles and other rubbish was left strewn over beaches in Lisfannon and Buncrana. Mayor McLaughlin says the mess that is left is an eyesore and makes the beaches unsafe for users:

Police in Tyrone are appealing for information after a hotel was robbed by an armed gang. Three men, one armed with what’s believed to have been a shotgun entered the Mellon Country Hotel between Omagh and Newtownstewart at around 5 o’clock yesterday morning. They ordered a member of staff to hand over cash before making

The Norths Environment Minister, Alex Attwood has announced £200K in funding to revamp derelict buildings in Strabane. In total fifteen Northern Ireland councils will £1.5m from the Department of Environment to tackle decay and dereliction in their areas. Earlier this year similar funding was announced in February, but Strabanes application was deemed unsuccessful. SDLP Cllr

It’s emerged that a stretch of ‘live’ telephone cable has been removed from poles between Manorcunningham and Newtowncunningham. The wire has been removed at Drumbarnett, close to Colm Dillon’s car showroom, and a number of homes and businesses have had their services affected as a result. Eircom crews are due in the area shortly to

The number of people seeking the help of free legal advice centres in Donegal fell by over 40% last year according to figures published this morning by the legal rights group FLAC. The centre in Letterkenny and Gweedore dealt with 41 calls in 2012, compared to 70 the previous year, a drop of 41.4%. That’s

The first meeting of the Donegal Education and Training Board takes place this afternoon. The body replaces the County Donegal VEC, one of only three in the country not to be involved in a merger of two or more Vocational Education Committees. This afternoon will see the confirmation of outgoing VEC CEO Shaun Purcell as

The Bundoran lifeboat last night responded to what’s been described as a ‘false alarm with good intent’. Just after 9.50pm the crew were tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard to a kayaker reported to be in difficulty off St John’s Point.  Within 4 minutes the Bundoran lifeboat had launched and made its way across Donegal

23 police officers and an MP have been hurt in violence in North Belfast. North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds was taken to hospital after he was hit by a brick when violence broke out during the annual 12th of July parades. It was sparked by loyalist anger over Orange Bands not being allowed to pass

A Letterkenny Town Councillor wants the local authority to secure funding a new home for the youth of the town. Councillor Jim Lynch says the Council already pays rent for the Donegal Youth Service, while the Letterkenny Youth Club is without a base and has very little funding. He acknowledges that a major capital project

  The HSE has rejected the Let Me, Be Me Campaign’s Threshold of Decency Statement. The statement called for the retention of St Agnes’ Special Needs Pre-School, Donegal Town and a  commitment to retain Ballaghderg Special Needs Pre-School, Letterkenny beyond 2015. A number of other measures were proposed. In a statement to Highland Radio this

The Central Library Letterkenny will be closed until further notice The closure is due to water damage. Donegal County Council has  apologise for the unexpected closure. They remind library members that they can renew their loans online, check their account and request/reserve items online at www.donegallibrary.ie

The environment minister says he wants county and city councils to start building more local authority housing. Phil Hogan says councils stopped building homes in the Celtic Tiger years, handing responsibility to private builders. But he says the current waiting lists for council housing are too long – and the government is spending too much

Police say they are becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of a Drumquin woman who may have been last seen in County Donegal. Lisa McGowan left her home in the early hours of Tuesday morning, it is believed she is travelling on foot. Lisa is 6 foot tall, is of small to medium build with

It’s been confirmed today that the creche is Gweedore has been saved from closure. At least 30 children are cared for at the Gweedore Community Creche. The facilty had been threatened with closure earlier this year. But funding has now been found to keep it opened, and Local Community worker Micheál Mac Giolla Easbuig says