Author name: oisinkelly

As the campaign to preserve and enhance services at Dungloe Community Hospital is stepped up, Donegal County Council has passed a unanimous motion calling for all beds at the hospital to be reopened. At the weekend, a number of local politicians met to discuss the issue with hospital management and Junior Minister Dinny Mc Ginley. […]

It’s been confirmed that Relay for Life will be held again in Donegal in 2014. Bad weather didn’t stop thousands from taking part in this weekend’s event at Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Addressing the Closing Ceremony last evening, John mc Cormack, the CEO of the Irish Cancer Society said initiaitves such as the Daffodil Centre,

Funding of €995,000 has been granted to both Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council for improvement works in both Strabane and Lifford. The environmental improvements works are hoped to enhance the connectivity and attractiveness in both towns. The funding  has been granted by the Eurpoean Union’s Interreg IVA Programme, through the North West Region

A Donegal Deputy has expressed his surprise at the valuation of a derelict house on Gola Island. Pictured above, the house has been valued for The Local Property Tax in the 100 – 150k category. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty was informed of the valuation given to Gola natives  the Gallagher family. The Sinn Fein representative  took

The Irish International Immigrant Center in Boston  has apologized to the young Donegal it turned in to U.S. authorities after they claimed she had worked on a second job.  However ‘Amanda’ still faces a deadline to leave the U.S. Amanda is in the US on a year-long J-1 Visa and was working as an intern with

North West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher says it may be possible to have five beds reopened at Dungloe Hospital in a matter of weeks following a meeting with hospital management and the HSE yesterday,. Mr Gallagher, along with Cllrs Mary Therese Gallagher and David Alcorn will this afternoon meet with Junior MInister Dinny Mc

A major Peace Conference continues in Derry today. Politicians, business leaders, peace makers and activists are amongst those who have gathered to look at making, building and embedding peace from a local and international perspective. The continues today in the Millenium Forum before moving to the Magee Campus. Professor Brandon Hamber is the Director of

Eight objections have been lodged against a Government decision to grant prospecting licences in Inishowen to Rio Minerals. Based out of Vancouver, Rio Minerals describes itself as a a versatile mineral exploration and geotechnical consulting firm specializing in full project management. The Government intends to award the company prospecting licences for silver,gold and mercury in

Junior Gaeltacht Minister Dinny Mc Ginley says the Wild Atlantic Way will be a major draw for tourists once it becomes established. The Donegal South West Deputy was speaking after returning from Malta, where he addressed a major tourism conference. The 2,500 km route which stretches from Inishowen to Kinsale in Cork includes 156 strategically

An Independent MEP says the Minister for Agriculture should access special EU funds to help farmers affected by the fodder crisis. Marian Harkin is strongly criticising Simon Coveney’s efforts to ease the fodder situation. The North West MEP says that Minister’s pledge of one million euro to assist farmers is completely inadequate-and she says his

It’s been confirmed that work has begun on the Daffodil Centre at Letterkenny General Hospital, which is being funded with some of the monies raised during Relay for Life 2012. The work got underway on the eve of Relay for Life 2013, which takes place tomorrow and Sunday in the grounds of Letterkenny Institute of

Donegal man John Downey has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the murder of four British solders in the 1982 Hyde Park IRA bomb blast. The 61 year-old from Cresslough was arrested at Gatwick Airport on Sunday – he has been remanded in custody. He was accused of being responsible for a car bomb

A Donegal woman has been ordered out of the United States of America after a Irish Migrant Group reported her for allegedly breaching her visa. The woman is in the US on a year-long J-1 Visa and was working as an intern with the Irish Central news outlet – she revealed in an article that

Donegal Senator Jimmy Harte has called for a 32-county solution to diesel laundering, saying it’s a problem from Donegal to Dundalk, and has now extended into Dublin. The Labour representative told the Seanad he knows of a case in Donegal where the garage owner was convicted but the garage continued to operate and everyone knew

A Foyle MLA says any attempt to divert A5 money into Northern Ireland wide projects would be a further betrayal of people west of the Bann. The SDLP’s Colum Eastwood has voiced concern at Minister Jonathan Bell’s comments that money originally allocated to the A5 road project could be redirected towards the construction of Shared

Some of the biggest names in music will be performing in Derry this weekend as the ‘One Big Weekend’ gets underway this afternoon. Over 40,000 music fans will descend upon the city between now at Sunday night. Calvin Harris, Biffy Clyro, The Script, Bruno Mars and Ollie Murs are just a few of the names

Health Minister James Reilly is being asked to give assurances about the future of Carndonagh Community Hospital. Three weeks ago the HSE confirmed that four beds were being closed at the Hospital as a result of staffing pressures but insisted the move was temporary. But three weeks on, the beds remain closed. Donegal North East

A Donegal man charged with the murder of four soldiers in the 1982 IRA bombing in London’s Hyde Park is due to appear at the Old Bailey in London today for a bail hearing. A preliminary hearing of the case is set for June 5th. John Anthony Downey of Ards, Creeslough is accused of being

Emergency services would be able to deal with a fire on a cruise ship docked in KIllybegs if it were ever to happen. A major exercise took place in Killybegs today to test the ability of the emergency services. Exercise Zenith involved the Coast Guard, Gardai, fire and ambulance services, as well as Donegal County

LIFFORD killer John Gallagher will have to wait until next Thursday to hear if a bail variation on his behalf has been granted.. Gallagher (47) of Grangewood, Strabane, appeared at Strabane Magistrates Court yesterday (Thursday) charged with harassing and threatening to kill his brother, Donal Joseph Gallagher. The charges arose out of an altercation between

A Derry man who is currently on remand in connection with the finding of mortars in the city on March 3 has been approached in Maghaberry Prison to turn supergrass. At today’s sitting of Derry Magistrate’s Court, a solicitor for 37 year old Gary McDaid of 121, Glenowen Park said there had been a ‘serious

It’s expected that a major development at a Cresslough Activity and Accommodation Complex will be confirmed today following ministerial sanction of a 200,000 euro grant. Junior Gaeltacht MInister Dinny Mc Ginley says the development is being overseen by DLDC, and is likely to get final clearance at a meeting this afternoon………..

A man who had been accused of stabbing five men in an attack on St Patrick’s Day in Strabane two years ago has been acquitted at Omagh Crown Court. 46-year-old Michael McDonagh of Mitford Walk, Crawley in Sussex had been due to go on trial  for the offences this week. Five men were stabbed following

A Donegal Councillor is calling for a renewed debate about flouride before control of the provision of water is taken out of the hands of local authorities. Cllr Patrick Mc Gowan says the flouridation of water is carried out by the council on behalf of the HSE, and the policy is not set locally. However,

We understand that Donegal has retained its 13 Blue Flags for 2013, and is now the county with the highest number of Blue Flags in the country after Mayo lost one. However, it’s understood the Green Flag at Ladies Bay in Buncrana will be lost. The Environment Minister will today confirm Blue Flags for Bundoran,

The Irish Coastguard says today’s major exercise in Killybegs will be vital in testing the emergency plans of a number of agencies. Exercise Zenith will test the response of the emergency services to a simulated fire on a cruise ship docked in the town. Divisional Commander Derek Flanagan says the individual plans of each of

The Joint Policing Committee in Letterkenny is to reach out to non-nationals in the town. The initiative will coincide with a public meeting, planned for the coming weeks, to relaunch the Neighbourhood Watch scheme and highlight the role of the JPC in the community. A reconfiguration of the committee is also on the cards. Mayor

Gardai have targetted a gang who live a short distance away from Pettigo across the border in Co. Fermanagh. In what senior gardai in south Donegal described as “a very active inquiry” evidence is still being carefully gathered before an extradition is sought. Although the gang lives across the border, their accents match what Phyllis

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has told the Dail he is making some changes to the implementation of the Nitrates Directive, and putting protocols in place to plan for fodder problems in the future. Minister Coveney was speaking on an urgent topics motion introduced by three deputies, including Donegal TD Joe Mc Hugh. The minister said

Derry City Council has moved to ease concerns over the resources available for the Foyle Search and Rescue Team to cover the One Big Weekend in Derry. Craig Smith, chairman of the Foyle Search and Rescue team said the organisation was having trouble getting funding for two extra rescue boats and two jet skis to

Sinn Fein has called for the release of a 61 year old man from Donegal who is to face charges relating to an IRA car bomb near Hyde Park in London in 1982. The Crown Prosecution Service says John Downey from County Donegal will appear in court this afternoon, charged with the murders of four

The ability of the emergency services to deal with a fire on a cruise ship docked in Killybegs will be tested in a major exercise which is taking place tomorrow. Fire Crews from Killybegs, Glencolmcille and Donegal Town; Irish Coast Guard Volunteer Units from Killybegs and Bunbeg plus the Rescue 118 helicopter based at Sligo

It is one week today since the body of murder victim Bogdan Michalkiewicz was discovered in an apartment in the lower main street area of Letterkenny. 41 year-old Mr Michalkiewicz had last been seen alive outside his apartment at around lunchtime on Monday the 14th of May He was found two days later with multiple

Donegal County Councillor Brendan Byrne says there is no basis for concerns that car parking charges are to be introduced in Killybegs. Cllr Byrne says the council has confirmed to him that there are no present or future plans to introduce car parking charges in the town. He has welcomed the assurance as the matter

  Donegal North East Deputy, Joe McHugh is to meet with the Minister for Agriculture this morning over the fodder crisis in the county. Farmers in Donegal are struggling to deal with the impact of the weather, particularly after the torrential rain over the weekend. This was highlighted by the Chairman of the Donegal IFA

Letterkenny Town Council is being urged to make a start on a programme to utilise the River Swilly as a tourism and leisure amenity. Mayor Dessie Larkin reminded the council that a plan has been in place for some years to have a walkway linking the Port Road with the Ballymacool Town park, and a

A Donegal Councillor has called for the new Community Improvement Scheme to scrapped claiming that it raises health and safety issues and is a threat to jobs. The scheme was unveiled earlier this week by the government and will see local people provide 20 to 50% towards road improvements mostly through labour. Almost 500 hundred

Letterkenny Town Council has been told that plans to link Bonagee into the new pumping station and sewage treatment works outside the town could allow more homes and businesses to be connected in the future. Investigation works will be going to tender shortly as part of a five million euro programme. The issue was raised

There is concern that the emergence of a new cocktail of drugs may be linked to a number of incidents of attempted suicide in the northwest. The North West Regional Drug and Alcohol Task force has briefed the Health Promotion Unit in Letterkenny over their concerns. They are concerned that the use of the D10

A Strabane Councillor is seeking a meeting with Donegal County Council to discuss the state of border roads. Derg Councillor Kieran Mc Guire has asked Strabane District Council to formally convene a meeting with Donegal County Council officials, DRD Roads Service and elected councillors from the Finn Valley and Derg Electoral areas. He says major