Author name: oisinkelly

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

The Programme of Events for next weekend’s Relay for Life Donegal have been released. Thousands are expected to descend on LYIT to raise funds for cancer research by remembering those who have died from cancer while celebrating those that have survived it. The full list of events are listed below: SAT 25TH MAY AT LYIT

Overall crime was down 15% in the Letterkenny district in the first three months of the year, according to a report presented to the town’s Joint Policing Committee. Superintendent Vincent O’Brien said burglaries were down 2%, but aggravated burglaries were up 300%, although he stressed that was coming from a very low base, rising from

Letterkenny’s Mayor says the Town and County Councils should be borrowing as much money as possible to buy houses and property. At a Town Council meeting last evening, Cllr Victor Fisher said the council should look at purchasing a piece of land on Church Lane in the town centre. Supporting the motion, Mayor Dessie Larkin

The National Union of Journalists has demanded that a threat against a Donegal journalist be withdrawn. Two journalists in Northern Ireland had already received death threats from loyalist paramilitaries last week, while the County Donegal journalist working with the Sunday World has also received a threat. An NUJ spokesperson said the union asked those responsible

Derry has beaten off strong competition from more than 1,400 entries from all over Ireland to make the final five in “The Irish Times” Best Place to Holiday in Ireland competition. The other finalists still in the running to be named Ireland’s favourite holiday spot are Killarney, Co Kerry; Inishbofin, Co Galway; Loop Head peninsula,

IFA Chairs in Donegal and Leitrim are calling on the Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to look beyond Cork as he considers the fodder crisis. The Chairman of Leitrim IFA Pat Gilhooly said Mr Coveney seems to have forgotten the west and northern parts of the country, where the real problems currently exist with fodder shortages

Eurovision finalist Ryan Dolan has been reflecting on the disappointing outcome of this years Eurovision on the Shaun Doherty show this morning. The Strabane native ranked last in Saturday night’s competition, securing just five points from three countries for the song Only Love Survives. Catherine Gaffney has more……………

Rural roads are to be given a facelift thanks to a 10.6 million euro investment from the Department of Transport. Under the scheme maintenance works will be carried out at 377 locations – or to over 240 kilometres of road,  over the next two years. Almost 500 hundred thousand euro will be spent in Donegal

Just over 300 thousand euro, withheld from Donegal County Council in penalties for non-collection of the household charge is to be reimbursed by Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan. Mr Hogan had refused to pay out the full Local Government Fund allocation to a number of local authorities who failed to collect at least 65