Author name: oisinkelly

Local representatives have said it is extremely lucky that no one was injured today when a three story derelict building collapsed in the Fountain Estate area of Derry. The building in Kennedy place, which was once a synagogue and is the former headquarters of the Ulster Unionist Party in the City, collapsed and buried a […]

Letterkenny Institute of Technology has been hosting a seminar on Seminar looking the future of support services for adults with disabilities. The conference was backed by Donegal based APP Training Services, which has developed a new person-centred model of support for adults within the areas of autism and mental health conditions. The keynote speaker at

Today marks a significant milestone in the provision of youth mental heath services in Donegal, with the official opening of the Jigsaw centre on Letterkenny’s Pearse Road. Jigsaw service provides a safe and confidential space where young people aged between 15 and 25 can access a wide range of mental health supports for free, either

Parents say they ‘are no further on’ following today’s meeting in Gweedore to discuss the fate of the community creche Parents were told last week that it may have to close next month. At least 30 children are cared for at the facility which is supported by Udaras na Gaeltachta, but run privately on a

People in small fishing communities in Donegal are being asked to feed in to a BIM project to improve the economy and preserve the culture of those communities. Over the next eight weeks, a strategy is being prepared for Donegal which will identify projects to be receive EU funding through BIM. A series of meetings

A new group calling on people in Donegal, Derry and Tyrone to support the proposed A5 dual carriageway has been set up  this week. The ‘Action For The A5’ initiative has been set up by retired Professor Pat Darcy from Tattyreagh outside Omagh, who says he drove that road daily before he retired. He believes the

Police in Britain have issued the picture of a man wanted in connection with sexual assaults in Bolton. 47 year-old Martin Begley is wanted after a girl was sexually assaulted a number of times between January 2007 and November 2008. The girl was between the ages of 12 and 14 at the time of the

There is an appeal for information after an 87 year-old woman had two windows on the front of her home smashed during an early morning attack in Strabane. The home in O’Nolan Park was targeted at 6.40am this (Thursday) morning – the culprits smashed the front gate of the property to gain access. SDLP representative

The Chambers of Commerce in the Northwest have united to express their frustration at the Department for Regional Development’s decision not to appeal a judge’s decision delaying the A5 upgrade going ahead. Its after the Minister responsible,Danny Kennedy said this week he will not appeal the judges’s quashing of the decision to go ahead with

Gardai have carried out another search of land where Mary Boyle disappeared 36 years ago. Her mother Ann Boyle said she was told by gardai last night that an area pinpointed by the Sunday World as a possible grave was searched yesterday(Wed) and nothing was discovered. Mrs Boyle said there was nothing there but rocks.

Donegal Town Enterprise Ltd has confirmed it has bought the old National Hotel in Donegal Town with a view to developing it into a hostel for visitors. The company, which also owns and operates the Donegal Bay Water Bus, purchased the vacant property for around 200 thousand euro. The owners intend to sell the bar

A suspicious device found outside Lettekenny Garda station this morning has been described as an elaborate hoax. Army Bomb were called to the scene this afternoon to deal with the object which was made to look like a viable explosive device. Letterkenny Garda Station was closed for a time but has since re-opened. The New

Two men are being questioned about a fatal crash between Derry and Claudy. A 69-year-old man died following the two vehicle collision, which happened on the Glenshane Road shortly before 9pm on Wednesday. A man and woman remain in hospital where they are being treated for injuries which are not believed to be life threatening.

Cllr Ian McGarvey could be in line to be the next Mayor of Donegal. Mayor Frank McBreartys tenure ends in June when the AGM takes place in Lifford. This year it is the turn of the Independent Cllrs group to select the Mayor from and the name of Cllr McGarvey appears to be the favourite

Health Minister James Reilly is being asked to give assurances about the future of Carndonagh District Hospital. Donegal North East Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has tabled a number of questions to the minister seeking to clarify the up to date position about the number of people working at the hospital, after the HSE cited ‘staffing

The Dalai Lama has arrived in Derry. The Tibetan spiritual leader says he wants to promote his message of peace in the City of Culture. He’ll walk across Derry’s Peace Bridge with a group of schoolchildren today before giving an address in Ebrington on the theme of compassion. At 2 o’clock this afternoon, the Dalai

A number of piers in Donegal have been included in a programme of works being funded by the Department of Agriculture and the Marine. Among the areas which will see improvements are Arranmore, Ballywhoriskey, Downings, Inisboffin, Portsalon and Teelin. Donegal South West Deputy and Junior Minister Dinny Mc Ginley says the works will benefit a wide range

A so-called ‘Margaret Thatcher party’ passed off relatively peacefully at Free Derry Corner in the Bogside last night. There was a high police presence in Derry last night, but the PSNI kept their distance from the Bogside were the protests took place. Up to 300 people gathered at Free Derry Corner last night and burned

Tom Duffy’s Circus has said it is ‘disappointing’ by a protest outside one of its shows in Letterkenny on Wednesday evening. The company claims the protest was carried out by the Donegal SPCA. Donegal SPCA say their protest was not about the circus itself but about the use of exotic animals for entertainment such as

Donegal North East TD Charlie Mc Conalogue says serious concerns remain for small schools after the government refused to give a guarantee in the Dail this afternoon that none would close. In the Dail this afternoon, the Fianna Fail Education Spokesperson questioned Junior Minister Sean Sherlock on the ongoing review of small schools. The minister

The Irish Government says it remains fully committed to the development of the A5 and says pressure must now  be placed now on the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure it goes ahead. The Regional Development Minister in the North, Danny Kennedy said this week he will not appeal a judges’s quashing of the decision to

The Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin has extended his sympathies to the family of Letterkenny Councillor Tadhg Culbert, who has died following a long illness. Deputy Martin commented, “It is with great sadness that I learned today of Tadhg Culbert’s passing. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil party I want to pay tribute to a

There is concern that a deliberately provocative series of events is being planned in the Fountain Estate area of Derry to coincide with today’s funeral of Margaret Thatcher. DUP politicians yesterday visited the mainly Protestant estate in Derry following trouble in the area. There have been sectarian attacks attributed to nationalist youths on the estate

  Fianna Fáil’s Seanad Spokesperson on Agriculture has called for emergency measures to help Donegal farmers who are in serious difficulty as a result of the unprecedented fodder crisis. Donegal Senator Brian O’Domhnaill has accused the Government of so far refusing to recognise the devastation in the farming sector caused by unseasonable weather over the

A Donegal woman who competed in the ill-fated Boston marathon has spoke of her horrifying experience. Two days after explosives killed three people and injured more than 180 during the Boston Marathon, investigators are continuing to search for evidence. As of yet, they don’t know who carried out the Boston marathon bombings or why. Lucinda Catterson,

The police in Derry have recovered £25,000 in an operation against illegal gambling in the city. Dozens of gaming machines were also seized during the planned raids. Operation Blackjack visited 15 premises across Derry. One man has been arrested. Around 60 police officers took part in the day long operation and they were joined by

More and more primary schools across Donegal are falling into unmanageable debt as a result of cuts, and in particular, the withdrawal of the Minor Works Grant. That’s according to Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue. The Fianna Fail Education Spokesperson is now calling on Minister Ruari Quinn to address what he says has become a funding crisis

There are calls for efforts to be made to clean up the Manorcunningham Roundabout which one County Councillor has described as a disgrace. Councillor Paul Canning says the roundabout is one of the busiest junctions in the county and would give a poor impression of Donegal to any visitors. He questions why this seems to

There are calls for the Local Improvement Scheme to be fully restored. In the past, the public could apply for LIS funding for the upgrade of private roads to homes, farms, bogs and beaches. It has now effectively been scrapped – a similar scheme for the Gaeltacht has also been lost. Donegal County Council has

Police have declared a security alert in Blucher Street, Derry as a hoax. Army experts were been called in to assess a suspicious object. A number of houses were evacuated and Blucher Street was closed to traffic. Residents have now been allowed back into their homes and all traffic restrictions lifted.

The Department of Education is to be asked to extend the period of recognition for the Irish language secondary school in Buncrana. It emerged yesterday that the school is facing possible closure, with a number of options being considered by the County Donegal VEC and the Board of Management. Coláiste Chineál Eoghain was established in

Donegal County Council says it continues to prioritise the fight against illegal dumping releasing new figures showing the level of enforcement. In a statement today, the council says it  is making progress throughout the county in the fight against those who continue to dump waste illegally. Given the remote nature of some of the sites

A Carndonagh GP fears the recently announced bed closures at the local community hospital will become permanent with serious question marks now hanging over the future of the facility. Dr John Madden sits on the steering group of the Carndonagh Community Hospital. The HSE confirmed this week that four beds are being closed at the

A former Chairperson of the IMPACT trade union in Donegal has accused the union of not being upfront with its members as it relates to Croke Park II. Councillor Mick Quinn says the deal is anti women and does not represent a good deal for public sector workers – he believes the level of division

BBC Radio 1 have confirmed that their website has crashed due to technical difficulties. Tickets for the One Big Weekend Event in Derry will now not be available until tomorrow morning. Tickets were due to be made available from 9 o clock this morning. BBC Radio confirmed that due to technical issues Radio’1s Big Weekend