Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal Deputy Dinny McGinley has declared he is gifting his teacher’s pension to the State – after making an election promise to give it up. The Fine Gael Junior Minister served as principal in Bunbeg National School  before he was elected to the Dail in 1982. He pledged to give up his teacher’s pension during […]

June Hughes from Ballybun, Castlefin won €52,200, which included a holiday to Turkey, on last Saturday’s  National Lottery Winning Streak TV Gameshow held in RTE.   The winning ticket was bought in Castlefin Service Station, Castlefin. June has been married to Martin for ten years.  They have four children – Dean (8), Lauren (7), Coran

Gardai are investigating four burglaries in the Buncrana area at the weekend. On Saturday items were taken from houses in the Castle Avenue and Rockfield Terrace areas. One of the homeowners disturbed the burglar and gardai made an arrest. A man has now been charged in connection with those two burglaries. Meanwhile, on Sunday a

There have been calls on the council to address safety concerns on a stretch of road in Carrigans which has been described by locals as a death trap. There were two crashes on Friday and another on Saturday – no one was seriously injured The problem centres on a bend approaching Carrigans from the St

A special motion centring on the authenticity of meat ingredients used in the manufacture of meat-based products will be discussed today at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Letterkenny. This year the theme is ‘Energy across Borders – Delivering the Economic Opportunities’. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny will make a keynote address to the Assembly – which

Labour Senator Jimmy Harte will today raise the concerns, at the British Irish Assembly, of a group that fear hazardous waste was dumped off the Donegal coast. Sea dump Donegal fear thousands of barrels of Toxic and Nuclear waste, Bombs and Chemical Weapons were dumped around the coastline of Donegal by the British last century.

Over half of parents check their child’s internet activity at least once a week. Thats according to a survey on bullying carried out by Ámarach, on behalf of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals. The poll of over one thousand adults also found that twelve per cent of us think cyberbullying is even

The PSNI says mass murder in Derry has been narrowly avoided, after four mortars they believe were within minutes of being launched were intercepted. The mortars, and mortar tubes were found inside a van with its roof cut off, which might have been an intended launchpad. The Donegal-registered van, and a motorcycle that was following

In excess of 3,000 euro has been raised for 96-year-old Margaret Lilly who was attacked and robbed in her home in Buncrana. On January 6th raiders entered Ms Lilly’s home and stole a considerable amount of money which was to be spent on new windows. Ms Lilly was in hospital for a week as a

A SDLP Foyle MLA has condemned yesterdays incident, where a viable explosive device was found in the Hollymount Park area of Derry. The device, which was discoverd shortly after 8am, lead to a number of homes being evacuated while bomb disposal experts examined and removed the object. Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey has called on anyone

A Letterkenny apartment with a reserve price of just 25,000 euro has failed to sell at auction. The property is situated in Fortwell Estate , which is just off Main Street Upper and at an auction in Dublin boasted  ‘local shops and amenities available along Main Street’ The Ground floor two bedroom apartment is still available

Police are appealing for information following the discovery of a suspicious object outside a house in the Hollymount Park area of Derry this morning, Saturday 02 March. It was reported to Police shortly after 8.15am and a number of homes were evacuated while ATO examined the object which was later declared to be a crude

Over 80 events have been planned for Donegal as part of Irish Language Week 2013. The programme events will run from this Monday and continue through to the 17th of March. ‘Seachtain na Gaeilge’ is an international Irish-language festival promoting the use of Irish language and culture, both at home and abroad. This year’s events

An attempt to break the world record for the biggest choreographed song and dance routine ever staged is underway in Derry (11am). As of last evening, almost 4,000 have registered to take part so far including the entire Derry City first team squad. 4,501 people are required to make it into the Guinness Book of

Sinn Fein says an apology from an SDLP Derry City Councillor over comments he made against a fellow councillor who has a Scottish accent does not go far enough. Councillor Jimmy Carr today says he unreservedly apologises for suggesting that Sinn Fein Councillor Eric McGinley needed subtitles. This despite earlier saying on social media that

At an Údarás na Gaeltachta Board meeting in Na Forbacha today. A number of projects, leading to the creation of 110 new jobs and a total investment of circa €5 million when up and running, were approved. In addition, €1.56 million was approved for organisations involved in various language planning initiatives and activities:   An

A Creeslough man, who has 100 days to save his businesses, says multi nationals are forcing many village businesses to close. Danny Lafferty owns a pub, shop and filling station in Creeslough which are now in examinership – up to 40 jobs are under threat as a result. Mr Lafferty says that while he welcomes

The Garda Commissioner has been told of Donegal Garda concerns over the merging of garda districts, moral within the force and a lack of proper resources. Garda Sergeant Paul Wallace is on the national executive of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors which met with the Garda Commissioner last evening. He says Martin Callinan

Thousand are expected to descend on the northwest tomorrow (Saturday) as the Foyle Hospice attempts to break the world record for the largest song and dance. The event, which runs from 11am to 2.30pm,  will lead to some traffic disruption around the Limavady Road/Ebrington Site tomorrow. Organisers hope to raise much needed funds for the

An SDLP Derry City Councillor has been forced to apologise over comments he made against a fellow councillor who has a Scottish accent. Derry SDLP Councillor Jimmy Carr claimed he couldn’t understand Sinn Féin councillor Eric McGinley and said that subtitles were needed He initially stood by his remarks he made on a social networking

A senior Labour Party member in Donegal is welcoming Donegal County Councils support for a review of the system of recruiting polling clerks at election time. Peter Cutliffe has long called for polling clerk positions to be advertised. He says y not advertising these positions, an opportunity to give young unemployed people some much needed

The Donegal Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes alongside Donegal Action Against Austerity are jointly organising a protest for this Monday in Letterkenny. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny will deliver the keynote address on the Monday night at a meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly at LYIT. The two anti-austerity groups organising the protest are inviting

Plans for the new Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital have taken a positive step forward with confirmation from the North’s Environment Minister Alex Attwood of planning approval for the development. It is hoped the Minister’s announcement now means the dates and budgetary timelines for the building of the new Radiotherapy Unit can proceed according to

Donegal Pet Rescue has launched a fundraising drive to try and raise money for a new van. The van that the group used for lifting stray dogs has been off the road since just after Christmas forcing group members to use their own vehicle. They need 3,000 euro for a replacement vehicle. People can donate

There are fears that up to 40 jobs could be under threat in the village of Creeselough. Three business premises this week went into examinership and a community meeting has been called for Monday night to address the crisis. Three separate premises owned by the Lafferty family; Lafferty’s Supermarket, the Corncutter’s Rest and the Vivo

A Donegal County Cllr has expressed his concern that the septic tank registration charge is not a one off fee. Cllr Terence Slowey who registered his tank when the fee was 5 euro, says he received his certificate, which expires on the 28th August 2017, this morning. He says this has created confusion, as he believed that

Sinn Féin’s demanding an independent agency be established to decide on home repossessions. It follows reports that the coalition is going to close a legal loophole that prevents banks foreclosing on homes. The move will form part of plans to deal with mounting mortgage distress. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty says banks should not be allowed

There are fears that hundreds of jobs could be lost at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Coleraine. There are plans to transfer the jobs to Swansea in Wales as part of centralisation moves. The British government wants to move more services online and it would mean jobs being lost in Coleraine as

Lawyers for the State have told the Supreme Court that opposing a challenge to Ireland’s ban on assisted suicide was not meant to convey a lack of sympathy. Seven Judges are hearing a case taken by Multipple Sclerosis sufferer and right-to-die campaigner, Marie Fleming. Barrister Michael Cush began by explaining the State’s position didn’t mean

A Donegal South West Deputy has said that we shouldn’t take it at face value that the Government will devise a replacement to the mobility allowance grant. The Department of Health confirmed yesterday that it was axing the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant with immediate effect. But the Taoiseach Enda Kenny said work is underway to devise a

Bluebird Care are hosting a public meeting in Letterkenny tonight on crime and security in homes. The security seminar will take place in the Station House Hotel at 7pm. There will be tips and advice on how to stay secure and safe in your home from a number of guest speakers. The Director of Bluebird

The IMPACT Trade Union will be in the Dáil today to brief Donegal and Sligo TD’s and Senators about concerns on the future funding and management of the two North West General Hospitals.   The union has expressed its concerns ahead the much awaited “Higgins Report”, which is due to be released in the coming

It’s been revealed that the HSE are planning to reduce the number of beds in St Joseph’s Community Hospital in Stranorlar. The HSE proposal will reduce the current number of beds in the hospital from 75 to 60, and they have cited the moratorium on staff recruitment as the main factor for the decision. This

The Irish Human Rights Commission is backing Marie Fleming’s claim that she has a right to assisted suicide. The Commission is making submissions as a neutral third party in the 59 year old’s appeal against the High Court’s refusal to relax the blanket ban on assisted suicide. Former university lecturer Marie Fleming is in the

54% of all Udaras na Gaeltachta units in Donegal are vacant. 67 out of the 125 units in the county are lying empty, with the highest number of vacant units in the parish of Gweedore with 26. Cloughaneely is the next highest with 15, while Kilcar/Carrick has 10 empty units. Donegal South-West Deputy, Pearse Doherty

Fianna Fáil is hosting a public meeting in Letterkenny tonight on crime, garda station closures and cuts to community garda resources in Donegal The party’s spokesperson on Justice Niall Collins will be in attendance along with Donegal Deputy Charlie McConalogue. Deputy McConalogue says comments by the Justice Minister Alan Shatter on Highland Radio, that Donegal

In February 2012 approximately 60 men who formerly worked in the construction sector got together with Inishowen Development Partnership in Carndonagh to discuss how they could make things better for themselves and other men in the area.  Since then and over the past year the Men’s Shed Carn project has gone from strength to strength. Philip