Author name: oisinkelly

A senior Government Minister has admitted there may be a short term impact on Irish exports following the discovery of traces of horsemeat in burgers on sale in supermarkets here. However, the Environment Minister Phil Hogan says the discovery proves that the system of checks in the Irish food industry is working well. Horse DNA […]

Gardaí in Inishowen are investigating two separate aggravated burglaries which occurred yesterday. In the first incident which occurred at 7.30pm  five males called to the home of a man in his 60’s at Linsfort, Buncrana. The men forced their way into the house and demanded cash, during the course of this burglary the man was

Bord Bia says it’s confident the beef industry can withstand the current challenge its facing – after horsemeat was found in burgers sold in Irish supermarkets. The Food Safety Authority detected the horse DNA during a survey of beef products sold by retailers, including Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Dunnes and Iceland. The issue has raised serious

Letterkenny Town Council has been told that one mobile phone service provider on the border between Portugal and Spain has abolished roaming charges, and there is no reason why this should not be replicated on the border here. Raising the issue, Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle said while there has been some progress on the issue

The Spunout organisation says Ireland needs to step up it’s response to bullying behaviour in schools and online The group points out that Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has today announced a number of comprehensive measures to tackle the problem of bullying in schools and online. Spunout out points out that despite a number of

The civil retrial of two men being sued over the Omagh bombing has been hearing transcripts from a police interview with Colm Murphy. The Dundalk man was questioned by Gardai almost a year after the bombing. Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly are defending the action taken by some of the relatives of the victims. Yesterday,

Gardaí say they’re following a number of lines of enquiry following an aggravated burglary at the home of an elderly woman in Pettigo. Three men – who were understood to be wearing hoodies – forced their way into the 78-year-old’s home shortly after 10pm last Saturday night. They pushed the woman to the ground before

A female pedestrian is said to be in a “critical condition” after she was struck by a car this morning. The woman is believed to have been walking along the road in the Barnesmore Gap this morning when she was hit by a vehicle at approximately 8am. Gardai in Donegal Town have stated that the

A man jailed for murdering two British soldiers at an army base in Co Antrim has had his conviction quashed by Belfast’s Court of Appeal. 47 year old Brian Shivers, from Magherafelt in Co Derry had challenged his conviction for the murders of sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar. The soldiers who were both aged

A Strabane Town Cllr has hit out at those responsible for carrying out a bomb hoax in the town yesterday evening. The town was brought to a complete standstill yesterday after the discovery of a device which led to the closure of Bradley Way and Lifford Bridge. Army bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled

The Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay organisation is urging people to continue boycotting the septic tank registration process, dismissing a series of meetings being hosted by Fianna Fail over the next two weeks as “an exercise in opportunism”. Fianna Fail are suggesting to people with problematic tanks that they should register before the February 1st deadline

A hospital doctor, who used to work at Letterkenny General Hospital, has failed to attend a Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry into an allegation against him. In his absence, the inquiry found that Mirghany El-Mana failed to comply with a High Court order attaching conditions to his continued registration as a doctor This following

A 19-month-old boy has been killed in a road accident in County Fermanagh. A man and a woman also injured in the two-car crash are in serious conditions in hospital. The child’s name has not been released. It happened on the Boa Island Road just before 4pm yesterday – the road was being used as

The ban on issuing gaming licenses which was imposed by councillors in Letterkenny during the 1980s remains in place, and no gaming licences will be issued in the town. That was the advice given to members during a debate on gaming and gambling initiated by a motion from Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle. Donal Kavanagh attended

The object that lead to the closure of the Lifford Bridge last evening has been declared a hoax. The was major disruption in Strabane following the discovery of the device whch lead to an area of Bradley Way being sealed off. Army bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled explosion on a suspicious object which

Tribute has been paid by a High Court judge to a young garda who attempted to save the life of his “colleague and best friend” who died shortly after their patrol car had been rammed in Burt. Garda Bernard McLoughlin told Ms Justice Mary Irvine that after finding a pulse, he held his colleague Garda

Buncrana is among 38 areas involved in a survey on primary school patronage. Parents of all children aged up to 12 years of age are being asked by the Minister for Education and Skills what patrons they would like to see operating their local primary schools. Surveys went live yesterday and are an expansion of

A man in his 30s has been killed in a road crash in Co. Donegal. The man died when the lorry he was driving crashed at Bannus, in Pettigo at around 11.30 on Monday morning. No other vehicle was involved in the incident. The Laghey to Pettigo road is currently closed Monday 7pm) while Gardaí

There is a  a security alert in Strabane. ATO have been tasked to Bradley Way in the town. Traffic is currently being diverted through the town. Gardai are advising motorists and pedestrians  that the bridge between Lifford and Strabane is closed

A Derry man has been returned for trial to Belfast Crown Court on a series of explosive charges. 31 year old Tony Friel of Gartan Square in the city appeared at a preliminary enquiry at the local Magistrate’s Court today. Tony Friel is charged with possessing explosives and other items with intent to endanger life

There’s been a serious road collision on the Belleek to Kesh Road in Fermanagh which was being used as a diversion route following an earlier fatal crash outside Pettigo. This means that anyone wishing to travel from Pettigo to Laghey must go via Enniskillen. The Fermanagh road is now closed from Rosscoir in Belleek and

A special investigation to be aired on TV3 tonight will hear claims from an arms trafficker that he brings weapons into the country through Donegal on public transport. Armed and Dangerous investigated Ireland’s black-market weapons trade. TV3’s investigative journalist Paul Connolly spoke earlier on the Shaun Doherty Show:

A man has died following a single vehicle crash near Pettigo in South  Donegal. The Laghey to Pettigo road is closed and diversions are in place to facilitate a gardaí investigatation. The man, who is believed to have been from eastern Europe, was driving a lorry.

Diversions are place between Pettigo and Laghey following a single vehicle collision close to Leonard’s Filling Station at 12 noon today. Emergency services are at the scene, motorists are being urged to avoid the area if possible. The diversions are in place from Leonard’s to Laghey. We understand there are injuries,  but no further details

Sinn Fein TD Martin Ferris is in Donegal today for a series of meetings with community and youth groups. He and Galway Senator Trevor O’Clochartaigh are in the county as part of Sinn Féin’s Love Rural Ireland Campaign, which was launched by the party in March of last year. They will attend meetings in Killybegs

A gang has struck in what is believed to be the first identity theft scam of its kind in Donegal. Up to eleven cars were broken into and personal identity data stolen. Tax books, driving licences and insurance data were stolen in the incident at Glenwood Park. Local Town Cllr, Gerry McMonagle has said the

A pensioner living in her Pettigo home was thrown to the ground on Saturday night as robbers searched her home for money. The robbery took place at around 11 o clock on Saturday night. The 78-year-old is the second pensioner living along the border to be targeted in the past week. The news comes in the wake

The Government has reversed the controversial decision to halve spending this year on personal security alarms for older people. This decision contradicts last week’s statement by the Department of the Environment. The previous statement said that eligibility for the Seniors Alarm Scheme was being restricted to older people living alone. Donegal North East Deputy Padraig

Marine Minister Simon Coveney has turned down an invitation to attend the anniversary service of what is believed to be Ireland’s worst-ever fishing disaster Commemoration organisers said he told them last week that his schedule under Ireland’s presidency of the EU won’t permit him spare time to attend the 200th anniversary of the Bruckless Bay

Plans have been announced for a memorial ceremony to commemorate the bicentenary of what is known as ‘The Bruckless Drowning. On February 11th 1813, 200 fishing boats capsized in a storm in Bruckless Bay with the loss of many lives. On February 11th 1813 a large number of open sailing boats were fishing herring in

Police in Derry have found cannabis resin with an estimated street value of £11,000. It was discovered during a planned search of a house in the city earler today. A 29-year-old man has been arrested.

The closure of Mary’s of Donegal this week is another indication of this government’s failure to protect the domestic economy in Donegal and throughout the country. That’s according to Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle, who says the closure of the Donegal Town store has led to 16 job losses. He says government talk of

Fianna Fail in Donegal is to host a series of Public meetings to brief people on the ongoing septic tank issue, and advise those with problematic tanks that are causing a pollution to register them before February 1st. Cllr Paul Canning says while there are still serious question marks over how the government has handled

Two men held liable for the Omagh bombing are seeking to go before the European Court of Human Rights to overturn the ruling, it has emerged. The pair are jailed Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt and Liam Campbell. Lawyers for the two men have based the challenge on their inability to cross-examine an FBI spy

The trial has begun at Derry Crown Court of a man accused of pouring lighter fuel over another man and setting it alight. 28-year-old Lee Healy of 10, Asylum Road in Derry is charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent on another man on January 28 last year. The jury was told that the

A Buncrana Town Cllr has said that a cut to Garda numbers would have a detrimental effect on Insihowen. It was reported earlier this week that garda numbers are to be cut by over 1,400 this year and 100 garda stations will close or will close including 5 stations in Donegal. However, Justice Minister Alan

It’s being claimed this week by a North West MEP that current proposals from Minister Phil Hogan and his department will totally undermine the LEADER model of local development and will wipe out meaningful community and voluntary involvement in the sector. Marian Harkin was speaking after meeting this week with LEADER groups in Brussels. She

Donegal native Marie Fleming has lost her landmark High Court action challenging the ban on assisted suicide. The 58 year old who is paralysed and in the final stages of multiple sclerosis wants the right to end her life without fear her family or partner will be prosecuted should they assist her. Holding her partner

The fire service has been tackling a fire at Derryhasson in Downings this morning. We understand the fire at the old school house was reported shortly before half past eight. The sole occupant, a woman, got out of the house, and no injuries have been reported. Two units of the fire brigade tackled the blaze,

Age Action has described the Government’s decision to cut the funding for panic alarms in elderly people’s homes as “crazy” in light of the recent spate of attacks on elderly people. The Government has reduced the funding for personal security alarms from 2.45 million euro to 1.15 million. Age Action says the alarms allow elderly

Buncrana Town Council are looking at the possibility of getting a shuttle bus from Derry to Buncrana during this years City of Culture. The shuttle bus would run during key events such as the All-Ireland Fleadh. It’s hoped the service would boost the amount of tourists coming to Inishowen. Town Mayor, James Gill says the

A 48 year old man arrested by gardai investigating the assault and robbery of 96 year year old Margaret Lilly at her home outside Buncrana has been released without charge, pending a file to the DPP. Margaret Lilly was assaulted in the course of the robbery at her home in Aghilly, Buncrana in the early