Author name: oisinkelly

Now on Sale  “The Return of Sam”  Donegal’s Journey to All Ireland Glory. A cd compilation to commemorate Donegal’s 2012 All Ireland success with  Highland Radio’s championship coverage mixed with great Donegal music, including highlights from the All Ireland final with David Oliver’s fantastic Homes of Donegal. There’s also tracks from Free Whiskey, Goats Don’t […]

Calls are being made for a change in legislation from Stormont to enable more funding for the Magilligan – Greencastle ferry service. East Derry MLA John Dallat has lobbied for a funding package which would see the Lough Foyle service linking Greencastle and Magilligan operate all year round. The service currently only operates for part

As voting takes place today on Donegal’s offshore islands, the Supreme Court has found the government has used public money for the Children’s Referendum campaign in a manner which was not fair, equal or impartial. It’s decision overturns last week’s High Court ruling against challenger Mark McCrystal – but finds it’s too close to polling

Sinn Fein in Derry are calling for proper facilities to be provided for people appealing the rejection of Disability Benefits and other allowances after it emerged that appeals are now being heard in the courthouse on Bishops Street. Foyle MLA Raymond Mc Cartney says previously, hearings have taken place in hotels and other neutral venues,

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said while there are laws in place to deal with bullying, including cyber bullying. However, he confirmed to the Dail that he is asking the Law Reform Commission to examine the issue to see if improvements can be made. Minister Shatter called for a new focus from parents and schools,

A High Court action against Donegal County Council over the co-option of Michael McBride to replace Senator Jimmy Harte has been dismissed. Letterkenny solicitor Dessie Sheils brought forward the challenge on the basis that Jimmy Hartes post should have been filled by a non-party candidate. But yesterday at the High Court Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne

The grandfather of the teenage girl, Erin Gallagher, who took her own life after being bullied online, says he hopes his grand-daughter’s death will not be in vain. Today would have been Erin’s 14th birthday. The 13 year old took her own life last month after being subjected to cyber-bullying on the website ask.fm. Speaking

Donegal Councillor David Alcorn says he doesn’t believe a letter raising questions about expenses claims will impact on his appointment to the new, slimmed down board of Udaras na Gaeltachta. The anonymous letter, signed by a “concerned taxpayer” includes copies of expenses claims made by the councillor and Udaras bhoard member between 2006 and 2009.

Over €140,000 worth of the drug 4-MEC has been seized in a major drugs swoop in Donegal. As part of an intelligence-led operation involving Revenue’s Customs Service, the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Letterkenny Drugs Unit, approximately 4 kilograms of the drug were seized in an operation yesterday. The seizure was the result of

The former Wings guitarist Henry McCullough is critically ill following a heart attack. Mr McCullough, from Portstewart, County Derry, and who is a frequent visitor to Donegal and has spent much time in Ramelton, is one of the best known guitarists in the world, performing with a host of legendary artists. Mr McCullough is being treated

Gardai have discovered a body washed up on rocks at Bundoran. The body has been discovered in recent hours in an area known as Roughey. Gardai have cordoned off the area. At this stage Gardai have said they are treating the incident as a personal tragedy.

The Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil has told TDs they can’t behave like ‘gurriers shouting on a street at each other’. The intervention from Seán Barrett came after a rowdy morning in the Dáil – with deputies heckling over home help cuts, the pensions of former bankers and homelessness. The exchange came shortly after Taoiseach

Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue says the government response to the crisis in Student Grant applications is unacceptable. Responding to questions from Deputy Mc Conalogue, Fianna Fail’s Education Spokesperson, Junior MInister Sean Sherlock said much of the delay was because applicants did not provide all necessary information. He said the new SUSI applications

Donegal singer Daniel O’Donnell, has become the first artist to have a different album in the UK charts every year for 25 consecutive years. The Kincasslagh man’s latest album, Songs from the Movies and more, has made it to number 7 just a week after its release. Daniel has had 37 different albums in the

A Donegal Senator is claiming that the scale of proposed job losses and cutbacks at An Post and Eircom is tantamount to another attack on rural Ireland. Senator Brian Ó Domhnail has raised serious concerns about the impact on communities in the North West of 1,500 planned redundancies at An Post and potentially up to

Twenty patients have been evacuated from a ward at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry after a small electrical fire. About 30 firefighters were called to the seventh floor of the hospital just before 10 o’clock last night. No-one was injured in the blaze, which started in an electrical switch room. It took firefighters about two hours

The retrial of two men being sued over the Omagh bomb atrocity will not begin until next year. A civil action brought against Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly has been delayed due to the illness of a defence lawyer. They are defending an action brought by relatives of some of the 29 people, including a

The Project Director of the Gathering has rejected claims made by the Irish actor Gabriel Byrne that the initiative is a scam – and a shake-down of the diaspora. Jim Miley says the comments represent the views of only one man – and many others have warmly endorsed the Gathering. The tourism initiative aims to

The newly appointed CEO of the Donegal Vocational Educational Committee has said there are many raw emotions and feelings in Finn Valley College and the community in the Twin Towns and beyond following the death by suicide eight days ago of 13 year old Erin Gallagher. In a statement, Shaun Purcell says the VEC acknowledges

A 25-year-old man has appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court charged with an armed robbery of more than £23,000 from a local off licence. Gareth Cullen of 9, Daly Crescent in Derry was charged with robbing the off licence of the money on February 20 this year. He also faced a charge of possessing a firearm

Letterkenny’s local economy will lose almost 4 million euro over the next four years as a result of increased college fees, and cuts to the student maintenance grant. That’s according to the Union of Students in Ireland. There are currently 3,000 students attending Letterkenny IT, 2,004 of these students recieve a maintenance grant, while 996

  Gardaí have released a man they’d been questioning about the murder of a prison officer in Northern Ireland. 52-year-old David Black was shot dead on the M1 in County Armagh last Thursday, while on his way to work at Maghaberry jail. A 29-year-old man was released from custody at Carrick-on-Shannon station in County Leitrim

The North’s Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, will not be attending the funeral of murdered prison officer, David Black tomorrow – reportedly because the family doesn’t want him there. A Sinn Fein spokesperson says Mr McGuinness would be happy to attend if the family requested it. Mr Black, a father of two, was gunned down

Experienced Irish mental health nurses and midwives are urgently required in Sydney and other areas of New South Wales as their health board launches a new recruitment drive for 70 Irish nurses. Galway-based recruitment agency ICE Group are co-ordinating the campaign in partnership with New South Wales Health who are facing a shortage of registered

It’s emerged that the mother of two boys who died when they were swept from her arms in Staten Island during Superstorm Sandy a week ago was refused help by people whose doors she knocked on immediately after the boys were lost. Four year old Connor Moore and his two year old brother Brandon were

A special memorial mass is to be held in St Conal’s Church, Kilclooney on the same day that the funeral takes place of two boys who died when they were swept from their mother’s arms in Staten Island, New York last week during Superstorm Sandy. They were the youngest victims of the storm. Four year

A VEC member in Donegal says the new SUSI system for processing Third Level College grant applications clearly isn’t working and needs to be re-assessed. Peter Cutliffe was speaking after figures released by Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue at the weekend show that more than 2,200 students from across Donegal are still waiting for their student

The Government paid more than €240,000 to cover Deputy Pearse Doherty’s legal costs following his successful 2010 legal action which led to the holding of the Donegal South West byelection. The figures, published today by the Irish Times, cover the High Court case, and a Supreme Court appeal which the government subsequently abandoned. The byelection

Police in the North have launched a new investigation into the Remembrance Day bombing at Enniskillen. Fermanagh South Tyrone  MLA Arlene Foster says a fresh inquiry has been opened, after detectives were given new information about the IRA atrocity 25 years ago. Eleven people were killed and 63 were injured, when the no warning bomb

Met Eireann is playing down suggestions that snow is imminent, saying temperatures are still too high. Parts of South West England have been hit by snow this weekend, with  three inches reportedly falling in Bath, catching motorists by surprise and causing disruption for train services. Her though, Met Eireann says despite the cold weather here,

A Donegal VEC member says he has still received no response from the County Registrar’s Office regarding his calls for polling clerk positions to be advertised. Peter Cutliffe says he has written and e-mailed on a number of occasions, but received no reply. Now, with votng in the Children’s Referendum next Saturday, he says it’s

Young people want their parents to be more involved in their school lives – especially when they’re being bullied. That’s the message from anti-bullying groups today, who’re reacting to the latest statistics from the Ombudsman for children that shows 10 thousand pupils go to school in fear of bullies. The study follows the recent deaths

A new group has been established in Donegal to protest against the Household Charge and any future water and property charges. “Can’t Pay, No Pay – Donegal Inclusive” say they are not a breakaway organisation, but will reach out to all people and groups, including closer ties with Donegal Action Against Austerity. The group was

The main farming organisations are being accused of failing to serve the interests of all farmers in Donegal. The United Farmers Alliance claims that for 20 years, a minority of farmers have been in receipt of over 80% of payments and subsidies from Brussels, while the majority have been deprived their fair share. The group

The Education Minister Ruairí Quinn has been criticised again for huis failure to explain or comment on the huge backlog in processing third level student grants. Figures show that more than 2,200 students from across Donegal are still waiting for their student grants to be processed. There are also concerns over a high refusal rate.

The Letterkenny Chamber has defended Pramerica in its use of the JobBridge programme. Today, Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy said a recent advertisement for interns by Pramerica in Letterkenny highlights what he claims is the failure of the government’s JobBridge programme. The company is seeking 10 interns, with Paul Murphy asking if JobBridge did not

The two Donegal GAA Championship final matches scheduled for MacCumhaill park this (Friday) evening have been rescheduled. The matches will now take place in Tir Chonaill Park, Donegal Town tomorrow (Saturday). Aodh Ruadh versus Buncrana in the Intermediate Reserve Final will throw in at 1pm. Aodh Ruadh versus Termon in the Intermediate Final will get

Two men have been arrested over the shooting of a prison officer on a motorway in County Armagh. One of them is understood to be prominent republican Colin Duffy. David Black was killed in what police are calling an ambush on the M1 motorway yesterday. Speaking on his way into the North South Ministerial Council

Three people have appeared in court in Mayo – over their failure to pay the household charge. The property owners are the first people to be prosecuted in connection with the controversial tax. The three – a man and a couple from Westport – were in court in respect of their ownership of multiple units.

John McAreavey says he hopes this weekend’s ‘Match for Michaela’ will show people you can move forward in the right way. Donegal’s All-Ireland winning footballers will take on an Ulster selection tomorrow to raise funds for the foundation set up in memory of Michaela who was killed on honeymoon in Mauritius nearly two years ago.

The Minister for Children says she will ask the Latvian authorities to investigate the safety standards used by the social networking website ask-dot-fm. The website – which is registered in Latvia – is at the centre of controversy following the death of 13-year-old Erin Gallagher in Co Donegal last week. The teenager took her own

Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy says a recent advertisement for interns by Pramerica in Letterkenny highlights what he claims is the failure of the government’s JobBridge programme. The company is seeking 10 interns, with Paul Murphy asking if JobBridge did not exist, would Pramerica have hired people instead? He says at one point in October,

Sinn Féin have accused Fine Gael Deputy Joe McHugh of gross hypocrisy, saying his criticism of Sinn Fein and calls for unity this week are in stark contrast to what he said when he was in opposition. Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn says he was attacked for speaking out about the fact that only 1 out

‘One Donegal’ Cultural Diversity Month was today officially launched in the Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny. Over 200 activities including exhibitions, seminars, workshops, storytelling, drama, and Intercultural events will take place in over 32 venues throughout the county from the 1st to the 30th November. The month of events aims to allow people space to think

The latest figures from census 2011 show that a total of 7,433 persons in Donegal were providing unpaid assistance to others in April 2011. Of these 61% were women and 39 were men. These carers provided a total of 289,423 hours of care per week. The census also showed that 170 children aged under 15