Author name: oisinkelly

Owners of property in Letterenny,which is vacant and falling in to disrepair, are being warned the Derelict Property Act will be used if the property isn’t brought up to standard. Councillor Gerry McMonagle raised the issue with Letterkenny Town council following a recent fire at a vacant property in the Long Lane area. He says […]

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness is not ruling out a move to Celtic or Liverpool. Since Donegal’s All-Ireland Final win, McGuinness has been linked with coaching roles with Celtic and Liverpool. It was reported last week that Liverpool wanted the Glenties man as their new sports psychologist. And he has also been linked with a coaching

A Letterkenny woman has made calls for a play park to be introduced in the town for children with disabilities and learning difficulties. At the moment there is no such park in the town that caters for the needs for people with disabilities. It’s understood the special park would cost in the region of 50,000

The coastguard helicopter airlifted a woman to Letterkenny General Hospital yesterday afternoon after she fell and injured herself while climbing on Lough Salt Mountain. The 40-year-old woman, is believed to have sustained a broken ankle. She was one of a group of seven people on a visit to the county. The climbing party were close

A murder victim’s last words were captured on the mobile phone of one of two men accused of killing him, a court heard. 57-year-old William McKeeney, originally from Malin Head, who was kicked and stamped to death, said: “Is there a problem here, lads? What’s the problem?” One of his alleged murderers then took the

With hopes rising that a North West Radiotherapy Unit will be up and running within four years, public meetings are taking place over the next two days in Derry and Letterkenny to update people on what progress is being made. The Western Trust and the HSE will brief medical professionals, campaign groups and members of

An SDLP MLA in East Derry has told a meeting in support of Malin head Coastguard that the service provided from the threatened base has been vital to Northern Ireland as well as the republic, and the SDLP has sent an 11 point submission to the Department of Transport in Dublin to reinforce the cross

The Taoiseach says the development of wind energy off the Atlantic coast holds huge potential for developing the Irish economy. Speaking in Brussels, Enda Kenny said plans are well advanced to launch an integrated marine strategy to take full advantage of Ireland’s off-shore resources. It’s an initiative which will be watched closely, both in terms

Former SDLP leader John Hume has received his papal knighthood at a special Mass in Derry’s St Eugene’s Cathedral last night. In June, Pope Benedict announced that Mr Hume was to be made a Knight Commander of St Gregory. Mr Hume said he felt very honoured by the knighthood, which was presented by the former

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has agreed a detailed timetable with his counterparts in Northern Ireland to have mutual recognition of penalty points in both jurisdictions. A North South MInister Council meeting in Armagh has agreed that parallel legislation will be passed, north and south, by 31st December 2014 to allow penalty points imposed in the

Tributes are being paid to TV pundit and former Derry GAA player Joe Brolly, who is recovering in a London hospital after donating a kidney to a fellow member of St Brigid’s club in Belfast. Both Mr Brolly and Shane Finnegan coach an Under 12’s team on which their sons play. In a statement on

The President of LYIT says its new science laboratories will help it better match the needs of the increasing number of students attending the institute. The 4 million euro facility adds over 1,000 sq m of fully-equipped science laboratories with a total of 8 labs. There has been a 55% increase in student number at

Sources close to the Donegal GAA management team are again rejecting speculation All Ireland winning manager Jim Mc Guinness is heading for the Premier League. There are reports that he is being lined up for a move to Liverpool FC to work as a sports psychologist. It’s the second time in the space of a

The Taoiseach has said that staffing questions relating to Letterkenny General Hospital are a matter for local management. During a visit to Letterkenny, Enda Kenny was asked to give his reaction to news that the HSE  will not be renewing contracts of employment for 14 newly qualified nurses at Letterkenny General Hospital. The INMO says

A suite of new science laboratories at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology was officially opened today by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny. The new facility adds over 1,000 sq m of fully-equipped science laboratories with a total of 8 labs.  This represents an investment of almost €4 million from the Government and LYIT. The need for

A Senior Consultant at Letterkenny General Hospital has said there is concern over staffing levels at the facility. Mr Micheal Sugrue was asked to comment on the news that the HSE  will not be renewing contracts of employment for 14 newly qualified nurses at Letterkenny General Hospital. The INMO says this will lead to longer

Jim McGuinness holds an MSc in sport psychology from John Moore’s University in Liverpool and is understood to have links with Antrim native manager Brendan Rodgers. This has lead to the Donegal Manager being linked with a backroom job at the Anfield club – but Donegal chairman PJ McGowan insists there is nothing in those

Maximum sentences for anyone who assaults members of the Gardai – that’s what Fianna Fáil is calling on the government to introduce. They want individuals found guilty of assaulting gardaí, A-and-E staff and members of the fire staff to be jailed for five years. Dara Calleary is Fianna Fáil’s spokesperson on Enterprise, highlighted the death of Garda

A Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA has described comments made by the Chair of Strabane District Council as not only grossly offensive but totally inappropriate. DUP Cllr Thomas Kerrigan said that “God made man and he made woman as a helper’when outlining why he would be opposing a motion seeking that the local council supports

Five fire appliances had to go to the scene of a head-on road collision just outside Letterkenny this morning. Gardai and ambulance crews were also at the scene of the incident at Meenaroy on the main Letterkenny to Glenties road, on the outskirts of Glenswilly. The incident happened just before 9.30am. Gardai in Milford said

Graffiti claiming to name people in the drugs trade has appeared on walls in Derry. The graffiti has appeared in various places across the city including the Top of the Hill area of the Waterside. Attempts have been made to remove it, but it keeps reappearing, according to SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey. Mr Ramsey said

The government has been unable to offer any reassurance over the future of the Malin Head Coastguard Station and has perhaps cast further doubt. The Fisher report published earlier this year suggested that Malin Head and Valentia Coastguard stations be closed and the service centralised to Dublin. The issue was raised in the Seanad by

The partner of a Donegal man told a murder trial she watched from her window as two men kicked him to death. William McKeeney died in hospital after being found fatally injured in the street by his partner Annmarie Newlands yards from their Glasgow flat earlier this year. 20-year-old Asif Rehman, and 19-year-old Adel Ishaq,

The INMO has warned that patient care will be compromised with news that 14 nursing post are to be lost at Letterkenny General Hospital. As a cost containment proposal by the HSE, it will not be renewing contracts of employment for 14 newly qualified nurses. These plans are to be introduced on Monday next, October

Some Donegal groups remain thousands of euro out of pocket since the collapse of MFG over a year ago. MFG was a partnership company involved in implementing Leader funding for schemes in Gaeltacht regions around the country. The limited company collapse in September last year. It was claimed in the Seanad today, that some groups

The current Junior Certificate examination process is to be phased out over the next eight years. It will be replaced with continuous assessements and a test carried out by individual schools – rather than a State exam. The radical shake-up of the system – announced by the Education Minsiter Ruairi Quinn this afternoon – was

The Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications are to hold a hearing with the Irish Coast Guard at the end of the month on the Fisher Report. The Fisher Report, released in July this year, cast doubt over the future of Malin Head and Valentia Coastguard Stations. The decision to hold the hearing follows the

There’s good news on the jobs front for Letterkenny today with the news that Easons are opening a new store in the town. The new store will open in Letterkenny Shopping Centre in November, with the creation of 10 new jobs. The franchise already as an existing shop in the Courtyard Shopping Centre in the town. Spokesperson

A former harbour master has brought a High Court action alleging he was unfairly dismissed from his job following allegations of wrongdoing made by former Tánaiste Mary Coughlan. Patrick J Kelly was dismissed as harbour master of Killybegs harbour, after an investigation into complaints about the performance of his duties. Mr Kelly, from Drumrooske, Donegal

Two men have gone on trial charged with racially aggravated murder after a 57-year-old Donegal man died of severe injuries earlier this year in Scotland. 20-year-old Asif Rehman, and 19-year-old Adel Ishaq, are accused of punching, kicking and stamping on William McKeeney in a prolonged attack just yards from his home in Pollokshields, Glasgow. 57-year-old

A reward of up to £5,000 is being offered for information on an armed robbery at a post office in Co Derry earlier this year. Two armed robbers escaped with money from the Culmore Post Office earlier this summer. Two armed robbers entered the branch in the village of Culmore on 9 July, threatening the

Claims by the Social Development Minister in the North that there is no need for more social housing funding for Derry have been branded a ‘disgrace’. Minister Nelson McCausland was warned that there were cases of two and three families in Derry sharing single homes because of the social housing shortage in the city. The

The Taoiseach says the development of wind energy off our Atlantic coast holds huge potential for developing the Irish economy. Speaking in Brussels, Enda Kenny said plans are well advanced to launch an integrated marine strategy to take full advantage of Ireland’s off-shore resources. He said he’s hopeful EU President Manuel Barrosso will launch the

Plans by the Health Service Executive to reduce Home Help hours by 1500 per week up to the end of this year are been described as “Financial Madness”. Sinn Fein Donegal County Councillor Mick Quinn is hitting out at the decision. Councillor Quinn says the Home Help Service is the best value for money service

The IFA’s national treasurer says rising costs, coupled with the weather over the summer, continue to put substantial pressure on farmers. JJ Kavanagh attended a meeting of the association’s Donegal executive last night. Speaking to Greg Hughes on today’s Shaun Doherty Show, Mr Kavanagh said farmers will be doing well to break even this year………….

Alcohol problems have been identified as the “number one issue in Ireland” by Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle. He made his comments during a Dail debate on a technical grouop motion calling for more investment in addiction services. Deputy Pringle said when he was a child, sweets were on display beside the checkout in shops, now

A charity that assists the homeless is looking for 25 volunteers – to sleep rough in Letterkenny. The North West Simon community is looking for people aged over 18 to participate in its annual charity ‘Street Sleep’ in the town this Friday. Last year’s event proved a huge success with volunteers braving the elements to

The surge in burglaries in the Northern Garda Region this year emphasises the need to protect community garda resources, according to a Donegal North-East Deputy. According to the latest CSO crime statistics, there was an 18.3% increase in burglaries in the Northern Region in the year to the end of June. The Northern region includes

A Donegal Deputy has hit out at the Governments failure to create jobs here in the county. The latest figures from the CSO show that between 26% and 30% of the working population in Donegal are out of work. Hundreds have also emmigrated from the County in recent years. Donegal North-East Deputy, Padraig MacLochlain, speaking

30 jobs have been lost in County Derry after the closure of JJB Sports stores in Derry and Coleraine. Only three stores, including the branch on the Strand Road in Derry, are staying open after being sold to the Sports Direct company. Twenty-eight jobs have been saved at the Strand Road branch. Meanwhile, figures released

A public meeting will take place at Malin Head on Friday night to highlight what local campaigners say are serious problems with the report which recommends that the Malin Hed Coastguard Station be closed. Marine Consultant and former Foyle Fisheries Co-op Manager Seamus Bovaird says the report’s authors did not consult with the fishing industry

A public meeting is to take place on Saturday week to discuss anti-social behaviour in the Keadue, Belcruit and Kincasslagh area. There have been two meetings involving gardai, the HSE and local community groups, with spokesperson Michael Mc Giolleaspaig saying that it is now time for the public to be brought into the discussion. He

The Trade Union Impact is hosting a meeting of Home Help workers in Letterkenny tonight to discuss plans to cut hours from the service. The union’s North West Spokesperson Richie Carrothers says the proposals, as they stand, will compromise the health and well being of the most vulnerable in society. Just over three years ago,

A man who decided to visit his brother in Letterkenny Hospital at 5 in the morning after being out drinking ended up crashing his car a short distance from his home. 20-year-old Aaron Moore of 51, Leafair Park in Derry appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with failing to report an accident, driving with

Donegal’s footballers will take part in a major fundraiser in memory of Michaela McAreavey next month. Jim McGuinness’s men go up against a selection of Ulster stars as the main attraction of the “Match for Michaela – A Festival with Football,” details of which were announced by Ulster GAA yesterday. The event, which will be

It’s emerged the unoccupied house which was apparently set on fire on the Long Lane in Letterkenny this morning had been damaged in an arson attack six months ago. There was nobody in the building at the time today’s fire was reported at around 7 o’clock this morning. Gardai have confirmed the cause of the

Gardai expect it will be later this afternoon before they can enter the scene of a house fire on the Long Lane in Letterkenny this morning. We understand there was nobody in the building at the time the fire was reported at around 7 o’clock this morning. The blaze was put out by fire fighters,

It’s reported today that the 22 year old man who was critically injured when his microlight plane went down yesterday is now out of danger. The Buncrana based pilot was attempting to land at Ruskey Airfield between Convoy and Castlefin at around lunchtime yesterday when the plane crash landed. John Kilpatrick, the owner of the

Sinn Fein are holding a demonstration in Dublin to protest against the handing over of a further one billion euro to unsecured AIB bondholders today. Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty, the party’s Finance Spokesperson says people need to realise that this is why HSE services are being cut and people’s standards of living are being compromised.