Author name: oisinkelly

Sinn Fein have said they would have no problem if Labour Cllr Frank McBrearty was elected as the next Mayor Donegal. It’s reported in todays Donegal News that Fianna Fail believe Cllr McBrearty does not merit the top job in the County. But in order to block the Labour Cllr becoming Mayor it would require […]

Prosecutors in the Michaela McAreavey murder trial will not recall her husband to the witness stand. A prosecution lawyer had said John McAreavey had “mixed up” some of the dates in his evidence on Wednesday. Following an objection from the defence, he will not have to return to court to give a clarification. 30-year-old Avinash

Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh has played down the ‘No’ vote in last weeks EU Stability Treaty Referendum in Donegal, where both constituencies returned ‘No’ majorities. Speaking during the Dail debate on the establishment of the EMS last evening, Deputy Mc Hugh said he believes people made a point locally, while happy to

Donegal South-West Deputy Thomas Pringle has indicated that he will support a motion of censure against Mick Wallace if it arises. The Committee on Procedures and Privileges has been asked to determine if any Oireachtas rules were broken, after it emerged Mick Wallace’s construction firm made a 2.1 million euro settlement with Revenue. The Independent

A 22 year old Dungiven man has appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court charged with causing death by dangerous driving last December. Kevin Michael Brolly of 56, Rannyglass was charged with causing the death of a woman by dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, and failing to stop for police plus a series of other driving

There have been calls for a jobs task force to be established in the East Derry area after it emerged that the remaining 19 jobs are likely to be lost at Spanboard in Coleraine. The company says it’s consulting with the workforce, with local MLA John Dallat saying from his contact with the company and

There are fears that 19 jobs are to go at Spanboard in Coleraine, after the chipboard manufacturer announced it’s consulting with workers. Local MLA John Dallat says it’s just over three years since 90 employees got their P45s and now the gates are likely to close on the remaining few. He says Coleraine and the

The nephew of a Donegal woman murdered in Scotland almost 70 years ago has claimed that he knows who the key suspect is. Gertrude Canning from County Donegal was 20 years old when she was shot several times and her body was dumped in a field close to the army base where she worked in

The government is being urged to enact legislation to introduce a register for lobbyists and legislation governing how they operate. The issue was raised in the Dail this morning by Donegal South West TD Thomas Pringle, who suggested Labour had “gone over to the dark side”. Deputy Pringle asked Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore if, having previously

Donegal County Council are hopeful of gaining blue flag status for 13 beaches this year. Applications have been made for beaches at Culdaff, Shroove, Lisfannon, Portsalon, Marblehill, Killahoey, Carrickfinn, Narin, Fintra, Murvagh, Rossnowlagh and Downings. Bundoran Town Council has applied for Blue Flag status for Bundoran Beach. This years allocation of blue flags is to

Funding has be announced this morning for a cycleway linking Donegal Town and Newtowncunningham. Junior Public Transport Minister Alan Kelly has this morning announed a series of investments in cycle infrastructure to launch National Bike Week. As part of the infrastructure almost half a million euro has been allocated to Donegal. Donegal North East Deputy

A new whiskey distillery is to be opened in Derry by the company behind the city’s St Brendan’s cream liqueur operation. Niche Drinks have applied for planning approval to erect a new £10m, custom-built factory complex in the city. Planning permission has also been sought to change the use of its current six-acre plant in

Police in Derry and Tyrone seized approximately 125 items of alcohol following a Snapper Operation in the Foyle and Strabane areas last weekend. Seven people willl be reported to Derry City Council in relation to breaches of the on-street drinking bye laws. One man was arrested for obstruction and resisting arrest. Police say Operation Snapper

Campaigners in Donegal say people should not be alarmed by the Minister for the Environment’s instruction to local authorities to start sending out letters to people who haven’t paid the household charge – within weeks. The Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay campaign in Donegal says what they call the latest threats from Minister Phil Hogan should

Detectives are appealing for information following an armed robbery in Magherafelt last night in which three members of one family were injured. At around 8.45pm two masked men armed with a firearm entered a house at Mayogall Road and attacked the occupants of the house. A 16 year old man is in a critical condition

Forty eight men have been shot in parlimilitary style attacks in the Northwest in the past number of years. That’s according to figures released by the Ambulance service and Altnagelvin hospital. Five men were shot and wounded in Strabane since 2010, while another three were shot in Donegal including Derry man Andrew Allen who was

An earthquake measuring 4.0 magnitude has struck off the west coast of Ireland. It happened 60 km off the County Mayo coast at around 9 o clock this morning. According to the British Geological Survey, which monitors earthquake activity, it was strong enough to be felt in counties Mayo, Galway and Sligo. The BGS said

A 76-year-old man has been dragged out of his van by hijackers in Derry. The man and a young woman was driving on Inishcarn Road in Creggan at about 9 o clock last night when a number of youths forced him to stop. The van was later found on fire at Fanad Drive. Deputy Mayor,

The Minister for the Environment and Local Government says local authorities will be sending out letters to people who haven’t paid the household charge – within weeks. Phil Hogan says 945 thousand homes have paid the 100 euro charge already. That’s a 58 per cent compliance rate. It’s reported that second home owners in arrears

John McAreavey has broken down in tears while giving evidence in the trial of two men accused of killing his wife in Mauritius. 30 year old Avinash Treebhoowoon and 42 year old Sandip Moneea deny murdering the 27 year old in her hotel room, during the couple’s honeymoon in January of last year. It’s Mr

4,301 Donegal students will sit the Junior and Leaving Cert examinations this year, with more females than males sitting the Leaving Cert, but more males than females sitting the Junior Cert. The vast majority of the students will sit the exams in one of the 28 second level schools in the county. A total of

Donegal North East Deputy Charlie McConalogue is welcoming confirmation that 23 Donegal childcare facilities have been granted State funding this year, but says far more is needed. The Fianna Fail Children’s’ Spokesperson says this only scratches the surface, as there are hundreds of Donegal childcare projects that were not granted funding this year. Deputy Mc Conalogue says

Police in the North have identified a body buried in a grave in Strabane as that of 16 year-old Gerard Slattery from Omagh, who’s been missing since 1973. The PSNI say it’s moving towards a conclusion of their investigation into his death. Independent Omagh Councillor Patrick McGowan says Gerard’s mother died some time ago…..

The Donegal man who died in a road crash in Western Australia on Sunday morning has been named locally as Thomas Mc Guire from Ardara. The 24 year old died when the Holden Rodeo pick up truck he was driving rolled over close to Wickepin, about 214km south-east of Perth. It’s understood he had been

A 24 year old man from Donegal has died in a road crash in Western Australia. The man died when the Holden Rodeo pick up truck he was driving rolled over in Wickepin, about 214km south-east of Perth, just after 8 o’clock yesterday morning. It is believed the man was the only person in the

The Minister for Children has annouced that around €600,000 has been approved for the support of childcare facilities in Donegal. Deputy Frances Fitzgerald annouced today that approximatley €200,000 was being allocated to playgroups in Donegal South-West, while €400,000 would go to the North-East of the County. Donegal North-East Deputy Joe McHugh has welcomed the allocations.

Tesco has been granted planning permission for a petrol filling station on the site of the Letterkenny Shopping Centre. But the latest attempt by the British retail giant to develop the site is set to face a planning appeal from a number of local businessmen. The decision is expected to be appealed to An Board

The star witness in the trial of two men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey in Mauritius will today take the stand for a second time. The 27 year old was found dead while on honeymoon in January last year. Witness Raj Teekoy claims he heard screaming coming from Michaela’s room before the accused pair appeared.

Politicians have condemned the trouble which erupted in Derry as the Olympic torch was carried through the city. Scuffles broke out after dissident republican protesters blocked the torch’s planned route near the Guildhall. It was forced to go a different way in order to reach the Peace Bridge. The police said they believed a number

The National Housing Construction Index complied and issued by Link2Plans has shown the continued drop in construction activity in Donegal. The research measures Planning Commencements but also shows marginal increase in Donegal Planning Applications. Researchers at link2plans.com have produced the National Housing Construction Index which examines every housing construction Planning Applications and Planning Commencements throughout

The trial of two men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavy has today heard evidence from a key witness for the prosecution. Hotel worker Raj Teekoy told the court he heard screams coming from the room and was afraid to approach. The 27 year old from Tyrone was found dead during her honeymoon in January last

There’s been a dramatic downfall in drugs seizures at the Rory Gallagher tribute festival in Ballyshannon. As the remainder of 12,000 fans made their way home today(Mon) after the four-day festival gardai revealed the drugs take was down considerably. There were 27 arrests for simple cannabis possession compared with 57 last year. Nobody was detected

The republican vigilante group Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) have claimed responsibility for the bomb attack on a police vehicle in the Creggan area of Derry on Saturday. The attack which was described by senior police officers as ‘a murder bid’ badly damaged the police vehicle. Claiming responsibility for the attack RAAD said that it

A 50-year-old man has been arrested as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity in Derry. He was detained after police searched a property in the Creggan area . Police say he has been taken to Antrim serious crime suite for questioning.

The Junior Finance Minister Brian Hayes is calling on Sinn Fein to “pony up” and pay for Pearse Doherty’s High Court challenge against the Referendum Commission. The 11th hour challenge against a statement made by the Referendum Commission could cost the taxpayer 200 thousand euro. Sinn Fein says the High Court will decide who should

The trial into the murder of Michaela McAreavey has heard that police fabricated a confession made by one of the two hotel workers accused of killing her. Senior investigating officer Luciano Gerard, is facing allegations that he meshed together a statement by Avinash Treebhoowoon with that of another hotel worker. But chief inspector Gerard is

Udaras Na Gaeltachta has approved funding for a number of projects which it is hoped will create up to 54 jobs in Donegal when complete. Funding for a number of other projects of almost 600 thousand euro was also agreed. While no specific details where confirmed Údarás says a number of new projects have been

A war between rival cousins selling alcohol cocktails for as little as 50 cent and serving as much as club patrons could drink for €20 yesterday produced a claim that it was in danger of placing a teenager in the morgue. Judge Kevin Kilrane cracked down on the drinks prices battle between the cousins after

Two men have been further remanded in custody as gardai continue investigations into a €1.6 million haul of cannabis plants. 44-year-old Ming Sun and 34-year-old Xia Hua He, both Chinese nationals, appeared at Harristown District Court today following a remand at a special sitting of Sligo District Court last Saturday. Today Judge John Coughlan remanded

The counting of votes in the Fiscal Stability Treaty referendum has ended in both Donegal constituencies, with both once again going against the national trend and rejecting the treaty. In Donegal North East, just under 56% voted No, while in Donegal South West, just under 55% rejected the treaty. In both cases, turnout was less

Donegal North East   Turnout 42.59% Yes/Tá 44.37% No/Níl 55.63% Electorate: 58,387 Total Poll: 24,869 Percentage Poll: 42.59% Invalid Papers: 136 Valid Poll: 24,733 Votes in favour: 10,975 Votes against: 13,758

Official result from Donegal South West.   Poll 41.92% Yes/Tá 45.05% No/Níl 54.95% Electorate: 63,127 Total Poll: 26,465 Percentage Poll: 41.92% Invalid Papers: 137 Valid Poll: 26,328 Votes in favour: 11,862 Votes against: 14,466