Author name: oisinkelly

The Chair of the Donegal County Development Board says every help possible will be offered to the 15 workers whose jobs will go when Oatfield in Letterkenny shuts its doors at the end of May. Cllr Dessie Larkin says training opportunities will be made available, and there is expertise in the town and the county that can be […]

It’s emerged that there is no submarine or shipwreck at the bottom of Lough Foyle. It follows a series of sonar surveys commissioned by the North’s Department of the Environment. They now say the images found by a mallow based Search and Rescue Team in March were an anamoly. According to Environment Minister Alex Attwood, an

A Dungloe Councillor is calling on Junior Minister Dinny Mc Ginley to become involved in the campaign to have a tourist officer located in the town over the summer. Cllr Marie Terese Gallagher says Failte Ireland has withdrawn funding for the provision of a staff member to work at the Temple Crone Centre. Previously, there

The North’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has repeated he would be prepared to testify at the Smithwick tribunal. Speaking on the fringes of an international conference on conflict resolution in Dublin this afternoon, Martin McGuinness told the BBC he would be prepared to testify at the Smithwick tribunal if asked. However, he added he

The Managing Director of Zed Candy told Highland Radio News this evening that representatives of the company will meet individually with each of the remaining Oatfield workers on Monday. The plant will close at the end of May, and production will switch to a plant in the UK. Donegal Senator Jimmy Harte has called on

The Oatfield factory in Letterkenny is to close at the end of next month, with the loss of 15 jobs. In a statement, Oatfield Confectionery says this difficult, but unavoidable business decision was made following a detailed review of manufacturing operations. The company says the past number of years the factory in Letterkenny has been

A man is to be released from custody after being refused bail by a district judge from Co. Donegal. Judge Sean MacBride allegedly told the defendant he would ‘swallow him up and spit him out’. Judge MacBride is also alleged to have told the defendant he believed himself to be “mentally and psychologically superior to

Donegal Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill has slammed the Chief Executive of An Post for failing to provide any clarity on the reasons behind the closure of two post offices in Donegal. An Post CEO Donal Connell appeared before the Oireachtas Communications Committee in Leinster House this week. Senator O Domhnaill asked Mr Connell about the

One of the organisers of a rally against Republican Action Against Drugs has said last nights shooting was deliberately timed ahead of tomorrows protest. Davy McCauley of RAAD – Not In Our Name, which is holding a rally tomorrow, said he was “disgusted”. He said this was RAADs attempt to say they won’t go away

The family of Denis Donaldson is preparing to take legal action against the Irish government to force the state to hold an inquest into his death, it has been reported. Yesterday, an inquest into Donaldson’s death was adjourned in Letterkenny for the ninth time. In 2006, Donaldson — a former leading Sinn Fein figure who

A teenager has been injured in a paramilitary-style shooting in the Creggan estate in Derry. The shooting happened in the Rinmore Drive area shortly after 10 o clock last night. An 18-year-old man was shot in both legs. He was treated in Altnagelvin Hospital’s A&E department before being discharged. SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey said he

The Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan is callling for a yes vote in the EU Fiscal treaty referendum. In a speech last night the Governor also suggested banks should not shy away from repossessing buy-to-let properties held by delinquent borrowers. He said financial institutions have been too slow to deal with the growing problem of

Socialist MEP Paul Murphy travels to Dungloe this evening to attend a meeting opposing the EU Stability Treaty. Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle and Cllr John Campbell will also address the gathering at the Temple Crone centre. Paul Murphy says the treaty is inextricably linked with water charges and other taxes which, he claims,

Representatives of Google and the tourist review site Trip Advisor were among the speakers at a Failte Ireland North West event this week highlighting the importance of a strong online presence. The e-business conference looked at the extent to which travellers now use the Internet both for information and for booking. The conference was told

The family of murdered republican double agent Denis Donaldson want the European Court to investigate delays in his inquest. Their solicitor Ciaran Shiels said today(Thurs) that they believe the delay six years after his death is three times what is acceptable under the European Human Rights Convention. He told coroner Dr Denis McCauley during the

It’s feared that hundreds of farmers in Donegal will lose out after Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney today confirmed there will be no Agri-Environment Options Scheme this year. The IFA say they had expected a new round of AEOS to open next month, particularly for those who have recently come off REPS 3. Donegal County Chairman

There were just over 161,000 people living in Donegal in 2011, with 27.5% of the county’s population living in urban areas, compared to a national average of 62%, living on less thsn 3% of the country’s total land surface. According to the latest figures published in Census 2011, Donegal’s fastest growing town is Carndonagh, which

Donegal North East Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn has clashed with the Taoiseach at a Committee examining the referendum on the EU fiscal treaty. The Taoiseach told the Sinn Fein Deputy that the decision in relation to the treaty, was down to the people of Ireland. But Deputy MacLochlainn put it to Enda Kenny that the treaty

A Dail committee has been told that potential growth has been lost in Donegal because of delays in licensing aquaculture projects. Deputy Joe Mc Hugh told the meeting of the Communications, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Marine Committee today that Marine Harvest in Donegal had waited 20 years for licences. That means, he said, aquaculture companies

A Former Governor of Mountjoy Prison has said it was the wrong decision to put Martin McDermott in an open prison. 26-year-old McDermott, from Raphoe, escaped from the low security Loughan House prison in Blacklion last month. He was serving a sentence at Loughan House for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin in Burt in

A Fianna Fáil private member’s motion calling for a review of fuel prices was defeated in the Dáil last night by 86 votes to 45. The party had put forward a proposal to reduce the price of diesel and petrol by four cent a litre. During last night’s debate, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said

The government says it’s not possible to confirm when work will begin on new buildings for Gortahork National School and St Mary’s National School in Stranorlar. The issue was raised on the adjournment in the Seanad last night by Senator Brian O’Domhnaill, who called for the two projects to be included in the government’s 5

The judge in the retrial of a County Derry man accused of murdering a woman pregnant with his child will begin his summing up today. 39 year old Stephen Cahoon admits killing Jean Quigley at her home in Cornshell Fields in Derry on July 26th 2008, but denies murder. Stephen Cahoon was arrested in Donegal

The north’s regional Development minister was in Derry today to launch the opening of the Madams Bank Road. Today’s function marked the launch of a £1.7 million improvement package on Madam’s Bank Road. Minister Danny Kennedy said the works will further improve travelling conditions for the people of the whole North West. He said the

Two people convicted of homicide-related offences are currently on the run from open prisons in Ireland – according to an opposition spokesperson on justice. The revelation comes after another three prisoners escaped from Loughan House in Co. Cavan for a number of hours yesterday. The inmates were apprehended in a joint operation involving Gardai, the

The Committee on Fisheries in the European Parliament has approved the introduction of new trade measures including sanctions which are designed to prevent overfishing by non EU country. Ireland North West MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher was appointed to oversee the introduction of the measures. There aim is to pressure the Faro Islands and Iceland

Letterkenny is to be excluded from this year IBAL litter survey with Buncrana the only town in the county to be monitored. Letterkenny is one of a number of towns across the country to be excluded from the survey due to a cut in funding – but the negative reaction from local elected representatives to

Clinics have been cancelled at Letterkenny General Hospital today following another very busy night. The 20 beds in the hospital’s overflow ward are full which means people are being treated or awaiting treatment on trolleys in the outpatient department. As a result, Mr Mohomad’s and Dr Steel’s medical clinics have been cancelled – Mr Patel’s

A Derry man accused of murdering the mother of his unborn child has begun giving evidence at his retrial. Stephen Cahoon, 39, admits killing Jean Quigley at her home in Cornshell Fields, in Derry, on 26 July 2008 but he denies murder. He was arrested in Donegal shortly after the killing. n July 2009, a

It is reported that newspapers owned by publishing group Johnston Press are to be dramatically redesigned  to make them cheaper to produce in the latest move by the group to cut costs. Johnston, which has some 36 titles across the island, including the ‘Donegal Democrat’  will employ five templates across its newspapers here and in

The Donegal Sports Partnership says Donegal can benefit from a 30 million euro Sports Capital Fund announced last month, and is running a workshop tonight to help clubs who want to apply for funding. Minister Michael Ring has already acknowledged that because the budget is smaller than before, grants will be capped at 25,000 per

President Michael D.Higgins has praised the role that Derry and its people have played in nurturing the peace process. He made his comments during a visit to the city yesterday. While there, President Higgins visited Rosemount Primary School, and delivered a key lecture at the Magee Campus of the University of Ulster. Speaking on the

A Donegal Councillor says Donegal is being unfairly penalised as the Arts Council strives to cut costs. Cllr Jack Murray says funding to arts groups in the county has been cut by 19.4%, compared to a 3.2% cut in the Arts Council’s own funding. As a result, he says, a number of arts organisations in

Gardai and other emergency services are at the scene of a crash on the road between Donegal Town and the Barnesmore Gap, close to the turn off for Lough Eske. Its understood there are some injuries, the extent of them isn’t known. Traffic is moving on the road, but there are delays.  

The Smithwick Tribunal has heard a claim that Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness was involved in authorising the IRA murder of two RUC officers in March 1989. The claim, which Sinn Fein denies, was made by former British intelligence officer Ian Hurst – also known as Martin Ingram. The two RUC officers were

Police in Strabane have arrested two men as part of an investigation into a shooting and assault on a 26 year old man in the town earlier this month. The suspects, aged 27 and 28, were detained in the town this morning as part of an ongoing investigation into the attack at Carlton Drive on

Gardai are appealing for help from the public in relation to a spate of break-ins in the Lifford, Raphoe and Carrigans area over the weekend. Three houses, which were vacant at the time, were targeted between 11.30am and 1pm on Sunday. A significant amount of jewelry was taken. At least two men in a green

A priest has denied indecently assaulting a woman 20 years ago when he appeared at Derry Crown Court today. Fr Eugene Boland, whose address was given on court papers as Parochial House, Killyclogher Road, Omagh, denied five charges of indecent assault alleged to have occurred between June 28, 1990 and June 30, 1992. The 65-year-old,

The family of a man who had part of his face bitten off at a house party in Letterkenny have spoken of his mental anguish. The 22 year-old was amongst a group of people who attended a house party in the town on Friday night last – he was bitten in the face with damaged

Garda management failed to comply with the law when eight out of nine Gardaí assigned to serve in Gaoth Dobhair in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht could not carry out their duties through Irish. A report of an investigation, published today in An Coimisinéir Teanga’s Annual Report for 2011, found that the Garda Commissioner

A twister has been spotted in Donegal. The mini tornado was pictured by Jason McGibney near Fintown. A tornado is a violently rotating column of air which normally forms when there is a presence of thunder. You can view Jason’s picture of the twister below:

A man’s been released without charge after being questioned about the murder of a man in County Donegal. 24-year-old Andrew Allen died after he was shot a number of times through the window of his home in Links View in Buncrana in February. A man in his 30s was arrested on Sunday morning for questioning

It is claimed American Senators who visited Donegal on behalf of President Ronald Reagan in the 80’s to report on the benefits job creation only witnessed ‘ money for middlemen and not one decent job proposal’ The claim is made in a letter to the Irish Independent by a Declan Foley Berwick, Australia, who claims

Letterkenny Mayor Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle has expressed his shock at the latest knife attack which occurred  outside Gallagher’s Hotel in the town last evening. A man in his early 30’s  was attacked on the footpath between Gallagher’s Hotel and McCarry’s Bar shortly after 7.30pm – he was stabbed in the face, head and chest.

Raymond Coyle, who was publicly involved in recent protests against RAAD in Derry has received a death threat from RAAD. he warning, delivered by the PSNI, said that he would be ‘executed’. The businessman was shot by dissident republicans for selling so-called legal highs in his shop in February 2010. ‘RAAD – Not in our

Fianna Fail Senator Brian O Domhnaill is calling on the Government to take decisive action to help Donegal families in serious mortgage difficulty The Senator claims the Government has all but ignored the deepening mortgage arrears crisis since coming to office 13 months ago and we are now seeing the extent of the pressure on