Author name: oisinkelly

The family of a Derry schoolboy killed by a plastic bullet fired by a soldier 30 years ago have called for a fresh inquest into the killing. Eleven-year-old Stephen McConomy was playing with friends in the Bogside when he was shot in the head. The soldier, from the Royal Anglian Regiment, claimed he fired the […]

Donegal County Council are to officially honour the memory of Garda Gary McLoughlin, who was killed in the line of duty three years ago. 24-year-old Garda McLoughlin was killed when he was struck by a car in Burt. Donegal County Council is to hold a special reception at the County House in Lifford on the

An investigation is under way in Derry after a sonar scan revealed a submarine-shaped object buried in the bed of the River Foyle. The discovery has sparked speculation that it might be a German U-boat from World War Two. The image was captured by Mallow Search and Rescue who are often called upon during search

Donegal North East Deputy Charlie McConalogue has said households in Donegal should be given the option of getting approved water meters installed themselves, instead of paying  €800 over 20 years. The Fianna Fail representative has also called on Minister Hogan to clarify if  homes in Co Donegal that already have water meters fitted will also

Fáilte Ireland is to provide support totalling €180,000 for ten festivals taking place all around Ireland this year including the Donegal International Rally. Funding will be provided by Fáilte Ireland to support the events based on their ability to generate tourism bednights in their respective locations. The Donegal International Rally features three days of motorsport

An elderly man who was missing from the Bruckless Village area of South Donegal has been found dead. The alarm was raised last evening when the man was reported missing. Gardai, the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team, the Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team as well as a SARDA search dog unit took part in the search.

Donegal Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle says that while he is not pro abortion, he does want the Government to implement the X-Case ruling. A debate on a Private Members’ Bill continues in the Dáil this morning – it calls for limited access to abortion in Ireland. It comes 20 years after a Supreme Court judge

The organisers of the event which saw many buildings and landmarks in Letterkenny turn blue last night to raise awareness of autism, have said they are overwhelmed by the response. The Letterkenny Autism Family Support Group was behind the initiative which saw a number of landmarks and businesses lit up blue, many people also donned

The Gweebarra Conservation Group has joined what it says is a the growing chorus of community and environment groups in Donegal concerned at the amount of  ‘preferred areas for wind farm development’ included in the new draft County Development Plan. Councillors will vote on the plan, which will govern development in the county up to

A major step in the drive to promote Donegal as a golf tourism destination has been taken today with the publication of a 12 page supplement in the Irish Independent. The pull-out promotes the county’s golf courses and other amenities. Earlier this year, tourism Minister Leo Varadker said promoting Donegal’s golf courses on the back

Preparations for the Donegal element of next year’s National Gathering have moved forward this week with the launch of the Donegal Gathering website. Speaking at the launch, Mayor Noel Mc Bride said that following a highly successful online event in February, Donegal council is again leading the way as the first county to launch its

Four in ten voters still don’t know which way they’ll vote on the European Fiscal Treaty referendum, according to a new opinion poll. The Irish Times poll published today shows that 30 per cent of voters intend to vote yes -23 per cent will vote no – but 39 per cent of people have yet

A secondary school in Derry is considering installing technology to block mobile phone signals. The Principal of St Cecilia’s College has warned pupils during assembly that she is concerned at a number of isues, including the possibility of photographs and videos being taken and spread, and reports of fights being organised. Kathleen Gormley’s threat comes

A North West MEP says any increase in diesel prices would be devastating. Jim Higgins’ comments come ahead of a vote tomorrow on an EU Commission proposal to tax fuels according to their energy content and polluting potential. This would reduce the tax advantage diesel has over petrol, and cause prices to increase. Yesterday, Donegal

An Inishowen Councillor has described the sentences handed out to two Derry men who robbed a service station in Muff as nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Steve Smith, 22, from 32 Bradley Way, Derry and Mark Villa, 18, from 75 Marianus Park, Hazelbank Derry pleaded guilty to robbery at Carndonagh District Court.

The overcrowding problem which led to the cancellation of a number of clinics today has been underlined by the latest trolley watch figures from the INMO. An exceptionally busy night in the Emergency Department means that 12 people are either waiting or being treated on trolleys at the hospital Such is the level of overcrowding

Donegal Independent TD Thomas Pringle has started a legal challenge against the Government over fundamental aspects of two European Union treaties. Deputy Pringle is to ask the court if the European Stability Mechanism treaty could be passed without ratification by the Irish public and to assess if it went against principles previously ratified by Irish

Staff at a Donegal based government department have threatened to go on strike if they are forced to make 90km round trips to work. Clerical officers at a Department of Agriculture local office have backed plans for industrial action after being told they will be redeployed to work in offices miles from their base in

Two Derry men charged with the robbery of a petrol station in Muff this weekend have been sentenced to six months detention. Steve Smith, 22, from 32 Bradley Way, Derry and Mark Villa, 18, from 75 Marianus Park, Hazelbank Derry pleaded guilty to robbery at Carndonagh District Court. The court heard how Smith and Villa

The Director of Water Services with Donegal County Council has said the future of water provision is at a crossroads following confirmation that Irish Water is to be a subsidiary of Bord Gais. Irish Water is to take over the function of water supply from local authorities, with questions being now being raised about group

The retrial of a man accused of murdering a woman pregnant with his child has heard that he told a female friend that the victim was worried that he “was going to do something to her”. 39-year-old Stephen Cahoon, admits killing 30-year-old Jean Quigley in Derry in July 2008, but he denies murder. The mother-of-four

The regeneration company Ilex has defended the cost of the opening ceremony of the Peace Bridge in Derry. The figure was given in response to a question put to the office of the first and deputy first ministers. Foyle SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey said he was shocked at the £263,410 cost: But Head of Communications

A number of  Outpatient Clinics have been cancelled at Letterkenny General Hospital this morning after what’s been described as a very bust night in the Emergency Department.. As a result, the medical clinics of Dr Mohammad, Dr Steel and  Dr Patel have been cancelled. Today’s ENT clinic has also been cancelled. People are being urged

A motion directing the County Manager not to use people’s uitility bills and other private information to determine if they have paid the Household Charge has been passed by Donegal County Council. The motion, initially moved at the end of March by Cllr Jack Murray, has been the source of much debate both inside and

A statement has been issued this evening by Donegal County Council responding to yesterday’s An Taisce report which claimed the county has the worst planning record in the country. The statement, presented to the council a short time ago by County Manager Seamus Neely concludes that the An Taisce report is a distorted representation of the planning

A 41-year-old man who killed a teenager in a bar on Arranmore island has been sentenced to six years in prison. Last February, a Central Criminal Court jury found Stephen Boyle not guilty of the murder but guilty of the manslaughter of 19-year-old Paul Boyle (no relation) at Early’s Bar, Leabgarrow, Arranmore on October 3,

A Donegal County Cllr has said that the County Manager should seek legal action, after the former head of An Taisce said that he is in no doubt that Mahon Tribunal type activities were also going on in Donegal. Speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show earlier today, Charles Stanley Smith said councillors in the county

Donegal County Council is calling for the reinstatement of the heating grant, and the restoration of grant schemes to where they were before 2010. Cllr David Alcorn raised the issue, saying the heating grants were removed because help is available from Sustainable Energy Ireland, but that hasn’t worked. He says the traditional grants system should

A Canadian company that has won a licence to dig for gold in parts of South Donegal has said it has no intention of ever mining for gold in or around Lough Derg. Galantas Gold applied for the Donegal licence in an area 550 sq kms in size, covering Omagh to Castlederg and south to

Unsecured creditors are set to lose almost 1.9 million euro following the closing down of the Milford Inn. A meeting of creditors today was told that realisable assets from the sale of building and it land would realise just one million euro in today’s climate which would go against bank loans and other secured debts

There were reports of shots being fired over a coffin at a funeral in Derry this morning. Local man Chang Coyle died of natural; causes at the weekend and during his wake the Starry Plough flag was displayed over his coffin. As the coffin emerged from the house in Rosemouunt Gardens this morning before making

The former head of An Taisce says he is in no doubt that ‘Mahon Tribunal type activities’ were also going on in Donegal and has said councillors must take some blame for Donegal’s poor planning record. The Mahon Tribunal was set up to investigate allegations of corrupt payments to politicians regarding political decisions mostly investigating

The sentencing of a the man found guilty of the manslaughter of Paul Boyle on Arranmore Island in 2009 is scheduled to take place later today. 41 year-old Stephen Boyle was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of 19 year-old Paul Boyle at the Central Criminal Court in February. Paul Boyle,

Labour Councillors in Donegal will go against the government today in support of a Sinn Fein motion on the Household charge. Sinn Fein is calling on the county manager not to collect information from utility companies in order to pursue those who haven’t paid the household charge. Labour whip on the Council, Frank McBrearty has

Households are to pay 40 euro a year – to cover the cost of installing and maintaining water meters. The fee will be paid on an annual basis – and does not include usage charges. The National Pension Reserve Fund is to provide a 450 million euro loan for the water metering programme – which

Donegal North East Deputy, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has challenged the government to ring-fence teaching posts to ensure rural schools in areas of disadvantage are protected from staffing cuts. Deputy Mac Lochlainn said his party will raise the issue, with the Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn, in the Dáil on Thursday. And he said he will

The HSE has ordered a deep clean at the Nazareth House in Fahan before any new residents can be admitted. The Executive made the order as it confirmed that a flu outbreak at the nursing home was officially over. The HSE has confirmed that the outbreak at Nazareth House, Fahan,was officially declared over at the

It has been confirmed that a bomb found in Derry on Sunday night was left on a car belonging to the parents of a serving police officer. The device was discovered in the Drumleck Drive area of Shantallow. Police say it’s the second time the family has beentargeted. Superintendent Chris Yates says the police officer

Principals at seven Donegal primary schools have put their signatures to a letter opposing cuts to rural disadvantaged schools. They have joined with 10 other schools across the country which will lose teaching posts from September 2012. Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn earlier this year apologised for targeting disadvantaged schools announced a review of cuts

Two men have appeared in court today following a robbery at a filling station in Muff on Saturday evening. The two were among four arrested after a robbery at Donaghey’s filling station near Muff on Saturday night. Buncrana based Superintendent Kevin English says the arrests followed tremendous support from the local community. He’s been outlining

A million euro is to be spent on a tourism marketting programme for five West and North West counties. Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo and Roscommon are set to benefit from the programme annonced this morning by Junior Minister Michael Ring. The campaign will be targetted at Britain, Germany, France and Italy. The Head of Operations

Police have arrested a 47 year old man as part of an investigation into a shooting and assault on a 26 year old man in Strabane earlier this month. The suspect was detained in the town this morning as part of police enquiries into the attack at Carlton Drive on 3 April. A number of

The Minister for Transport has assured Donegal based group PARC that efforts are ongoing to close a loop hole which allows as many as 75% of drivers convicted of a road traffic offense to avoid penalty points. As it stands, a driver summoned to court is not directed to take their license with them which

The Pan Celtic Festival is coming back to the North West. The event, which brings together groups from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittanty and the Isle of Man, will be held in Derry in 2014 and 2015. The festival took place in Letterkenny in 2006 and 2007, and in Donegal Town in 2008 and 2009.

Donegal is ranked as having the worst planning system in the country in a new report by An Taisce. Each of the country’s 34 authorities has been graded in an academic style under 8 criteria, including the percentage of vacant housing stock in a region. Donegal was one of 9 council’s to be given an

Sinn Féin Councillor Jack Murray has said that he believes there’s a possibility that his emergency motion on the Household Charge will be passed by the council this week. The motion calls for the council not to collect information from utility companies in order to pursue those who haven’t paid the household charge will. Councillor