Author name: oisinkelly

Staff from city and town councils are to call to households that are refusing to pay the 100 euro tax. The Irish Independent reports that Environment Minister Phil Hogan’s told the councils that they have to knock on doors to collect the money. With just a week to go to the government’s registration deadline –

Two protests are planned today against new government taxes and charges and changes to school transport in Donegal. The protests are scheduled for this afternoon. Hundreds are expected at a major rally against the introduction of the €100 Household charge will take place in Letterkenny this afternoon. The protest will coincide with a national protest which will

The Limerick Post reports how a convicted sex offender has been sentenced to nine-months in prison by Judge Eamon O’Brien at Limerick District Court, after he failed to notify gardai of his address within seven days of his release from prison. In July 2010, Leo Forde, 28, with an address in Laghey Road, Ballyshannon, Co

A young Derry woman today recalled her ‘horrible experience’ when she was glassed in the face as her attacker was jailed. Gemma Doyle (22) of 32, Malin Gardens in Derry admitted the assault which occurred on June 18 last year. The court heard that Doyle had an argument with her cousin over a handbag. The

The family of  Garda Gary McLoughlin, killed in Donegal,  have expressed their shock and upset that the man found responsible for his death was sent to a low security prison which he was able to escape. Martin McDermott from Raphoe was sentenced to 7 years in prison for the manslaughter of Leitrim born garda Gary

Gardai in Inishowen believe there may be a link between a robbery at a fashion store in Buncrana at quarter to four yesterday afternoon, and a similar incident in a chip shop in Muff on Monday night last. In both instances, three people entered the premises, tied the hands of the woman behind the counter

Today is Daffodil Day, with the Irish Cancer Society hopng to raise millions of euro to help in the fight against cancer. It’s the 25th year of the event – and all funds raised will be used to support the society. Justin Mc Dermot is the Irish Cancer Society’s fundraising coordinator in Donegal. He says

A number of homes in the Carndonagh area were left with no land lines for a time following an earlier road traffic incident. It is understood that a vehicle struck a telegraph pole on the Carndonagh to Gleneely road causing the outage. No one was injured in the incident.

An Australian bus company is encouraging Irish bus drivers to move down under, with the Letterkenny based Swilly Group winning the contract to supply them. Ventura – which operates the public transport system in Melbourne – wants to lure Irish workers because of their driving skills – and their charm. The company says it has

A company has thrown its hat in to the ring to replace MFG to run the leader programme in Galway and the Donegal Gaeltacht. The programme has been in limbo since MFG went in to liquidation last September, and while some groups and businesses are still being supported, new ones are unable to apply for

A 27-year-old man originally from the North West has died in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. Two other Irish people, believed to have been travelling with him, are due before a court in the city today, charged in relation to alleged drug-trafficking offences. An official from the Irish Embassy in Mexico has travelled to Venezuela, and

A court has heard that a woman’s claimed the man who allegedly raped her warned that she would be called a liar if she told anyone. She also said the man would never allow her to speak to her siblings and warned them to keep walking when they passed each other in the home or

Police in Foyle are appealing for witnesses following an assault on a pensioner and her son in the Greenwalk area of Creggan last Saturday night, March 17th. Shortly before 9pm, the woman and her son were both hit with a glass bottle as they walked along the street. The mother and son were both treated

Convicted garda killer Martin McDermott has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court today on charges connected to his arrest in Derry last Friday. McDermott, from Raphoe, had the previous day escaped from prison in County Cavan where was he was serving 7 years for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin in Burt in 2009. He was

A senior council official says that people have been ‘queuing out the door’ of Council offices in recent days to pay the Household Charge. Director of services with the council, Gary Martin, says he is encouraged by an apparent increase in people in Donegal paying the 100 euro charge ahead of the March 31st deadline.

A protest is to be held in Ballybofey on Saturday against boundary line changes for school transport. As a result of the changes, students will only be able to get a free bus ticket if they attend the nearest post-primary school. The protest walk will begin at 2 o clock from Navenney Car Park in

London-based human rights law firm H20 has apologised to Omagh bomb victims after hundreds of pages of confidential information were placed online, including psychological reports relating to victims. Other documents placed online include references to senior Garda witnesses, many of whom are due to give evidence against two of the alleged bombers next October. Michael

Donegal Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill has hit out at the Government for not replacing three essential Community Welfare posts in West Donegal. Instead, he says, six more clinics are to close. Senator Ó Domhnaill says the clinics in Brinaleck, Burtonport and Doochary closed recently as a result of retirements, and on Monday week next, services

A Donegal Judge this week raised concerns about the number of public order issues at the Clonmany festival. Speaking in Carndonagh court following a number of public order court cases, Judge Paul Kelly asked Inspector David Murphy if there were problems at this particular festival. He said there are always a lot of applications to

The Minister for Finance has said that the Government is involved in negotiations with the European Central Bank which is expected to defer the payment of a 3.1 million euro promissory note at the end of this month. The deal would in effective restructure the Anglo Irish Bank promissory note payment delaying it until 2025.

A woman has told the Central Criminal Court she was sexually assaulted and raped by her guardian’s foster child over a ten year period in Donegal. The accused man has pleaded not guilty to 46 counts of sexual assault and rape of the woman, who is eight years younger than him. The alleged abuse took

The public in the Letterkenny Garda District is being urged to attend a meeting tonight (Wednesday)to have their say on local policing. The meeting is being hosted by the Letterkenny Joint Policing Committee at Public Services Centre 7pm. Those with concerns about particular crimes or criminality in certain areas are encourage attend. Councillor Dessie Larkin

There where a number of developments on the issue of the Household Charge today. The Social Protection Minister says almost every other country in the world has a charge for local authority services and therefore so should we adding that she believes most will. While Donegal County Council warned that an 8 million euro income

Donegal County Council is taking part in an EU-funded programme which aims to match creative and traditional industries. The €100,000 initiative, which is backed by the European Creative Industries Alliance, is being led by Sligo County Council and the Western Development Commission. Graphic and web designers and others in the creative sector will be encouraged

Donegal County Council is urging the public to pay the household charge or it may be forced to revise its budget for 2012. If everyone in the country were to pay, Donegals’ portion would be in the region of €8 million When the budget was agreed for this year the county manager took that in

A group of people from Donegal walking from Donegal to Dublin in protest against the Governments austerity measures are now over halfway through there journey. The Donegal Action Against Austerity members aim to arrive in Dublin to coincide with the household charge deadline, the next 3.1 billion euro bank payment and the Fine Gael Ard

Donegal County Council has confirmed this week it has carried out seven non domestic water disconnections over the past number of weeks, with more taking place over the next three days. The council says the campaign to disconnect supplies where no payment is received and no effort is made to engage with the Council will

Donegal County Council is to be asked not to use any special powers granted to it in the Household Charge Act to identify people who are refusing to pay. Sinn Fein Cllr Jack Murray says he will submit an emergency motion to next Monday’s council meeting asking the council not to use the power requiring

The Setanta Cup football match between Derry City and Linfield was marred by trouble outside the Brandywell last night. Eyewitnesses said that a small number of Linfield fans had smashed windows at private houses near the Derry ground. There were also reports that at least one bus carrying Linfield supporters had windows smashed by local

The Mayor of Donegal wants a closer working relationship between Donegal County Council and the Youth Council. Councillor Noel McBride has again expressed his regret at the scenes witnessed by youth councillors during a recent visit to the council chamber. They were present at the Febuary monthly meeting that decended into chaos when councillor began

Sinn Fein has urged the government to name a date for the EU fiscal compact treaty referendum saying that it has had enough time to deliberate on the matter. The call comes after the Social Protection Minister Joan Burton yesterday outlined two possible windows for the timing of the vote – either late-May, early-June or

The family and friends of missing Donegal girl Mary Boyle says they are convinced people have information about her disappearance, urging them to come forward. Mary was six when she disappeared 35 years ago on March 18th 1977 close to her grandparents’ house in Cashelard, near Ballyshannon. Mary was following her Uncle Gerry, across the

There are just eleven days left to pay the controversial household charge. The 100 euro levy has so far only been paid by around 250-thousand households ahead of the March 31st deadline. At the weekend, Fianna Fail called for an extension to the deadline, however Environment Minister Phil Hogan has said there won’t be any

Patients are much less likely to get a home visit from their family doctor than in the past and rates vary widely between GP practices, according to a new study. It found that some practices had nine times the rate of home visits as others, particularly if they had older patients. The findings are based

Over 150 transition year students and other young people from Donegal and Cavan will offer their perspective on addressing social issues at a special “Speak Out” function in Ballybofey today. The event at the Balor Arts Centre is one of 11 across the country organised by the Young Social Innovators programme. It invites teenagers to

Buncrana Town Council is set to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the shooting dead of two young girls on the Main Street. The shooting of 19 year old Ellen Kavanagh and nine year old Essie Fletcher, happened during a bank robbery at the Royal Bank, now the AIB, on Market Square on 4th May 1922.

The Apostolic Visitation is expected to propose halving the number of dioceses in Ireland in a report being published in Rome today. That could conceivably see Raphoe and Derry merged, creating one diocese encompassing most of Donegal, Derry and part of Tyrone. The Vatican sent seven visitation teams to Ireland last year, following the release

The Donegal based brother of a Derry man who died in Jersey at the weekend says he suffered the fatal injuries after he fell from a window. 30 year old Michael Stewart, who was originally from the Brandywell, was found outside his flat on the island yesterday morning. Police in Jersey have confirmed they are

Details of the Northern Ireland leg of the Olympic Torch Run have been published today. The flame arrives in Belfast on Sunday June 3rd, with relay runners carrying it to more than 60 towns and villages as well as a number of beauty spots over five days. Torchbearers will carry the flame over the famous

The Environment Minister says he’s considering changing the Data Protection Legislation, to make sure the Government can enforce the new Household Charge. The deadline to pay this 100 euro tax is March 31st – yet to date the vast majority of people have yet to register to pay. The Government has said in recent weeks

It has emerged that Martin McDermott, the  garda killer who escaped from an open prison in Cavan on,Thursday was missing for more than four hours before the authorities noticed he was gone. Martin McDermott, from Raphoe,was last seen by prison authorities at Loughan House at 12.30pm but wasn’t reported missing until 4.45pm. He was serving

The family of missing Donegal girl Mary Boyle gathered yesterday to mark the 35th anniversary of her disappearance Mary is Ireland’s longest-missing person. Prayers were said  for Mary during mass at St Mary’s Church, Kincasslagh It is thought those in attendance included Mary’s mother Ann and her identical twin sister. Mary was six when she

The Donegal man who escaped from a prison in Co. Cavan on Thursday night has appeared before Derry Magistrates court today. Martin McDermott, 26, from Raphoe, was sentenced last July for seven years for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin in 2009. He escaped from Loughan House. McDermott faced a number of charges relating to

A very happy and safe St Patrick’s Day to all of our Highland Radio listeners, especially in mind are those who have left the country in recent years to pastures new. Thousand are expected out on the streets of Donegal today as St Patrick’s Day parades take place across the length and breadth of the

A Donegal man who escaped from a prison in Co. Cavan on Thursday night is due to appear before a court in Derry later today. 26-year-old Martin McDermott from Raphoe absconded from Loughan Prison – but was caught yesterday in Derry by the PSNI. In July of last year,  Martin McDermott was sentenced to seven

A meeting has taken place of all the whips on Donegal County Council to clear the air after unsavoury scenes at the council’s meeting at the end of February. The informal meeting reaffirmed the council’s code of conduct, and each of the whips gave commitments that their members would not interrupt others, and if the