Author name: oisinkelly

The Mayor of Buncrana says clarity is needed on when the Lough Swilly ferry linking Buncrana and Rathmullan will be back on the water. This week’s meeting of Buncrana Town Council heard there are funding issues which have not yet been resolved. The issue of funding for ferries was at the heart of contentious scenes […]

A former taxi driver has told how his life has been left in “tatters” after a rape allegation saw him dragged through the courts. All charges against 39-year-old Kieron Coyle from Killygordon relating to an alleged rape of a female on December 15 were withdrawn at Derry Magistrate’s Court today. Speaking afterwards Mr Coyle said

A Sinn Fein County Cllr says his members have already looked at the possibility of having the County Council meetings recorded and made available to the public for viewing. Cllr Mick Quinn says he believes the initiative will cost in the region of around €20,000 This weekl the Fianna Fail party issued a statement calling

A 42-year-old man was accused of child-sex offences at Ballyshannon District Court today. Patrick Lenihan of Erne Street. Ballyshannon, was accused of exploiting children, exposing himself in his window, and having child pornography on his mobile phone. Some of the summonses were issued under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. Lenihan was accused of

The Donegal prisoner who absconded from prison yesterday has been apprehended by police in Derry. 26 year old Martin McDermott from Raphoe, serving a seven year sentence for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin in Inishowen, went missing from Loughan House prison in Cavan. The Garda Representative Association has accused the Government of being “soft”

A prisoner who absconded from prison yesterday has been apprehended by police in Derry. 26 year old Martin McDermott went missing from Loughan House prison in Cavan. He was arrested this morning in the Foyle area. The Department of Justice is seeking a full report into how the prisoner may have escaped.

Roads are expected to be busier then usual this evening, as thousands get away for the St. Patrick’s Bank Holiday weekend. Gardai are appealing to motorists to drive with extra care and to allow plenty of time for their journey. Last year, six people died over the St Patrick’s bank holiday period. The head of

A cross-border manhunt is underway for a prisoner who escaped from a low security jail in Co Cavan last night. 26 year old Martin McDermott from Raphoe in Co Donegal was serving a seven year sentence for the manslaughter of Garda Gary McLoughlin. Officials at Loughan House prison first noticed the inmate was missing when

A Tyrone man has been sentenced to seven years in jail, for causing death by dangerous driving. 19 year old Conor Breen from Corbo Road in Eskra, was driving a jeep when it collided with a car on Doogary Road in Omagh in April last year. It transpired he was two and a half times

It’s emerged that 17 workers at Sioen Ireland are to go on a three day week from next week. The Gweedore based company produce protective clothing and equipment. Donegal South West Deputy Pearse Doherty says there is never a good time to hear this sort of news, particularly at a time when many are already

Tributes are being paid this evening following the sudden death of Connor Mallon who was the golf professional at Narin and Portnoo golf club Mr Mallon was found dead in his bedroom at the Nestibtt Arms, Hotel, Ardara on Thursday morning. The father of  four was in his early 30s. It is thought that Mr Mallon’s death

A major search is underway for a Donegal man who escaped from Loughan Prison in County Cavan. 25 year-old Martin McDermott from Raphoe  was serving a seven-year sentence for the manslaughter of Leitrim Garda Gary McLoughlin. He was reported missing from the prison on Thursday evening. McDermott was sentenced in July 2011. He had led

17 workers of Sioen Ireland were told today that they will have to go on a three day week on short time work from next week onwards. The Gweedore based company produce protective clothing and equipment. Reacting to the news local Deputy Pearse Doherty said: “There is never a good time to hear this sort

Nine TDs are reiterating their call on people to take part in what they’re calling an act of mass peaceful civil disobedience. The group is calling for a boycott of the household charge – which is due to be paid by the end of the month. Up to 90 per cent of households have yet

A man has appeared in court charged with a punishment style attack in the Strabane two years ago. 42-year-old Kevin Murray, whose address was given as Albert Terrace, Lifford, is accused of grievous bodily harm on Ryan McColgan who was shot in both legs at Lisnafin Park, Strabane in April 2010. The attack on Ryan McColgan

It’s been confirmed that the Lough Foyle service linking Greencastle and Magilligan will resume this weekend. A weekend service will operate during March, and then from April to the end of September, a daily service will run. The resumption of the service was confirmed in a  joint statement issued this afternoon by the Lough Foyle

The Mayor of Donegal has rejected in the strongest terms accusation from Fianna Fail that he lacks impartiality. Councillor Noel McBride was the target of an attack by the Fianna Fail grouping in a statement released yesterday. Fianna Fail suggested the Mayor had lost control of the meetings amid allegations of initimidation, bullying and threats.

A Fianna Fáil Councillor has won the right to legally challenge the Household charge, because it’s not published in Irish. The High Court granted the right to Dublin City Councillor Thomas Brabazon, who is a full-time Irish speaker. It will come before the High Court again in two weeks time. Donegal South West Deputy Pearse

A man has been charged over a paramilitary-style shooting in Strabane two years ago. The victim, a 24-year-old man, was shot in both legs at a house in Lisnafin Park in April 2010. Yesterday, officers from the PSNI Serious Crime Branch detained a 42-year-old man in connection with the attack. He has been charged with

Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh has told the Dail that a joint approach must be taken to resolving the issue of mortgage and negative equity, and all parties must work together to make it happen. He was speaking during a Fianna Fail motion on mortgage rates and arrangements. Deputy Mc Hugh told the

Iceland is moving closer to EU membership with the adoption of an enlargement report by the European Parliament. However, a North West MEP is seeking to ensure that agreement on mackerel quotas is built in to any future deal. At present, the EU and Norway are in dispute with Iceland and the Faroes over mackerel

An SDLP MLA in East Derry says there is evidence that more people are cooperating with the PSNI, and that is having a beneficial effect on crime detections. John Dallat made the comments as he called for information on a petrol bomb attack on the home of a woman in Coleraine last night. Mr Dallat

Fianna Fail have questioned the impartiality of the Donegal Mayor and want all future Council meetings streamed online. The party has made the call off the back of ongoing discipline issues occurring during recent meetings. Fianna Fail believes the situation is spiralling out of control. Fianna Fail want meetings streamed so the public of the

The Donegal Youth Council has compiled two new road safety videos as part of a county wide campaign over the next two month advising against the use of mobile phones on the roads. The videos are being distributed through a number of channels including facebook with the hope that they go viral ensuring as many

It has been confirmed that a minor eathquake struck Donegal last evening. A number of people reported hearing an event shortly before midnight in the north of the county. The British Geological Survey confirms that their equipment in Buncrana and Antrim recorded a magnitude 1.1 earthquake shortly before 10pm. The quake’s measured depth was 3km,

A Sinn Fein Donegal Deputy has hit out at claims today that TD’s will have extra holidays over St Patricks Day and Easter. Today’s Irish Daily Mail reports that Fine Gael and Labour plan to give the Dail an extra day off next week, and then – five days later – allow TD’s 19 days

Inishowen will be taking part in a peninsula wide clean up led by the county councillors next month. On Saturday 21st April in conjunction with the Buncrana Tidy Towns Association, the county councillors will take to the roads of Inishowen to clean up the towns in preparation for the summer months. Speaking at Inishowen Electoral

Figures from the injuries board for last year show that there was a significant increase in compensation paid out to Donegal people compared to 2010. Last year compensation for claimants in Donegal totaled €5.5m. Last year injuries board dot ie made 224 awards to claimants in Donegal in 2011 – this compared to 233 in

North West MEP Jim Higgins has challenged the HSE to prove that it is not re-hiring retired administrative level and nursing staff at the expense of young qualified and unemployed graduates. He has been told by the HSE that its policy is that retired individuals should only be rehired in extreme circumstances and that guidelines

The Health and Safety Authority has launched an investigation following the death of a man in Dunlewey early today. It is understood the man was operating a crane at the time of the incident which occurred at around 9 o’clock this morning. It is thought the crane came in to contact with over head wires.

Almost 15 million euro was recovered from tax defaulters in the final three months of last year. According to the latest defaulters list from the Revenue Commissioners, settlements were agreed with 90 individuals and companies in the three month period of December 31st 2011. Settlements of just over 1.5 million euro were made with revenue

Donegal has lived up to its reputation as the forgotten county again having been excluded from a map highlighting hotel price changes in Ireland. According to the latest survey from Hotels.com, the cost of a hotel room in Ireland increased by 4% last year, with the average price now at €82 per night, compared to

Charles Kelly building suppliers in Letterkenny have announced the loss of nine jobs. Staff where informed of the decision this week which has been blamed on the downturn in the building trade. In a statement released to Highland Radio News Charles Kelly Limited says the decision to make nine of its staff redundant was made

A Donegal Councillor is calling for changes to the approved list of newspapers for the publication of planning notices. Cllr Jack Murray says there was recently a case where a potentially contentious application for wind turbines in Inishowen was missed by local people, because the notice appeared in the Irish Times. He says with three

Emergency services are attending the scene of a work place death in the Dunlewey area this morning. It is understood a man has died whilst using heavy machinery. Gardai remains at the scene – there are no further details at present.

Donegal parents are being warned that they can expect a call from the Police to collect their children if they are found to be under the influence of alcohol in Derry this weekend. Sergeant Sam Young has stated that extra patrols will be in place this weekend to identify Donegal youth’s either drinking illegally or

A number of key school projects across Co Donegal have been overlooked in the five-year School Building Programme according to Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Children Charlie McConalogue. The Donegal North East TD says while the Donegal projects confirmed yesterday are welcome, there are other schools not mentioned, and it now seems they will have to

Donegal Sinn Fein Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn has urged the Government to come clean on the bailout fund’s link to the Fiscal Compact. His party has taken issue with the claim that rejection of the agreement will prevent Ireland from accessing the European Stability Mechanism in the future – Most experts predict that will be

A 42 year old man has been arrested in Strabane on suspicion of dissident republican activity. He’s being detained at the serious crimes suite at Antrim Police Station.

The vigilante group Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) in Derry have admitted the shooting of two young men in the city last week. The group said that the shooting was for an unprovoked attack on a republican activist and rejected claims by the father of one of the victims that he was forced to witness

A man who killed a teenager in a bar on Arranmore has had his sentence hearing adjourned for over two weeks. Last month a Central Criminal Court jury found 41 year-old Stephen Boyle not guilty of the murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Paul Boyle, aged 19, at Early’s Bar, Leabgarrow, Arranmore on October

The latest statistics on drinking water quality in Donegal show that last year Aluminuim Levels in parts of the county were relatively high. In parts of east Inishowen, some samples from the public water supply showed aluminium levels 20 times greater than that recorded in Letterkenny. A sample taken from the water in Donegal Town

A Donegal Councillor says flawed logic appears to be governing policy relating to septic tank inspections. It’s emerged that septic tanks in parts of Donegal will be among the first to be targetted when inspections begin next year. The Irish Independent has published figures this morning suggesting that tanks in the Swilly and Crana catchments

Martin McGuinness has today called on vigilante group RAAD to issue a clear and definitive statement removing all threats to young people in Derry and to disband the group. In a statement the North’s Deputy First leader said RAAD have nothing at all to do with Irish Republicanism and as oppressors of the community in

A 13 year old boy from Newtowncunningham has appeared at Derry Magistrates’ Court this morning, charged in connection with incidents on the Madamsbank Road in Derry last night. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons was charged with riotous behaviour and causing damage to a police land-rover. He was bailed to his parents’

Educate Together in Letterkenny is to get a new school, with construction to begin in 2015. The school is one of three Donegal additions to the government’s Five Year programme. The other two new additions are extensions to Deele College in Raphoe and Little Angels in Letterkenny. Both of those are to begin in 2014.

A security alert ended in Derry last night after a suspicious object was declared a hoax. Madamsbank Road was closed for a time as a result of the alert. Up to 80 youths gathered in the area, attacked police and set fire to traffic cones. The road has since reopened.

It’s emerged that septic tanks in parts of Donegal will be among the first to be targetted when inspections begin next year. According to the Irish Independent, tanks in Donegal, Galway, Monaghan, Louth, Cork, Laois and Wexforde will be the first to be inspected because, the paper says, they are believed to be a threat