Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal is getting ready for one of the most ambitious charity sporting events this year. The Cancer Coastal Challenge takes place around Dunfanaghay on July 21st. The unique fundraiser will see people complete in a 16km run, a 45 km cycle and  a 2km kayak. The event is in aid of Action Breast Cancer, Relay […]

Northwest MEP Marian Harkin has called on Northern Irish authorities to enforce European free movement laws and immediately cease the practice of clamping cars displaying Republic of Ireland trade plates. The Independent MEP’s engagement on this issue began when she was contacted by a constituent, Paul Dunleavy, who runs the “Modern Motors” car dealership in

Kevin Cassidy has closed the door on a possible return to the Donegal panel. The axed double All Star last night extinguished any hopes of a return, fuelled last week after Jim McGuinness hinted that there could be a way back for the Gweedore man. However, the 30-year old wing-back last night told TG4 that

Gardai says they were not aware of any threat to the life of Andrew Allen, the Waterside man who was murdered in Buncrana on Thursday night. He died after up to three men shot through a bedroom window at his home fatally wounding him in the upper torso area. It is reported that the 24

Gardai have formally named the 24 year old man shot dead outside Buncrana last night as Andrew Allen. The Derry native was gunned down in the bedroom of a house in Links View Park in Buncrana last night, after moving to the area around six months ago. His partner was also in the house at

Gardai are holding a press briefing in Buncrana this afternoon as investigations continue into the murder of a 24 year Derry man in Lisfannon last night. Father-of-two Andrew Allen, from the “Top of the Hill” in the Waterside area, was shot through a window at Links View, Lisfannon shortly after 9pm. He was pronounced dead

Donegal County Council has the highest deficit of any local authority according to a report in today’s Irish Times. The report compares the findings of audits of 2010 accounts. The deficit identified in Donegal was €12.7 million, with particular concern expressed about the amount of outstanding money owed to the council in commercial rates and

There’s been widespread condemnation of the shooting dead of a 24 year old man outside Buncrana last night. It’s understood that shortly before 9.30 last night, three masked men approached a house at Links View in Lisfannon shot through a window. The man, named locally Andrew Allan, originally from Top of the Hill in the

The Junior Tourism Minister says that everyone in the North West must work together if the area is to get its fair share of tourists visiting Ireland this year. Michael Ring’s comments follow an accusation from Councillor Sean McEniff that since North West Tourism was wound down, Failte Ireland has done very little to promote

A Derry Republican was remanded back into custody yesterday after he pleaded guilty to attacking Strand Road PSNI Station with a car bomb. Following defence applications at Belfast Crown Court, 43-year-old Philip O’Donnell pleaded guilty to causing an explosion likely to endanger life on 3 August, 2010. O’Donnell, from Baldrick Crescent in Derry, also pleaded

Labour Councillor Frank McBrearty has called on Councillor Mick Quinn to withdraw his comments after it was suggested that government council reps are failing to properly represent the people that elected them. Councillor McBrearty has described the comments as unfair claiming Councillor Quinn is engaging in populist politics. The dispute centres on a Sinn Fein

The transport crisis effecting schools in the Finn Valley has been raised in the Dail. The new transport scheme will only transport new pupils to their closest school. For example a child currently attending Castlefin school and recieving free transport, could see a brother or sister enrolling for next term being told free transport is

A man in his 20s from the Waterside area of Derry has been shot and killed outside Buncrana. The incident happened at a house at Links View in Lisfannon shortly before 9.30pm last night. It’s reported three masked men went to the house and shot through a window. The man, named by the BBC as

There is wide spread shock in Buncrana with the news that a man, thought to be from Derry, has been shot and killed in Lisfannon. The incident happened at a house at Links View in Buncrana shortly before 9.30pm. The man was pronounced dead around an hour later. Members of the Garda Technical Bureau will

A man has been shot dead at a house in Lisfannon in County Donegal just over the border from Derry. It is believed that the man was shot dead in a housing development called Links View. There were unconfirmed reports that three men approached the house and shot the man dead. It is believed that

Shots have been fired at two bookmakers’ premises in Derry. At around 8.30 tonight, one masked man entered a premises on Central Drive and fired one shot. Meanwhile, two masked men entered a premisesd on Racecourse Road and fired a number of shots. There are no reports of any injuries. SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey told

The Government has been accused of protecting private schools in Dublin at the expense of smaller schools across the country. During heated exchanges on education cuts in the Seanad, Donegal Senator Brian O’Domhnaill claimed 70 teachers will lose their jobs in Donegal while 87% of Protestant schools will be effected. The concerns centre on cuts

A new law which allows a missing person to be declared dead  has been used for the first time by the family of a County Tyrone doctor who went missing in County Donegal in January 2009. Until 2009, the family of a missing person would have to wait seven years for such a declaration. Dr

The first sod has been turned this afternoon at the site of the long awaited Twin Towns swimming pool. Junior Tourism and Sports Minister Michael Ring was at the Finn Valley Leisure Centre for the function. He’ll also visit the site of the new Finn Harps Football Club Stadium, and carry out functions in Convoy,

The driver of one of the cars involved in a crash near Clonmany in which eight men were killed has been remanded on continuing bail following a hearing at Buncrana District court today. 23-year-old Shaun Kelly, from Hillroad, Ballymagan, Buncrana, had been charged with causing the death of the seven passengers travelling in his car

A County Councillor has accused Labour and Fine Gael’s representatives on Donegal County Council of having little interest in the concerns of those that elected them, and says Fianna Fail are not providing effective opposition. Sinn Fein’s Mick Quinn was speaking after he failed to secure support recently for a motion condeming the government’s 1.25

The first sod is being turned this afternoon at the site of the long awaited Twin Towns swimming pool. Junior Tourism and Sports Minister Michael Ring is turning the sod at the Finn Valley Leisure Centre site. He’ll also visit the site of the new Finn Harps Football Club Stadium. Later this afternoon, Minister Ring

The average nationwide rent of a property now stands at 821 euro, according to the latest report by Daft.ie. The survey by the property website shows that the highest rents are in Dublin, averaging at 1,057 euro, compared to an average of 542 euro in Donegal. The last three months of last year saw an

A Donegal Councillor has described as “embarrassing” the lack of public toilets in Donegal Town. When Councillor Brendan Byrne raised the issue with Donegal County Council he was told that because of the government recruitment embargo the toilet’s caretaker, who retired last year, cannot be replaced. Councillor Byrne says with the summer season approaching, the

Hundreds of people from across the globe last night watched the online launch of the Donegal Gathering project. The Gathering will be a series of events in the coming months to strengthen the link between Donegal and the disapora, invite people back to the county for a series of events, and continue to explore what

Government proposals to offer new tax breaks to attract skilled workers to Ireland have been criticised by Sinn Fein. The measure – which is contained in the newly published finance bill – is designed to ensure that investors in Ireland can get the skilled employees they need to create jobs here. The Finance Minister Michael

A number of Donegal Community Employment Scheme supervisors are among 500 from across the country are meeting in Portlaoise this evening over cutbacks to the sector. The Government signalled in the Budget that it intended to reduce participants’ training and materials grants funding by 66 per cent. The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has

Three busses from the Republic used to transport pupils to and from schools in Derry have been found to be unfit for service. The spot checks were carried out at Oakgrove college. Nine vehicles in total were taken off the road in the city following a day of checks by the DVA. They say faults

The public spat between the current and a former boss of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation rumbles on today. Yesterday the current chief, Sean O’Donoghue, hit out at Joey Murrin over his claims that Donegal’s income from Mackerel could be down 30 million euro in 2012. Mr Murrin has also suggested not enough is being done

People, particularly women, are being urged to take extra safety precautions in the wake of an increase in carjackings. That is the message from Derry City Cllr John Boyle who has condemned those responsible for robbing a woman in the car park of a retail store in the Buncrana Road area of Derry last evening.

A Donegal man is preparing to march to the Dail to protest about austerity cuts and fuels price hikes. And he wants members of the public to join him. Joe Murphy, who last year staged a “25 mph protest” when he drove from Inishowen to Dublin to protest about rising fuel prices, has been a

Speed limits are set to be slashed on rural roads across the country following a massive overhaul of the current system. Every speed limit on every road is to be scrutinised in a drive to reduce accidents and deaths on our roads. The core aim is to improve road safety and to ensure that limits

The murder trial of a man whose admitted killing a teenager in a bar on Arranmore Island over two years ago has heard he was suffering from a psychiatric disorder, which diminished his responsibility. Stephen Boyle of Austen House, Cambridge Road, Kilburn Park in London has admitted killing but denies murdering Paul Boyle at Early’s

A Sinn Fein Cllr in Castlderg has said there is no argument to keep Castlederg Police Station opened. Just last week Ulster Unionist Cllr Ross Hussey said that the Castlederg Station should remain open on security grounds. The stations closure is to be discussed at a public consultation meeting in the Derg Valley Leisure Centre

Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh says the biggest challenge facing this term of the Dail is tackling what he describes as the sickness of bureaucracy and red tape. He was speaking in the Dail having raised the issue of a delay that some teachers are encountering when trying to obtain accreditation from the teaching council. Deputy

The murder trial of a man whose admitted killing a teenager in a bar on Arranmore Island over two years ago has heard he was suffering from a psychiatric disorder, which diminished his responsibility. Stephen Boyle of Austen House, Cambridge Road, Kilburn Park in London has admitted killing but denies murdering Paul Boyle at Early’s

The head of the Killybegs Fisherman’s Organisation has rejected claims that Donegal’s income from Mackerel could be down 30 million euro in 2012. Sean O’Donoghue was reacting to the claims by Former Chairman of Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Former CEO of the KFO Joey Murrin. In a statement Mr Murrin doesn’t mention the KFO by

Members of both the Catholic and Protestant Churches have united in opposition at plans would could see small schools in Donegal either shut or amalgamated. Fr John Joe Duffy and Reverend John Dean have come together to oppose changes which could see small schools across the country with four teachers or fewer start to close

The “Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay” campaign in Donegal is claiming today that last night’s announcement of reduced registration charges for septic tanks is an indication of government panic. Francis Mc Cafferty of the “Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay” campaign says the reduced charge is an attempt to ensure that people register. He believes the low level

The IMPACT trade union North West Spokesperson has described HSE West as “dysfunctional” after meetings to discuss how to manage retirements at the end of the month were cancelled. Richy Carrothers, IMPACT’s Assistant General Secretary says the meetings in Galway and Donegal were an opportunity to ensure that the disruption from the retirements will be

Last year was another busy year for the RNLI lifeboats. According to the organisation’s annual statistics, the organisation received almost 1000 calls – and rescued 905 people. In Donegal, there were 87 launches from the county’s three stations, with 84 people assisted. Lough Swilly was Donegal’s busiest lifeboat station in 2011, with 41 launches and

There’s been mixed reaction to the Environment Minister’s announcement last night that new septic tank charges are to be cut. Phil Hogan has revealed that the registration fee for septic tanks will be reduced to 5-euro, for the first 3 months, down from the proposed 50-euro. The move is an attempt to reward those who

Donegal County Council will not be targeting private wells for payment of water charges. The reassurance comes following a meeting between senior Donegal ICSA members and the Donegal County Manager Seamus Neeley. ICSA County Chairman, Malcolm Thompson says he’s satisfied with the assurances they have received……

A man who has admitted killing a teenager in a bar on Arranmore Island crashed his car into a wall to try and do away with himself a month before the incident, a court was told. 41-year-old Stephen Boyle has admitted killing but denies murdering 19-year-old Paul Boyle (19) at Early’s Bar, on Arranmore on

Gardai in Letterkenny are warning businesses to be aware that fake 50 euro notes may be circulating in the town. A number of notes have been detected by a number of taxi drivers over the weekend. The fake notes have a number of features that make them easily identifiable when held up to a light.

A Co. Donegal hotel where Hollywood stars stayed and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair spent his childhood holidays has been put on a list of distressed properties for sale by auction. Management and staff at the Sandhouse Hotel in Rossnowlagh,who claimed a good season in 2011, were stunned when told today that liquidators KPMG

A 50-year-old Derry woman has been released on bail this afternoon after she was charged with attempting to murder her son at the weekend. Teacher Treasa Doherty was charged with trying to kill her son Sean O’Connor after an incident in their Garden City home on Saturday night. He is on a life-support machine in