Author name: oisinkelly

A jury took just 62 minutes at the end of a five-day trial to find a small farmer guilty today of depriving seven people of €177,000. Thomas Elvin, from Meencargagh, Ballybofey, who ran a company called Pear Shaped Resources based in the British Virgin Islands, claimed at Donegal Circuit Court that he was a penniless […]

Donegal County Councillors failed to reach agreement on the council’s revenue budget for 2012. It proved an eventful day with an unprecedented disruption to the meeting, numerous adjournments and claim and counterclaim as to why agreement could not be reached. Below is how the days proceedings unfolded. Today’s budget meeting began at 10.30am with a

Donegal County Council’s budget meeting has been disrupted after dozens of protesters stormed the chamber with claims that some councillors were both verbally and physically assaulted. The Can’t Pay Won’t Pay protesters had called on councilors to come out of the meeting to address the crowd. When they did not, 2 dozen protesters entered the

Around 100 people have turned up to protest in Lifford on a number of issues. The majority of those are part of the ‘Can’t Pay Won’t pay’ group. In the past fortnight they have held meetings held right across Donegal calling for non payment of the house hold charge and the septic tank inspection charge.

The Cant Pay Wont Pay Group will be holding a protest outside the Council Offices in Lifford this morning. In the past fortnight there have been meetings held right across Donegal calling for non payment of the house hold charge and the septic tank inspection charge. Crowds of between 130 in small villages to 400

Donegal County Council meets in special session this morning to discuss what members say will be one of the most difficult budgets the council has ever faced. The county manager and senior officials are facing the challenge of maintaining services and providing for the development of the county while at the same time minimising the

The jury will be sent to consider a verdict today at the trial of a man who denies conning €177,000 from seven people in Donegal. Thomas Elvin told his trial last evening that he hoped to turn 50,000 dollars into 98 million dollars in less than. 45 days. The 50 year old from  Meencargagh, Ballybofey,

Northern Ireland’s senior coroner has asked the Public Prosecution Service to consider if a soldier who killed a Derry teenager should be prosecuted. John Leckey made the request after an inquest jury found that Daniel Hegarty posed no threat when he was shot dead by the soldier in Creggan in 1972. He said it was

Stabalisation works are getting underway at Marlborough Terrace in Derry where a wall collapsed at the weekend Derry City Council met with a specialist engineering contractor today after Environment Minister Alex Attwood provided quarter of a million pounds last evening for immediate remedial work. In the meantime, people in the affected area are being urged

Donegal Pet Rescue is warning that there may be bogus collectors claiming to represent them operating in Letterkenny at the moment. Spokesperson Bronwyn Walsh says they have been told that a number of young women have been going door to door collecting, but no such collection has been authorised by them. She says anyone with

The trial of a man accused of conning €177,000 from seven Co. Donegal people has been told an American associate claimed to the FBI that he was threatened with IRA action. Donegal Circuit Court has been told that Thomas Elvin, 50, described as bible-believing and a Church of Ireland member, was linked to Florida-based finance

Donegal Senator Brian O’Domnhaill has said that he WILL be paying the 100 euro household charge when it’s introduced. But he also said that the charge should be means tested. He said that he believes people claiming social welfare, pensioners, people in negative equity and people in mortgage arrears should be exempt from the Household

There is an increasing chance that Donegal County Councillors will reject the County Manager’s budget for 2012 when they meet to adopt it tomorrow. Sinn Fein is still deciding whether or not or support the budget which sets out the council’s spending for next year. It is understood that Fianna Fail, Fine Gael Labour and

The annual rate of decline in property prices accelerated last month. According to the CSO, residential property prices fell by 15-point-6 per cent in the year to the end of November. That compares with a 15-point-1 per cent drop in the twelve months to the end of October. Prices fell 1-and-a-half per cent in the

A Fine Gael Senator from Dublin has complained that Bus Eireann fares to Letterkenny are to cheap compared to other areas of the country. Catherine Noone is a Fine Gael Senator for Dublin South East and claims there are serious discrepancies in the price commuter belt customers are being charged to travel to and from

There has been another robbery in Derry. Last night a bookmakers shop at Meenan Square in the Bogside was targeted -this is the third robbery of a business premises in the area in the past  week . At approximately 6.45pm, a masked man, armed with a suspected firearm, entered the bookmakers premises and made off

Donegal North-East Deputy, Charlie McConalogue was heckled and booed at Sundays anti-budget protest in Letterkenny. The Fianna Fail Deputy recieved the brunt of the crowds anger, as a number of people shouted “your party put us in this mess”. Deputy McConalogue would not give the crowd an answer when he was asked if he was

It may be weeks before toxicology results reveal the exact cause of death of a father and his two children, who were found dead in Co Sligo on Sunday night. 52-year-old Trevor Wallwark and his two children Kim and Henry, aged 12 and nine, were found dead in their house in Moygara in Gurteen –

The EU is set to impose sanctions on Iceland and the Faroe Islands as a row over mackerel catches rumbles on. There has been an agreement on mackerel fishing between the EU, Norway and Iceland and the Faroes, but in the past two years, the latter two have significantly increased their catches over and above

The North’s Environment Minister has announced an immediate grant of quarter of a million pounds to fund emergency works at Marlborough Terrace in Derry. Two wall collapses in recent days have left some back gardens and access lanes in a highly dangerous condition, with residents very concerned at what may lie ahead. Local Cllr John

It’s emerged that Santa’s arrival to Mullaghmore on board the Bundoran lifeboat last Sunday was delayed because of what’s believed to have been a hoax call. Santa eventually arrived at the Sligo pier after the rescue mission was stood down. The RNLI say that just as the four person Bundoran Lifeboat crew were about to

The Donegal Domestic Violence Service has been told that it’s core funding is to be cut by 6% next year. The money is provided through a service agreement with the HSE. The news came this afternoon, less than a month after capital funding was confirmed for a new purpose built shelter. The current refuge had

A police officer told Derry Magistrate’s Court that they believed a 39-year-old man charged with rape was ‘a predatory attacker’ who posed a risk to females in general. Kieran Brian Coyle of 65, Forest Park, Killyygordon in County Donegal was charged with rape and sexual assault that were said to have occurred on December 15.

Three school projects in Letterkenny are to begin construction in the New Year. Gaelscoil Adhmanain in Glencar will begin while work on the Irish-speaking secondary school Colaiste Ailigh will start at its location in Carnamuggagh. It has also been confirmed that work on the extension to St.Patrick’s National School in Lurgybrack, on the outskirts of

Hundreds turned out in Letterkenny yesterday for a protest against Budget 2012. The protest, which was organised by Buncrana man, Joe Murphy, was held in Market Square at 3 o clock. It was the second protest in County over the weekend, hundreds also came out in protest in Falcarragh on Saturday. Joe Murphy, says there

The Council is looking to introduce charges for parking in a number of towns across Donegal. Six towns are to be considered for the charges in the first quarter of 2012. A further four towns that already charge for parking are to see charges increased. Donegal County Council is proposing to introduce car parking charges

The Government won’t consider any inquiry into clerical child sex abuse until church-run audits into 24 more dioceses are completed. Deputy Charlie McConalogue says the decision of Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald not to order an inquiry into Raphoe and other dioceses now fails victims of abuse. Mrs Fitzgerald has not ruled out a state commission

Speed gardai have launched a search for motor cyclist who clocked 240 kilometres per hour on an 80 kmh road in Donegal He has put up a Youtube video of his danger-drive on the narrow road, which has a single white line over much of it to prevent traffic crossing. The 6 minute 44 second

A man and his two children have been found dead at a house in County Sligo. The bodies of the 52 year old father, his 12 year old daughter and 9 year old son were found at the house at Morgara in Gurteen before ten o’clock last night. Gardai were called to the house at

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Simon Coveney says it’s a positive day for the Irish fishing industry, following an overnight agreement on quotas at a council meeting in Brussels. Mr Coveney says he has secured 141,000 tonnes of open sea fish and tuna quotas and 36,000 tonnes of whitefish. The Minister said the  total value of

A 34 year old man has been arrested followeing the death of a 48 year old man at an enmtertainment complex in Portrush. The man died after falling down stairs at the Playhouse on Main Street in the early hours of this morning. Police are investigasting, and are asking anyone who witnessed an altercation outside

A man accused of illegally depriving seven people of €177,000 savings linked up with an American financial dealer who he expected to turn 50,000 dollars into 98 million dollars in 35 days, according to emails presented in court yesterday. 50-year-old Thomas Elvin, described by his own counsel as a bible-believing small Donegal farmer, told his

Hundreds of people protested today outside the Government Oireachtas members constituency offices around the County. The protests, organised by SIPTU, are being held in response against the proposed budget cuts to Community Employment Schemes. And there will be a public meeting on Monday morning in Jacksons Hotel, Ballybofey against the cuts. SIPTU’s Martin O Rourke

Police in Strabane are appealing for information after a young girl was mugged yesterday eveing. The attack happened between 6 and 630 yesterday evening as the young woman made her way down Bradley Way towards the Urney Road. She had been walking home after doing her shopping in a local supermarket. Local Cllr Patsy Kelly

A man who claimed to have access to a 100 million dollar management fund when he persuaded people to invest €177,000 was not an authorised financial advisor, an investigation leader told a court. The prosecution claims Donegal farmer Thomas Elvin headed a number of companies, including one called Pear Shaped Resources, to which he tempted

The North West College in Derry has re-iterated its safety advice to students following another reported sexual assault in Derry. Sometime between 1.30am and 1.45am yesterday morning a young woman was raped by an unknown male in an alley in the Strand Road area. He is described as being approximately 6ft 3″ to 6ft 4″

The Coastguard says there is no environmental threat from an oil tanker which earlier anchored 25 miles north of Tory Island having developed cracks in its deck. The 42,000 tonne Genmar Companion was en route from Rotterdam to New York when the captain requested assistance this morning. The vessel which is carrying 54,000 tonnes of

Buncrana Leisure Centre is facing closure after it was revealed today that the facilities funding from the Council is being cut by a third. Buncrana Town Councils pre-budget submission, which was released yesterday, states that the annual funding for the local Leisure Centre is to be cut from €60,000 to €40,000. Just last month management

Sinn Fein’s Donegal Deputies, Pearse Doherty and Padraig MacLochlainn have confirmed they will not be paying theHousehold Charge. At least seven Sinn Fein TDs have now confirmed they are to boycott the household charge taking the number of Dáil representatives who will not pay the €100 tax to well over a dozen. Pearse Doherty and

The cost of calling the Fire Services to your home in the event of a house fire is set to double. That is one of the measures contained in Donegal County Council’s draft Budget 2012. The minimum cost is to increase from 100 to 200 euro. The cost of running Donegal’s fire service for 2012

The Arts Council of Ireland has just made available over 400,000 euro to sixty-six small festivals across the country. This specific funding programme is aimed at small, locally-based events and festivals that have requested funding from the Council of up to 20,000 euro. The Inishowen Traditional Singers Circle has been granted 4,000.

The Environment Minister says it’s up to landlords and tenants to work out how to deal with the new household charge. The Irish Property Owners Association has called for landlords to introduce a new charge for tenants, to cover the new 100 euro payment and the existing second home tax of 200 euro. Housing charity

The head of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation says he doesn’t expect any speedy conclusion to ongoing negotiations on Ireland’s fishing quotas for next year. The annual EU Fisheries Council meeting has entered its second day with little chance of an agreement before the weekend. The KFO says is satisfied with Ireland’s qouta for the Bore

A man accused of depriving investors of €177,000 was just a small farmer who was a simple bible-believer, his own counsel claimed in court. Witnesses claimed at Donegal Circuit Court yesterday that Thomas Elvin claimed he was connected to a 100 million dollar back-up system when he persuaded them to invest. 50-year-old Elvin, of Meencargagh,

Plans for a significant development by the Children’s Point Childcare Centre can go ahead after one objection was dismissed and a second withdrawn. The Children’s Point Childcare Centre LTD were granted permission for the development at Foyleside Caravan Park in Tromaty Quigley’s Point, however that decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The Council granted

Protests will be held this morning outside the constituency offices of the two Fine Gael TD’s and Labour Senator here in the county. The protests, organised by SIPTU, are being held in response against the proposed budget cuts to Community Employment Schemes. And there will be a public meeting on Monday morning in Jackson’s Hotel,

Detectives are appealing for information following a report of a serious sexual assault in the Strand Road area of Derry in the early hours of Thursday 15 December. It is believed that sometime between 1.30am and 1.45am, a young woman was assaulted by an unknown male in an alley in the area. He is described