Author name: oisinkelly

The widow of a man found buried under 110lb of sand inside a van in Berkshire has told a jury his accused killers treated him like family and even called him a son or brother. Shaleem Amar, 33, died from massive head injuries allegedly suffered in a brutal hammer attack on November 17 last year […]

Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue is accusing the government of making promises it can’t keep in respect of the A5. Deputy Mc Conalogue was speaking after Taoiseach Enda Kenny offered £50 million over the next four years, with the possibility of providing the balance of the £400 million after 2016. However, Deputy Mc

A Donegal Coroner has described spontaneous human combustion as “probably an urban myth”. Dr John Madden made the comment at the inquest into the death of 50 year old Elizabeth McLaughlin, of 42 Close Padraig, Carndonagh, on New Years Eve last year. The inquest heard from Harry Masterson, partner of Ms McLaughlin for the previous

A mother and her young daughter and baby had a lucky escape after their car got trapped in a river swollen by heavy rain in County Derry. They were rescued from the River Moyola near Draperstown yesterday evening. The mother had managed to get out of the car and reached a metal footbridge with her

An Australian company is looking for over 100 Irish construction foremen and site managers to work on the largest natural gas project down under. JobContax will be carrying out interviews in Dublin, London and Manchester over the next few weeks. The positions on offer with JobContax in Australia come with salaries of over 140 thousand

The Irish Government is offering to put forward £50million over a four year period towards the A5 upgrade to keep the project alive. A meeting took place within the past hour between Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the North’s First and Deputy First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin Mc Guinness. It has been estimated that the

A Donegal man is close to winning a case in Europe that could eventually see Vehicle Registration Tax on vehicles scrapped. Inishowen man, Ryan Stewart will fly to Brussels on November 21st for a hearing in the European Court of Justice. The European Commission this week warned the Irish Government that it cannot put VRT

Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle says it’s wrong that the government is to clear the debts of Tallaght Hospital after sacking its entire board, but refuse to clear the deficit at Letterkenny General Hospital, one of the most efficient in the country. Deputy Pringle says the problems in Tallaght are linked to governance issues,

A Marketing strategy to attract new business to land and buildings in Buncrana, acquired by the Council from the IDA, is being finalised. However concern is being expressed locally that the deal between Donegal County Council and IDA still favours Letterkenny. Last year the IDA handed over a number of sections of land and buildings

Junior Arts and Heritage Minister Dinny Mc Ginley is hosting a British Irish Council meeting in Gweedore today. Youth and fostering minority and indigenous languages in the community is the specific theme of the gathering, together with the Council’s programme of work for the next few years. The meeting preceded by a conference on linguistic

The North’s First and Deputy First Ministers will speak to Taoiseach Enda Kenny today about the decision of the Irish Government to withdraw funding from the A5 road scheme for the next budget period. In a statement after an Executive Meeting last night, the two ministers said the Executive remains committed to the project and

The Taoiseach has confirmed that the government’s commitment to co-funding the upgrade of the A5 between Derry and Aughnacloy is being deferred. The A5 is one of a list of capital projects that the government says cannot proceed over the next five years, and will be considered again by 2016. Earlier in the Dail, Tanaiste

A man has appeared at Buncrana Court this morning charged with dangerous driving causing the death of eight people. 22 year-old Shaun Kelly of Hill Road, Buncrana was arrested this morning as part of the garda investigation in the Inishowen tragedy. It was the single biggest loss of life in a road traffic collision in

Two former Government Ministers from Donegal are in receipt of pensions in excess of 70,000 euro. Former Donegal North-East Deputy Jim McDaid and Northwest MEP and former Donegal South-West Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher are both receiving Ministerial and TD pensions. Despite uproar last year over serving politicians drawing pensions, sitting Northwest MEP Pat the

The government willl confirm today that it will not be in a position to honour its commitment to the A5 dual carraigeway project linking Aughnacloy and Derry in the lifetime of the current capital programme. Transport MInister Leo Varadker told the Dail last evening that the government remains commited to the project, and this is

The Transport Minister has said that he wants to phase out subsidies for regional airports. Leo Varadkar said it was “political cowardice that it was ever allowed to happen” that there is an airport for every county down the west and south coasts. Along the West coast there are airports in Carrickfinn in Donegal, Sligo,

A junior doctor who could not take a patient’s pulse, has been struck off the medical register. 31-year-old Asia Ndaga, who was passed as fit to work as a senior house officer in Letterkenny Hospital last year, has been removed from the register by High Court on the orders of the Medical Council. The Irish

The newly elected Chairperson of the Buncrana Tidy Towns committee has called on the gardai to better enforce anti-litter laws in the town. The committee, having this year secured Buncrana its highest ever score in the Tidy Towns competition, collect their Bronze Medal it won this year in Letterkenny this evening. This week they gave

The CEO of Cooperation Ireland says it’s a statement of intent from President Elect Michael D Higgins that his first official engagement will to attend an All Ireland School Choir Competition in Derry on Sunday. The event, in the Millennium Forum, involves choirs from Belfast, Navan, Dublin and Waterford. Tomorrow will see the official inauguration

A security alert is underway in the Foyle Road area of Derry, with the bottom deck of the Craigavon Bridge closed for a time after a suspicious object was found this afternoon. A number of businesses and homes were evacuated as a result. Diversions were in place due to road closures, some of those have

Questions are being raised by opposition deputies after indications that the Government is rowing back on its commitment to fund the upgrading of the A5. There’s been no formal government statement, with the initial news broken by the North’s Finance Minister Sammy Wilson. In the Dail this afternoon, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar admitted the time

Town Councils are set to continue,  with sources close to Enviroment Minister Phil Hogan indicating that they could be given extra powers in the upcoming revamp of local government. Fears had been expressed locally that town Councils could be scrapped as part of any reform. However, it now seems that Letterkenny and Buncrana Town Councils

There has been an angry response to the Government’s decision to postpone its commitment to fund the upgrading of the A5 The proposed A5 dual-carriageway was to run from the border near Aughnacloy through Omagh and Strabane to Derry. Ireland’s commitment was 400 hundred million pounds to be match by the executive in the north.

The Government is to postpone its commitment to fund the upgrading of the A5 The proposed A5 dual-carriageway was to run from the border near Aughnacloy through Omagh and Strabane to Derry. The work was to be funded by the Government and Northern Ireland’s powersharing executive and was part of the St Andrew’s Agreement in

Today marks the 76th anniversary of the Aranmore Disaster in which 19 people lost their lives. Eighteen of the 19 victims of the tragedy came from the same part of Aranmore, and seven were from the same family. Today’s commemorations begin with the laying of a wreath at sea at the spot where the boat

Town Councils could be set for a reprieve with sources close to the environment minister indicating that Ireland’s Town Councils could be given extra powers in the upcoming revamp of local government. Fears have been expressed locally that Letterkenny, Buncrana, Bundoran and Ballyshannon town Councils could be scrapped as part of any reform. However sources

The Northwest Alcohol Forum has described fgures, which show the number of teens abusing alcohol is higher here than the rest of the country, as shocking. Across the country, the number of teenagers being treated for alcohol abuse has surged by more than 145% in the last five years. The problem is worse still in

City of Derry Airport has backed down after telling an employee it was unacceptable to wear a poppy at work, according to an Ulster Unionist councillor. Mary Hamilton said when she queried the case with airport management, she was told they were enforcing council policy by banning the poppy. But Derry City Council has said

North West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher says he’ll again be pushing for separate regional deals to improve the circumstances of domestic Fishermen working off Irish coasts. A new deal will be negotiated in the coming months and already Irish fishermen are pushing for greater access to white fish. They also want less access by

Donegal Creameries has increased its interest in the potato sector with the purchase yesterday evening of Scottish-based seed potato grower AJ Allan. The price paid hasn’t been disclosed. he deal to buy AJ Allan was completed through Donegal Creameries’ Dublin based subsidiary Irish Potato Marketing. AJ Allan is based in Brechin and grows around 12,000

A Sinn Fein Councillor in Strabane says there’s growing concern about weekend drinking sessions in the vicinity of the approach lane from O’ Nolan Park to the Sewage Pumping Station in the town. Cllr Jay Mc Auley says the amount of broken glass, burned tyres and other debris is preventing NI water workers from carrying

Kevin Cassidy has been dropped from the Donegal County Panel after a meeting between himself and manager Jim Mc Guinness. It follows his comments in a book about the Ulster Championship which was published last weekend. Highland Radio’s Managing Director and Head of Sport Charlie Collins has more…..  

National Irish Bank is defending its decision to hike variable mortgage interest rates by almost one per cent. NIB says it has not increased variable charges since 2008 – and says it is not obliged to pass on European Central Bank rate cuts – as it does not rely on ECB funding. The move is

Parents of a four-year-old boy fought back tears as a coroner heard today how he died tragically when a thick steel door fell on him. Seconds earlier the boy, Daniel Cleary, had been helping hand-signal a Manitou telescopic loader driven by his uncle, Raymond Cleary, into position last June 2 Daniel’s heartbroken mother, Patricia Cleary,

Three people were taken to hospital today following a collision at Ballyholey Crossroads on the Lifford to Letterkenny road. There were traffic disruption for a time in the area, but gardai say the road is now clear. The three people taken to hospital are said to be suffering from minor injuries.

10 news jobs were officially confirmed at Kilcar Textile Company today. Making the announcement Minister of State at the Department for the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley praised the company in its development of new products and new markets. Trading as Donegal Yarns the company operates a complete production process from raw wool

Donegals County Committee last night voted 40 votes to 36 in favour of Letterkenny being split in two between Letterkenny Gaels and St Eunan’s GAA clubs. There were six spoiled votes. One was illegible. Four were blank and a sixth had an ‘x’ marked on it. In the West of the County it was agreed

Fianna Fail Senator Brian O’Domhnaill is to again seek an emergency debate in the Seanad this afternoon on the proposed septic tank legislation. The issue is top of the agenda for most people living in rural areas of the county who are not connected to a main sewer and instead have a septic tank on

Fianna Fail Councillors are seeking an urgent meeting to discuss what impact new EU and National directives will have on the County Development Plan. The Party’s whip, Ciaran Brogan, says that the new rules are not contained in the CDP and could have serious implications for anyone wishing to build a home in some areas

Derry is set to be the location of president-elect Michael D Higgins first visit to Northern Ireland since his election. He is due to travel to Derry on Sunday for the final of the all-island school choir of the year competition. These will be one of Mr Higgins’ first formal engagements following his inauguration in

Staff at Letterkenny General Hospital are asking people this morning only to attend the casualty department if its an emergency. People are being asked to attend their GP if possible. Letterkenny General Hospital was extremely busy last night and this morning, but all clinics are going ahead today.

Tributes have been paid to the Catholic Bishop of Derry, Dr Seamus Hegarty, after he announced his retirement for health reasons. Dr Hegarty said he was being treated for an “irreversible and progressive” condition. In a statement yesterday, Dr Hegarty said he decided to submit his resignation because he can no longer fulfil his diocesan

Derry Magistrate’s Court has heard that an 18-year-old entered the bedroom of a 9-year-old girl with intent to commit sexual offences. Connor O’Kane of 1, Scroggy Close in Limavady was charged with burglary with intent to commit sexual offences on October 2nd and November 5th this year. He also faced a charge of making threats

Letterkenny Councillor Dessie Larkin says he doesn’t believe the executive of Donegal Council will now proceed with proposed works on the outskirts of Letterkenny, even though they would be within their rights to do so. In 2006, the council cleared the works which would have involved erecting a barrier between the Dry Arch  and Polestar

An 88 year old Donegal man, who used viagra on occasion to rape his five granddaughters has failed in an appeal against the severity of his 15-year sentence. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded guilty to 45 sample counts of rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault at

The majority of Councillors at today’s Letterkenny Electoral Area meeting have voted against NRA plans to change the layout of the Port Road between the Dry Arch and Polestar roundabout. The NRA’s proposals included splitting the existing road with a barrier into two distinct sections. Representatives of 31 Letterkenny businesses have now made a proposal

A legal expert says mis-information about the cost of septic tank inspections is scaremongering. The European Commission is seeking to heavily fine Ireland for not carrying out proper inspections. New legislation published by Environment Minister Phil Hogan will mean owners will face a registration charge of up to 50 euro. But Fianna Fail deputy leader

The Joint Policing Committee in Donegal says it will opppose any proposed garda station closures in Donegal after Chief Superintendent Terri Mc Ginn confirmed that 14 stations in Donegal are included on a list of stations which may close. She told a meeting of the committee that a preliminary report has already been carried out,

Representative of 31 Letterkenny businesses attending the local area electoral meeting today to oppose plans to change the layout of the Port Road between the Dry Arch and Polestar roundabouts. There are proposals to split the he existing road into two distinct sections but there is concern that the new road layout could have a

The Bishop of Derry Dr Seamus Hegarty is to step down for health reasons. Dr Hegarty has been Bishop of Derry since 1994 having previously served in the Diocese of Raphoe for 12 years. In a statement released to Highland Radio News Dr Seamus Hegarty said that very recently he received a diagnosis of a