Author name: oisinkelly

The County Manager has been outling the potential of Killybegs as a service port for wind and wave energy. Seamus Neely was speaking at the Association of Irish Regions conference in the Marine Institute in Galway this week. It was told that ESB international intends to begin building the State’s first full-scale ocean energy project […]

A 26-year-old Derry man who subjected a woman to what a judge described as ‘a terrifying experience’ was jailed today at the local Crown Court. Jospeh Patrick McDermott of 54, Rosskeen in Derry admitted six charges including aggravated burglary and arson on July 1st last year. The court was told that a young woman was

A west Donegal man was charged with 183 counts of sexual assault on seven minors at Letterkenny District Court yesterday. The 41-year-old married man, who cannot be named, is alleged to have sexually assaulted the male and female minors, between 1984 and 2009. Some of the alleged victims, who were aged between eight years and

Concerns are being raised that the NOWDOC service in Donegal could be cut completely after midnight. It follows confirmation that NOWDOC Ltd, which was set up to provide urgent GP care to patients in the out-of-hours periods, and the HSE are ‘reviewing service provision arrangements’. There are also concerns that the four NOWDOC centres covering

Potato farmers in Donegal could be facing a total wipe-out of their crops if weather conditions do not improve in the coming weeks. Heavy rains have been flooding fields across the county and farmers are facing the worst potato harvest in decades. The majority of farmers have only 10% of the crop harvested so far

A man has appeared in court in Derry charged in connection with what was described as a ‘paramilitary attack’ in the city last year. 24 year old Lee Wilson, with an address at Pickford Close in Rugby,  England was brought back to the North by PSNI officers to face  a charge of attempted murder. Wilson

Gardai in Buncrana are to be questioned about what a local councillor says is a worrying rise in burglaries and robberies in the area. Cllr Ciaran Mc Laughlin says in the past week alone, there have been a number of incidents at Heather Park, Connyberry and The Woods, as well as an attempted robbery in

Martin McGuinness says he knew there would be attempts to undermine his campaign for the presidency. But he says many people in the North were surprised by the backlash. The presidential hopeful also says his wife would have no problem moving out of Derry’s Bogside if he wins the race for the Áras. Bernie McGuinness

The family of Dennis Donaldson is taking legal action against the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. In a statement this evening, their solicitors Madden and Finucane say in April, they raised grave questions about the role PSNI  Special Branch members in the circumstances leading to Denis Donaldson’s murder, and this week’s BBC’s Spotlight programme have confirmed

A Donegal South West TD has called for a NO vote in the referendum to give the Oireachtas powers to conduct inquiries. Deputy Thomas Pringle and other members of the Technical Group of Independent TDs and Senators say the wording of the constitutional amendment could end up giving politicans too much power, and they want

Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh has told the Dail that people in mortgage difficulties want to be responsible. Over the weekend, Deputy Mc Hugh appealed on Highland Radio News for people to send him their experiences and ideas to solve the problem. He told the Dail this afternoon that people in Donegal North

Donegal County Council is to start cutting the water supply to non-domestic customers who refuse to pay their bills. The council says the customers who will be targeted are those who have failed to either pay what is owed or make contact about payment options. The disconnections will commence throughout the County in the coming

The tax payer looks set to foot a legal bill estimated in the hundreds of thousands for the failed appeal by government against Pearse Doherty successfully forcing the Donegal by-election. Yesterday the Government withdrew its appeal  in the Supreme Court which was hearing a motion from Deputy Doherty to have the case dismissed. The last

A leading Donegal road safety campaigner has hit out at the sentence handed down to a driver convicted of the death of a Fanad woman and her unborn child. 29-year-old Publican, Kevin McArdle, from Carrickmacross was given a four-prison sentence with the final year suspended after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of

A Derry GP has won his appeal against being found to have carried out a sexually motivated examination on a female patient. Earlier this year, a General Medical Council panel imposed a nine-month suspension on Dr Lee Casey over alleged improper conduct six years ago. However, its determination was completely quashed by a judge at

Colaiste Ailigh’s new school building in Letterkenny should be finished and opened within two years, Donegal VEC has been told. Cllr Dessie Larkin, a member of the committee, says during a discussion this week on the provision of temporary prefabs on the school’s existing premises on High Road in the town, CEO Mary Ann Kane

Donegal Mountain Rescue is appealing for Vehicle Storage Facilities over the winter period. In a statement posted on it’s Facebook page last night, the team said for the past two winters, their four vehicles were parked outside, and came under enormous mechanical pressure because of the amount of work they had to do. This winter,

It’s been announced that a Ministerial meeting of the British-Irish Council will take place in Gweedore next month. The meeting, which will consider minority languages and their place in the community, has been organised to tie in with an international language conference which is also taking place in West Donegal. Junior Gaeltacht Minister Dinny McGinley

The Peace Bridge in Derry has been named as one of the winners in the Construction Employers Federation awards. Ilex and Graham Construction were confirmed as recipients of the Achieving Excellence Partnering Award. The Peace Bridge was one of 12 projects to be shortlisted in the category. ILEX spokesperson Brenda Fraser says the public response

The latest statistics from Google show that traffic to Highland Radio’s website continues to increase. Last month alone the website had 250,000 unique visitors accounting for 1 million page views. In the first 9 months of this year our listeners around the world clocked up 2.4 million unique visits accounting for 8 million page views.

Gardaí are understood to be investigating after a tyre on Dana’s presidential campaign car blew out on a motorway, amid claims it may have been slashed. The Independent candidate was asleep in the back of the car, which was being driven by her husband, when the incident happened near the toll-bridge on the M4 last

Donegal’s Sinn Fein TDs have said that the Minister for Justice must consult with local communities over Garda station closures. Deputies Pearse Doherty and Padraig McLaughlin have written to Alan Shatter demanding that he doesn’t sign off on the closure of any station. They have said before he does, he must consult with Joint Policing

Local traders in Letterkenny are exploring the idea of developing a themed quarter in the Lower Main Street area. Traders have been in touch with the business Chamber and are proposing a unique space in the area for shops, bars and restaurants. The promoters are modelling their idea on similar type quarters like the Titantic

It is understood that the creditors meeting for community development agency MFG was yesterday told that the company has liabilities in excess of one million euro. The company closed suddenly last month with the loss of 130 jobs in the Gaeltacht. MFG was responsible for administration of funding and community supports for numerous projects across

A seminar is being held this weekend recognising the importance of Donegal’s historic graveyards in a heritage, cultural and religious context. The free seminar is hosted by Donegal County Council and takes place in Maghery this Saturday. There will be a number of speakers on the day giving information on the relevant legislation, maintenance, and

A BBC programme has aired claims that the PSNI missed clues in the hunt for the murderers of IRA informer Denis Donaldson, shot dead in Co Donegal five years ago. The former paramilitary and senior Sinn Fein officer was found dead in his remote home at Cloghercor, near Doochary in Co Donegal, on April 4,

The campaign to have special status given to the newly formed Strabane Academy will step up a gear next week, when the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Education Committee visits the school on October 26th The academy was formed when Strabane High School and Strabane Grammar joined together, the first time a Grammar and non-grammar school have

A Donegal North East Election candidate says his inclusion on a list of people who have failed to disclose election expenses and donations was due to a miscommunication which has now been cleared up. Ryan Stewart, who contested the election as an independent, was named thios evening by the Standards in Public Office Commission as

Detectives in Derry investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Caolan Page in the city at the weekend are studying the results of a post mortem examination which was completed earlier today. Police are also continuing to examine CCTV footage and interviewing a number of potential witnesses about what happened in the area of Magazine

Derry has become the first city in Ireland and the UK to be fully upgraded with fibre broadband technology. In a statement today, BT confirmed it has completed the rollout of the project, announced as part of its sponsorship of Derry’s year as UK City of Culture in 2013. Almost 40,000 homes and businesses will

A Donegal man raped his ex-partner in front of their infant child the Central Criminal Court has heard. During that attack the man tried to rape the woman seven times before succeeding. He will be sentenced next month by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to rape of the woman at his home

National Irish Bank secured summary judgment orders for almost €12 million against Donegal property developer Brendan Gildea. Orders were also secured for about €6 million against his wife arising from their personal guarantees of the debts of their property company. There was no appearance by or on behalf of Mr Gildea, his wife Tessie and

People living in rural areas of the County are being urged not to keep large sums of money in their property. The warning comes after €30,000 was stolen from a shed in Raphoe. The money, which was kept in a biscuit tin in a cupboard in a back shed, was stolen sometime between 8pm on

Police in Foyle have launched Operation Relentless – an operation that focuses on tracking down those people who have failed to turn up at court and are wanted for criminal offences. Area Commander Chief Inspector Jon Burrows says the operation has been running since the beginning of October and to date police have arrested 44

The annual Road Safe Road Show takes place over the next two days in Letterkenny, with over 3,000 Transition Year students attending, along with students from Donegal Youth-reach and Fas. The show is now in its fourth year, and again features hard hitting testimony from emergency service personnel who attend crash scenes and people affected

A Donegal Deputy claims up to 10% of the County could be left with a blank television screen when the analogue service is switched off next year. It was confirmed at the weekend that analogue services will be switched off on 24th October 2012 with terrestrial TV then only available with a digital TV or

A post-mortem examination on the body of County Donegal teenager Caolan Page is due to be carried out this morning. The 19 year old from Upper Kildrum in Carrigans was discovered in Magazine Street, Derry, early on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, thousands of people have paid their respects to the Donegal teenager on a Facebook page

Police in Derry say a Poast Mortem examination on the body of 19 year old Caolan Page who died in mysterious circumstances in the city over the weekend will not now take place until tomorrow. A spokesperson says once the PM has been completed, initial results from it are likely to inform the direction of

A man allegedly told his former partner he would cut her throat and ‘cut her into little pieces’ after she refused to give him money Derry Magistrate’s Court heard today. 40 year old Charles O’Donnell of 19, Market Street was charged with assaulting the woman and making threats to kill against her on October 15th.

3,000 homes and businesses in Derry were left without power for a time this afternoon. Just after 12 noon, Northern Ireland Electricity says damage was caused to an underground electricity cable by a third party. The areas affected included Steelstown, Shantallow and Gransha. The fault was repaired and supplies have been restored.

Fine Gael Deputy Joe McHugh is asking the people of Donegal to offer their solutions to the mortgage arrears problem. On Wednesday  the Dáil will debate the Keane Report on Mortgage Arrears which was  published last Wednesday by the Minister for Finance. Deputy McHugh is asking people to forward to him their experiences of being

Farmers in Donegal are being urged to attend a meeting on Tuesday night at which the issue of CAP reform will top the agenda. The meeting is organised by the ICSA’s Donegal branch, but  farmers who are not members of the organisation are also encouraged to attend. John Barron, the ICSA’s Rural Development Chair, says

The government has today awarded new oil and gas exploration licences for the Rockall and Slyne basins off the west and Northwest  coast. Licences were granted for the Porcupine basin off the south east coast. Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte said the licences were granted following an assessment of 15 applications

Police have confirmed that a post mortem will take place later today in effort to determine what led to death of a young Donegal man in Derry at the weekend 19 year old Caolan Page was found collapsed in the Magazine Street area of the city in the early hours of Saturday morning. He died