Author name: oisinkelly

Charges have been dropped against a Derry man accused of raping a tourist in New York City. 22-year-old Damien McGuinness was arrested on August 11 for the alleged rape of a female he had met earlier that night. McGuinness from Derry, had been working as a bartender in New York City. He has maintained his […]

Donegal County Council is to establish a working group ahead of the 2012 budget to discuss ways of making it easier to do business in the county. The move is off the back of a motion from Councillor Barry O’Neill who wants more done to assist smaller business survive in these more challenging times. Councillor

The National Council for the Blind in Ireland is warning that sight loss will become a growing problem in Donegal in the coming years. At present, the NCBI provides support to 834 people in the county, and as the population ages, Regional Manager Danny Cahill says the numbers needing help will grow. Following the publication

North West MEP Jim Higgins has welcomed the adoption of a new road safety report in the European Parliament. Part of the report focusses on the safety of road works and temporary surfaces. In 2009, three families, including the family of Sinead Farren Mc Daid from Inishowen, told an EU committee that their daughters had

IMPACT has predicted that news of a significant budget overrun on the HSE west area will lead to a reduction in services. It has emerged that there has been a 50 million euro overspend in HSE West over the first half of this year, 7.7 million euro of that is in Donegal. IMPACT’s Richie Carruthers

It has emerged that some people awarded social housing are being refused a grant to furnish the property. The council now supplies housing through a long term leasing scheme but before the house is taken over by the local authority it must be free of all furniture and electrical items. People given these houses do

Dana Rosemary Scallon is officially a candidate in the race for the Aras. Offaly County Council became the 4th local authority to nominate her this afternoon. Senator David Norris is now pinning his hopes on Dublin City Council later this evening. He just needs the backing of 1 more council to follow in the footsteps

It is estimated that at least 80% of the 30,000 septic tanks in Donegal will fail current EU regulations when tested. Cllr Paul Canning gave the estimate as he said that most houses constructed prior to 2010 would need extensive upgrading if Inspected under new government plans. From next year, all homes with a council

A Donegal County Councillor has concluded that motions passed at council meetings are not worth the paper the are written on. Councillor Frank McBrearty says such is the public anger over the lack of action on council motions, that he had to leave a recent public meeting because he feared for his safety. Greg Hughes

Labour Senator Jimmy Harte has questioned the need for massive social welfare payments to many families after revealing that some are receiving €90,000 a year. The Donegal Senator highlighted the case of one family from Dublin, an unemployed married couple with four children, who are being paid €1,763 per week. Mr Harte, who received the

A man who said he spent “hundreds of thousands” moving into his retirement home ended up living beside a dog-farm, Donegal District Court was told last evening. Thomas Hegarty claimed that at one stage, there were up to 22 dogs running around his property and going to the toilet. However, the 61-year-old denied threatening to

Donegal Volunteer Centre will today launch a new initiative aimed at supporting the emergency services, civil defence, community groups and voluntary committees. The Donegal Volunteer Corps is the brainchild of Donegal Volunteer Centre, and is being launched this morning as part of National Volunteer Week. The launch will be performed by Presidential Candidate Mary Davies.

Presidential hopeful Dana Rosemary Scallon has managed to gain the backing of two county councils – Roscommon and Carlow. This means she just needs two more councils to support her, in order to get her name onto the ballot paper. Speaking earlier in Roscommon the former Eurovision winner said she’s so grateful to the local

Police  have confirmed that a bomb has been found in a car at the centre of a security alert in Derry. Army bomb experts have removed the device from the vehicle which was on the Buncrana Road close to the Donegal border. Three men aged 54, 49 and 46 have been arrested over alleged dissident

A 22-year-old Celtic fan has died in Bundoran at the Hills of Donegal Celtic Supporters Festival. Victor Henry and his cousin arrived from his home in New Stevenson, Motherwell, met two other cousins from Galway and together they checked into a house in the town on Thursday. He reported feeling unwell while they socialised that

Gardai in the Milford District say one man has been charged as part of an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of a quantity of telephone wire and other metal bases materials. There were a number of searches in the Fanad area last week, and as part of that operation, the man was detained and charged.

The drink-drive limit could be almost halved for most drivers in Northern Ireland. Environment minister Alex Attwood plans to bring the limit in line with many other European countries. It’ll be even lower for young or inexperienced motorists or those who drive for a living. Random breath testing will enforce the tough new proposals. Foyle

Junior Health Mnister Kathleen Lynch is en route to Letterkenny General Hospital for the opening of the new Department of Psychiatry Admissions Unit. Kevin Mills is Director of Nursing with the Donegal Mental Health service. He says while the new unit is far more suited to the current needs of people with mental health problems,

A councilor has claimed that the council could be perceived as brushing under the carpet a debate on the ‘Whole Timed System of Work’ Councillor Ciaran Brogan made the remark after the press where barred from a debate on the WSW at the request of Frank McBrearty Junior. His request was backed by most members

Primary schools in Donegal are among the most overcrowded in the country. Over 80% of primary school children in the County are in class sizes greater than the EU average. New figures from the Irish National Teachers Organisation show that 83% of pupils in Donegal are in classes of twenty or more. While a fifth

A public meeting on high-speed broadband services will be held in Buncrana tonight. A representative from E-Net and Deputy Charlie McConalogue will be present at tonights meeting. Fibre optic networks were installed underground in Buncrana and Carndonagh a number of years ago, but as of yet, no local businesses are using these to acess broadband.

The HSE will this afternoon open the new Department of Psychiatry Admissions Unit at Letterkenny General Hospital. The opening will be performed by Junior Minster Kathleen Lynch, who has responsibility for Mental Health. Junior Health Minister, Kathleen Lynch will open the new 34 bed unit unit this afternoon after a four year period during which

Gardai in Letterkenny are investigating an assault in the Lower Main Street area of the town in the early hours of this morning. A man in his twenties was assaulted at around 2am. No further details have been released, but we understand the assault was a serious one.

It’s emerged that thousand year old skeletons unearthed from a ‘lost’ medieval graveyard in Co Donegal are providing vital new clues which could change the way doctors treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases in Ireland. The skeletons, dating from between the 8th to the 17th Century, were found siome years ago at Ballyhanna near Ballyshannon.

The Sunday Times University Guide has described Letterkenny IT as the most improved college in the country, and runner up in the Institute of Technology of the Year category. In its annual assessment which has been published today, the guide praises the college for its retention rates, which have gone from being among the worst

The father of the 41 year old Kelly Jones who was found safely last Wednesaday after a four day search has spoken of his joy when he was reunited with her at Sligo General Hospital. 64 year old Rick Jones, a retired Professor at Georgia University is expected to bring Kelly home to the US

A Donegal TD says people who welcomed Martin McGuinness’ appointment as Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland should embrace his bid for the Presidency. Martin McGuinness came third in the latest Sunday Business Post opinion poll  – with 16 percent support. David Norris is favourite to win on 21 per cent, while Labour’s Michael D

Up to 20 thousand people are expected in Bundoran over the next week for Eurosurf Bundoran 2011 which gets underway later today. The parade of nations will commence in Bundoran this afternoon at 3pm. Comeptition starts on Sunday with the worlds top surfers battling it out over a weeks competition. The event is expected to

Letterkenny Institute of Technology has been named as the runner up Irish Institute of Technology of the year. It came behind Dublin Institute of Technology in The Sunday Times University Guide 2012, The guide is one of the most read in the world and contains full lists of the major third-level institutions in Ireland and

It’s reported this morning that the US tourist found alive after going missing for five days told gardai she cannot remember most of her ordeal. The Garda Press Office is not confirming that a formal interview has taken place, but the Irish Independent is reporting that 41 year old Kelly Jones has told gardai she

The main Fintown to Glenties road has re-opened following an earlier crash. A man was injured in the single vehicle incident close to Fintown. He was taken to Letterkenny General Hospital, his injuries are not life threatening.  

373 thousand euro has been approved by Donegal Local Development Company to the Doe Community Association for upgrade works in Creeslough. It is a further boost for the town which was awarded €560,000 by the National Roads Authority for improvement’s to th main street. A contractor to do the work has been selected but not

Derry, Strabane and Letterkenny will join 30 towns and cities across Ireland tonight as part of Culture Night 2011. The event sees galleries, museums, churches and other cultural sites open late so visitors can experience what they have to offer. Culture Night, which has been running since 2006, offers live performances, tours and workshops in

A list of Garda stations to be closed in Donegal could include a number of one-man stations and border town stations. The stations understood to be up for closure include Culdaff, Glencolmcille, Carrick, Annagry, Burtonport, Creeselough, Dunfanaghy, Rathmullen, Ramelton, Pettigo, Churchill, Brockagh, Carrigans, Newtowncunningham, Convoy and Malin. Public meetings have been planned against the moves.

Gardai are investigating after a suspected arson attack in Letterkenny in the early hours of this morning. A skip was set alight on the town’s Main Street close to Blake’s Bar. Gardai and two sections of the local fire service were quickly on the scene of the blaze which broke out around 1.30am. Gardai quickly

An Bord Pleannala has given the go ahead for a controversial new research project of the west Donegal coast which some locals fear will be the precursor to offshore wind farms. Queen’s University in Belfast plans to build fifty four – 5 tonne – concrete pillars along coast to the west of Falchorrib Pier, close

The ICSA is calling for an increase in inspections at the country’s metal recycling centres in the wake of an increase in the theft of metal. There have been numerous cases in Donegal this year of farming machinery, gates, pot holes and other metal items being stolen. The ICSA says it is to easy for

A group of 30 TDs and Senators will undergo suicide first aid training. The safeTALK training takes place for the first time at Leinster House TODAY and is being run by the Office for Suicide Prevention. The Cross Party Group on Mental Health decided to undergo the training in response to the 486 deaths by

MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher says he is disappointed that the European Fisheries Minister refused to meet with Island representatives today. The minister, Commissioner Maria Damanaki is in Ireland today on a two day visit. The islanders had planned to present the Minister with a survival plan for Islands – they argue that their fishing

The head of the Ballyliffen Local Development Company says she was shocked and disgusted to hear the story of a Waterford tourist who, along with his family was terrified by so called ‘boy racers’ during a recent visit. Eoin McMahon, his wife and children were visiting Inishowen on Friday and pulled in at close to

The sister of a man who was killed on Bloody Sunday has described the British Ministry of Defences offer of compensation as repulsive. Linda Nash, who’s 19-year-old brother William was killed, said it has never been about money for the Bloody Sunday families. A statement from the British Ministry of Defence confirmed today that compensation

Martin McGuinness says he never killed anyone during his time in the IRA – nor was he indirectly responsible for the deaths of anyone. The Sinn Fein presidential candidate was speaking following speculation about the role he played during his time in the IRA in the 1970s. Yesterday, Government Minister Phil Hogan said he did

X-Ray services are to be restored at Donegal and Killbegs Community Hospitals from next Monday. The units had been closed for the past two weeks, and the HSE had given no date for their reopening. Senator Brian O Domnhaill asked in the Seanad last night that the units be open two days a week. But

Rescue teams had searched the area around an Old Rectory in Glencolumbcille, were an American tourist was found alive yesterday, on a number of occasions over the past number of days. 41-year-old Kelly Jones, who had been missing since Saturday morning, was discovered yesterday just a number of kilometres from the hostel she had been

Fianna Fail Councillor Ciaran Brogan says he took the decision to seek a special Council meeting to considering nominating Dana as a candidate in the presidential election in the interest of democracy. It emerged last evening that at the request of Fianna Fail members, the Mayor Noel McBride has agreed to call the meeting for

Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle has said his position hasn’t changed over a letter penned by David Norris to Israeli authorities seeking clemency for his former lover, who was convicted of raping a 15-year-old Palestinian boy. Senator Norris is expected to make further contact with TD’s and Senators today as part of his attempt

The Canadian Ambassador to Ireland is in Buncrana today with the town’s Mayor Nicholas Crossan saying it is a great opportunity to increase ties between Canada and the north west. This will be Loyola Hearn’s second visit to the area this year and he will meet with fish producers from the area, which do business

Those unemployed or in search of work opportunities are being encouraged to attend the “Working Together to Make the Future Happen” Event taking place today. The free public drop-in event is aimed at showcasing to the unemployed the many opportunities within the county to re-enter the workforce. The event is multi-agency and will be attended