Author name: oisinkelly

A group of volunteers who will travel to Donegal this month to search for missing Lifford man David Couloun, says they have been overwhelmed by the generosity of local businesses. It emerged at the weekend that over 30 members of  the ‘Searching for the Missing’ group will travel to the county to conduct a major […]

The new Finn Valley College opens this morning, after a delay in certification meant classes had to start in the old building last Wednesday. The VEC took formal posession of the new building on Friday evening. Work to construct a footpath is continuing, with interim measures in place which Donegal County Council is warning could

A two-month-long Garda investigation into the disappearance of up to €15,000 of customers’ savings at a village Post Office has concluded and a file is now being prepared. Senior Garda sources indicated last evening that the file will shortly be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Laghey Post Office closed suddenly two months ago

There are calls for a seminar or conference on job creation to be held in Buncrana. Earlier this year, the previous Mayor of Donegal, Cora Harvey hosted a similar event called “Making the Future Happen: Addressing the Unemployment Challenge in Donegal. The conference was  focused on motivating and inspiring businesses and the agencies responsible for

A number of passengers sustained minor injuries when the coach on which they were travelling was attacked in Derry early yesterday morning. The attack at 2am happened on the Madamsbank Road. A double glazed window was broken, and a number of passengers were injured. It’s understood they were returning from a wedding.

A man has been arrested in Tyrone in connection with dissident republican activity. The 40 year old was arrested in Coalisland, Co. Tyrone. Detectives are questioning him in at the Serious Crimes Suite in Antrim. Meanwhile, police in Belfast have charged a 31 year old man with firearms and drugs offences. He’s due in court

The ‘Searching for the Missing’ group is to travel to Donegal later this month to conduct a major new search for Lifford man David Coulhoun. The 21 year old has been missing since May. He was detained by police in Strabane for a minor incident, escaped and fled towards Lifford. His family believe he entered

The latest figures from the INMO show that over one hundred beds have been closed in hospitals and nursing homes in Donegal  by the HSE due to staffing issues and cutbacks. The figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show the amount of bed closures in Donegal since it started compiling the figues in

A 54 year old man who admitted hiding guns and ammunition for dissident republicans has been jailed for seven years at Belfast Crown Court. Thomas Christopher Nash from Iveagh Park, Prehen, admitted having a .22 calibre hunting rifle, ammunition and a silencer with intent on the 9th of August last year. He also admitted possessing

The HSE has announced that it is to provide additional counselling services for adults in west Donegal with a history of childhood abuse. The Executive says the move is In response to the concerns and distress expressed following the Michael Ferry case. Ferry, a caretaker who kept his job at a school despite a conviction

A Strabane man, described by police as “a main player” in terror group Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD), has been remanded in custody. 47-year-old Jim McGettigan of Urney Road, Strabane appeared in court today charged with providing property for the purposes of terrorism. He was arrested in Strabane last Thursday. The charge is based around

Donegal County Councillor Brendan Byrne has confirmed that he is considering quitting the Fianna Fail Party. The former Mayor said he will make his decision on Monday. Cllr Byrne told Highland Radio News this morning that he is dissillusioned with the Michael Martins decision not to run a Fianna Fail candidate in the presidential election.

A young man had his throat cut in a an attack in Letterkenny at the weekend it’s emerged. The man in his 20s had to receive 40 stitches as a result of the attack in the Glencar area on Friday night. Gardai have confirmed they had been called to investigate a stabbing just before 11

Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue says he’ll be pressing Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte to outline how he intends ensuring that people in rural areas can apply for broadband into the future. This week saw the deadline pass for inclusion in the latest Rural Broadband Scheme, which Deputy Mc Conalogue sought to have extended,

There were 23,079 people signing on the Live Register in Donegal at the end of August marginally down on the July figure, but up 1.6% on the figure for August of last year. Four of the nine offices in the county recorded increases, four recorded decreases, while one was unchanged. The biggest increase in Donegal

A 46 year old man is due in court in Strabane in Co Tyrone this morning charged in connection with dissident republican activity. He’s charged with allowing property to be used for the purposes of terrorism. He was arrested in the Strabane area yesterday.

The IFA is calling on Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to ensure that all outstanding AEOS and Reps payments are made as quickly as possible. Donegal IFA Chairman PJ Mc Monagle says the commencement of AEOS payments this week is long overdue, with many farmers waiting up to a year and a half for payment. He

Donegal Creameries says no agreement has been reached to sell its dairy division to Connaught Gold. In a statement issued to coincide with the release of half year interim results today, the company says it is engaged in discussions on a sustainable future for the dairy secor nationally under the auspices of the umbrella body

The Fianna Fáil leader is denying the party’s finished as a political force, after deciding not to contest the Presidency in October – the first time in its history it won’t contest a national election. The Parliamentary Party agreed not to run a candidate – and the leader says the focus has to be on

Two more golden eagle chicks have been born in Donegal over the Summer. In addition, two young golden eagle chicks were imported  from Scotland and released in Glenveagh National Park. The eagle breeding project has now seen a total of eight Irish-bred birds released into the wild around Glenveagh. And, as Lorcan O’Toole from the

A Strabane Sinn Fein Councillor has hit out at the PSNI in the town for their ‘cynical policing’ in the Head of the Town area over the past week. Cllr Jay McCauley said that there was a heavy police presence in the area, especially over the weekend, even though there was no reported trouble. He

Police in the North have arrested a man in connection with dissident republican activity. The 46 year old was detained in the Strabane area. He’s being questioned at Antrim’s Serious Crime Suite.

Confirmation that over 90 new jobs are being created in the Pension Credit service in Derry is being welcomed in the city . Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey says the news will cushion the blow of finding out 300 pharmaceutical jobs which Derry was bidding for have gone to Tralee instead. Mr Ramsey says Environment Minister

Experts are looking for help in tracing a meteorite that was seen in the skies over Ireland last week. Astronomy Ireland says it’s almost certain that fragments of the fireball fell somewhere in the North West, probably in Sligo, but possibly in Donegal. They’re asking anyone who saw the meteor on the night of Monday

Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the deaths of three people in a booby-trap bomb in a flat in the Creggan Estate. Sean Dalton,  Sheila Lewis and Gerard Curran lost their lives. In 2005, Sean Dalton’s family asked the Ombudsman to investigate allegations that the RUC had known that the flat had been booby trapped,

An initiative to help companies in Donegal use the internet to promote and sell their services is being launched today in Letterkenny. The Donegal Digital Skillnet provides companies with training in how to use Facebook and Twitter to generate sales, as well as ensuring that their company’s details feature prominently in Google searches. The scheme

The PSNI will today begin a new round of searches for the body of Castlederg teenager Arlene Arkinson, who’s been missing for 17 years. The 15 year old  was last seen during a night out in Bundoran in August 1994, in the company of Robert Howard, a known sex offender and child murderer. In 2005,

Junior Finance Minister Brian Hayes and Siptu President Jack O’Connor were among the guests at a function this morning to mark the 30th anniversary of the Kirchhoff Automotive Plant in Letterkenny. The gathering was told that at a time when manufacturing in the North West has traditionally struggled, this factory continues to prosper, making component

An SDLP MLA has said he questions if a pharmaceutical company ever had any intention of investing in Derry. Global Pharmaceutical Centre of Excellence (GPCE) had been in talks to bring 300 jobs but has now opted for a site in Tralee, County Kerry instead. The company’s chief executive said lower corporation tax in the

A Strabane man remains in a serious condition in hospital after he was beaten and left unconscious by a gang of teenagers. The 38-year-old man remains in Altnagelvin hospital – where his condition is described as serious but stable – after he was found lying in the street with head injuries by a passer-by. The

Over 50 people, along with a number of local politicians attended a meeting in Raphoe last night over the state of the roads in the area. The meeting was called because of the deterioration of a section of the Castlefin Road outside Raphoe. Residents say there are now over 100 potholes on the three mile

A Councillor says he is suprised and dissaponted to learn that the government has refused funding for a shuttle bus service to improve the safety of children attending the new college in the twin towns. The Department of Education refused funding for the provision of 3 feeder buses to transport students from the official drop-off

A report into child sex abuse in the Raphoe Diocese has been delayed, and will not now be released until October. It was hoped the report would be published at some point this month. The church-run National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church has spent months on a review of all allegations made

Uncertainty still remains around staff at the Omagh meats plant, although staff have been told they should have work for the rest of this week. Trade Unionists had warned over 200 workers could be laid off from today because of ongoing industrial action. According to the union, the management has told workers they can no

Calls have been made for the launch of an independent inquiry into an alleged “conflict of interest” involving a member of An Bord Pleanala in an ongoing row over the Carnagarve Sewerage scheme in Moville. Donegal North-East Deputy Padraig McLaughlin says an independent review should take place regarding the role of An Bord Pleanala Director,

The Government is being urged to avoid the use of “megaphone diplomacy” when it comes to the issue of the confessional. In the wake of the Cloyne report on the handling of clerical child abuse allegations, the Justice Minister Alan Shatter is calling for legislation to make it mandatory to report crimes – regardless of

A Letterkenny businessman is calling for action to rejuvenate the Church Lane area of the town. Kevin Keeney, who has run Bakersville for 20 years says the area is becoming more run down every year, and is now at risk of becoming a slum. He’s urging the Town Council to take action now……….. Cllr JIm 

A public meeting will take place in Raphoe tonight to discuss the ongoing deterioration of a section of the Raphoe Castlefinn Road. Residents say there are now over 100 potholes on the stretch of road between Magherahan and Shanagh, and despite regular promises from the council, work to complete improvements to the road has not

Letterkenny has lost its status as a litter-free town. The latest survey from the Irish Business Against Litter has rated the town as moderatley littered. Letterkenny came in joint 38th out of the 53 town surveyed. The two most littered area in the town were at Larkins Lane and the waste ground beside Centuary Cinema.

One of the three men charged in relation  to the eleven suspected arson attacks in the Buncrana area in recent weeks was brought before a special sitting of Carrick-on-Shannon Court on Friday. He was remanded in custody in Castlerea Prison. The other two men charged were released on bail to appear before Buncrana District Court

Donegal motorists are being warned to be on full alert for the deer on our roads. The Irish Deer Alliance says that deer breeding is at its peak in the months of September and October. There are an estimated 2,000 deer in Donegal with a further 300 within the boundaries within Glenveagh National Park. Chairman

A support group for victims of clerical child sex abuse has accused the bishop of Raphoe of guilt tripping Catholics. Speaking last weekend  Dr Philip Boyce said the church was being attacked from the outside by the arrows of a secular and Godless culture. Speaking to  worshippers at the Novena at the Marian shrine in

Gardaí in Donegal investigating suspected arson attacks – are continuing to question two men in Buncrana Garda Station. The men, aged 20 and 21 are being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. Since early July, there have been eleven incidents of fires in the Buncrana area. The attacks have been random –

One in four people in Donegal have travelled with a drunk driver in the past two years according to a new survey. A quarter of people from the county who took part in an AA Insurance Poll carried out this month said they knowingly took a lift with a driver they understood to be over

A further two men have been arrested and a third charged as part of the Garda investigation in to a spate of fires in the South Inishowen area. The two arrests – both male, ages 20 & 21 years, took place this afternoon in the Buncrana area Of the original 5 men arrested 2 have

Tthe N56 between Crolly and Loughanure has re-opened. It was closed for a time after a lorry overturned. It took two large cranes two hourso get the lorry back on the road. The driver of the lorry was not injured.