Author name: oisinkelly

The Chair of Donegal County Council’s Roads Policy Committee is seeking an urgent meeting with Transport Minister Leo Varadker to discuss the suspension of a number of road projects in the county. Cllr Jack Murray says the manner in which news of the suspension broke earlier this week was disgraceful, with councillors and officials hearing […]

The Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Philip Boyce, has hit out at reports today that hundreds of children were abused in his diocese as inaccurate. Today’s Irish Independent reports that 20 priests abused hundreds of children in the Raphoe diocese over forty years. The Irish Independent states today that a report by the National Board for

A new report is expected to reveal how 20 priests abused hundreds of children in a Co. Donegal diocese over forty years, according to todays Irish Independent. The report, from the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church, into abuse in Raphoe will be published later this month. The contents of this report

Upgrading Letterkenny General Hospital to a Regional Hospital will improve it’s chances of securing additional services, especially for patients with diabetes. Donegal North-East Deputy Charlie McConalogue says that The National Clinical Programme for Diabetes proposes that care be centralised for each region in a centre ideally based at a Regional Hospital. Deputy McConalogue says that

Police in Derry are investigating reports that a number of shots were fired in the city last night. The incident happened just after 11 o clock on Quarry Street. It is not thought that anyone was injured

A 50-year-old man has been released on bail after appearing at Derry Magistrate’s Court charged with a series of firearm offences. John Feeny of Lawrence Hill in the town was charged with possessing a Walther pistol and 12 rounds of ammunition on December 28 in suspicious circumstances. He also faced three charges of having the

The first leg of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has ended in Madeira, with the Derry-Londonderry vessel in fourth place, after fighting overnight for a podium finish. The team left Southampton on July 31st, and on Friday, they leave Madeira for Rio de Janerio in Brazil. Mark Light is skipper of the Derry

It’s emerged that referrals to the HSE’s National Counselling Service for adults with a history of child abuse have risen substantially in Donegal since the conviction of paedophile Michael Ferry last month. The Director of Counselling with the NCS in the North West says since a publicity drive was launched in the wake of the

The government has confirmed to Highland Radio News that its funding of the A5 upgrade through the north is not affected by this weeks decision that no major new road projects would progress in the south for at least 3 years. 9 million euro has already been contributed to the project by the Irish government,

A Fermanagh South Tyrone MLA is calling on councillors and public representitives in Donegal to become involved in a campaign to oppose fracking, a means of extracting natural gas from the ground. Hydraulic fracturing is a process whereby gaps are opened in the rock and fluid poured in to facilitate the seperation and extraction of

Questions have now been raised over the government’s commitment to part fund the upgrade of the A5 from Derry to Aughnacloy. 9 million euro has already been contributed to the project by the Irish government, with a further €460 million committed over the next number of years. The Department of Transport says it will confirm

Donegal South-West Fine Gael Deputy Dinny McGinley has said that Government had little choice but to shelve a number of road projects in Donegal. It emerged yesterday that that several National and Secondary Road projects will not go ahead because of a lack of funds. Proposed work on the N56 between Dungloe and Glenties and

A man has been shot close to Derry city centre. It happened in Ewing Street, in the Bishop Street area, at around 10pm last evening. He’s said to be in a stable condition in hospital. Witnesses say the man suffered gunshot wounds to his legs and arm with bullet holes in a car where the

The Emergency Department at Letterkenny General Hospital is secure and will operate on a 24/7 basis it’s been confirmed to DACC. Members from Donegal Action for Cancer Care were at a meeting in Galway yesterday with the HSE’s Regional Network Manager, John Hennessy. DACC spokesperson, Betty Holmes said yesterdays meeting was a positive one, and

A republican prisoner who has been at the centre of a campaign to get him released from jail has been moved to an outside hospital. 59-year-old Brendan Lillis who has been confined to bed in the prison hospital at Maghabbery for the past 18 months is said by his family to be in a “critical

North-West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher has hit out at the Minister for Transport over his decision to shelve a number of road projects in Donegal. It’s emerged today that that several National and Secondary Road projects will not go ahead because of a lack of funds. Proposed work on the N56 between Dungloe and

It’s emerged that a man who was stabbed to death in Galway on Sunday July 31 was actually an American citizen who had previously lived in Donegal for a time. Kevin Joyce, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and had only moved to Ireland in 2000. Kevin Joyce spent time in Letterkenny before returning to the

A former mayor of Donegal says the government and NRA are treating Donegal with contempt after it emerged that several National and Secondary Road projects are being shelved because of a lack of funds. Cllr Cora Harvey says neither the government nor the NRA has informed Donegal County Council of the situation, and the council

Gardai have revealed that a number of people in Donegal have been caught in so called phishing scams with a new warning being issued to the public to be vigilant. The scam involves people being encouraged to divulge their personal and banking information though the post and via email. Donegal’s crime prevention officer, Sergeant Paul

Donegal’s Road Safety officer has questioned how effective proposals to make driving instruction compulsory in schools would be in making Irish roads safer. That was one of the proposals the cross party road safety Oireachtas committee suggested to Transport Minister Leo Varadkar in its submission on new road traffic laws. However Donegal’s Road Safety Officer

Donegal will be one of the worst affected counties in the country by today’s confirmation that work on all major new road projects is being suspended because of spending cutbacks. Roads projects affected in Donegal include the N56 Mountcharles to Inver Road which was to comprise of 4.9 Killometeres of new road eliminateing a number

Donegal Fianna Fail Deputy Charlie McConologue has said he would have ‘no problem’ with his party backing Gay Byrne if he chose to run for the presidency. Reports suggest that discussions have been ongoing between Fianna Fail and the veteran broadcaster. It is understood Fianna Fail  would ensure Mr Byrne secured the support of the 20

Planned legislation on septic tanks will be discussed at a series of public meetings this week. Up to half a million rural dwellers could be affected if the government decides to introduce mandatory inspections for septic tanks. It’s reported that registration fees of up to 300 euro for each household could be imposed when the

A new search for missing Castlederg teenager Arlene Arkinson will begin in September. The 15 year-old disappeared in 1994 – she was last seen after attending a disco in Bundoran with friends. In November of last year, the PSNI  told a preliminary hearing at the coroner’s court that its investigation into the disappearance of teenager

The head of Oideas Gael in Glencolmcille says the death of Derry born sculptor Eamon O’Doherty last week has robbed Donegal of one if the conty’s best friends and supporters. Liam O’Cuinnegain, who also chairs Udaras na Gaeltachta says Eamon O’Doherty was a great supporter of ther arts in Donegal, and did much to document

An 18 year old Derryman has been freed on bail after admitting possessing dangerous weapons in the city in the early hours of yesterday morning. Derry Magistrates Court was told the how police used a Taser gun on Noel Cairns, of Glassagh Park, after Cairns was seen standing in the middle of the road holding

The President of the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine says Letterkenny General Hospital’s Emergency Department could be compromised by the HSE decision to freeze recruitment at all levels. The IAEM says it’s especially worried that the hiring of essential frontline staff to man 24 hour emergency departments will be prohibited from August 15th. Presidnet Fergal

The Donegal Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre is appealing for more volunteers. The appeal comes as the centre reports a 35% rise in demand for its services in the first six months of this year. 921 people called the helpline, and 81 new clients have accessed the service between January and June. Centre Director

The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman is investigating the use of a taser against an 18 year old man in Derry at the weekend. Police were responding to a call in the Westland Street area when the taser was used. Police say an officer discharged the taser while attending an incident, and an 18 year old

Funnel clouds which can cause tornadoes were spotted over Co Donegal yesterday. Andrew Doherty took this picture of the funnell cloud over Ballyhallion Hill in Clonmany. He says he found the clouds quite strange, as there wasn’t much wind in the area at the time.

Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness has raised the case of the prisoner Brendan Lillis with the Irish Government. Mr McGuinness, who is Stormont’s Deputy First Minister, says Brendan Lillis is seriously ill and should be released from Maghaberry jail’s hospital immediately. A protest was held in Strabane yesterday for Mr Lillis. A number of people

A 26 year old Omagh man has been remanded in custody at a special court in the town on a charge of attempted murder. Mark McGlone of Castleview Pk, Omagh, was charged with attempting to murder Noel Knox in the Cellar Bar, Bridge St, Omagh, in the early hours of Friday morning. The court heard

Shots have been fired at a house in Derry. It happened at Mimosa Court in Gobnascale just after 23:00 BST on Friday night. The 41-year-old man who lives in the house is not believed to be injured. Police are still trying to establish a motive for the attack and have appealed for information.

70 years after a Spitfire took off from runway 02 at RAF Eglinton, its tailwheel finally touched down again yesterday on the same runway at the City of Derry Airport. The Spitfire was successfully excavated in June this year from a boggy moor on the Inishowen peninsula. Jonny McNee who organised this first licenced excavation

Senator Jimmy Harte is calling for a new website, which allows the public to directly report problems like potholes and graffiti to their local authority, to be rolled out in Donegal as soon as possible. Fix your street dot ie went live in a trial version for the South Dublin County area. It is planned

A 26 year old man is due in court in Omagh later charged in connection with the attempted murder of a man in the town yesterday. The 47 year old victim received cuts to his throat and face during the attack at a pub in Omagh’s Bridge Street in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Two men arrested in Derry earlier this week have appeared in court today. 24 year old Mark Kerr of Carrabane Walk and 44 year old Tony Taylor of Bishops Street were both charged with possesion of a .22 rifle with intent to endanger life on August 2nd. They were both remanded in custody to appear

The Donegal Mountain Rescue Team has rescued two people from Muckish. The 44 year old man and 33 year old woman had climbed the Miners’ Track, and were walking on the top of the mountain with their dog when they became lost in heavy fog. The rescue team responded to a 999 call at 6.30,

A leading Donegal Barrister says the people of Donegal are being ill-served by the current court facilities in Letterkenny with calls for a new court house to be progressed. Last year Judge John O’Hagan described the physical conditions at the court as “dreadful” and the crowded courtroom was at times verging on a health and

A Newtowncunningham Councillor says he had previously raised concerns about a derelict HSE building in the town which was damaged by fire last night. Gardai are investigating the fire at “The Castle”, which was reported at 1 o’clock this morning. Local Cllr Paul Canning says the building has been derelict for some time, and is

A leading family lawyer in the North is calling on the Stormont Executive to introduce clear guidelines for parents about leaving children at home alone. It comes after the social services in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone intervened when 4 children, aged between 5 and 14, were left at home when their parents went on holiday. Lawyer

The number of drivers getting penalty points for speeding is on the increase, with figures for this year expected to surpass the numbers caught speeding in 2010. The figures, obtained from a Dail question by Donegal North East Deputy Joe McHugh, show that in the first six months of this year over 96,000 drivers have