Author name: oisinkelly

A 23-year-old man has been charged with obstructing police after a bomb alert in Derry this morning Twenty homes were evacuated around the Ringfort Road when a suspect object was thrown at a house at about quarter past five. It was later declared a hoax and residents were allowed to return to their homes. Another […]

Speculation is mounting that Údarás na Gaeltachta will lose its job creation role. It’s believed that Junior Minister Dinny Mc Ginley will make the announcement at a meeting with board in Gweedore tomorrow morning. He’s expected to announce that the job creation function will be taken over by Enterprise Ireland, and the board’s name will

The Fire Service in Derry say two girls who were trapped in a burning building at Springtown in Derry last night are lucky to be alive. The girls, aged 13 and 14, became trapped in the building at the Ballinskea industrial estate at around 10 o’clock last night. A number of appliances from the Fire

A Donegal County Councillor says that Eirgrid and ESB networks should be doing more to inform the public about the 110k volt power line which is being constructed across Donegal. It was confirmed this week that ground work on the project will start this month, 60% of landowners have so far been contacted, with the

Today is Haemochromatosis Awareness Day. This genetic disorder is most common in Europeans – particularly in those of Nordic or Celtic origin. It causes the body to absorb too much iron from their diet which then gradually accumulates in the liver, pancreas, joint or heart and if it’s not removed it can cause irreversible damage.

Sinn Fein has outline its opposition to the Draft County Development Plan claiming that if adopted as is, it would have a detrimental impact on the county’s rural areas. The plan came up for discussion at this weeks meeting of Donegal County Council, just hours before it was to be released for public consultation. Deputy

There is renewed hope that road safety works in the vacinity of the Finn Valley college will be complete before the start of the next term. Parents have complained of the dangers for pupils walking to and from the college given the current road conditions and and the lack of a proper pavement. This week,

The PSNI has confirmed that the search for missing Lifford man David Colhoun is to be widened. In a statement the family, through the police, thanked everyone for the assistance in the search to date. David, who is 22, has been missing since last Sunday week. The PSNI say extensive land and water searches have

Donegal County Council says Elected Members had to exercised a reserved function to allow Labour co-opt Councillor Michael McBride on to Donegal County Council. This was in reponse to Letterkenny Solicitor Dessie Sheils – he quoted council legislation which deems the cooption against the rules. Councillor McBride replaced now Senator Jimmy Harte on the council,

The chairman of Bundoran Town Council today(Wed) launched a court action claiming the town’s former parking attendant defamed him. Sean McEniff, who is also a Donegal County councillor and owner of a group of hotels, claims Patricia McCafferty wrongly accused him of being a corrupt councillor influencing planning decisions in Bundoran. The allegations were made

Funding has been announced today for the planned new park in Carndonagh, with most of the money coming from the Inishowen Leader Company. The Inishowen Development Partnership is providing  €500,000 to Carndonagh Playground Development Committee for the completion of the new park. Announcing the funding Minister Phil Hogan said the project will cost a total

There was increased local activity this morning in the search for missing Lifford man David Culhoun. The 22 year-old has been missing since last Sunday week. The search on a section of the local river intensified after sniffer dogs were attracted to the area last evening. However divers searching the spot last evening and this

The legality of the co-option by Labour of Councillor Michael McBride on to Donegal County Council has been called in to question. While stating he has no issues with the personalities involved, Letterkenny Solicitor Dessie Sheils has quoted council legislation which deems the co-option against the rules. Councillor McBride replaced now Senator Jimmy Harte on

Opposition politicians are accusing the Environment Minister of creating confusion over plans for new taxes. Minister Phil Hogan announced yesterday that water meters would be installed in every home from next year, in preparation for the new water tax. And yesterday evening he outlined plans for a flat-rate household charge which will hit taxpayers from

It has been confirmed that re-alignment work on one of the most dangerous stretches of the Dungloe to Glenties road will commence in October. Under the work, a 3.3 km stretch of the road between Cloghbolie and Boyoughter will be widened and realigned. It will remove one of the most dangerous stretches of the N56

The company behind the controversial new 110K power line which will cross Donegal, says objections from land owners to date have been minimal. Work on the ground begins next month and will see an over head line constructed from Brinbane in west Donegal to Letterkenny in the east. Eirgrid and ESB networks says the development

A 29-year-old man has admitted causing a fatal crash in County Monaghan last December in which three people died, including a Donegal born teacher. Kevin Mc Ardle of Carrickmacross pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing death, and was remanded in custody for sentencing. 39 year old teacher Róisín Connolly, nee Langan, was

The full extent of the damage caused by gorse fires which raged across the county last month has been revealed. Donegal County Council has told of the huge cost, financially, through lost property and destroyed forestry, that was incurred. Between the 30th of April and May 5th of this year the fire service received at

The Environment Minister says water metering is not about taxation but about environmental conservation. Minister Phil Hogan says consultants have been appointed to see how the scheme will operate in Ireland and will report back in October. A conference on water metering is taking place in Dublin today. The roll-out of water meters will begin

Gardai are now treating an incident at a house in Loughanure, west Donegal as most likely a burglary. Initial reports suggested the house was discovered broken in to with a large quantity of blood present inside. However a garda source suggests that only a small amount of blood was discovered and it is most likely

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has again called for more action to be taken against those who assault paramedics, in the wake of such an attack in Derry. Police had to be called by a crew in the Northland Street area of Derry on Sunday night, after a patient they were taking to Altnagelvin Hospital

Donegal North East Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has called on the Minister for Health, James Reilly, to intervene in the debacle over the extension to Letterkenny General Hospital. He said todays news of outpatient clinics being cancelled and patients on trolleys as totally unacceptable. He also called on the HSE to wrap up the legal

There is speculation that President Mary Mc Aleese may attend this year’s July 12th celebrations in Rossnowlagh. An unnamed member of the Orange Order is quoted in today’s Donegal People’s Press as saying President Mc Aleese would be attending the Rossnowlagh event, which this year takes place on Saturday July 9th. He says reaction to

The search for a County Donegal man who has been missing since escaping from PSNI custody continues today. 22-year-old David Colhoun from Lifford was arrested in Strabane on 22 May for minor offences. A search involving police on both sides of the border and Foyle Search and Rescue has concentrated on the River Mourne near

A Councillor has raised questions over the future of the Balor Theatre in Ballybofey, if funding promised is not forth coming. The theatre was chosen as one of 5 projects to share 150 thousand euro of funding under the Strategic Development Fund. However when Stranorlar Electoral Area councillors met to discuss the funding with council

Despite officially having the worst damaged roads from the extreme cold weather at the start of the year, the Stranorlar Electoral Area is to receive the smallest share of additional roads funding. Donegal has been awarded 4.2 million euro of government funding for roads – in the past this money was allocated to each electoral

Letterkenny General Hospital has cancelled a number of Out Patient appointments today, after a busy night in A&E has left several patients being treated on trollies overnight. Dr Constantine’s ENT clinic has been cancelled, but the medical clinics run by Dr Ibrahim and Dr Keating are now operating as scheduled. People are also being asked

A Donegal mother has renewed an appeal for her son, who’s been missing for 6 months. Carrigans man Garvan Milligan had been living at his sister’s house outside Navan. 35-year-old Mr Milligan was last seen alive on November 16. Mr Milligan had been living at Demailstown, Wilkinstown, Navan. When last seen, he was wearing a

The search for a County Donegal man who has been missing since escaping from PSNI custody has entered its second week. 22-year-old David Colhoun, from Lifford was arrested in Strabane on 22 May for minor offences. A search involving police on both sides of the border and Foyle Search and Rescue has concentrated on the

Today’s Donegal County Council meeting descended into chaos when electoral areas were pitched against each other over additional road allocations. Inishowen councillors are furious that money which they believe they are entitled to will end up in Stranorlar. 4.2 million euro was announced by government to carry out additional work on roads – In the

Cllr Michael Mc Bride has become the newest member of Donegal County Council. The Labour representitive replaces Jimmy Harte, who had to forego his council seat when he was elected to the Seanad last month. In an emotional speech, he thanked Senator Harte for the opportunity and the trust he showed in him, and also

Failte Ireland is rowing in behind a new festival taking place in Rathmullan in July, with hopes that it may become an annual event. SeaFest, which runs from the first to the third of July will see yacht and currach races on Lough Swilly, a series of activities on shore, and a focus on the

West Tyrone MP and MLA Pat Doherty says a statement from Taoioseach Enda Kenny at a cross border conference last week should end any speculation that the planned A5 upgrade might be jeaopordised. Speaking at the Institute for British-Irish Studies annual conference at UCD, Mr Kenny reaffirmed the Irish government’s £400 million contribution towards the

The filmmaker who exposed poet Cathal O’Searcaigh for having sex with boys is making another film which threatens to lift the lid on one of Ireland’s most horrific sex scandals. Neasa Ni Chianain admits her life has been turned on its head since exposing the Donegal poet in her film ‘Fairytale of Kathmandu’. The film

Donegal’s newest County Councillor will formally take his seat today. Michael McBride from Kilmacrennan will replace Jimmy Harte on the council who had to give up his seat following his election to the Seanad. Mr McBride is a former Fianna Fail local election candidate – he believes that his supporters will stick by him despite

A man in his twenties is fighting for life in hospital this evening after an overnight crash in Co. Donegal. It happened when the car he was a passenger in, went out of control on the N14 at Drumoghill. The man was in Letterkenny General Hospital, but has since been transferred to the Beaumont Hospital

The Manager of Letterkenny General Hospital says everything that can be done locally to speed up the completion of the new Emergency Department has been done, and it’s now a matter for national discussions to resolve the issues. Work has been stalled since Mc Namaras, the main contractors, went into liquidation last year. Since then,

The government has cleared Finn Harps to draw down €125,000 in order to begin work on their proposed new stadium. The draw down was cleared by Junior Minister Michael Ring this afternoon. According to Junior MInister Dinny Mc Ginley, this  two year project will inevitably create many employment opportunities in the Finn Valley area which

A former Fianna Fail candidate will be Labour’s countyv council replacement for Senator Jimmy Harte. We understand Michael Mc Bride from Kilnacrennan, a former close ally of the Blaney organisation, was approached within the past week, and has agreed to take the position. Mr M Bride, who got over 1,400 first preferences in the last

The search will resume this morning for missing 22-year-old David Colhoun from Lifford. Mr.Colhoun escaped from PSNI custody in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was last seen in the Bridge Street area of Strabane at 420am. The search is now in it’s sixth day. The PSNI have said that the search for missing