Author name: oisinkelly

45 members of the European Democratic Party are in the North West this weekend for their annual congress. The EDP weekend meeting in Sligo is being hosted by North West MEP Marian Harkin, the sole Irish member of the alliance. The delegation includes MEPs from 10 member states, with the current economic situation high on […]

The PSNI have been given almost seven extra days to question a man over the murder of officer Ronan Kerr. The 33 year-old suspect was arrested last week. On Wednesday detectives were given an extra six days to quiz two men aged 26 and 40 who were also detained last week. It’s in connection with

The two men arrested in connection with the murder of Denis Donaldson have been released without charge. The men, a 69 year old from Dungloe and a 31 year old from Annagry, had been in custody at Letterkenny Garda Station since Tuesday evening. A file on the men’s arrest will now be compiled and sent

A derelict house was burned down last night at around 2am in the village of Newtowncunningham. The dwelling was unoccupied and no one was hurt. Fire Brigade services from both Derry and Letterkenny attended the scene and quickly put out the blaze. Newly co-opted Fianna Fail Councillor, Paul Canning, says it was lucky the burnt

A major cross border business forum in Derry has been told it’s time for closer cross border cooperation. Over 100 business leaders and senior Government officials met in Derry last evening for the second IBEC-CBI Joint Business summit to be held in the North West region. The forum was hosted by Derry City Council and

The people of Inishowen are being urged to take part in a massive clean-up operation across the Peninsula tomorrow. The area’s councillors are each taking part with residents groups, sporting clubs and community organisations urged to join in. Buncrana Mayor, Michael Grant is calling on everyone to get involved:

It has been claimed that jobs in Buncrana have been lost due to the lack of a business development/ incubation centre in the town. A similar centre has proved hugely successful in Letterkenny with Enterprise Ireland now being called on to supply a similar one in the Inishowen Town. Following on from a motion from

The case of a 15 year old boy having sex with a 14 year old girl in the Donegal Gaeltacht has sparked a huge legal case in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has been urged to overturn the so-called ‘Romeo and Juliet’ laws which allow the prosecution of teenage boys for having sex with

Police in the North are appealing for information about a shooting incident in Derry last night. A 24-year-old man was shot and wounded at a house in the Shantallow area just after 10 o’clock. Two men entered the house and fired a number of shots at the man – he was hit in the lower

The Environment Minister’s increasing the landfill levy to 50 euro a tonne from this September, to 65 euro next year and 75 euro a tonne from 2013. This is likely to add further pressure on households and businesses in Donegal, after it emerged last month that here is very little landfill capacity left in the

Ram-raiders escaped with a small amount of money in the early hours of this morning after crashing into the front of a Chinese takeaway on the Kilmacrennan Road, just outside Letterkenny town. The gang drove a car into the front of the Kung Fu Kitchen takeaway just opposite the Medisize Donegal Healthcare plant. They escaped

The family of Denis Donaldson have released a police document which they say “precipitated” the circumstances that led to his exposure as a British agent and ultimately resulted in his murder. They have indicated that his handler, called “Lenny”, could hold the key to solving his murder. As Garda detectives continue to question two men

The HSE says no new cases of TB have been discovered following a major screening operation at Loretto Secondary School in Letterkenny. The screening programme was implemented a fortnight ago after a pupil was found to have TB, with a senior Public Health Specialist in Donegal saying that nothing untoward has been found. Communicable Diseases

Donegal County Council has been heavily criticised for its lack of action in addressing safety concerns over Cockhill Bridge in Buncrana. An estimated 15,000 vehicles, plus pedestrians, use the bridge daily. Safety concerns about the bridge were first expressed 30 years ago. The County Council has been given the green-light to seek a design for

Buncrana are pursuing options for high speed broadband access, the preferred outcome would be from a spur from the infrastructure from what was known as Project Kelvin. This would be a new project under a working title, for example such as Project Buncrana. Project Kelvin is a €30m cross-border venture providing Broadband Communications between Ireland

Police investigating the murder of Ronan Kerr have been granted a further six days to question a 26-year-old man and a 40-year-old man. Constable Kerr was killed by a bomb under his car outside his Omagh home. 26-year-old Brian Carron from the Dungannon area, was arrested in Scotland on 6 April and the 40-year-old man

The Standards in Public Office Commission has found that Donegal Councillor Terence Slowey acted recklessly in double claiming for expenses when he attended two conferences in Cork and Kerry on the same weekend in 2008. After a hearing a month ago, the commission finds Cllr Slowey breached ethics guidelines by claiming twice for the journey,

A Buncrana Town councillor has walked out of today’s monthly meeting in protest at delays in reports being provided to elected members. Councillor Peter Mc Laughlin said he left the meeting in protest, claiming he has been waiting 5 months for a report on the land deal agreed last year by the county council and

A government ethics watchdog has found against a Donegal councillor who claimed double expenses for the same journey. Cllr. Terence Slowey, the Fine Gael whip on Donegal County Council, claimed a mileage allowance for a conference in Killarney, Co Kerry and a separate allowance for another event in Clonakilty, Co Cork on the same weekend.

Marine Minister Simon Coveney says he favours expanding Killybegs Fisheries Harbour, but warned the Dail this afternoon it must be achieved in a way which complements the harbour’s core industry. Mr Coveney was responding to Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle, who was seeking government support for the development of Killybegs. The Donegal South West TD said

Gardai investigating the murder of Denis Donaldson are questioning a man on suspicion of possessing fire-arms on the day of the murder in April 2006. The 31 year old from the Annagry area was arrested on last night by the Gardai’s National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and is being detained under Section 30 of the

A Letterkenny councillor has called on the local council to set-up guided walking tours of the town during the Summer months to boost tourism. Letterkenny celebrates its 400 anniversary this year with a host of events planned. Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh says it’s almost impossible for tourists to find out about the history of the town.

Two men are being questioned by Gardai in connection with the murder of Republican informer Denis Donaldson – who was shot dead in Glenties, County Donegal five years ago. The men, one aged 70 and another in his 30s, were detained in Donegal yesterday and are being questioned at Letterkenny Garda station. They’re being held

Buncrana’s newest Town Councillor will take his seat this evening. Sinn Fein’s Ciaran Mc Laughlin will be formally coopted onto the council to replace his party colleague Padraig Mac Lochlainn, who is now a member of Dail Eireann. This means Sinn Fein have the two newest members on the authority – Cllr Mary Kelly was

A Letterkenny Councillor has claimed there has been a lack of action on the LUTS study which was commissioned in 2009 to identify the town’s main traffic black spots. Councillor Dessie Larkin says that while there have been some measures introduced as a result of the study, a long term solution to traffic issues at

Gardai in Donegal have arrested a 70-year-old man  tonight in connection with the murder of Denis Donaldson. We understand the man is being held detained at Letterkenny Garda Station on suspicion of withholding information. He can be held for three days. The former head of Sinn Fein’s Stormont offices was shot dead at his home

A 49-year-old Derry man has pleaded guilty to thirteen charges of making indecent images of children when he appeared at the local Crown Court today (Tuesday). Michael Mullan, from Cooleen Park in Derry, admitted committing the offences between 2005 and 2008. The case was adjourned to allow the preparation of a pre-sentence report and Judge

A youth has appeard in court in Milford charged with attacking and robbing a retired nurse in Letterkenny  when he was 14. The boy, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to attacking Anna McDaid in August last year. His solicitor told the court today he deeply regrets what he did, and wants to meet with

A snap shot poll of Highland Radio listeners shows that the majority feel the new government will do little or nothing to benefit County Donegal. As the leaders of Fine Gael and Fine Fail bickered in the Dail as to who is to blame for the country’s mess and who is best placed to resolve

The Fianna Fail leader says his new front bench will provide a robust and constructive opposition to the government. He’s given jobs to all 20 TDs in his parliamentary party including Dail newcomers Barry Cowen and Robert Troy. Donegal Northeast Deputy Charlie McConologue has been handed the Children’s portfolio.

Letterkenny Town Council is to write to residents association across the town following claims by a councillor that people leaving wheelie bins out all week are damaging Letterkenny’s image. The issue was raised at last night’s meeting of the council by Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh. He has been urging residents to put their wheelie bins at

A Donegal man and his wife have had a narrow escape after an massive explosion struck a metro station in the heart of the Belarus capital Minsk. 11 people were killed and over a hundred injuried in the explosion which news agency Interfax is reporting as a likely  ‘act of terror’. Stranorlar based Ernan Meenan

Police in the North have arrested two men for questioning in connection with the deaths of two teenagers from carbon monoxide poisoning in Derry last year. 18 year olds Aaron Davidson and Neil McFerron were found at a holiday home Castlerock in August. Another friend was taken to hospital but survived. PSNI Detectives investigating the

Letterkenny Town Council has given its full support to calls for the Government to immediately reverse its decision to withdraw the PSO to City Of Derry Airport. Under cost cutting measure the government has stopped the Public Service Obligation which subsidised flights between Derry and Dublin. Councillor Gerry McMonagle last night received unanimous support for

Letterkenny Town Council has agreed to look at schemes and initiatives aimed at attracting new businesses in to the town’s long term vacant properties. Other local authorities have introduced schemes which incentivize new business start-ups through a number of measures including discounted commercial rates. The issue was raised by councillor Dessie Larkin, he says the

An auctioneer at a sheep mart beat up another man who had accused him of bringing the hammer down on a sale too quickly. 28-year-old Declan Robinson of Larganreagh, Downings, beat up Paul Hegarty after a row about an auction at the Bonagee Mart last year. A Garda witness told Letterkenny District Court that in

The Garda Representative Association is demanding the introduction of mandatory life sentences for anyone who kills a member of the force. Rank and file gardaí are calling on the Justice Minister to introduce much stiffer penalties for those who attack a garda. It follows the tragic case of Garda Robbie Mc Callion, who was knocked

There has been a huge reduction in patients waiting three months or more for a colonoscopy to check for bowel cancer at Letterkenny General Hospital. According to the Irish Cancer Society the number has gone from almost 50 last year to single figures in 2011 – however at Sligo General Hospital there has been a

A Co Meath man who raped a Donegal woman in her home after meeting her for the first time the previous day has been jailed for 6 years. Sean Finn of Colehill, Kinnegad, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape on May 15th, 2010. The judge said the 42 year old had insinuated

An new investigation is to be launched into the deaths of two Donegal brothers who lost their lives after they went out collecting lobster pots in March 2008. Fishermen Daniel and Francis McDaid were found 3 miles off the coast of Inishowen Head a day after their vessel was reported missing. At the cororners court