Author name: oisinkelly

Fianna Fail has formally selected Paul Canning to replace newly elected Deputy Charlie McConalogue on Donegal County Council. The Manorcunningham man, who narrowly missed out on election to the council in the last local elections,  was chosen at a party meeting last night. Mr Canning will be formally co-opted on to Donegal County Council at

The pilgrimage centre at Lough Derg has attracted a record number of applications for summer work. 140 people are looking for a job at the island site of St Patrick’s Purgatory in Donegal – but there are just 50 positions available. Lough Derg is known for its austere conditions – pilgrims have one daily meal

Donegal Councillor Terence Slowey has appeared before the Standards in Public Office Commission in relation to expense claims made by him in 2008. The Fine Gael councillor admitted at the hearing in Dublin  that he had filed a double claim during the period but claimed he had done so in error, and said he had

Sinn Féin is urging Health Minister Dr James Reilly to make the provision of radiotherapy at Altnagelvin one of his first priorities in office. Assembly member Martina Anderson and Deputy Pádraig MacLochlainn have written to the Minister asking him to guarantee the funding for the cross border radiotherapy unit. Meanwhile, the Director of the National

A man who castrated his neighbour’s dog after it tried to mate with his pedigree border collie has paid a total of €730 in compensation. Eddie Flood from Termon used a lambing ring to cut the testicles off the dog after it pestered his own three dogs. The 43 year old claimed cross-terrier Rusty was

A 48 year old man will appear in court in the north later charged with the murder of a woman in a laundrette in Derry last week. 51 year old Marion Millican was gunned down while working in the laundrette in Portstewart last Friday. The man is due before Antrim Magistrates Court this morning.

The Director of the National Cancer Control Programme has praised the cancer services being provided at Letterkenny General Hospital, and says she is committed to the satellite oncology service being provided in Letterkenny in conjunction with Galway University Hospital. Dr Susan O’Reilly was in Letterkenny today for the presentation of certificates to Public Health Nurses

Donegal Councillor Terence Slowey has appeared before the Standards in Public Office Commission in relation to expense claims made by him in 2008. The Fine Gael councillor admitted at the hearing in Dublin today that he had filed a double claim during the period but claimed he had done so in error, and said he

The woman killed after being hit by a car in the Bogside area of Derry on Saturday morning as been named as Patricia Duffy, from Lisfannon Park. The collision happened close to the junction of Westland Street and Rossville Street, at about 10.30am. Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey is a friend of the Duffy family, he

Both Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail meet this evening to select who will be co-opted for each party on to Donegal County Council. Jack Murray, a former Sinn Fein Press officer and political adviser from Burnfoot is Sinn Fein’s only candidate and will be formally selected to replace Deputy Padraig MacLoughlainn. Three men have confirmed

A man remains in a stable condition in Altnagelvin Hospital having been shot in Strabane last night. It is thought the man in his early 20’s was taken by a group from Strabane Town shortly after 8pm, he was later shot in the legs in the Springhill area. The attack is being linked to the

Newly elected Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has confirmed that his party will meet this evening to select his replacement on Donegal County Council. Deputy Mac Lochlainn’s position as County Councillor for the Inishowen Electoral Area became vacant upon his election to the Dáil. Jack Murray is the sole candidate to go before the

The trial of a 39-year-old man charged with the murder of an Arranmore man, is expected to start at the Criminal Court in Dublin today. Stephen Boyle, with an address at 44 Austen House, Cambridge Road, Kilburn Park, London, is charged with the murder of Paul Francis Boyle on October 3rd, 2009 at Leagebarrow, Arranmore.

A Church of Ireland rector has been removed from ministry in Tyrone following an internal church inquiry into a compliant that he had entered into an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. The Rev Ivan Williamson had been rector at the parochial group of Errigle Keerogue, Ballygawley and Killeshill in Co Tyrone. The Church of

There is some hope in the fight to save the corncrake from national extinction with the first increase in corncrake numbers since 2005 recorded last year. According to a new Department of the Environment report, the numbers of corncrakes last year increased by five to 133. According to today’s Irish Times, the State spent €414,000

Newly elected Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has confirmed that his party will meet on Monday evening to select his replacement on Donegal County Council. Deputy Mac Lochlainn’s position as County Councillor for the Inishowen Electoral Area became vacant upon his election to the Dáil. Jack Murray is the sole candidate to go before

A woman has died following a road crash in the Derry. The single vehicle collision happened in the Westland Stree  at half past ten this morning. Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash to come forward.

A number of people in Donegal have been questioned in relations to the seizure of millions of cigerattes. The seizure was made by custom’s official in a surveillance operation code named Operation Marble. More details have emerged of the seizure by the Revenue’s Customs Service of seven million contraband cigarettes. The Cigaretted have an estimated

The county woke up to a blanket of snow this morning. Parts of Donegal experineced heavy sleet and snow overnight. All roads are passable despite the snowfalls which are not nearly as heavy as we saw before Christmas.

Seven million contraband cigarettes have been seized by Revenue’s Customs Service as part of Operation Marble. They were found in a 40 foot container which had arrived at Dublin Port from China via Rotterdam and were described as Ceramic Tiles. The truck was later stopped in Co Louth and follow up searches were carried out

The death toll from the devastating 8.9 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan is steadily climbing. Between 200 and 300 bodies have been found along the country’s northeastern coast. Up to 2,000 residents close to a nuclear power plant in the same region have been ordered to evacuate – after cooling systems failed –

Donegal Road Safety Group PARC has welcomed news that motorists will be fined up to €1,000 if they are caught driving a car with blacked-out windows and engines that exceed the allowed noise limits. As part of a new crackdown, Gardai are carrying out roadside tests on customised cars to see if tinted windows and

Gweedore based packaging company Euroflex says winning the Manufacturing category in the National Business Awards will generate more orders. Euroflex concentrates on specialist packaging for fresh meats and shellfish, mainly for export. Managing Director Derek Richardson says 32 people are employed at present, with the possibility of up to ten more jobs being created this

Donegal Mayor Cora Harvey says plans for a new initiative to promote Donegal as a St. Patrick’s Day destination will be unveiled soon. Councillor Harvey wants the council to work with the tourism industry to encourage people to come home for St Patrick’s day with the future aim of establishing middle march as a new

A project to explore what the City Walls mean to peole in Derry has been awarded almost £450,000 in Lottery Funding. ‘DiverseCity’ will be a three year programme to uncover the “shared heritage” of the walls through a series of community-based consultations, seminars, conferences and workshops, coordinated by the Holywell Trust. The Heritage Lottery Fund

Royal Mail officials have launched an investigation in Derry after a postal worker suffered burns and lost clumps of his hair in what is believed to have been a practical joke gone wrong. Details of the incident, which happened on Wednesday afternoon, have only come to light today. The postal worker discovered the hair loss

A Derry man who was described in court as a potential witness in a murder trial and who left the city after his home was attacked by vigilante group Republican Action Against Drugs has been released on bail. Aaron Thornton, of Dove Gardens, Derry faces a total of twelve charges relating to offences between August

US civil rights veteran the Rev. Jess Jackson will present the inaugural Henry Cunningham Human Rights Award at a ceremony in Derry’s Guildhall on March 20. The award was set up to commemorate Henry Cunningham and was open to schools in the Inishowen area and the successful school will receive 500 euro. Henry Cunningham was

Inceasing employment, reducing emigration and supporting businesses are the key priorities for Junior Minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, Deputy Dinny McGinley. First elected to the Dail in 1982, Deputy McGinley was confirmed yeaterday as Junior Minister at the Department of Arts, heritage and Gaeltacht. He says that a lot of work needs to be

Donegal South West Deputy Pearse Doherty has described the reduction in Ministers pay, announced by the Government today, as a token gesture. The coalition Government announced it had reduced the Taoiseach’s pay by 6.6% from 214,000 euro to 200,000, while Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore will earn 184,405 euro. Ministers’ pay is down to 169,000 euro and

Donegal South West Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley has been formally named a Junior Minister today with specific responsibility for the Gaeltacht.. Earlier the Arts, heritage and Gaeltacht Minister Jimmy Deenihan let slip that Deputy Mc Ginley would be appointed to his department. Minister Deenihan – who’s not a fluent Irish speaker, said that Deputy McGinley

Buncrana Town Council is to hold a special meeting on Tuesday week next to elect a new mayor. Former Mayor Padraig Mac Lochlainn had to resign from the council following his election to the Dail, and his deputy, Independent Cllr Michael Grant will act as mayor until the special meeting on March 22nd. Cllr Grant

Donegal South West Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley is playing down speculation that he will be named a Junior Minister today, but it seems an appointment is in the offing after Arts, heritage and Gaeltacht Minister Jimmy Deenihan let slip that Deputy Mc Ginley will be appointed to his department. Minister Deenihan – who’s not a

Atlantic Homecare in Letterkenny  is to close with the loss of 18 jobs. Following a staff meeting, the company issued a statement to Highland Radio News saying that the outlet has not been viable for some time, and sales projections are not adequate to make the Letterkenny store sustainable. With that in mind, the statement

The ‘Carers Count’ Campaign will be officially launched in Donegal this moring. The last Census in 2006 estimated the numbers of Family Carers in Donegal at 5,698 but he Carers Association believes this figure underestimates the current numbers. With this in mind, the Carers Count Campaign sees next months Census as a unique opportunity to

Letterkenny Town Council says it’s time that government departments begin paying commercial rates. At present, facilities such as the Social Welfare Offices on Oliver Plunkett Road are exempt from rates, but the council is to write to the new Environment Minister Phil Hogan to seek a change. The council will also circulate the motion to

The government has been told that it must fulfil its commitment to return Cancer services to Sligo General Hospital. Sinn Fein Deputy Pearse Doherty has already made the call and has now been joined by Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle in applying pressure on the issue. Cancer services at Sligo General Hospital, which serves a large

The States standards watchdog is to investigate a Donegal County Councillor who claimed expenses for attending two different local government conferences which took place on the same weekend. A hearing into the conduct of Councillor Terence Slowey, who is the Fine Gael whip on the Council, has been set for later this month, the Standards

People in Letterkenny are annoyed by the increase in the number of street collectors around the town, according to a local  town councillor. Cllr Victor Fisher says he has no problem with collections where all ther money is going to charity, but in many instances, a large amount of the money is going to the

With nominations to contest the Seanad elections closing on Friday, there will be at least one Donegal candidate in the race. Letterkenny based Cllr. Jimmy Harte, who missed out on a Dail seat in  Donegal North East has been nominated as the sole Labour candidate on the Industrial and Commercial Panel.

The Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny will be elected Taoiseach today – as the 31st Dail meets for the first time since the general election. Labour and Fine Gael will form a government this afternoon when Mr Kenny will name his new cabinet lineup. Three new TDs from Donegal will take their seats today –

A Donegal company owner has recieved a suspended prison sentence and ordered to do community services for a number of tax offences. Mary McKinney, a haulage contractor from Cockhill Road, Buncrana was found guilty of 15 charges. The details of that case was included in the latest list of tax defaulters which has been pulished