Author name: oisinkelly

Gardai in Letterkenny are seeking to play down reports that a group of children, some as young as five, had kicked a dog to death in the Long Lane area of the town. In a statement issued to Highland Radio News and local papers this morning,  gardai refer to “sensationalist” coverage on Highland Radio and […]

North West MEP Marian Harkin is calling for a mechanism to be introduced to measure the contribution that volunteers make to the economy. At the weekend, Ms Harkin was in Hungary to speak at a conference launching 2011 as the European Year of Volunteering. She told delegates that the International Labour Organisation has a mechanism

Letterkenny IT will this morning unveil details of an eight million euro land purchase. Tanaiste and Education Minister has already given approval to LYIT to buy two seperate pieces of land to facilitate growth and expansion. They include a 10 acre site directly opposite the institute on the Port Road. The site is owned by

A new dig to find the remains of a six-year-old girl who mysteriously disappeared almost 34 years ago began yesterday on a remote hillside near Ballyshannon in County Donegal. Gardai confirmed they were assisting members of Mary Boyle’s family in the dig at Cashelard, five kilometres from Ballyshannon. The dig has been prompted by new

A Donegal County Council Delegation is in Dublin today for a meeting with the NRA. It’s the annual meeting between the council and the authority, with Mayor Cllr Cora Harvey saying there is a need to progress a number of key projects and that will be stressed. The projects to be highlighted include the Ballybofey/Stranorlar

The most recent study by business group Irish Business Against Litter has found Letterkenny in 14th position reclaiming its ‘Clean to European Norms’ status from 2008. The town had dropped to ‘seriously littered’ in last year’s finale. They said Letterkenny Leisure Centre was in pristine condition, almost all of the approach roads got the top

As expected, Fianna Fáil has  adopted a two candidate strategy in Donegal South West, with Tanaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan and Senator Broan O’Domhnaill both selected by the party to contest the upcoming general election. Up to 400 delegates attended the event in Glenties this afternoon, chaired by the Minister of State for Labour

Fresh snow has been falling across Donegal today, but Met Eireann say the bank of cloud is moving away. The showers in Donegal are part of a band that is now moving down the country. This latest cold spell is not expected to last beyond the weekend. Vincent O’Shea from Met Eireann says that the

A car has been burnt out in a sectarian attack in Co Derry. It happened at Killyvally Park in Garvagh in the early hours of this morning, outside the home of a Catholic woman. It’s prompted calls for increased jail sentences for petrol bombers. The SDLP MLA for East Derry, John Dallat, is urging the

The Fianna Fail Convention to select candidates to contest this springs general election in Donegal South West will be held tomorrow. As of last evening, three people had formally allowed their names go forward to the selection convention which is being held in Glenties. They are Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, Senator Brian O’Domhnaill and former Senator

Donegal County Council has moved to address confusion about how traffic should approach the Station Roundabout in Letterkenny from the Ramelton Road and Gortlee. In November, new road markings were painted which seemed to suggest that only traffic turning into the town centre should take the right hand lane, and all other traffic, including traffic

Gardai have uncovered a cannabis factory in Ballybofey. The discovery was made by members of the Drugs Unit in Letterkenny at a house in the Beechwood Avenue area of the town. Various drugs with an estimated street value of almost 23 thousand euro were seized as part of the operation. A 31 man, thought to

The Founder of the Public Against Road Carnage Group has questioned if gardai in Donegal are not setting up garda checkpoints for fear of upsetting pub and club owners. Susan Grey was responding to the news today that there were 36 detections for suspected drink-driving in the county from December 1st to January 3rd. Ms

It is understood gardai have made a significant drugs seizure in Ballybofey The drugs were discovered last night is part of an ongoing intelligence lead operation. Garda remains at the scene. One person was detained last night and is currently being held at Letterkenny Garda station.

The number signing on the live register in Donegal last month fell by 658 when compared to November. That means 21,054 people were signing on for the month of December, 3% less than the previous month. All offices across the county recorded a drop last month – the largest, in terms of numbers,  was in

Shock has been expressed today after it was claimed that a group of up to three children kicked a dog to death in Letterkenny. It is claimed the incident happened in the Long Lane area of Letterkenny last evening. The incident was witnessed by Highland Radio listener Paul, who says those involved were as young

The Garda traffic inspector for Donegal said he was extremely disappointed that the number of drink-driving detections over the Christmas period was the same as last year despite treacherous road conditions. Insp Michael Harrison was speaking after figures showed there were 36 detections for suspected drink-driving in the county from December 1st to January 3rd.

The Donegal Ancestry Centre in Ramelton, will close it’s doors today after 20 years. The centre was the official family history research centre for County Donegal and was established to help people trace their Donegal ancestors. It employed 3 full-time and 20 part-time staff. Local Councillor Ian McGarvey, says the closure of the centre is

A group which represents NI retailers has warned that the VAT rise will have an adverse effect on border towns. The NI Independent Retail Trade Association (NIRTA) said the rise from 17.5% to 20% was at a time when local retailers were already struggling. NIRTA said businesses are also having to cope with increases in

Garda are investigating after a buggy a young Letterkenny girl got as a present for Christmas was stolen. Thieves took the red Challenger buggy from the back garden of the home of seven-year-old Jessica Peoples in Letterkenny, on Sunday night. The red Challenger buggy, which was a Christmas present for 7-year-old Jessica Peoples, was stolen

Health officials are advising pregnant women, people with long term health conditions and people aged over 65 to get the flu vaccine. It comes after the number of cases of seasonal flu doubled in the last week to 5,400 – with Swine Flu accounting for the majority. Last year the Swine Flu virus claimed 27

Donegal South West Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill has confirmed that safety improvement works will be completed at the N13 (Letterkenny to Stranorlar Road) Junction with the Meenavoy County Road Junction in the coming weeks once weather conditions permit. Ó Domhnaill said: “This work which involves a right turning box land and markings follows on from

Donegal County Council says that while demand for water is slowly returning to normal in most areas further water restrictions willl be put in place tonight (Thursday) STRANORLAR ELECTORAL AREA Water supplies will be restricted in the following areas from 8:00pm until 8:00am Convoy Castlefin Raphoe Lifford Ballinacor Tievebrack Gleneely Ballybofey and Stranorlar – supply

Three Derry men have been returned for trial when they appeared at a preliminary enquiry at the local Magistrate’s Court today (Thursday) charged with possessing cocaine with intent to supply. John Paul Murray (29) of Temple Park in Derry was charged with possessing cocaine with intent to supply on December 4 2009. Paul Raymond Breslin

Lord Carlisle’s report in to allegations that MI5 was involved in the death of Derry man Kieran Doherty’s will be given to the Northern Ireland secretary within four weeks. 31-year-old Kieran Doherty was a member of the Real IRA and was murdered by the organisation in February of last year. However, his family has alleged

Letterkenny Councillor Ciaran Brogan is refusing to comment on a Tirconaill Tribune story that says he will contest the next General Election as an independent candidate of he does not secure a Fianna Fail nomination. According to the story, Cllr Brogan’s backroom team is confirming a decision has been made to go it alone if

The public has been urged not purchase home heating oil on the black market. There have been numerous reports, over Christmas and the New Year, of homes across the north west being targetted by oil thieves. Derry Councillor Eric McGinley has pointed out that the theft of oil is not a victimless crime and those

It has emerged that while the money is available to conclude the new emergency department at Letterkenny General Hospital, work on finishing the project will not start before the end of February. The project stalled when McNamara Construction were declared insolvent last year. Councillor Padraig MacLoughlainn has met with the HSE on the issue. He

The increase in people presenting to Letterkenny General Hospital is continuing to effect services today with a number of clinics cancelled. Last evening the hospital said a surge in people presenting with flu like illness as well as staff shortages due to sickness and recruitment issues were the cause of the delays. Restrictions have been

Donegal County Council’s treatment of roads is still being hindered by a lack of salt. Met Eireann is predicting temperatures will drop to lows of minus four degrees in some places tonight with a covering of snow likely in the north and northwest. The Council says that once again certain routes will have be prioritised

Letterkenny General Hospital says the current delays within the Emergency Department are the result of high numbers of people attending with flu related. A reduced numbers of medical staff available due to a combination of recruitment difficulties and sickness is also adding to the problem. Letterkenny General Hospital says it is taking all necessary steps

Donegal Airport has described 2010 as an extremely challenging year with December the worst operational month on record. A total of 32 flights were cancelled last month while the volcanic ash crisis of April and May saw a further 70 flight cancellations. There was some good news however as 2 million euro was approved for

A 19-year-old man originally from Coleraine but now with an address in Ramelton in County Donegal has been sent for trial to Derry Crown Court charged with rape. Shaun Anthony Hegarty whose address was given as Elmcourt, Ramelton County Donegal appeared at a preliminary enquiry at Limavady Magistrate’s Court today charged with raping a woman

It is claimed many schools across Donegal have not been able to open early, to catch up on lost days, because of bureaucratic nonsense between the Department of Education and Transport Providers. Senator Cecilia Keaveney says she has been contacted by school principles who wished to open for three days this week to catch up

A Donegal Councillor is accusing the government of cynically presenting water metering as a solution to the supply problems that have hit the country since Christmas. Cllr Thomas Pringle says the problems experienced after the severe weather will not be helped by the introduction of meters. He says the real problem is that ater services

Plans for a controversial cross border landfill at Macosquin in County Derry have been approved by the Planning Service in the North. Almost 2,000 objections were filed against the application from the North West Region Waste Management Group to locate the landfill site for non-hazardous waste at the Cam Quarry near Macosquin. The group is

Two reports from property websites daft.ie and myhome.ie show that house prices in County Donegal continued to fall last year. Nationally the latest fall brings the total decline from the peak of the market in late 2006 to 34.6%. According to myhome.ie in County Donegal the average price of a four bed semi detached house

A Donegal Councillor and potential Fianna Fail election candidate is calling for the abolition of the Seanad, and urging the opposition to back a referendum on the same day as the forthcoming General Election Cllr Charlie Conalogue says he believes the Seanad as it stands is a waste of time and money, and while there

Fianna Fail Senator Brian O’Domhnail says he would favour reform of the Seanad rather than it being scrapped altogether. The Defence Minister Tony Killeen has said a plan to hold a referendum to abolish the upper house on the same day as the general election would be discussed at Cabinet. The Green Party Chairman Dan

A Strabane family have said they believe they now know how their mother’s body sustained more than 30 fractures after her death in 2007. The family of Maureen McGinley have been trying for four years to find out how the fractures were caused at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. Mrs McGinley’s son James said they have

An SDLP councillor has welcomed the seizure of equipment which he claims could have be used to make pipe bombs. Mark H Durkan said shotgun cartridges and copper wire were found by police in near Hollyhall Road in Derry on New Year’s Eve. Councillor Durkan says it is regrettable that some with in Derry are

A woman from Donegal has beaten off competition from Olympic athletes around the world to win the title of World Open Water Swimmer of the Year. Anne Marie Ward from Portnablagh took more than 47% of the vote in the global online poll. She defeated bad weather, cramp and shoals of jellyfish to successfully swim

The IDA says it is aiming to create 10,000 new jobs this year through foreign direct investments. However the agency says restoring Ireland’s image in the international media will be an essential part of the process to attract further investments. Almost 11,000 new jobs were created by IDA supported companies last year – In Donegal

A man’s body has been found after a search for a missing local angler in Glenties. The man, named locally as Kieran Ward, was last seen in the town just after 7pm on Sunday evening. Members of Donegal Mountain Rescue, the Gardai and dozens of locals had spent all day yesterday searching the area around

Letterkenny General hospital is reporting a small number of confirmed cases of H1N1 virus and is urging the public with flu like symptoms to contact there GP before attending the hospital. In order to assist staff in the hospital in maintaining the best possible infection control measures people are advised not visit the hospital unless

The body of a  woman has been found at the scene of a house fire in Carndonagh. Carndonagh Fire Brigade were alerted to the fire at the Bungalow at around 11 o’clock this morning. It is understood the woman was in her 50’s and living alone. Gardai have launched an investigation into the matter –

Two of the victims of Monday’s horrific crash in Co Monaghan will be laid to rest today. Roisin Connolly and her unborn child along with friends Paul Carroll and Glen Curtis were killed in the three car collision on the N2 near Carrickmacross. Hundreds of people turned out for the removal of Roisin and her

Donegal County Council says it is its intention that all business in the hospitality sector across the county will have a water supply tonight. There are no plans for water restrictions to be put in place this evening. Last night large parts of all of Donegal’s electoral areas were effected by  up to 14 hour

The families of those killed and wounded on Bloody Sunday have said next month’s anniversary march will be a public thank you to the people of Derry. It will be the first march since the Saville Report found the dead and wounded innocent. Some relatives have said it will be the last ever commemoration march.

This is the latest bulletin from Donegal County Council, including details of restrictions to water supplies tonight. GLENTIES ELECTORAL AREA Water supplies will be restricted in the following areas from 6:00pm until 8:00am The Rosses Gweedore Leittermacaward Area Ardara Area Gortahork Falcarragh Creeslough Dunfanaghey DONEGAL ELECTORAL AREA Water supplies will be restricted in the following