Author name: oisinkelly

Two men have escaped an alleged abduction attempt – when the car they were in crashed in Derry. The men – aged 19 and 23 – claim they were in a house in the Circular Road area when four men – two armed with guns – entered just before 10.30 last night. They said they […]

Some wintry showers at first will die out early tonight (Sunday) and it will be bitterly cold with widespread severe frost and icy patches. Lows of 0 to -6 Celsius in light winds. Monday will be another extremely cold day with frost and any fog slow to clear. Mostly dry and bright with sunny spells.

Freezing temperatures are being recorded around the Donegal following further  snowfalls last night. Temperatures have fallen as low as -7C in some parts with many roads across the county very icy. Road users and pedestrians have been urged to take extra care and to make journeys only when necessary. Donegal County Council has undertook a

Labour party leader Eamon Gilmore has congratulated Cllr. Frank McBrearty on his ‘ very encouraging performance in the Donegal South West By Election’. He said Frank has more than trebled the Labour Party share of the vote over the general election in a constituency where the Labour Party has not been traditionally strong. In 2007

SDLP Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey has said the community is horrified after a pensioner was held at gunpoint and robbed in his home in the Gobnascale area of Derry. He said: “The people of the Waterside are appalled that an elderly man in their community has been brutalised in this way. “The SDLP wholeheartedly condemn

A number of Bus Éireann services in the and north west are experiencing delays today. Bus Éireann will continue to monitor weather and road conditions throughout the day. The affected services are: 1 Dublin-Belfast – delayed 32 Dublin-Letterkenny – delayed 33 Dublin-Derry – delayed

Donegal Sinn Fein Senator Pearse Doherty is to move from Seanad Eireann to the Dail after winning the Donegal South West by-election in emphatic fashion. He was declared elected after the fourth count, without reaching the quota. However, as his total vote exceeded the combined votes of the remaining candidates, Cllr Barry O’Neill of Fine

Distribution of Cllr Thomas Pringle’s 3,763 votes Senator Pearse Doherty   SF      +1,709     16,897 Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  + 433       8.069 Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG    +869    8,182 As Pearse Doherty cannot be mathematically be passed, he has been declared elected.

Distribution of Cllr Frank Mc Brearty’s 3,375 votes Senator Pearse Doherty   SF      +1,452       15,188 Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  + 278        7,636 Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG    +871       7,313 Cllr Thomas Pringle  Ind  +272    3,763 Cllr Thomas Pringle eliminated

Distribution of Anne Sweeney’s 133 votes Senator Pearse Doherty   SF  +17       13,736 Cllr Frank Mc Brearty Lab +9    3,375 Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  +14    7,358 Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG   +18    6,442 Cllr Thomas Pringle  Ind   +53    3,491 Cllr Frank Mc Brearty eliminated

Electorate       62,299 Total Poll  34.908 Invalid Votes   484 Valid Poll   34,424 Quota   17,213 First Count Senator Pearse Doherty   SF   13,719 Cllr Frank Mc Brearty Lab  3,366 Senator Brian O’Domhmaill FF  7,344 Cllr Barry O’Neill   FG    6,424 Cllr Thomas Pringle  Ind  3,438 Anne Sweeney Ind  133 Anne Sweeney eliminated

Speaking at the count centre in Stranorlar this morning, Senator Pearse Doherty said he is confident, but is taking nothing for granted until there is an official count……. For Fianna Fail, the analysis of what went wrong now begins. Cllr Seamus O’Domhnaill, the brother of Senator Brian O’Domhnaill, says there is no doubt that national

Counting is continuing in the Donegal South West by-election. Counting began at 9 o clock this morning. Final and complete tally: PEARSE DOHERTY 39.7% BRIAN O’DOMHNAILL 21.2% BARRY O’NEILL 18.4% FRANK MCBREARTY 10.2% THOMAS PRINGLE 10.1%

Counting is underway this morning in the Donegal South West by-election. Counting began at 9 o clock. The latest tallies with 72% of the boxes (out of 100) are as follows: PEARSE DOHERTY – 39.8% BRIAN O’DOMHNAILL 21.5% BARRY O’NEILL 18.8% THOMAS PRINGLE 10.1% FRANK MCBREARTY 9.8%

Speculation continues to mount today about who will run for Fianna Fail in Donegal North-East in the upcoming General Election. It was reported earlier this week that moves had been made within the party to put Councillor Charlie McConalogue at the forefront of the running. But Senator Cecillia Keaveney has denied this and she says

A man has been ordered to take the roof off his two storey luxury house and turn it into a wall plate dormer  – to prevent it from being demolished. Joe Lynch had been given until this week to comply with a court order to bulldoze his €250,000 home after he built it a number

Counting is underway this morning in the Donegal South West by-election. Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty looks set to take the seat vacated 18 months by Pat the Cope Gallagher. The total electorate of 62,229 for the by-election was divided among 136 polling stations. A number of offshore islands voted last Monday as a precaution

Motorists are being advised to take extreme care on the roads this weekend as temperatures are set to fall as low as minus 5 at night with snow and icy conditions expected from this evening. The wintry weather is forecast to hit this evening with snow showers expected in the north west. Snow showers are

Voting is continuing in the Donegal South-West by-election, and the turnout is described as steady. Polling stations opened at 7am and remain open until 10pm. Over 62,000 people are entitled to vote to fill the Dáil seat vacated by Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher when he was elected to the European Parliament in 2009. At the

Voting is underway to elect a new TD for the Donegal South West Constituency today. The seat was vacated 18 months ago with the election of Pat the Cope Gallagher to the European Parliament. 62-thousand-229 people in the Donegal South West Constituency have the right to vote. Some 136 polling stations are located around the

A judge and a solicitor clashed today(Wed) over a bail application by a man jailed for four months for road offences. Defence solicitor Cathal Quinn said that a potential bailsperson was delayed on the way to Glenties District Court when Judge Seamus Hughes recalled that the previous day an unacceptable surety for the jailed man,

Letterkenny Town Council is writing to the Department of Communications asking that any liberalisation of postal services be carried out very carefully, and in a way that does not damage communities. The issue was raised in an emergency motion by Cllr Tom Crossan, who said that a recent meeting called by the Communications Workers Union

Millionaire entrepeneur Sir Gerry Robinson is on the right track after securing a license to sell alcohol at a train station on his massive country estate. The former head of Granada Television now lives in Raphoe, Co Donegal with his wife Lady Heather Robinson. But yesterday he was granted a rather unusual request after making

An  apartment block which was to have been sold at auction in Ballybofey this evening was withdrawn after no bids emerged. The Donegal apartments, at Navenny Place, Trusk Road comprise a 47 apartment package whuich must be bought as a going concern, with a guide price of €550,000. Bids for single apartments would not be

Subcontractors have been protesting in Ballybofey today over the sale of an appartment block. The Donegal apartments, at Navenny Place, Trusk Road are going to auction with a guide price €11,700 each, but single apartments will not be sold, the complete block must be bought as one concern. The apartments are not finished, and will

The body of missing fisherman Robert Mc Laughlin has been found. Mr Mc Laughlin, who was 41,  had been missing since November 1st, when the lobster boat Jennifer, on which he was fishing with his uncle sank off Glengad. The body of his uncle, 65 year old Edward Doherty, was found shortly after the tragedy.

Three men accused of IRA membership after they were arrested in Donegal earlier this year have been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court. During their trial, the court was told the court that the prosecution case was not solely reliant on the belief evidence of a garda Chief Superintendent, but consisted of different “strands”

The IMPACT trade unions is seeking an urgent meeting with the HSE to discuss what impact the recent early retirement and redundancy schemes will have on services in County Donegal. 3,700 applications have been received by the HSE from staff who have until the 30th November to finally decide when the ‘cooling off’ period ends.

The government has been unable to say when contractors who worked not only on the new department at Letterkenny General Hospital, but also the new Buncrana Garda Station will be paid. Michael McNamara Limited, which went in to liquidation earlier this month was responsible for both projects. It has emerged that a number of Donegal

Slashing the minimum wage, cutting social welfare payments, tax hikes, new charges and public sector job losses will be announced by Government today. The long awaited four year deficit reduction plan will be unveiled this afternoon. It’s been billed as the plan to save teh country from financial collapse and it’ll be made public later

A meeting is being sought with the Minister for Defence by a group who wish to take over the Rockhill Army Barracks in Letterkenny and turn it in to a flagship tourism project. The premises has been lying vacant since the start of 2009 when soldiers were moved to Finner Camp – The Rockhill House

The Mayor of Letterkenny is predicting that improvement works which are coming to an end on the town’s Main Street will help revitalise the area and bring shoppers back to the historic town centre. Just over a million euro has been spent on the project, which will be completed by the beginning of next week.

Derry man has been jailed for eight years for the manslaughter of pizza delivery man Emmett Shields who was shot dead in June 2008. Gary Meenan, 20, from Bishop Street, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a murder trial had started. Meenan’s 20-year-old girlfriend, Nadine Kelly, of 22, Celandine Court was given a one year jail term

It looks like it’s time to bring out the winter woollies again this week – with a major cold snap forecast for the next few days. Met Eireann says the worst of the weather will be over the weekend – but it will hit first on Thursday. The cold snap means snow and sleet will

An 87-year-old man who raped and sexually abused five of his granddaughters over a 19-year period will be sentenced next week at the Central Criminal Court. The man “groomed” each girl in an almost identical fashion. He started off by talking to them about sex when they were around seven, before moving on to molest

Indpendent candidate Anne Sweeney has effectively withdrawn from the Donegal South West By-election calling on the public to stay at home in protest on Thursday. Ms Sweeney made the announcement today citing the developments of the last few days for her decision. While Ms Sweeney’s name will still appear on the ballot paper she is

Donegal South West by-election candidate Ann Sweeney has called for the by-election to be scrapped. She said that with the increasing political uncertainty, it would be unfair to ask the people of Donegal South-West to go to the polls twice in a matter of weeks. A General Election looks imminent with the Greens effectively pulling

A fence is to be erected around Gartan Field in Letterkenny in a bid to curb anti-social behaviour in the area. The Town Council has agreed to provide access to local residents through two locked gates, while the right of way in the area will be respected with another set of gates which will be

A plan to create hundreds of jobs in Ballybofey is awaiting approval from the planning office. The developer, the Orana Group, said it plans to develop a supermarket, retail park and Leisure Centre in a 100 million euro investment. The developer said it would create 840 jobs. Senator Pearse Doherty says he has guarantees that

A judge refused to award compensation to a Donegal Town head shop that was robbed of nearly €5,000 of legal highs. But Judge Kevin Kilrane adjourned the case of two men who stole the highs that mimic the effect of hash, cocaine and ecstasy so their behaviour could be monitored over the next six months.

Letterkenny Town Council is to move to agree a site for allotments in the coming weeks, with the site near the Glencar Reservoir now the main focus of attention. This week’s reconvened meeting of the council was told that discussions about a piece of land near West Hill offered by Bishop Philip Boyce have ended

With serious questions hanging over whether or not Brian Cowen will lead Fianna Fail into the next election, Donegal North East TD Niall Blaney has offered a spirited defence of the Taoiseach, saying he and the Fianna Fail party have been unfairly treated by the media. Deputy Blaney says he believes history will show that

Two Donegal businessmen are recruiting this week for a new event services company, which they say will be uniquely positioned to meet the changing demands of insurance and licencing laws. Rapid Response is currently recruiting a panel of security and medical experts, with a view towards weorking with event organisers across the country to help

A 999 coordination centre will be officially opened in Ballyshannon this afternoon, almost fuve years after it was first announced. Tánaiste Mary Coughlan will, this afternoon, launch the Emergency Call Answering Service. The centre, which is being operated under contract by BT Ireland will employ 33 people, and is one of three centres which will

The Green Party says it wants a General Election in the second half of next January. The leader of the Junior coalition party says the Irish people feel betrayed and misled, and it’s time they were given the chance to decide who will run the country. However, he says, before gong to the country, the

Police in Derry have come under attack during a security alert in the city. 30 families were evacuated from their homes overnight after a pipebomb was found at Cromore Gardens. Missiles, including bricks and fireworks, were thrown at PSNI officers working at the scene. A 17-year-old youth was arrested and charged in connection with the

Islanders go to the polls in the Donegal South West by-election today, with polling stations on Arranmore, Tory, Gola, Inishfree and Inishboffin opening at 10.30 this morning. Voting will close on Arranmore at 7.30 this evening, and on the other islands at 3 o’clock this afternoon.

A St Johnston man says Donegal County Council is trying to put himself and his family on to the street. Donegal County Council went to court to put a final stay on the home of Joe Lynch, because his house has been built a number of nmetres from where the original planning permission stated. The

The receiver appointed to Michael McNamara & Company, has put its main assets up for sale. Declan Taite, of Farrell Grant Sparks, has invited offers for the business and for its assets. Work on the new emergency department at Letterkenny General Hospital has ground to a halt as a result of the company going in

Fine Gael Donegal South-West by-election candidate, Cllr Barry O’Neill has said that comments made yesterday afternoon by Brian O’Domhnaill in relation to cancer services expose how out of touch the Fianna Fail candidate is. Senator O’Domhnaill said during a debate on Highland Radio that his party is committed to providing a cancer centre of excellence