Author name: oisinkelly

The Catholic Church has denied it engaged in a cover-up to protect a priest suspected of involvement in the 1972 Claudy bombing, in which 9 people were killed. The North’s police ombudsman’s report into the atrocity – says the RUC conspired with the British government and the Catholic church – to transfer Fr James Chesney. […]

There was some good news for the former workers at Keith Prowse call centre in Buncrana today when it was confirmed that social welfare payments for those effected are being processed. One hundred jobs were lost earlier this month with the announcement that the centre was to close after its parent company went into liquidation.

A report into the handling of the Claudy bombing in the north has found the police investigation into a Catholic priest suspected over the attack was stopped after senior officers conspired with the British Government and Church to protect him. Father James Chesney was transferred to a parish in Co Donegal following secret talks between

A charity, which provides support for sex workers, has said it has received an increase in calls from prostitutes in Donegal seeking help. ‘Ruhama’ says that while the perception may be that prostitution is an urban problem in recent years they are receiving calls from sex workers in more rural areas seeking support. Nationally the

There has been a significant increase in the amount of court judgements against companies in Donegal. The figures relate to court actions taken against companies for the recovery of unpaid debt and cover the second quarter of 2010. The value of court judgments in Donegal  for unpaid debt in the second quater of this year

The NowDoc service in Mountcharles is moving into a new premises today with the area served by the office set to expand next month. The service is moving out of the current treatment centre on Main Street, and into the old Seamount Hotel site which has been specially adapted. Service Manager Angela Tysall says the

Two environmental courses are to be offered to 33 people in Donegal under a new funding initiative announced by Tanaiste Mary Coughlan. The courses have been appropved as part of an additional €12 million under the Labour Market Activation Fund. Tanaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan says the additional funding announced last night will support

A row over who should fix a faulty phone line has left thousands of HSE patients unable to contact a public health service in the northwest. Patients needing prescriptions, counselling and appointments have been unable to call the Primary Health Care Centre in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, for most of the past three weeks. During that

The Central Applications Office says it will be launching an investigation into why its website crashed earlier today. It happened as thousands of students were awaiting their first round college offers. The CAO believes it was caused by a malicious attack on its website which is now back up and running. The points requirements for

Representatives from Siptu are meeting with management from Oatfield today, to discuss how the remaining 15 jobs in the factory in Letterkenny can be maintained. Highland Radio News obtained a letter circulated to staff on Friday by the company’s board of management confirming the job losses. Speaking on todays Shaun Doherty show, Siptus Donegal Secretary,

A 20-year-old man has been charged with drink driving and dangerous driving causing the death of a female passenger earlier this year. Matthew Gallagher, of Skerry, Kilmacrennan, was before Letterkenny District Court. 20-year-old Matthew Gallagher from Skerry, Kilmacrennan is charged with drink driving and dangerous driving causing the death of a female passenger earlier this

Letterkenny is the cleanest town in Ulster. That’s according to the results of teh 2010 survey commisioned by Irish Business Against Litter (Ibal) published this morning. Of 53 twons surveyed, just over half recieved the accolade “litter – free” – down from two-thirds on last year. Letterkenny was found to be the cleanest town in

A day after it was annouced on Highland Radio that 30 jobs are to go at the Oatfield factory in Letterkenny, a local Councillor says that these job losses could spell the end of the factory. Highland Radio News obtained a letter circulated to staff yesterday by the company’s board of management confirming the job

Fingers cross for a good clear day because the annual, all-island whale watch takes place tomorrow. Organised by Whale Watch Ireland, there are over a dozen viewing sites around the country including Lough Swilly in Donegal. Watch leader in Donegal is Dermott McLaughlin, and he had this advice for people taking place in tomorrows watch.

A leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement has been charged with committing an offence under terrorism legislation. 39-year-old Gary Donnelly of Sackville Court in Derry, appeared at Derry Magistrates’ Court, on Friday. The charge relates to three pipe bomb attacks in September 2009. Gary Donnelly is accused of having a mobile phone in

30 jobs are to go at the Oatfield Confectionery factory in Letterkenny. Highland Radio News has obtained a letter circulated to staff today by the company’s board of management confirming the job losses. In the letter the company says that it is with regret that they have to transfer the ‘boiling production’ from Oatfield in

The PSNI say they will return a SIM card to the Derry journalist whose mobile phone was seized, but they are holding on to his handset. Eamon Mc Dermott’s phone was taken as part of an investigation into a bomb attack in the city last year for which he received the claim of responsibility. He

The Mayor of Letterkenny says if more gardai are needed on the streets ofthe town, then thy should be provided. Cllr Tadhg Culbert was speaking in the wake of a brutal attack on a retired nurse in Mc Clures Terrace las Tuesday afternoon as she walked to the shops. Anna Mc Daid underwent surgery to

Both Donegal County Council and the VEC are reporting 3rd level grant applications in excess of last year with intending students urged to submit applications if they haven’t already done so. The date for which applications can be submitted for the next term was brought forward this year in an effort to avoid delays in

It has been confirmed that a new 200 square metre building is to be provided for Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada on Arranmore island. The new building will house three new class rooms and will replace the current prefabs at the school which are said to be falling into a state of disrepair. School principal Mary Doherty

The NUJ is calling for the return of a mobile phone seized from a Derry journalist yesterday. Eamon Mc Dermott is a freelance journalist who regularly covers court sittings in Derry for several media outlets, including Highland Radio News. He also writes about dissident republicans, and occasionally receives claims of responsibility for actions they have

Gardai in Letterkenny have renewed an appeal for information after a vicious daylight mugging in the town left a woman in Letterkenny General Hospital with broken bones and severe bruising. Anna Mc Daid, a retired nurse, was violently knocked to the ground and had her handbag stolen in the attack at Mc Clures Terrace just

New figures show that rents for students attending the Letterkenny Institute of Technology are the cheapest in the country. According to the latest figures from property website Daft. ie – Students renting a single room in Letterkenny will pay approximately €173 per-month. This compares to a monthly rent of 500 in Dublin City Centre, 339

Thousands of students in the North have received the equivalent of their Leaving Cert results. It’s a poignant day for the family of the one of the teenagers who died in the County Derry gas poisoning tragedy earlier this month. 18-year-old Aaron Davidson achieved top marks in four subjects. His mother Katrina says they’re sad

It’s emerged that over 100 pubs in Donegal have chosen to cease trading over the past 12 months following the publication of new figures from the Revenue Commissioners. 106 pubs in the county did not renew their licences over the past year, the third highest figure in the country after Dublin and Cork. Publicans say

More than 12,000 pupils across Northern Ireland have been receiving their A level results today, with competition for university places expected to be tougher than ever this year. All universities and colleges are reporting increassed applications, with the University of Ulster’s Magee College in Derry reporting over 6,100 applications for just 951 available places, representing

Just over 250 thousand euro has been allocated by the Office of Public works to address some of the damage caused by last years flooding in Gweedore. The money, allocated to the Gweedore Flooding Project, will be used for a number of repair projects,  most notably to bridges damaged in the area. Councillor Terence Slowey

Job creation agencies, local political representatives and management of the Keith Prowse call Centre will meet today to discuss how best to attract a new company to the premises. The Centre in Buncrana closed last weekend with the loss of 100 jobs. Some staff have still to receive their outstanding wages while FAS being accused

15 Australian students have travelled half way across the world to study Irish in Donegal. Classes and summer schools are held regularly in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra but this year, for the first time, 15 enthusiasts are spending a fortnight in Glencolmcille attending classes with Oideas Gael. One of them is Barney Devlin, originally from

As analysis and assessment of Leaving Cert results continues today, one Donegal student is celebrating the maximum 600 points this afternoon. Sinead Brennan, a student at Loreto Convent in Letterkenny received six A1s and a B in maths. She intends to study medicine, probably in the UK……..

A Donegal councillor says the HSE must change the way many of its bureaucrats think if real savings are to be achieved. Cllr Jimmy Harte, a member of the HSE West Regional Forum says millions of euro are wasted each year because the HSE won’t take crutches and other mobility aids back, even when they’ve

The Presbyterian Church is stressing it is not abandoning two congregations in Donegal which have been without ministers for some time, in the former case, over a year. The congregations in Dunfanaghy – Carrigart and Carndonagh – Malin are both seeking new ministers, but as of yet, no appointments have been made. The church’s Board

Staff at the Seatam Keith Prowse call centre in Buncrana have been meeting this afternoon to seek clarity on their immediate future. The plant stopped operating at the weekend, but there’s a question mark over wages, with staff saying some are still owed money. There’s also an issue with the staff receiving P45s, because the

Small businesses in Donegal are being invited to attend a major seminar in Larne next month. The one-day seminar is being hosted by TradeLinks, the cross-border business development programme coordinated by Donegal County Enterprise Board. They say local businesses will have a chance to pitch their products and services to private and public sector buyers

2,072 students who sat the Leaving Cert exam qnd 139 who sat the Leaving Cert Applied in Donegal have begun collecting their results this morning. Schools opened at 9 o’clock, results can be picked up online or by phone from midday. The Education Minister is urging people receiving their Leaving Cert results today – not

It’s been confirmed that Derry is to be one of the venues for the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race in two years time. In July 2012, Derry will welcoming the ten-strong fleet at the end of the final transatlantic stage of the 40,000-mile race en route to the race finish. The city will also

A Derry MLA says the law should be changed to state that anyone riding a bicycle must wear a helmet. So far this year there have been 42 cases in Northern Ireland, including one on Strabane, of children being rushed to Royal Victoria Hospital with head injuries sustained from a bicycle fall. Pat Ramsey says

The “Begin Again” work placement programme which is operated by the Dept. Education & Skills receives it’s Donegal launch at the Enterprise Fund Business Centre in Letterkenny this evening. Under the scheme, unemployed professionals are offered a 12-week placement in a position matching their expertise, in the hope that a job may follow. All benefits

The Donegal developer of a  new saver card says it will enable Irish consumers to save hundreds of euro each year, while also supporting clubs, schools and charities. Emmett Gallagher, a native of Gweedore is Director of gosave.ie, the company behind the new gosave cards. Charities, schools and other non-profit groups, sell gosave cards as

A man arrested during the investigation into the dissident bomb attack on Strand Road Police Station earlier this month has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court.. 53 year old Thomas Christopher Nash from Ivy Park in the Prehen area of the Waterside faced five charges of possesion of arms and ammunition. He was remanded in custody

A man is critically ill in a Dublin hospital following an explosion at a house in the Cloonbara area of Falcarragh. Emergency services received a call around 10pm last night. Two units of the fire brigade attended. The house has been extensively damaged. Gardai are to carry out a forensic examination of the house this

Health unions and management at Letterkenny General Hospital begin local discussions on cost cutting today after talks under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission adjourned at the weekend until the end of the month. In a joint statement issued after the HSE West talks ended in Galway, all sides agreed to explore all options

Summer can’t last forever ….but soon summer TIME might, if the government follows the lead of the British Parliament, which is considering plans to permanently move clocks forward by an hour If the UK proposal is adopted this Autumn, it could mean Strabane and Lifford spend have the year in different time zones. Senator Fergal

The funeral is taking place today of 51 year old teacher Marie O’Donnell of Knockbrack, Portsalon who died in a two car collision just outside Milford on the Kilmacrennan Road last week. Gardai are still investigating the crash, which left three people, including her husband ill in hospital. The two vehicle collision between Mrs O’Donnell’s