Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal County Council and the gardai have been strongly criticised before the Oireachtas Committee on Transport for their handling of the investigation in to the death of newly-married Sinead McDaid in Donegal 9 years ago. Mrs Mc Daid died when the car she was travelling in crashed on a temporary road surface in Culdaff. Her […]

A Strabane man appeared before Dublin’s Special Criminal Court charged with murdering a man in Donegal two years ago. 36-year-old Martin Kelly of Barrack Street, Strabane, was charged with the murder of  27-year-old Andrew Burns at Doneyloop, Castlefin on February 12th, 2008. Mr Burns was found with gunshot wounds outside a church, by teenagers attending

Full details of the way Garda Robbie McCallion received injuries while checking a stolen car report and from which he later died were related for the first time at Letterkenny Circuit Court today. They were spelled out during sentencing of Cathal Dunleavy, 21, who was on temporary release at the time from prison. He was

It’s been confirmed that he new Donegal County Manager will be Seamus Neely, the current Director of Environmental Services. Previously, he served as a Director of Services on Cavan County Council, with responsibility at various stages for planning, transportation and corporate services. In the 1990s, he spent a period as Assistent Town Clerk in Letterkenny,

Sinn Fein Cllr Cora Harvey is the new Mayor of Donegal, with party colleague Cllr Padraig Mac Lochlainn elected as her Deputy. She becomes the first Sinn Fein member to take the chair in Donegal since 1923. She defeated Cllr Ciaran Brogan by 18 votes to 11, with Independent Cllr Seamus O’Domhnail supporting Cllr Brogan,

Donegal County Council is in discussions with the Department of Defence with regards to taking over the disused barracks at Rockhill. This week, the army confirmed it has postponed a planned auction to give the council more time to work out how to take over the property and preserve its heritage and potential for the

Cllr Cora Harvey will today become the first Sinn Fein Mayor of Donegal since 1923, with her party colleague Cllr Padraig Mac Lochlainn expected to be confirmed as her deputy. This is part of a new agreement between the non-Fianna Fail members, which will see the chair going to Labour, Fine Gael and the Independent

Police in the UK say they are in contact with both the PSNI and gardai about sex offender William John Paden who has breached the terms of his release licence, and may be in Ireland. Paden went missing from Lancashire late last week, with police saying they believe he may have travelled to Northern Ireland.

An IMPACT union spokesperson has described comments made by Mayor Brenden Byrne on public work services as naive and ill-judged. Councilor Byrne said that clarification from the government was being sought, to see if the council could proceed with the ‘Whole System of Work’ in Donegal. The project was created in the county and sets

The Donegal County Manager has written to Environment Minister John Gormley seeking clarification on the nature of a review into certain alleged planning irregularities in Donegal during the period from 1998 to 2001. Information was sought from the council last September on foot of allegations forwarded to the Minister by former Senior Planner Gerry Convie.

Letterkenny Superintendent Vincent O’Brien says the awarding of a Civic Commemeration by Donegal County Council to the late Garda Robert Mc Callion was an emotional event for the family and for An Garda Siochana. Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and Assistant Commissioner Kieran Kenny joined a large number of serving and retired gardai for the ceremony. During

The late Garda Robbie Mc Callion has been honoured by Donegal County Council at a special civic ceremony in Lifford this evening. Garda Mc Callion died after he was struck by a car while on duty at Tara Court outside Letterkenny in April last year. The posthumous honour was presented by Mayor Brendan Byrne on

Fire crews are continuing – some 7 hours later – to try and bring a serious gorse fire under control in the Bunbeg area. The fire was initially extinguished last night but reignited this morning. Fire crews have been on the scene since 8am but are experiencing difficulties trying to control it. Very dense smoke

It was a happy weekend for Donegal as the weekend Lotto jackpot of €2,683,784 was won by a €4 Quick Pick ticket purchased in Mac’s Books and Newsagents, 50 Upper Main Street, Buncrana, Co. Donegal. Ireland’s latest Lotto winners will be presented with their cheque in National Lottery offices by Dermot Griffin, Chief Executive, National

The rules which sees planning permission for houses on national secondary roads, such as the n56 in Donegal, automatically refused, may be about to change. It has been confirmed that the Department of Transport and the NRA have finalised a review of the planning policy guidlines and relaxing of planning permission on national roads is

Donegal County Council is set to write to Junior Minister Dara Colleary, to clarify whether or not negotiations can take place locally on the implementation of changed work practices. Minister Colleary has special responsibility for the implementation of the Croke Park Agreement. During a sometimes heated meeting this morning, County Manager Michael Mc Loone outlined

Donegal manager John Joe Doherty has tendered his resignation as Senior County manager. His decision follows Saturdays dissapointing defeat to Armagh in Crossmaglen. Donegals 9 point defeat in the All-Ireland qualifier has brought an end to Championship football for the county during the summer.

There are reports that the convicted sex offender William John Paden, who is wanted by UK police, was sighted in West Donegal at the weekend. Although Gardaí are refusing to comment, it is understood there was what has been described as a “positive sighting” of Paden at Main Street, Dungloe just after 6.30pm on Saturday

A 14 year old Norwegian youth remains in a critical condition after he was struck by a car in Letterkenny on Saturday afternoon. It’s understood the boy and was in Donegal as part of an exchange programme. He was transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin on Saturday afternoon, where his condition remains critical. The accident

Donegal County Council says households served by the Crolly Water Supply have been affected over the weekend by what’s beed described as a major burst in the area yesterday. The area served by the Dore reservoir is particularly badly affected, with interruptions set to continue. Meanwhile, cutoffs are anticipated again tonight in the areas which

A 14 year old boy is being treated in hospital after he was struck by a car in Letterkenny this afternoon. It’s understood the boy is Norwegian, and was in Donegal as an exchange student. Gardai have confirmed tonight that the injured youth is en route to a Dublin hospital for treatment. The accident happened

Donegal County Council says water supply interruptions are anticipated again tonight, with people being urged to conserve supplies, and toreport any leakages to 074 91 72399. Last night, a number of areas serviced by the Lough Mourne Water Supply were disconnected for a time, namely Lifford, Cavanhill and Tievebrack. Greencastle supply was also switched off

A man has suffered head and facial injuries in an assault in the Creggan area of Derry. The man, who is in his 40s, was found near the junction of Fanad Drive and Central Drive at about 6 o’clock this morning with injuries that are not believed tio be life threatening. Police have appealed to

An Inishowen father of five children has been given a three year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a girl when she was aged between 11 and 13. At Letterkenny Circuit Court, 59 year old Daniel McConalogue, a builder from Carrowmore, Gleneely in Inishowen admitted 14 charges of sexually assaulting the girl who lived nearby, on

The “Set the Truth Free” campaign in Derry has published an open letter today thanking all those who helped in the campaign which culminated in the publiocation last week of the Saville Inquiry report. The statement says on 30th January 1972, a dark cloud descended upon Derry, and it stayed until last Tuesday June 15th

Appeals by four dissident republicans held liable for the 1998 Omagh bomb are to be heard in January. Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell, Seamus Daly and Colm Murphy were successfully sued by 12 victims’ relatives, who were awarded £1.6m compensation last June. The judge also found the dissident republican organisation, the Real IRA, liable for the

A new survey has shown that Donegal is proving one of the most popular destinations for people choosing a ‘staycation’ holiday this year. 74% of those who are choosing to holiday at home are doing so in just six counties including Donegal, however not a single reposindent said they were going to be holidaying in

The continued demise of the construction industry in Donegal has been highlighted today by figures from the CSO which show a drastic year on year drop in planning permissions being granted. However the rate of permission granted for the first quarter of 2010 show that far more permission were granted in Donegal compared to other

Councillor Thomas Pringle has described the decision to officially open the Killybegs Environmental Improvements Scheme before is completed as a disgrace and a cynical move. Councillor Pringle is convinced the decision was taken to ensure the opening was performed under a Fianna Fail Mayor in Councilllor Brenden Byrne. Councillor Byrne’s controversial stint as mayor ends

Senator Cecilia Keaveney says Donegal business owners using the so called Mosquito device are abusing the human rights of the young. The device emits a high pitched sound which can only be heard by young people and has been used in a number of town’s in Donegal to deter young people from congregating. A report

Water should be returning to most homes shortly affected by the latest outage enforced by Donegal County Council to head conserve low stocks. Once again the lough Mourne Water Supply was switched off affecting a number of areas including Lifford, Raphoe and the Twin Towns. Greencastle supply was also switched off affecting all of Greencastle

The Minister for Health and Children is to appoint new specialist consultants to Letterkenny General Hospital In the coming months it is hoped that an endocrinologist/ diabetologist consultant will be in place while a hematologist appointment is proving complicated but should be in place in the near future. The hospital has been trying to appoint

Derry District Judge Mr. Barney McElholm has  threatened to order that every prisoner due to appear in court be brought there in person rather than use the video link system. He was speaking after technical difficulties prevented Derry Magistrate’s Court linking up with Maghaberry Prison for weekly remand hearings. The video link system is us

Motorsport Ireland has said more safety procedures must be put in place at the Knocalla Stage of the Donegal Rally. Also it was reported in todays Irish Independent that Motorsport Ireland are not planning any specific enquiry into the weekends tragic accident, but President Joe Cocoran has firmly denied this. 26-year-old Thomas Maguire from Longwood,

A contractor has threatened to pull out of a housing estate in Derry if attacks on his workers continue. The company, which is laying gas pipes, said one of its drivers was attacked yesterday at a site on the Ringfort Road in Hazelbank. In a separate incident a van driver was assaulted at Marianus Park

Up to 85 positions at Foyle Meats are at risk of redundancy, its parent company Foyle Food Group has said. Based in Campsie Foyle Meats has a processing capacity of 1,500 cattle and 12,000 lambs per week. At its peak, the Foyle Group was Northern Ireland’s biggest exporters of lambs. It processed up to 400,000

Two young men today admitted charges linked to the death of Garda Robbie McCallion in Co. Donegal last year. Jamie McGrenaghan, 19, who was driving a car registered in 1998, admitted driving it dangerously and causing the death of 29-year-old Gda McCallion at Tara Court Letterkenny, on March 26 last year. 21 year-old Cathal Dunleavy

Donegal County Council has again warned that water supplies will be subject to overnight restrictions while shortages persist. Last night, there were disruptions to a number of areas served by the Lough Mourne scheme, particularly the Twin Towns, Gleneely, Tievebrack, Ballinacorr, Raphoe, Lifford and Liscooley. The whole of the area served by the Greencastle Water

New, lower drink driving limits have been voted through the Dail – and will become law within a matter of weeks. This is despite strong opposition from publicans and the Vintners’ Association – who say the lower limit will be the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for the pub industry. However, Donegal based road safety

County Manager Michael Mc Loone has promised councillors in Buncrana that the temporary traveller halting site at Lisfannon outside the town will not be made permanent, and he will sign a binding order to that effect. Council officials are involved in negotiations with a view towards developing a permanent alternative, and while Mr Mc Loone

City of Derry Airport has announced it is to enter into a new partnership with a private firm. It is hoped the deal will end the financial burden on Londonderry ratepayers within seven years. The airport currently costs Derry City Council £3.5m a year. The council said in was in the final stages of discussions

Buncrana Town Council has agreed to seek a spur from Project Kelvin to improve broadband connecticvity in the town. The proposal to pursue the connection was raised by outgoing Mayor Cllr Lee Tedstone, who said the council can secure the spur from its own resources. Cllr Tedstone says he, and the new Mayor Cllr Padraig

The Business Watch security model which has been running in Letterkenny for a number of years is to be extended into other areas of Donegal. Plans to operate the model in Gweedore are at an advanced stage, with the Finn Valley also being considered as a venue. Meanwhile, Gardai and Letterkenny Chamber will host a