Author name: oisinkelly

Tanaiste Mary Coughlan will attend a function this morning to sign the contract for a key element of the €16 million Killybegs Sewerage Scheme. The document being signed today is a contract to design, build and operate the Main Pump Station, Outfall & Industrial collection System. Donegal Mayor Cllr Brendan Byrne is hopeful that schemes […]

The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed closed until midday tomorrow as a result of further volcanic activity in Iceland. City of Derry Airport is also closed today, as are other airports in Belfast and in Britian.

A man remains in a critical condition in a Belfast hospital this evening after falling from a cliff at Portrush. The man was watching the North West 200 motorcycle race at Ballyreagh Road when the accident happened just before 3 o’clock yesterday. He fell about 60ft.

Donegal Airport could once again be affected by volcanic ash tomorrow according the the Irish Aviation Authority. In a bulletin tonight, the IAA says Donegal, Sligo and Ireland West (Knock) airports will be open until 7am . All other Irish airports will be open until at least 1pm tomorrow. The IAA said that due to

It’s emerged that the “Donegal Live” tourism showcase could be brought to Glasgow, Belfast and other areas if tomorrow’s debut in Dublin’s Temple Bar is a success. ‘Donegal Live’ kicks off at Meeting House Square tomorrow between 12noon and 6pm, with a host of local personalities and musicians there to promote Donegal as a tourist

The partner of a Donegal man accused of sexually assaulting three young girls has denied she ever walked into their daughters room and found him him standing over the bed with his privates exposed. The 44-year-old Donegal man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting

Two gardai who died in seperate incidents in Donegal last year will be honoured at the opening of a memorial garden today. Robbie Mc Callion and Gary Mc Laughlin were the latest of 83 gardai who have died in the line of duty. Also included is Donegal Sergeant Paul Reid, who died on UN secondment

Appeals against the Omagh bomb civil action are to go ahead after legal aid was granted to all four men held liable for the atrocity. Judges were told funding has been secured for each of the dissident republican suspects – including Liam Campbell, the alleged Real IRA chief who was undefended at the original trial.

The Supreme Court is to rule today on a challenge to the constitutionality of the mandatory life sentence for murder. The appeal was brought by convicted killers Paul Lynch and Peter Whelan. Peter Whelan is serving life for the murder of 20 year old student Nicola Sweeney at her home in Rochestown, Cork, in April

NOTE: CONTENT MAY OFFEND A friend of three girls who claim they were sexually assaulted by a Donegal man while on sleepovers has said the allegations came to light when one of the girls became distressed after seeing a photo of the accused. The teenage witness told the Central Criminal Court jury that after the

Letterkenny Town Council is to investigate the feasibility of introducing a Cycle scheme in the Town. The idea would be a scaled down version of schemes seen in major cities which make available bicycles in a number of various locations which would be available for locals and tourists alike. The suggestion was made by Councillor

MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher remains the so called last man standing having yet to confirm if he is to give up his ministerial pension. It’s two weeks since the former Donegal South West Deputy indicated that he was due to announce his decision, but to date he has yet to express his intentions. Last

Highland Radio continues to be the country’s most listened to local radio station. Newly published independent figures show that 7 out of 10 adults who listen to the radio during the week listen to Highland Radio Its market share, a key indicator for advertisers is 64.1% – 10 points clear of any other local radio

A Derry man  will go on trial next month charged n connection with the seizure of more two million pounds worth of heroin on the Foyle Bridge in Derry last July. He stands accused along with a man and woman with addresses in Dublin. At Derry Crown Court today 42 year-old Sean Doherty  of Cornshell

A special meeting has been held in Donegal aimed at encouraging older people in the county to have their voices heard in the compiling of the government’s National Positive Ageing Strategy. Submissions are currently being accepted for the strategy which is the first of its kind in Ireland spurned by predictions that the country’s population

The new Northern Ireland secretary, Owen Paterson, has called for the Bloody Sunday report to be published as soon as possible. It’s understood that the printing of the final report is under way and the families will see the findings by the end of this month. However, spokesperson for the Bloody Sunday families, John Kelly

There’s been a call for more cross border cooperation to tackle the issue of domestic violence, and in particular, its impact on children. In what’s been described as a unique partnership, the NSPCC in Belfast and the Donegal Women’s Domestic Violence Service have come together to publish a report which includes a number of recommendations.

A teenager has told a Central Criminal Court jury that she fell asleep while babysitting, to wake up finding the father of the girl she was minding standing naked at the side of the bed. The 44-year-old Donegal man, who can not be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of

As expected, a Fine Gael bill seeking to introduce administrative penalties for minor fishing offences was defeated in the Dail last night, with Minister Brendan Smith indicating that the government weill bring in its own bill shortly. Among those who spoke on the debate last night was Donegal South West Deputy Dinny Mc Ginley, who

A senior government minister admitted in the Seanad last night that the EU commission would like to see VRT abolished. Speaking on the adjournment, Donegal Senator Pearse Doherty told Minister Tony Killeen that a campaign had begun in Donegal against VRT, and also against the heavy handed way in which people believe the tax is

A dissident republican group says a device found at a leisure centre in Derry yesterday had been left there five days ago. A group of school children from Castletown, St Johnstown were among those evacuated from the pool yesterday afternoon when the device was found. Evelyn Devenney, Principal of the Castletown National School, says the

A robbery at Carrigans Post Office in February of last year has been raised by Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh at an Oireachtas Communuications Committee meeting. During the meeting, Deputy Mc Hugh claimed that Carrigans and other rural areas close to major population centres in Northern Ireland are being treated differently to similar

A teenager has told a Central Criminal Court jury that a friend’s father gave her “five or six” bottles of beer before putting her hand on his penis while she was on a sleepover. The 44-year-old Donegal man, who can not be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting

There are calls for all illegal signs and hoardings around Letterkenny advertising businesses to be removed by the council. Councilloir Tadhg Cullbert has also called on the council to review the process by which businesses are given planning permission to erect signs. He says the illegal, and some legal, signs are an eyesore and are

Fine Gael Fisheries Spokesperson is calling on the Government to take on board a Fine Gael Bill to introduce administrative sanctions for fisheries offences, instead of the system of exclusively criminal sanctions currently in place in Ireland. Tom Sheehan says Ireland is out of step compared to other EU countries in relying on criminal sanctions

Publicans say people should be able to have two alcoholic drinks and still drive home legally. They’re warning of further job losses in the sector if the Government goes ahead with plans to reduce the limit from 80 miligrammes to 50. Incoming VFI president Gerry Mellett says publicans are going through difficult times. But Anti

A group of school children were among those evacuated from a Derry leisure centre today after a suspicious object was left. The children were in the swimming pool at the Templemore Sports Complex when for the second time in less than a week the building was evacuated. Last Thursday during the election count the building

It’s been confirmed that 75 jobs announced for Donegal Town four years ago are finally coming on stream. The jobs are part of a package which was announced less than nine months after Hospira closed with the loss of 560 jobs in August 2005. In March 2006, the then Enterprise Minister Michael Martin announced that

The number signing on the Live Register in Donegal at the end of April was 20,996, a rise of 2,638 on the same period last year. That’s a year on year increase of 14%, although the number was down slightly on March. In Letterkenny, there were 5,602 people signing on the live register at the

A 50-year-old man who had been charged with robbing and falsely imprisoning an 83-year-old woman in Derry was yesterday found not guilty by a unanimous verdict of the jury. Anthony Burke of Eglinton Terrace had been charged with robbing the woman in her own home last May. The court had heard that the woman had

Representatives from An Post are being invited to a meeting of Letterkenny Town Council to explain why, as many councillors feel, it provides such a limited service for Letterkenny. The decision comes off the back of calls from Councillor Jimmy Harte that An Post provide a sub office service for the Gortlee/Ballyraine areas of the

It has emerged that Letterkenny Town Council is now considering two sites for the proposed community allotments. One site in Glencar, from the council’s own land bank, is being evaluated while it has been revealed that Bishop Boyce has offered church land in ‘the back road area’ for the allotments. That offer was made to

A Donegal man has gone on trial accused of sexually assaulting three teenage girls staying overnight at his home on separate occasions. The 44-year-old man, who can not be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to three counts of sexually assaulting the then 13-year-old girls on dates between

Letterkenny town council has been told that a communal graveyard for Donegal is required urgently. Councillor Dessie larkin first brought forward the idea a number of years ago and has expressed his frustration that plans have not progressed. Today’s council meeting was told that Letterkenny has neither the resources or land to provide the graveyard.

A Derry man has been left badly shaken after he was assaulted and robbed in the Waterside area of the City last night. Three masked men entered the mans house shortly before midnight and threatented him to hand over money. The victim was in his bed at the time men entered his house, but when

Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 38-year-old man in Derry last year. Convicted drug dealer Jim McConnell was shot by two masked men in his home in Woodland Avenue in February 2009. The men who have been arrested are aged 42 and 44 and have been taken to Antrim

Figures from the AA show there has been a marked increase in the number of people in Donegal claiming to have hit a pothole while driving so far this year. A survey of 7,000 people across the country indicated that it is a major problem right across the country, particularly on secondary roads. In Ulster

Donegal North East Deputy Joe Mc Hugh says fear and uncertainty continues to surround the future of jobs at Keith Prowse in Lisfannon, Buncrana. The company has been based in Lisfannon since 2002, employing over 100 people. Last week, it emerged that up to 20 of the staff are likely to be let go, with

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson in Derry is calling for an urgent review of emergency housing provision in the city. Councillor Tony Hassan says he’s shocked at figures showing that nearly 450 people needed temporary accommodation in Derry over the past 3 years, with 150 people currently in temporary accommodation. He says there is a three

It’s been confirmed today that the new A&E and medical building currently under construction at Letterkenny General Hospital will be open and operational in less than a year. Progress on the new Acute Psychiatric Unit is also continuing During a site visit for local journalists today, the HSE confirmed that construction on the unit should

Police in Derry have launched an arson investigation following a house fire in the Galliagh area of the city. The fire, which damaged a house at Moss Park, was reported at 6 o’clock yesterday morning. Police believe it was started deliberately. There are no reports of injuries.

Gardai in Milford say a pair of eight year old friends who went missing yesterday in the Kerrykeel area have been found safe and well. It’s understood the children’s parents thought each was in the other’s house, and when it was realised they weren’t a search was launched. Gardai have confirmed the pair were found

A Donegal man has been acquitted at the Central Criminal Court of raping a woman after a party in the county almost three years ago. The man, who can not be named for legal reasons, had pleaded not guilty to raping and sexually assaulting the woman in a house in Donegal on May 20, 2007.

SIPTU is calling for a huge turnout at the planned march and rally in support of the retention of Lifford Community Hospital. The event will be held in Lifford on Sunday 23rd May at 3.00 p.m. The union’s Donegal Secretary Martin O’Rourke says before the ongoing HSE review reaches a decision, the people of Donegal

Alcohol Action Ireland has praised the principle of Pobalscoil Gaoth Dobhair for highlighting the issue of underage drinking in his area. Principle Noel O Gallcoir sent a letter to parents of all 1st, 2nd and 3rd years at the school warning of an increase in anti-social behaviour and underage drinking in Gweedore. He detailed instances