Author name: oisinkelly

Donegal does not exist on the maps of the Government‘s crisis response headquarters. The apparent oversight at the National Emergency Co-ordinating Centre was further proof the country’s second-largest county does not exist in the minds of central policy-makers, senior politicians claimed. Charts on the walls of the taskforce HQ, two floors up in Dublin’s Agriculture […]

A 50-year-old man has gone on trial at Derry Crown Court charged with falsely imprisoning, assaulting and stealing from an 83-year-old woman. Thomas Anthony Samuel Burke, from Eglinton Terrace, is alleged to have committed the offences in the woman’s home on the Northland Road last May. One hundred and eighty pounds was stolen from the

Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has urged the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture Fisheries and Food to consider the Lost at Sea case outside of the constraints of party political lines. Addressing the committee this morning, Ms O’Reilly said she does not believe acceptance of the report would lead to a cascade of follow on complaints, leading to

Aer Arann has confirmed it’s resuming flights today. Flight RE 325 from Donegal to Glasgow is operating today, as is the return flight RE 326 from Glasgow to Donegal. Flight RE 206 linking Donegal and Dublin is also operating, but flight RE 207 from Dublin to Donegal is cancelled. Meanwhile, flight RE 287 from Dublin

Donegal Senator Pearse Doherty is calling for clarification on Donegal County Council’s priority list for libraries, after being told last night by Minister Sean Connick that the priority as far as the government is concerned is Donegal Town. However, Senator Doherty says his understanding is that the priority has been changed to gfacilitating the transfer

The European Commission is to look into the economic impact of the ongoing travel chaos following a lengthy discussion on ther issue by the European Parliament in Strasbourg last evening. One of the contributors was North West MEP Pat The Cope Gallagher, who says every EU country will feel the financial impact of the past

Police in Derry are investigating an explosion outside a house at Dunmore Gardens in the Creggan area. The blast was reported shortly before midnight last night, the area remains cordoned off while a forensic examination of the scene is carried out. There are no reports of any injuries.

A judge in the united states has ruled that a catholic priest should be exradited back to Ireland to face child molestation charges here. 82 year-old Reverend Francis Markey was arrested in Indiana in November on an extradition warrant alleging he raped a 15 year-old boy in Donegal in 1968. For the past two years,

The Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly will appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food this morning to discuss her Special Report on the Lost at Sea Scheme, which she found was ‘contrary to fair and sound administration’.” The committeen initially refused to meet her, but relented in the face of concerted pressure. Fine

Two men were arrested in Strabane last night in connection with a paramilitary style shooting which took place on Monday night. The two men, both 23, were arrested in the Ballycolman and Carlton Drive areas of the town shortly after 9 o’clock last night. A 24-year-old man was forced out to the front of his

Figures released by customs show that sixty-nine people driving Northern Ireland registered cars in Donegal have had their vehicles seized during a two day customs crackdown. There was widespread anger during the operation with claims that many people travelling between Inishowen and Derry were delayed by up to three quarters of an hour as a

A man has been shot in both legs in a paramilitary-style attack in Strabane. Four men went into a house at Lisnafin Park, Strabane, at around 11 o clock last night. Meanwhile, Two families have been left homeless after an oil tank was deliberately set on fire in Strabane. A 24-year-old man was forced out

Two families have been left homeless after an oil tank was deliberately set on fire in Strabane. The Fire Service was called to the fire on the Ballycolman estate shortly after 3 o clock this morning. Two bungalows were badly damaged and a shed of neighbouring property destroyed in the incident. Fire officer Mark Deeney

Hopes that air services in and out of Donegal and Derry might resume this evening have been dashed. Aer Arann had hoped to restore their Dublin services in and out of the North West, but have now confirmed all flights have been cancelled. Aer Lingus has also cancelled all its flights into and out of

Donegal County Council officials are assessing the Water Services Investment Programme for the next three years which has now been published by the Minister for the Environment. The investment includes funding of almost 100 million euro to schemes in Co Donegal, many of which have been previously flagged. As expected, the biggest single investment of

Crime levels have fallen substantially in the Letterkenny Garda District this year, with crime down between 40 and 45% across the board. Superintendent Vincent O’Brien told a public meeting of the local Joint Policing Committee this is partly due to the success of the CCTV system in the town. He said he would like to

A man has been shot in both legs in Strabane. Four men went into a house at Lisnafin Park at 11 o’clock last night. They forced the 24-year-old man into the garden, where the shooting took place. The man is currently being treated in hospital. Meanwhile, two houses were evacuated in the early hours after

1,480 primary and secondary schools across the country will benefit from small and medium scale building works this summer, 50 of them in Donegal. It follows confirmation of this year’s Summer Works Scheme, with a €122m investment confirmed by Tanaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan, The scheme covers electrical and mechanical works, roof replacements and

The HSE’s Local Health Manager for Donegal says decisions will be made on the future of Community Hospital Services in the county by the early summer. John Hayes was responding to ongoing fears about the future of Lifford Community Hospital, and The Rock in Ballyshannon, both of which are believed to be facing closure as

Health Minister Mary Harney says she doesn’t believe the decision to withdraw cancer services from Sligo General Hospital will be reversed in the future, no matter who is in the role. Ms Harney was speaking at Letterkenny General Hospital, where she launched the Sexual Assault Treatment Units’ Annual Report for 2009. Asked about cancer services

Letterkenny’s Mayor has denied suggestions that he may resign when his term in the chair ends in the summer, and seek to have a family member coopted onto Letterkenny Town Council in his place. Cllr Jim Lynch says he has served as a councillor for over 25 years, and claims that he may resign from

It has been claimed that sexual assault treatment services in Donegal are now on a par with the rest of the country. That is according to Dr Maeve Eogan, the Medical Director of the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit in Rotunda Hospital. Previously a victim of a sexual assault could be forced to face a round

The Irish Government has been accused of abusing partition in applying Vehicle Registration Tax to cars imported from the north to the south. Foyle MLA Martina Anderson says she has been inundated with calls from people angry at the VRT charge and a perceived local crack down though a series of customs checkpoints. Ms Anderson

Letterkenny’s Mayor has denied suggestions that he may resign when his term in the chair ends in the summer, and seek to have a family member coopted onto Letterkenny Town Council in his place. Cllr Jim Lynch says he has served as a councillor for over 25 years, and claims that he may resign from

Community groups in Donegal are being urged to attend consultation meetings on the second phase of the Peace 3 programme, which get underway in Letterkenny tomorrow. Over 4 million euro was spent in Donegal during the last phase of the programme, and the county’s Peace Three Partnership is urging groups to become involved now so

European Transport Ministers will hold a video conference later to discuss the ash crisis. Airlines have been calling for a review of no-fly bans after conducting test flights at the weekend without any apparent problems from Iceland’s ash cloud. Austria has reopened its airports this morning and Italy’s planning to do the same later. Here

Health Minister Mary Harney is visiting Letterkenny General Hospital today to launch the 2009 National Sexual Assualt Treament Unit statistics. Staff attached to the unit in Letterkenny were among the first to secure a new qualification. Previously, women who were sexually assaulted in Donegal had to be brought as far away as Dublin for treatment

There’s speculation that Letterkenny’s Mayor Cllr Jim Lynch will resign his seat after his Mayoral term ends in the summer. Cllr Lynch, who previously served as a member of Independent Fianna Fail has been an independent in the chamber for several years now, and his continued exclusion from the mayor’s chair, despite being one of

The Irish Aviation Authority has said it’s unlikely that the country’s airspace will re-open to commercial flights until later in the week. The IAA has grounded flights into and out of Ireland until 1 pm tomorrow at the earliest. The decision is in line with that of several other European countries as the Icelandic volcanic

The Fire Service in Donegal is continuing to warn about the risk of gorse fires, with the service stretched to the limits dealing with several fires in recent days. Last night, a blaze was tackled by the North ireland Fire and Rescue Service on the Tyrone-Donegal border close to Castlefinn, with concern for a time

Jobs, the economy and the banking crisis will take centre stage at the Labour party national conference in Galway today. Among the issues being moved by members in Donegal are a call for the reversal of public sector levies and a call for the Commonm Fisheries Police review to recognise the plight of inshore fishermen.

The Irish Aviation Authority has closed the country’s airspace until six o’clock this evening following a deterioration in the ash coverage over the country. No commercial passenger flights, including North American traffic, will operate from any Irish airport or in Irish airspace during the period. The IAA made the decision based on the latest forecast

More and more people in the North West are exploring the possibility of working on oil or gas rigs. That’s the claim being made by Donegal-based company, Essentail Offshore. The business say that they’ve seen an increase in people applying to work on oil and gas rigs during the recession. And Khris Veldman, from Essential

A former Catholic priest who was convicted of child sexual abuse in Derry more than 20 years ago is being investigated again. The Derry Journal reports today that fresh allegations have been made against 62-year-old Gerard John McCallion. His abuse came to light when he was discovered in bed with a 10-year-old girl in St

Donegal Councillor Ian McGarvery says that he has great concern that 18 jobs will be lost due to the council not fulfilling a funding commitment to the Donegal Ancestry Company. Donegal Ancestry is the official genealogy centre for Donegal offering a comprehensive research service to those tracing their Donegal ancestors. However it is in danger

Health Minister Mary Harney will be launching a report at Letterkenny General Hospital this coming Monday afternoon. And members of the public in Donegal are being urged to confront The Health Minister on any issues with the HSE in the county they may have. County Councillor, Frank McBrearty, says the people of Donegal are second-class

The brothers of murdered Donegal teenager Henry Cunningham have strongly welcomed the announcement by the Irish Government of an annual human rights award named in memory of 16 year Henry. The teenager was shot in 1973 when the van he was travelling in along with his brothers was fired on by a group of UVF

In its latest update the City of Derry Airport says that flights to and from the Airport for today are subject to restrictions and are unlikely to operate due to the ash cloud which is continuing to cause severe disruption. Passengers should contact their airlines directly to arrange alternative flights and/or refunds. Information is also

The HSE is to examine ways to cut down car usage and parking at Letterkenny General Hospital. A major survey of staff will begin on Monday next, with results to be published in May. They will then be used to formulate a travel plan for the hospital. The HSE says the hospital is working with

A local councillor in Letterkenny says the agreement this week to hold celebrations next year to mark the town’s 400th anniversary could provide the impetus to resurrect the Letterkenny Festival. The debate over the date of Letterkennny’s 400th anniversary has not been resolved, but it’s been decided that the handing over of the lands which

Ireland’s skies will remain closed to commercial aircraft until at least tomorrow morning, as a volcano in Iceland continues to spew ash up to 11 kilometres into the atmosphere. Flights at all of the country’s airports are affected, with tens of thousands of passengers forced to delay or cancel their journeys. All commercial flights have

It’s been confirmed today that Monreagh National School bertween Newtowncunningham and Carrigans is to get a new building. The news has been welcomed by Senator Cecilia Keavney, who says she met the then leader of the opposition Bertie Ahern in 1996 along with a number of local politicians and Board of Management members. She says

Letterkenny Town Council is to look at the possibility of making free WiFi internet access available on the town’s main street. It is hoped that the move would assist in attracting people to the area and will form part of a one million euro investment in improving the town centre. The idea has been suggested

City of Derry Airport have confirmed that flights in and out of the airport have been cancelled this morning. Dublin Airport passengers face delays and many flights have been cancelled. All flights in and out of Belfast City Airport have been cancelled while the vast majority have been halted at Belfast International Airport. There’s massive

An investigation will get under way today to establish the cause of a large gorse fire at Gortin Glen Forest in Co Tyrone. Six fire appliances were called to the blaze at the forest park just outside Omagh last night. Residents living near Gortin Glen were told to keep their windows and doors shut as

An initiative to promote the western seaboard from Donegal to Clare as a prime area for investment and relocation has been nominated for a prestigious internet award. The online element of the Western Development Commission’s “Look West” programme has been shortlisted for a Net Visionary e-Government Award by the Irish Internet Association. Spokesperson Joanne Grehan

Any lingering hope that natural gas might have been brought to the North West has been dealt a blow with the publication of a new report by Gaslink. Phase 3 of the New Town Analysis looks at the viability of 39 towns, including Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Donegal Town, Lifford and Letterkenny. However, only four towns are

Click here to see Two Decades of Highland Photo Gallery On the 15th March 1990, Highland Radio starting broadcasting to the North West of Ireland. Since then Highland has grown to become the number one local radio station in the country, holding the top spot for most of that period. In March of this year

A Strabane Councillor says anyone drinking in and around The Meadows on Sunday has to take repsonsibility for the closure of the sports pitches. Broken bottles necks, which were turned upside down with the jagged bits standing upwards, were inserted all over the grounds. Councillor Jarlath McNulty says the bottles were left in a deliberate