Author name: oisinkelly

Met Eireann’s warning of low temperatures overnight with a snow and ice alert in place for parts of the country from tomorrow, including Donegal. The weather forecaster’s predicting temperatures will drop to minus 4 degrees in places tonight. A yellow alert for snow and ice has been issued from 5am tomorrow morning until lunchtime on

A joint bid by Derry, Strabane and Belfast to be named the 2023 European Capital of Culture is in doubt, after an EU ruling that UK cities should be barred from competing. The European Commission says that because of Brexit – the five UK cities currently bidding for the honour in 2023 – won’t now

€16,500 has been allocated for three Donegal Gaeltacht groups. Cumann Ceiltigh Ghaoth Dobhair has been awarded €8,250 towards a new lawnmower for Gaoth Dobhair Celtic FC. While Banna Ceoil Druma Mór in Rann na Feirste will receive €5,840 which will assist the band with the purchase of musical equipment and uniforms. €2,430 in funding will

The Health Minister has confirmed that he will discuss the reopening of the Short Stay ward at Letterkenny University Hospital with the HSE. A funding request of €1.8 million has been made by management at the hospital to fund the reopening of the ward and the employment of extra staff. The ward which was closed

Concerns have been raised over the future development of three major routes in Donegal. Following presentations made by TEN-T in relation to the development of the Letterkenny to Manor route, Manor to Lifford route and the Ballybofey to Stranorlar bypass, it has been revealed that the tendering process is not scheduled to take place until

  The CSO has published figures suggesting that the use of the Irish language in Donegal is declining. Almost 57,000 people over three years of age in the county stated that they could speak Irish in last year’s census, down 3.8% on 2011. Census 2016 found that just over 37% of people over the age

There were 26 people waiting for a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning according to the latest trolley watch report. 13 people were on trolleys in its Emergency Department while a further 13 were waiting on wards. University Hospital Limerick was the most overcrowded with 43 people waiting there. Nationally, there were 397 people

Police in Derry are appealing for witnesses following an incident in the city last night. In a statement, Inspector Ian Hunt said: “Police received a report of a number of masked males outside a property in the O’Casey Court area at around 9:50pm. It was reported one of the males possibly had a firearm. Three

The final day of the Buncrana Pier tragedy inquest is underway. Yesterday it heard evidence that the driver of the car involved was over the drink driving limit. Witnesses also described parts of the Pier as being ‘slippy as ice’ that evening because of algae. The inquest will finish today with recommendations expected to be

  A Donegal Senator has hit out at the Health Minister over his response on funding provision for Letterkenny University Hospital. The proposed funding injection would reopen 20 beds at the hospitals Short Stay Ward while also cater for additional staff. However, following questions to Minister Simon Harris from Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn on the

There are claims that the long term future of three community hospitals in Donegal is still very much in the balance. It’s after junior health minister Jim Daly failed to give any guarantees regarding their future status to Donegal Deputy and Leas Cheann Comhairle Pat the Cope Gallagher. Meanwhile it’s also emerged that the Minister

  A verdict is due today in the inquests into the deaths of 5 family members in Buncrana. Yesterday the inquest heard the driver of the car was more than three times over the legal limit.   The big news yesterday was the revelation that the driver of the car that slid into the sea

  Derry City and Strabane District Council has been granted planning permission for the Ebrington Square Maritime Museum in Derry. The plans include change of use, alterations and the extension of a number of former military buildings at Ebrington Square to provide a Maritime Museum and Archive Centre, parking and landscaping. Mark Lusby, Project Co-Ordinator

Concerns have been raised over the lack of progress on proposed plans to widen the A2 Buncrana Road. The road is used on a daily basis as a gateway to Donegal with many commuters travelling the route crossing the Donegal/ Derry border at Bridgend. The preferred route for the scheme was announced back in 2009

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Wednesday 22nd November

The Mica issue has been raisd in the Dail again this afternoon, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar indicating the report of the Expert Panel will be discussed at cabinet before the end of the year. The issue was raised by Donegal Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue, who stressed the need for progress on a redress scheme. Deputy

Post mortem results for the driver of the car involved in the Buncrana pier tragedy show he may have been three times over the drink driving limit. A pathologist who examined Sean McGrotty’s body says the results of the post mortem indicate there may have been an element of intoxication.   Pathologist Dr. Catriona Dillon

A man has told the Special Criminal Court he just froze and grabbed his daughter when a man opened fire in a Dublin bar in April 2016. He was giving evidence in the trial of Eamon Cumberton who’s accused of murdering Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub, which is near Croke Park.   James

There were 25 people waiting on a bed atLetterkenny University Hospital this morning. 12 were on trolleys in the hospitals Emergency Department with a further 13 on wards. 423 people were awaiting admission at hospitals across the country today with University Hospital Limerick the most overcrowded.

Derry based technology firm MetaCompliance has announced a three year expansion plan, with 69 new jobs being created. The company develops software and creative content for the cyber security sector and is aiming to triple its turnover by capitalising on the demand for cloud based cyber security products. MetaCompliance is one of Northern Ireland’s most

The Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter Committee has expressed disappointment after no members of the Letterkenny Municipal District turned up for a meeting in Dillon’s Hotel last night. All ten members were invited. Two of them, Councillors Michael mc Bride and John O’Donnell sent apologies, and Cathedral Quarter Co-ordinator Donnan Harvey says he understands a number were

Over €50,000 in funding is being made available for a Gaelic football pitch development in West Donegal. Government Chief Whip Minister Joe McHugh has sanctioned €50,050 to help finance a €70,000 spend on fencing and access to the new Na Rossa pitch in Gweebarra. Minister McHugh says he visited the pitch earlier this year to

  An inquest opens into the Buncrana Pier Tragedy this morning – which killed five members of a family from Derry. Sean McGrotty – his two sons, Mark and Evan – his partner’s mother Ruth Daniels and her daughter, Jodie Lee died in March last year. Their car slid from the slipway into Lough Swilly.

  A former Tanaiste has described comments made by Lord Kilclooney about Donegal as ‘nonsense’. John Taylor, now Lord Kilclooney, says Donegal has been forgotten by the Irish Government and has suggested that the County would be better off being part of the UK. Speaking at Bank of Ireland’s Women in Business event in Letterkenny,

Bank of Ireland Donegal hosted a highly successful ‘Women in Business Lunch’ this week in the idyllic surroundings of Castle Grove Country Hotel just outside Letterkenny. Guest speakers included: Deirdre McGlone: President Donegal Women in Business Network. Nikki Bradley: Motivational/Mental Health Speaker. Mary Coughlan: Former Politician Joann Hosey Regional Director Bank Of Ireland Connaught &

  A Donegal County Councillor has reiterated his call on the Government to implement the eight technical recommendations of the Report of the Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks in counties Donegal and Mayo. The report was published almost six months ago and had been delayed a year prior to that. One of its recommendations is

The inquest into the Buncrana pier tragedy will begin this morning. The Coroner for Donegal says they’ll aim to establish exactly what happened on the day five members of one family lost their lives. On March 20th 2016 a car slid off Buncrana pier and into the waters of Lough Swilly. Five members of one

A cross border initiative has been launched to establish a number of cross border “Community Health and Well Being Hubs” in Donegal, Cavan / Monaghan, Derry, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Armagh, and Scotland. A tender has been issued inviting community groups and other organisations to bid for funding to establish eight hubs in total. The EU backed

There are calls for a proper operational plan for rural post offices to help them stay open. Fianna Fáil says the 30 million euro loan announced by the Government yesterday is merely a short term fix and doesn’t properly address how to make post offices viable. It says they should be seen as part of

In an address to Minister Michael Creed in the Dail last evening, Donegal Deputy Charlie McConalogue says the fodder shortage in Donegal is a very severe situation that needs urgent action by Government. The Fianna Fail Agriculture Spokesperson said Minister Michael Creed’s approach and response to the emergencies facing the farming community is poor. He

  Churches and state buildings here and in the UK will be lit up today as part of a campaign to highlight religious intolerance. Derry, Waterford, Sligo and Armagh Cathedrals are taking part in the ‘hashtag Red Wednesday’ initiative as well as Knock Basilica. In the UK, the houses of Parliament and The Palace of

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Tuesday 21st November

The Tanaiste is to make a statement to the Dail this evening on when she became aware of a garda strategy to discredit Maurice McCabe. Frances Fitzgerald says she doesn’t remember an e-mail she got in May 2015 which described a row between the legal teams of the Garda commissioner and Sergeant McCabe. Taoiseach Leo

The High Court has approved a €15m settlement for a four-year-old boy who was catastrophically injured during his birth at the Coombe Hospital in Dublin. The hospital apologised to Eoin McCallig from Dunkineely in Donegal, and his parents for his injuries and for the devastating consequences for the family. RTE is reporting that speaking outside