Author name: oisinkelly

The Ligford Road from Plumbridge to Strabane is currently blocked following a single-vehicle road traffic collision today. Police are advising an electricity pole is lying across the road near the junction with Meenagorp Road. Motorists are urged to exercise extreme care due to treacherous driving conditions with snow falling and ice on the road.  

There were 22 people waiting on a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning. According to the INMO 9 people were on trolleys in the hospitals Emergency Department with a further 13 on wards. There were 373 people waiting admission to hospitals across the country today with University Hospital Limerick the most overcrowded.

There are urgent calls for road safety measures to be implemented outside St Paul’s Primary School in Derry following a number of collisions outside the school. Concerns have been raised by parents after two cars collided outside the school yesterday. Foyle MLA Karen Mullan says she has met with the road service and the education

  The Donegal branch of Diabetes Ireland says there is a lack of progress in addressing the serious crisis in Diabetes care in Letterkenny University Hospital. The group was to have met with Health Minister Simon Harris last night, but because he had business in the Dail, they only had a brief conversation in a

A senior RNLI offical says the Buncrana pier tragedy will stay with them for a very long time. Yesterday the deaths of five people at Buncrana pier in March 2016 were ruled as death by misadventure. Recommendations were made at an inquest for Irish Water Safety to take a permanent role in advising on safety

The Housing Minister is being urged to stand by his commitment and provide social housing for residents of Mica affected houses in Donegal. Minister Damien English made the promise while visiting Donegal earlier this year. Cllr. Martin McDermott is warning that some homes are at a stage where they are unsafe to live in. He’s

  Donegal County Council is to seek funding for a notorious bad stretch of road between Letterkenny and Lifford. The road at Tullyrap has long been deemed as a treacherous black spot with two heavy duty vehicles barely able to pass each other. The work would see the section of road widened while a number

The driver of the car involved in the Buncrana pier tragedy has been described as a wonderful partner and an adoring father. Sean McGrotty was found to be three times over the drink driving limit when his car entered the water in Buncrana last year. An inquest yesterday ruled the deaths of Mr McGrotty and

Three more groups in the Donegal Gaeltacht are to receive funding. The allocation involves a school in Cloghan, the golf club Cloughaneely and community group in Ranafast. €8,520 has been awarded to Cloughaneely Golf Club, €1,941 to Scoil Náisiúnta an Choimín in Cloghan and Áislann Rann na Feirste and €1,811 to Áislann Rann na Feirste.

Gardai in Letterkenny are warning that frosty conditions this morning have left roads across the county in a treacherous state. A number of cars have left the road from Letterkenny -Inishowen while a car has also left the road in Ballybofey. Gardai have also received reports that roads in and around Manorcunnignham are covered in

  The Government has been criticised for its treatment of hill farmers in Donegal whose land was damaged by gorse fires. Many farmers across the county will suffer significant financial losses after they were deemed ineligible for BPS payments following the fires in May. Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn says the Government’s decision to exclude these

A housing development for people with intellectual disabilities in Dungloe is expected to go to tender early next year, after a campaign of more than ten years. The three units are being developed by the County Donegal Parents’ and Friends Housing Association, and will provide accommodation for 12 people. Former councillor Seamus Rogers is a

Gardai in Donegal have issued advice to consumers and online retailers as online sales are set to soar today, Black Friday. Consumers are warned to only purchase from trusted sources, use credit cards at time of purchase and save all documents relating to online purchases. Gardai warn that an online marketplace doesn’t have the same

Louise James, who lost her partner, mother, sister and two sons in the Buncrana pier tragedy, says her heart is shattered. It follows a two day inquest that ruled death by misadventure in the cases of the five family members. This means risks were involved in the situation that led to their deaths. Louise James’

Main Evening News, Sport and Obituaries Thursday 23rd November

The deaths of all five people who drowned in the Buncrana Pier Tragedy have been ruled as death by misadventure. The jury in the two day inquest into the deaths made the ruling, which differs from death by accident in that some element of risk was introduced. The coroner involved said that describing the tragedy

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