Author name: oisinkelly

Counting has resumed in the Northern Ireland Assembly Election, with SDLP’s Daniel McCrossan the first over the line in the West Tyrone constituency. It’s thought the main parties could end up with the same number of Assembly members as before Thursday’s vote. So far the Democratic Unionist Party has 33 seats. Sinn Fein has 19.

    A 55-year-old man taunted by neighbouring children on a housing estate fired an air pistol to frighten a 12-year-old boy, a court has heard.  David McCann pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the gun. Ballyshannon District Court heard a statement from his 12-year-old neighbour that he was frightened when the gun was fired

    Three men arrested as result of the policing operation at the funeral of Michael Barr in Strabane on Thursday will appear at Omagh Magistrates Court later today.   They are charged with wearing clothing or having article(s) as a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation.   Twelve other men who had also

The Taoiseach has announced a wide-ranging Cabinet reshuffle. It took longer than expected but this evening Enda Kenny led his new team – women first into the Dáil chamber. His new Tánaiste, Frances Fitzgerald who remains Minister for Justice. Heather Humphreys will head up a new Department of Regional Development and Rural Affairs Mary Mitchell

Enda Kenny has been re-elected Taoiseach. It follows a vote in the Dail this afternoon – which saw the Fine Gael leader secure the support of 59 deputies. He is the first Fine Gael Taoiseach to be returned to office. Speaking in the Dail this afternoon, Enda Kenny says he commits himself and the incoming

The National Darkness into Light in support of Pieta House takes place tomorrow morning at 4.15 at nine different locations in the North West, seven of them in Donegal. There are walks in Letterkenny, Donegal Town, Maghery, Falcarragh, Buncrana, Tory Island, Arranmore Island, Derry and Belleek. The Belleek walk is unique, as it crosses the

Outgoing Gaeltacht Minister Joe Mc Hugh has admitted that Donegal might have fared better under the draft agreement for a minority government had Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle been part of the process under which independents will enter into a Fine Gael led minority administration. Speaking on the Shaun Doherty Show this morning, Minister Mc Hugh

The Director of the Association of Irish Local Government says it’s appropriate that the association’s annual conference is underway in Buncrana as a new government is formed. Tom Moylan says with over 300 delegates attending the conference, it’s a perfect opportunity for delegates to come up with an agreed framework within which rural and urban

A 50 year old man from Co Tyrone man will be sentenced next week for dangerous driving causing the death of a 62 year old Donegal man. Omagh Crown Court heard that Paul Nicholl, of Carnkenny Road, Newtownstewart, lost control of his car, and crashed into a car carrying Patsy McCroary, his wife and two

It’s count day in Northern Ireland as ballot boxes are opened this morning following the the Stormont Assembly elections yesterday. 108 seats are up for grabs in 18 constituencies. In Scotland, counting in the parliamentary elections there has been underway overnight, with Labour losing 11 seats. Nicola Sturgeon’s on course to lead the SNP to

An explosive device found at a Derry hotel ‘contained a low explosive mixture of fireworks’ a solicitor told the local Magistrate’s Court. Solicitor Mr. Ciaran Shiels revealed that the two men accused of conspiracy to cause an explosion at the Waterfoot Hotel are to apply for bail. 41 year old Darren Poleon and 34-year-old Brian

It’s emerged that the OPW and Donegal County Council have not yet finalised a funding application for flood mitigation works in South Donegal, because an ecologist has not yet been appointed. The council has given a commitment that once an ecologist has been appointed to prepare an environmental impact assessment screening report, then an application

Following the arrest of fourteen men after a paramilitary style funeral in Strabane Superintendent Mark McEwan of the PSNI said their response was ‘appropriate and proportionate.’ They were arrested after a police operation following the funeral of Michael Barr in Strabane who was shot dead in Dublin on April 25. Speaking at a press conference

    One of the three men allegedly caught with €380,000 worth of cannabis in County Armagh last month is the number one drugs supplier in Donegal, it was claimed at a recent court appearance. This claim was made during a bail application by Seamus Boyce, Glenwood Park, Letterkenny, who appeared by way of video

    Police have arrested 14 men in Strabane following a major policing operation during the aftermath of Micheal Barr’s funeral. They were  arrested under the Terrorism Act and it’s understood a number of cars have also been seized during the operation. It’s believed the situation is continuing. Mr. Barr, a member of the ‘New

Almost nine out of ten health professionals have clean hands. Irish hand hygiene compliance rates are at the highest ever levels. Figures released today from national audits show hand hygiene compliance rates in Irish hospitals now stand at 89.2%, marginally below the HSE target of 90%. The most recent figures for Letterkenny University Hospital show

Over 300 councillors from around the country are due in Buncrana this evening for the third annual conference of the Association of Irish Local Government. Cllr Nicholas Crossan, a former Vice Chairperson of Donegal County Council, is a member of the AILG executive. He says it was a coup to secure the conference for Buncrana,

The Canadian Ambassador to Ireland is in Donegal today for a conference exploring the links between Canada and the North West of ireland. The “Northwest by Northeast – Bridging the Atlantic” conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Letterkenny is part of a series of events commemorating the Laurentic, a Canadian troop carrier that sank

The funeral of Strabane man Micheal Barr who was shot dead in Dublin last month is to take place this morning with his family advising the media not to attend the proceedings. The family believe that some media outlets may have contributed to this death. In a statement, Micheal Barr’s father said that his family

A public meeting of the Saolta Hospital Group will take place Wedneday next at 12.30pm in the Conference Room in Letterkenny University Hospital. The agenda will include an update on the Letterkenny University Hospital rebuild project which will be presented by the Hospital General Manager Sean Murphy. Members of the public are welcome to attend the

    A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates court charged with withholding information about the murder of Derry man, Paul McCauley. 61-year-old Charles Buckingham from Kent, is charged with offences relating to withholding information told to him by Matthew Gillen, who has been charged with Mr McCauley’s murder. The offences are alleged to have

  It has been claimed that the new National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older people published today will have a positive impact on the provision of residential care in Donegal. The new settings will allow for the maximum of four residents per room in long term nursing care as opposed to the old

  Police are investigating an incident of criminal damage at Strawletterdallon Orange Hall, Plumbridge Road, Newtownstewart overnight. Shortly after 7am this morning it was reported that a number of windows and the door of the hall had been damaged. Police are treating this incident as a hate crime and police are appealing for anyone with