Author name: oisinkelly

The inquest into the death of Arlene Arkinson was today told police officers told a friend of Arlene’s mother that Robert Howard was an informer. The 15 year old from Castlederg disappeared in 1994 after attending a disco in Bundoran. She had last been seen in the company of convicted child killer who died in

A prominent railway campaigner in Donegal says he believes a case can be made that a rail link from Derry to Letterkenny, and from there to Dublin and the west would be financially viable. Canon David Crookes says significant road and rail investment is needed in Donegal, which he believes lags behind the rest of

A Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Letterkenny University Hospital has said that if the health system were a business, it would go under. Mr Peter O’Rourke says that once again elective cancellations at the hospital this week are a result of the agreement between the Department of Health & the Nurses Union on the Escalation protocol.

An inquest into the road crash in Inshowen in which 8 people died resumes today. Seven of those killed were in a VW Passat driven by Shaun Kelly of Hill Road in Ballymagan, none of them were wearing seatbelts as he sped towards Buncrana from a pub in Clonmany. His eighth victim, 66-year-old Hugh Friel,

The second and final General Election debate has concluded and it proved to be an at time heated affair. The issues of health, policing, access/infrastructure and emigration were among the items discussed. Sinn Fein’s Gary Doherty was unable to attend for health reason but those that did take part: Highland Radio held its first in

Members of the Irish National Teachers Organisation are to vote on industrial action in the next week. The INTO says in the last five years, close to 4000 management posts have been lost in Primary Schools countrywide. The INTO are balloting all members nationally for industrial action on the loss of these posts and the

The Compulsory Purchase Order process for Cockhill Bridge in Buncrana has been approved, with no objections received. Junior Minister Joe Mc Hugh says as a result, Donegal County Council can begin works on the project. Minister Mc Hugh has praised the role that local land owners have played in this process, and says it should

Emergency call operators in Ballyshannon are expected to work as normal today as colleagues in Navan embark on a 12 hour strike in a row over pay and conditions. They won’t answer emergency calls from 8am to 8pm. However, workers at the Ballyshannon centre and their colleagues in Dublin will work as normal. The operators

Concerns have been raised about an increase in the amount of money being spent on subcontracted services at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Stranorlar. According to figures obtained from Sinn Fein, money handed over to private firms contracted to provide services to the hospital almost tripled between 2013 and 2015, despite only a marginal increase to

The political parties are in the final hours of canvassing before the General Election tomorrow. Meanwhile islanders including those off the Donegal coast will cast their vote today ahead of those on the mainland. Voters on Aranmore Island take to the polls today with stations in Aphort National School and Leabgarrow National School. Both Stations

Derry is to host the Ulster Finals of the Restaurant Association of Ireland Awards, in the Guildhall next month. The awards, to be held on March 15th, are the largest and most coveted accolades in the Irish restaurant industry and celebrate all aspects of the industry from chefs and restaurant managers to gastro pubs. Mary

  A 19 year old man has been charged with a series of offences following a hit and run collision in Derry last November. The charges relate to an incident in the early hours of Sunday November 9 at Abercorn Road when a male pedestrian was taken to hospital with leg and head injuries after

A report into the death of a man in his 50’s who fell overboard a fishing vessel off Portnablagh in Co Donegal has revealed that the decking in the vessel did not conform to the Department of Transport’s code of practice guidelines. The report, published by the Marine Casualty Investigation Unit was published following the

  A man charged with a public order offence during a protest against Enda Kenny at the Patrick McGill Summer School said today(Wed) that he wants the Taoiseach as a defense witness. Part-time boat painter Gerry Bray said he also wants outgoing Fine Gael TD Dinny McGinley as a witness. He said he will be

    Donegal Cllr Frank Mc Brearty is calling on the Justice and Environment Ministers to call an independent investigation into allegations made against Cllr John O’Donnell in an RTE programme last December. At present, Donegal County Council’s Ethics Registrar is looking at the case, but Cllr Mc Brearty says he believes there may be

Transport Minister Michelle McIlveen today announced the £400million A6 Derry to Dungiven upgrade is to proceed, subject to future funding. The announcement follows public inquiries into proposals to provide around 18.6 miles of new dual carriageway from Derry to Dungiven, including a dual carriageway bypass of Dungiven. Minister Mc Ilveen says this announcement is very

There were 17 patients awaiting admission at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, 12 on trollies in the Emergency Department and five on chairs or trollies on the wards. The INMO figures show nationally, there are 480 patients awaiting admission to hospital today. Yesterday’s figures showed 511 people awaiting admission at hospitals across the country, 19

Claims that serial child killer Robert Black admitted several more killings in conversations with a fellow prisoner in the North are being examined by English detectives. Black, who was convicted of murdering four young girls across the UK, died in Maghaberry prison last month. The detectives were in Northern Ireland last week to question Barry

Sinn Féin is calling on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to make a further statement following his comments about the appointment of John McNulty to the board of the IMMA. The immediate aftermath of last nights debate was dominated by the Taoiseach’s apparent confirmation that HE had appointed John McNulty to the board of the Irish Museum

It has been claimed reduced funding for Donegal’s gaelscoileanna and high unemployment rates are key threats to the survival of the Irish language in Donegal. Independent General Election candidate, Thomas Pringle has published his Gaeltacht policy document and has cited ‘austerity policies’ being at the core of the issue with a 14 million euro cut

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has admitted he appointed Donegal man John McNulty to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art . During Tuesday night’s leaders debate broadcast on RTE,  Mr Kenny for the first time admitted his role in the affair and acknowledged it was a mistake. He had previously distanced himself from the

  The Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital is extremely busy today and as a result has seen an increase in the number of patients waiting for admission.  This time of year is traditionally a busy period for hospitals and brings an anticipated increase in activity in Emergency Departments around the country. Due to this

Highland Radio’s second and final pre election debate is broadcast this evening from 6pm. Taking part are Frank McBrearty Ind, Pat the Cope Gallagher FF, Paddy Harte FG, Niamh Kennedy Ind, Padraig MacLochlainn SF, Michael Mooney Ind and Tim Jackson Ind. Gary Doherty of Sinn Fein had to withdraw from the debate due to illness.

    Police made two arrests yesterday during an investigation into alleged animal cruelty. The men aged 28 and 22 were interviewed on suspicion of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and were later released pending further enquiries. Three dogs were also seized for specialist examination by veterinary surgeons. Searches were carried out by the Derry

    An application for a wind turbine in Kinnagoe Bay in Inishowen has been refused by Donegal County Council. It has been refused on the basis that the development is sited in an intrusive area and would consequently damage its scenic qualities. Independent Election Candidate Cllr Niamh Kennedy had campaigned for the prevention of the

  The Police Service of Northern Ireland has used new powers for the first time to forfeit money that was believed to be in the hands of violent dissident republicans. It follows the seizure of £3,500 by officers investigating suspicious activity in Derry last September. Police say that when it was seized, they believed the

Donegal’s Daniel O’Donnell has made chart history in the UK.   He’s become the first recording artist in the history of the UK Artist Albums Chart, to have had a new album enter every year since 1988 – an unbroken 29 year span. Daniel’s latest album ‘The Best of Music And Memories’ charted on the

Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that people living in Donegal have the lowest disposable income in the country. The Donegal figures is 15,558 euro per year compared to the state wide figure of over 19,309. The figures are from 2014 and shows disposal income levels in Donegal similar to that in 2006

There were 19 patients waiting on beds at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning, two on trolleys in the Emergency Department and 17 on chairs or trolleys on the wards. Nationally, the number of patients awaiting admission at hospitals across the country this morning was 511.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has responded to a plea from the Save our Services committee for a meeting to discuss the proposed removal of long stay beds from three community hospitals in Donegal. In an e-mail received by the committee last evening, Minister Varadkar says he is referring the letter to Junior Minister Kathleen Lynch,

Concerns have been raised in relation to the future of a childcare facility in Dungloe with a number of jobs at risk due to a lack of funding. Spraoi Le Cheile, a non-profit organisation which opened 5 years ago has recieved no additional funding and with the minimum wage increase they will face a struggle

A former DUP councillor in Derry has pleaded guilty to 23 charges of fraud by false representation. Derry Magistrates Court was told Bill Irwin had home heating oil delivered to his home, but invoiced to the local DUP office where he worked. 55 year old William Irwin from Duncastle Road in Newbuildings appeared at the

Road Safety Group PARC is calling on all General Election Candidates and parties to sign up to their road safety manifesto which proposes one database to share for all following some failing to give a response on the matter. So far, most political parties including Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail have signed the document with