Author name: oisinkelly

A Donegal solicitor has warned that Buncrana is the “cocaine capital of the county”. Solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn has claimed that the drugs trade in Donegal is on the rise. The comments follow the conviction of two men in the local court for cocaine possession; 41-year-old Rory Devlin of Coagh, Cookstown and 38-year-old Kevin Kavanagh from […]

New figures show that the value of goods or GDP manufactured in the west of the Country are significantly less than those in the east and the south of Ireland. The statistics from Eurostat for 2013 also show that purchasing power in the Border, Midlands and West regions was 85% of the EU average while

A political row has broken out over the future of the Lisfannon Halting Site outside Buncrana, with Fianna Fail Councillor Paul Canning accusing Sinn Fein of jeapordising a possible solution. It follows a joint statement last night from Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn and Cllr Jack Murray, calling for the immediate closure of the site, and

A 30 year-old man has appeared in court on a number of charges relating to an explosion under a vehicle in Letterkenny on November 22nd 2013. Mark Cassidy of Ballyderowen in Burnfoot appeared before Letterkenny District Court today. He faced charges of possessing explosives and the possession of explosives with intent to endanger life and

It’s been claimed this morning that community workers and residents in the Creggan area of Derry have been threatened by young children collecting materials for bonfires . Councillor Kevin Campbell says there have been a number of incidents in the vicinity of the Ráth Mór Shopping complex, Business Park and Bligh’s Lane during which a

Two Donegal Lighthouses have been nominated to be included in the Great Lighthouses of Ireland Project. The two Donegal Lighthouses are St. John’s Point, Dunkineely and Fanad Lighthouse. The investment will include new self catering accommodation in former Lightkeepers dwellings with Visitor Centres and Sea Bird Watch Centres also to be establised It is envisaged

  Donegal County Council has been called on to close down Lisfannon Halting Site. The issue has been raised by Councillor Jack Murray The site on the approach to Buncrana is now vacant but Councillor Murray says the derelict caravans left behind and damage done will cost Donegal County Council thousands of euro. He says

    Killybegs Coast Guard and the Bundoran lifeboat have recovered a fishing vessel which had run aground onto rocks at Carrigan Head, close to Slieve League. The operation was coordinated by Malin Head Coast Guard last night. There were two fishermen on board the vessel. Killybegs Coast Guard towed the vessel safely back in

The first votes in the Same Sex Marriage and Presidential Candidate Age Referendums are being cast on offshore islands today. Polling booths are open today on five islands off Donegal ; Arranmore, Tory, Gola, Innisboffin, and Inishfree. The rest of the country goes to the polls tomorrow, with counting in both Donegal constituencies on Saturday.

A security alert is continuing in Strabane where a number of houses have been evacuated in the Inishfree Gardens area. At 8.15 this morning, it was reported that a pipe bomb style device had been thrown into a car in the area. Gina Devine is Chair of the local residents association………..   PSNI Chief Inspector

A British exit from the EU would be a negative step that would have huge implications for the whole of the Island of Ireland. That’s the view of Midlands North West MEP Matt Carthy. He says the Republic needs to engage with Northern Ireland on the debate surrounding the promised British referendum on EU membership…………

There’s a security alert underway in Strabane. It comes after a suspicious object was thrown at a car in Inishfree Gardens. A number of houses have been evacuated, and a security operation is continuing.

Donegal’s Road Safety Officer has pleaded with people across the county to switch off their phones while driving. The plea comes as statistics show that motorists who use their phones while driving are now FOUR times more likely to be involved an accident. Road Safety Officer Brian O’Donnell says some motorists seem to be blind to

Concerns have been raised about proposals to close two care homes in Derry. Consultations will take place over the possible closure of William Street and Rectory Field care homes to new patients. The Health and Social Care Board agreed yesterday that they should look at alternatives to house older residents, with the consultation will last

Cant Pay Wont Pay in Co Donegal have claimed that the registration rate for water charges in the county is lower than is being claimed. Figures released this week show that Donegal has one of the lowest registration rates at 69%. The figures showed that out of 39,904 households in Donegal have registered, with Irish

The Bishop of Derry has said churchgoers can vote Yes in this week’s referendum on same-sex marriage ‘in good conscience’. Donal McKeown was representing the No side this morning in a debate on the  Shaun Doherty Show. The Catholic Church is arguing in favour of a No vote, with letters from bishops being read out at

Gardai investigating the murder of Andrew Allen have arrested a man in Co Donegal. The Derry father of two was murdered in Buncrana in February 2012. No-one has ever been convicted for the killing. However detectives say they remain committed to solving the crime, which was claimed by the dissident republican group, Republican Action Against

The SDLP has removed the party whip from Derry/Strabane Cllr Patsy Kelly. The partys disciplinary committee made the decision in repsonse to remarks made by Mr Kelly on social media during this months election count. An investigation was launched earlier this month after Cllr Patsy Kelly broke ranks to voice support for Pat Doherty during

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and Britain’s Prince Charles have shaken hands at an event in Galway. The meeting of the two men is seen as a landmark moment. No member of the Royal family has ever met the Sinn Fein president. Tomorrow, Prince Charles, will visit Mullaghmore in Co Sligo where his great uncle

A man from Strabane has been arrested by police investigating violent dissident republican activity. The 42-year-old was arrested in the Ballycolman estate this morning. He has been taken to the serious crime suite in Antrim for questioning.

A Donegal TD will tonight move a private members’ motion in the Dail calling for a referendum to have Economic, Social and Cultural rights enshrined in the constitution. Deputy Thomas Pringle says such a move would be pivotal in creating a rights based society, and would offer protection to many people. Deputy Pringle says the

A threat to the future of the Bytes Project, which provides training and work experience for young people who are not in training or employment has been averted after core funding was restored. It emerged in April that a question mark lay over the future of the project, which has a number of bases across

Further tests are to be carried out on the bodies of a man and a woman found at a house near Askeaton in Co Limerick yesterday. Post mortem examinations were carried out on the badly decomposed remains last night, but no cause of death was established. The bodies have yet to be formally identified, but

A Donegal councillor is urging Irish Water to make significant improvements to the county’s decaying water infrastructure. Cllr Liam Doherty is calling on the utility to replace all of the network’s current lead piping. He says the situation is patricularly bad in his own electoral area, with many peoples water being discoloured by lead piping. And

The badly decomposed bodies of a man and woman, found in a farmhouse in Co Limerick, have been removed from the scene for post mortems. The bodies were discovered in an upstairs bedroom after Gardai recived a tip off in the early hours of this morning. The remains are understood to be 63-year-old Julia Holmes