Author name: oisinkelly

Strabane Courthouse is set to be closed due to budget cuts at the Department of Justice. In total 20 courthouses are to be cut to 12 in the North under the proposals set out by Justice Minister David Ford as he wrestles with a £75 million cut to his department’s budget. Yesterday Northern Ireland’s most […]

A family of four had a lucky escape this morning when their jeep overturned on the Glen Road between Loughanure and Annagry due to slippery conditions. The mother, two daughters and son were on their way to school in Dungloe when the accident happened. The jeep went off the road and overturned just below the

The Energy Minister says wind turbine technology is safe despite a number of incidents here. In 2013 a 245-foot high wind turbine collapsed near Ardara while a blade came off a turbine in Kerry and investigations by the Health and Safety Authority. There were also issues with a turbine in Tyrone earlier this year. Alex

Concerns are being expressed at the recent spate of car crime in the Ballymagroarty and Foyle Springs areas of Derry city. Over the past number of days there have been a number of car crime incidents – a car was burned out in Foyle Springs last night after careering through the Ballymagroarty estate There was

There has been an angry response to plans by Irish Water to pump water from Inishowen to Letterkenny with claims problems in the water supply in the North of the county should be addressed first. The company has confirmed plans to pump water from the Pollen Dam in Buncrana to Letterkenny to bolster the water

Motorists are being advised to drive with care this morning as a snow and ice warning remains in place across Ireland. Met Eireann’s advising of wintry showers – with snow accumulations of up to 3 centimetres. It says the showers will be most frequent in the west and north and over hills and mountains. There

Talks aimed at averting a third day of strike action by secondary school teachers are to take place today. The TUI and the ASTI are meeting with officials from the Department of Education in an effort to resolve the row over Junior Cert reform. Ahead of the talks Unions say there is still some distance

Donegal South West Deputy Thomas Pringle says he doesn’t expect bad weather to affect support for the Right to Water protest taking place in Letterkenny on Saturday. The Independent TD says previous marches and rallies in Donegal have attracted huge support, and he doesn’t expect this one to be any different. Monday next is the

  The Market Square has been the focal point of Letterkenny down through the years. It was once a busy, bustling place full of activity with markets or marts there on a daily basis. But what is like today and does it need a revamp? There have been concerns over the poor lighting at night

A group of Donegal mothers are to meet next with the Health Minister to discuss issues of paediatric care in the county. Gina Grant and Mary Louise Crossan of Letterkenny, Ashling Nibbs of Trentagh, Brenda McGeehan of Fintown, Sharon Thompson of Moville and Fiona Rodgers from Arranmore Island will meet Minister Varadkar in Dublin on

There’s a snow and ice warning in effect across the country. Met Eireann has a status yellow alert in place for wintry showers, which could lead to up to 3cm of snow during tonight and tomorrow. The northwest, as well as high ground, are expected to see the largest accumulations. It’s to remain windy with

100 people were rescued during 98 lifeboat launches in Donegal last year according to figures released this morning by the RNLI. Aranmore Lifeboat launched 38 times, rescuing 41 people, Lough Swilly Lifeboat launched 33 times rescuing 32 people and Bundoran lifeboat launched 27 times, rescuing 26 people. This year, Lough Swilly will become the first

Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalgue has written to the government and the Stormont executive to seek clarity on what plans are in place to fund the A5. Money had previously been set aside by both administrations, but the work was stalled as a result of a legal challenge, and the project has been

A new all Ireland Independent political grouping has been formed to represent the views and concerns of Independent Councillors. Independents from Donegal are part of the “Independents Together” group which also promises to offer information and supports to elected indendent representatives. The inaugural Chairperson is Donegal Cllr Nicholas Crossan – he says it is not

Met Éireann has issued a status yellow snow and ice warning for Co Donegal. Wintry showers will bring up to 3cm of snow on lower ground tomorrow and into Thursday, with all areas at risk. Showers will be most frequent in the northwest and over hills and mountains, with higher snow accumulations expected there. The

Moya Doherty has been named as the Donegal Person of the Year. The co-founder of ‘Riverdance’ will be presented with the coveted award in Dublin on March 7. Ms Doherty, is a native of Pettigo but grew up in Dungloe. She succeeds Liam Ó Cuinneagáin from Glencolmcille. She follows in the footsteps of people such

The theft of a six-foot sculpture statue of a Celtic sea god, that has prompted a campaign for its safe return, has now led to a ‘missing persons appeal’ by the PSNI. Manannán Mac Lir, which is made out of fibre glass and stainless steel, was stolen last week from Binevenagh Mountain near Limavady in

West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty has strongly denied suggestions that Sinn Fein could be forced to take their seats in Westminster. YouGov’s Peter Kellner has predicted that Sinn Fein will take up their seats in the House of Parliament after the next General Election. The political analyist said that they would have to do this

There has been a further worsening of the overcrowding crisis at Letterkenny General Hospital after a warning from hospital management last night. According to the INMO there are 28 patients either on trolleys or in wards awaiting a bed. Those waiting for a bed at Letterkenny General Hospital have been accessed by medical staff and

There has been a further worsening of the overcrowding crisis at Letterkenny General Hospital after a warning from hospital management last night. According to the INMO there are 28 patients either on trolleys or in wards awaiting a bed. Last night Saolta, the group which runs the hospital urged people to avoid the Emergency Department

It has been revealed for every meeting of Donegal County Council 500 euro is spent on paper. This despite 15 thousand euro being spent on tablets for councillors at the start of the current council’s term. The council has expressed its intention to move to paperless meetings but no timeframe for that move has been

A second rare, endangered turtle has washed up on Co Donegals coastline. A loggerhead turtle washed up on Glencolmcille beach, it’s being treated for hypothermia at Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry, County Down. It is believed the turtle was blown off course, swapping the warmth of the Gulf Stream for the colder waters of the North

Donegal County Council is being accused of using cheap labour to replace staff. Sinn Fein Cllr Mick Quinn was speaking after it emerged that a number of people taken on under the Gateway scheme have been involved in road works in the Stranorlar area. Deputy Thomas Pringle said yesterday that the work would have been

Irish Water has confirmed a major investment in the water infrastructure in and around Letterkenny. Over the next three years as part of its Capital programme, Irish Water will invest in the network supplying areas including Carrigart, Cranford, Millford, Termon, Kilmacrennan and Letterkenny The work will also extend to Gartan, Churchill and Glenswilly. The new

Donegal County Council is to send delegations to the United States and Nottingham this St Patrick’s Day. As has become an annual affair, there was much discussion on the issue at this weeks council meeting with Sinn Fein seeking to see itineraries for the trips before offering their support. It was eventually decided that the

One of the world’s most endangered turtles has washed up on a beach in Co Donegal. A young Kemp’s Ridley was found on the rocks in Rossnowlagh, on Christmas Day. Coastwatch volunteer Aoife Flynn made the discovery. An autopsy on the foot-long turtle was completed over the weekend which has confirmed that the turtleit is

A man in his 30s has been detained after a security operation at an apartment block in Derry today. The incident began at about 2.30pm when police became aware of a man in a distressed state in a flat at John Street, close to Craigavon Bridge. Officers deployed to the scene and over a period

People are being urged to avoid the Emergency Department at Letterkenny General Hospital this evening, as a result of what management say is a very high number of attendances. In a statement this evening, Saolta, the hospital group which runs the hospital says – “The Emergency Department at Letterkenny General Hospital is extremely busy tonight

Foyle Road in Derry has now been closed between Craigavon Bridge and the Foyleside Roundabout as part of an ongoing incident which saw John Street closed earlier this afternoon. Police have issued a statement confirming they are at the scene of an incident at John Street in Derry where we have concerns for the safety of a