Author name: oisinkelly

A Donegal Deputy has said he would be very fearful for the future for many farmers in the county if a resolution canot be reached over the new GLAS scheme application system. Just over a week ago over 2,000 hill and commonage farmers turned out to protest outside the Taoiseach’s office in Castlebar over the […]

Motorists are advised to drive with extreme care in and around Letterkenny and other parts of Donegal this morning as heavy snow showers hit the county. Met Eireann has issued a snow-ice warning which will remain in place until 10 o’clock this morning. There is also heavy snow affecting Strabane and parts of Co Derry.

Police are currently at the scene of a security alert at Omagh County Primary School. Campsie Road has been sealed off as a result and pupils at the school have been evacuated to the nearby Omagh High School where they can be collected by parents. It’s understood the alert was launched after information was received

A Strabane Sinn Fein Cllr has claimed he was targeted by the same arsonists he condemned a few weeks ago.. In the early hours of yesterday morning, Cllr Jay McCauleys van and his wifes car were set alight outside his family home in the Head of the Town area. Just a fortnight ago the Sinn

Children celebrating Donegal Libraries Summer Reading Programme earlier this year.   There were 17 million visits to public libraries in Ireland last year, over 335,000 of them to libraries in Donegal. Donegal County Librarian Eileen Burgess says libraries continue to play such a very important role in the county, with every demographic group represented in

A woman whose home was badly smoke damaged following a fire last night says she believes a fibre optic Christmas demonstration was to blame. Hillary Russell was at home in the Carnamugagh area of Letterkeny shortly after 9 o’clock last night when she smelled smoke. When she checked her conservatory, it was ablaze. The fire

Detectives from the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch investigating violent dissident terrorist activity in Derry have arrested three men in the city this morning. Detective Chief Inspector Michael Harvey said the men, who are aged 24, 25 and 43, were arrested in police operations in both the cityside and waterside and have taken to the Serious

Planning permission has been approved for a £10million hotel at the former Tillie and Henderson site in Derry. The old factory at Foyle Road was demolished in 2003 after a fire at the site. Welcoming the announcement, Councillor Patricia Logue said this will help revitalise the entire area at the gateway into the city centre, while

Donegal has one of Ireland’s highest rates of people being banned at least twice for driving over the limit. Figures collated by the Irish Country Living section of the Farmers Journal show that on average, one in five motorists who have been disqualified from driving due to being over the legal limit for alcohol consumption

Motorists are being advised to continue driving with care this morning due to high winds across parts of the country. An orange level wind alert will remain in place in Donegal and other Western seaboard counties until 10am. Met Eireann say parts of the west coast have been experiencing gusts of over 110 kilometres per

A Derry judge has said that the local community ‘are not going to be dictated to by a small minority’ after a man had his tag removed for the second time in a week by masked men. 28-year-old William McDonnell of Culdaff Gardens in Derry had been charged in connection with the finding of a

Tens of thousands of people have turned out in Dublin for a mass protest against water charges. Traffic is being restricted across the capital for the demonstration by the Right 2 Water campaign – which will continue until 4 o’clock this afternoon. TD’s taking part say the protest is a message to the Government that

Donegal airport is to receive Government funding of almost half a million euro. The Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe announced that he has approved the payment of €430,000 to the airport under the current Regional Airports Programme. It was also announced just a fortnight ago that the Public Service Obligation is to continue on the

Udaras na Gaeltachta is to receive an extra one million euro for the protection and creation of jobs across all gaeltacht areas. Junior Gaeltacht Minister Joe Mc Hugh says some of the extra money will be invested in Donegal to backl job creation in companies like Randox, which recently announced a major expansion. He says

Hundreds of people from Donegal are in Dublin today for today’s national demonstration against water charges. Over 15 buses left the county this morning, with more travelling independently. Right 2 Water PRO, Cllr Gary Doherty, says there is a huge contigent travelling from Donegal in Dublin today, and that reflects the level of protest and

A man charged with 50 counts of sexual offences against two young girls will stand trial next year at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The 51-year-old man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was sent forward from the District Court earlier this year in relation to the offences which are alleged to have happened on

  There’s been an arson attack at the home of a Sinn Féin councillor in Strabane. Two vehicles parked outside Councillor Jay McCauley’s home were set alight late last night. His party colleague MLA Michaela Boyle has condemned the attack, saying the people of Strabane are outraged at this attack. Many local people have been

11 primary school children escaped injury this morning when a tree fell on the bus bringing them to school. At around ten to nine this morning, the Home James minibus was travelling up the hill at Lisbnennan when the driver noticed the tree in front begin to fall. He immediately slowed the bus down, and

Hundreds of people from Co Donegal are travelling to Dublin today for a national demonstration against water charges. Over 15 buses left the County at around 6:30am this morning, and they will join thousands of people outside Leinster House this afternoon. Gardai have said “plans are being put into place” to deal with events today, but

We’re in for a couple of days of stormy weather, with high seas and a risk of coastal flooding. Met Eireann has an orange alert in place for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Clare until tomorrow morning While there’s a yellow warning for Munster, Leinster, Cavan and Roscommon. In the North West, gardai are

The N15 Ballybofey/ Lifford Rd is closed at Liscooley between Castlefinn and Killygordon, following a crash this morning. Diversions are in place for a forensics examination. Gardai say at 9.25 last night, there was a two car collision. A 24 year old man, the sole occupant of one of the cars was brought to hospital

Gardai yesterday issued a special appeal for help in tracing a massive perfume and cosmetics haul stolen from a business belonging to RTE Dragon’s Den star Ramona Nicholas. More than €71,000 worth of goods was snatched from her Cara pharmacy in Bundoran, Co,. Donegal, in the early hours of Monday morning. South Donegal Garda chief,

A Co Donegal man, who was filmed questioning Irish Water engineers in Lifford last week, says he was shocked by the whole situation. Michael Mooney, who is a self-employed builder from Letterkenny, was videoed questioning the GMC Sierra workers who were installing water meters. The video has went viral online, and has now been viewed

More cruise ships, carrying thousands of passengers are set to visit Co Donegal next year. The ships, which are part of the P&O/Carnival line, will dock in Killybegs in what is seen as a huge boost for tourism in the area. The MV “Adonia” carrying 800 passengers is due in port on June 17 next

The Dáil is about to vote on a motion of confidence in the government. TDs have been debating the motion for over three hours, with sharp exchanges from both sides of the floor. The Opposition used the debate to launch more attacks on the government. Donegal Deputy, Thomas Pringle says this Government has done nothing

The Norths Deputy First Minister has said the Irish Government will review its decision to withdraw €500 million in funding for the A5 road expansion. Speaking in the Assembly today, Martin McGuinness said he believes progress can be made on the issue following a discussion at last weeks North/South Ministerial Council meeting. The €650 million

Actor Gerard McSorley has significant debt, a court heard today. Judge Paul Kelly was dealing with an application by AIB to examine Mr McSorley’s means in court. The court heard that AIB claims Gerard McSorley has a debt totalling €20,026. The 64-year-old actor , who has starred in a number of movies including a biopic

A convicted sex offender’s sentence was delayed today(Tues) until after Christmas because his solicitor is ill. Judge Paul Kelly was told at Dungloe District Court that defence solicitor Jacqui Sharkey was ill and unable to be present to represent Neil McBride. McBride, 44, was convicted at an earlier court when he admitted having 43 child

The Donegal man who found a young kitten which was badly burned having been thrown on a fire is to adopt it. Burtonport Animal Rescue were notified of the injured kitten on Saturday night. A vet who examined the animal says she is in no doubt it was delibretly thrown on a fire. The kitten

A Donegal Councillor claims the West/North West Hospital Group has spent €117,000 so far this year on a firm of outside Dublin Public Relations consultants. Dessie Shiels claims the money has been spent to spin positive news and is therefore hindering transparency in the health system. Councillor Shiels says spending €11,000 per month on PRis