Author name: oisinkelly

An Independent Councillor is challenging Donegal’s Fianna Fail Deputy to a public debate on the issue of water charges. Miicheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easpuig is calling on Fianna Fail to committ to scrapping water charges if they were to form part of the next government. The Councillor wants to debate the issue face to face […]

Councillor Frank McBrearty is to put down a motion calling on Donegal County Council to abolish water charges. The former Mayor has written to current Mayor John Campbell asking him to hold a special meeting on the water charges issue facing Donegal. It’s estimated that over 15,000 people turned out for three protests in Letterkenny,

The mother of a missing Derry man has made an emotional appeal for help in finding her son. 33 year-old Stephen McCloskey was last seen by his mother on Monday the 27th of October. He was spotted driving his vehicle at Bridgend on the evening of Tuesday the 28th. The jeep was found in Burt

The Cockhill Bridge Action Group in Buncrana is calling on Donegal County Council to reconsider a proposal to erect temporary traffic lights at the bridge at a cost of over 80,000 euro. The long term goal is for a replacement bridge, and in the meantime, the council is planning to erect traffic lights while seeking

West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty has called on dissidents to withdraw death threats against four community workers in Strabane. Ballycoleman Community Centre was closed for a time yesterday in the wake of the threats, after the workers left their posts. The centre has stressed however it is open today and pre-booked events are going ahead

Police are investigating the cause of a fire in a vehicle on the Skeoge Road in Derry last night. Shortly after 8.30pm it was reported that a Landrover Discovery parked close to the Glenabbey Roundabout was on fire. Police and the fire service attended and the fire was extinguished. The vehicle was extensively damaged as a

An Bord Pleanala has given the go ahead to controversial plans to allow an exit road from the Letterkenny Shopping Centre onto the Port Road. The council awarded conditional permission for the road which would allow drivers only turn left – but local businessman Eddie Tobin has objected. As part of his objection to the

Donegal North East Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue has told the Dail that after imposing austerity on the poor, the government is now using the economic improvement to give more concessions to the better off in the hope of buying votes in the next election. Speaking during a debate on the Finance Bill, Deputy Mc Conalogue

  The rail lobby group Into The West is calling for part of the administration of Northern Ireland Railways to be moved to Derry. Spokesperson Eamon Mc Cann says until the section from Derry to Coleraine is upgraded to two lines, the potential of the Derry Belfast route will not be realised. This week, it

New figures show that Highland Radio continues to hold the biggest market share of any radio station in Ireland. Highland Radio also remains the most listened to Radio Station across the northwest. The figures are contained in the latest JNLR/Ipsos MRBI report. Commenting on the figures, Highland Radio’s Managing Director Shaun Doherty thanked listeners and

A Derry councillor has condemned a petrol bomb attack on a family car in Galliagh. Cllr Brian Tierney said the victims were “shocked and distraught” after their vehicle was set ablaze by three masked men at Glencaw Park last night. They were last seen heading off in the direction of Leafair Park. After visiting the

New figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association show that overcrowding at Letterkenny General last month was down compared to October of 2013. 133 people were admitted to Letterkenny General last month on trolleys in the Emergency Department or Wards – that’s compared to 160 in October of last year. However the figure for

A young Donegal man who helped rescue two youths from drowning at Rathmullan Pier is to be honoured for his bravery. Sean Haughey, from Drumkeen, is to be presented with an Irish Water Safety Award after being nominated by Donegal County Council. He’ll be presented with his award on Tuesday November 18th at St. George’s

Letterkenny based software company Gartan Technologies has opened an office in Australia. The company develops specialised software which monitors the availability of personnel and manages their time. Now, the company has been awarded a major contract by Fire and Rescue New South Wales in Australia. Managing Director Malachi Eastwood says it’s a massive opportunity:

Farmers say they’ll blockade beef factories again next week, this time for 48 hours. Members of the IFA held 24 hour protests last week at the country’s processors and say if there isn’t a price increase agreed at the Beef Forum tomorrow, then a second protest will get underway on Monday. It’s reported a number

A Strabane man allegedly threatened to kill his ex-partner via social media. The High Court heard yesterday that the man harassed the woman sending hundreds of messages. The court heard the alleged offences began after he separated from the woman with whom he has a young child. A prosecution barrister said a “multitude” of texts

The Dail has heard claims that Malin Head has been left behind in terms of investment in order to bring it up to the standard that tourists expect. Deputy Charlie McConologue raised the matter calling for funding for plans to develop facilities at Malin Head which have been drawn up by Donegal county Council and

A member of Derry’s new super council has been jailed for six months for damaging the city walls. 43 year-old Gary Donnelly of Iniscarn Road, was convicted of criminal damage to the walls on February 1st 2014. His co-accused 56-year-old Terry Porter and 51-year-old William Anthony Liam Brogan, both of Carnhill, were also jailed for

It has emerged that a man who escaped from police custody at Altnagelvin Hospital was one of three men arrested in the North this week in connection to a spate of burglaries around Glenties and Dungloe. The PSNI says the man does not pose a risk to the public. The 40-year-old who escaped was one

A stand-off between Irish Water meter installers and locals in Crolly has ended. The stand-off was peaceful but has been described as tensious. The Irish Water engineers left the scene at 11 o’clock. Local Councillor Marie Therese Gallagher was at the scene – she says many people in the area are opposed to the installation

The search is continuing for a prisoner who escaped from police custody at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry yesterday. The man was receiving treatment at the hospital when he escaped from police officers. The Police Service of Northern Ireland have not said why the prisoner was in custody. Ch Insp Tony Callaghan said they were “currently

Two brothers from Co Donegal have been told they have 48 hours to leave the county by a dissident republican organisation. Gardai made the two men aware of the threats to shoot them last night. An organisation calling themselves the IRA are behind the threat, accusing the two brothers of being drug dealers. Donegal Deputy,

It’s been confirmed that two men arrested in the North on Monday night are being questioned about a spate of burglaries around Glenties and Dungloe. As part of their investigations into these and other incidents, gardai are appealing for information about two cars. Two men arrested in Tyrone are being questioned about break-ins in the

      Two men arrested in Tyrone are being questioned about break-ins in the Glenties area. Last night there were a number of burglaries and break-ins in the Glenties and Dungloe areas. Cross border alerts were issued, and the PSNI are now liaising with gardai about two men who were arrested near Strabane in

A security operation in the Creggan area of Derry has now ended and residents are returning home. The PSNI’s Area Commander, Chief Inspector Tony Callaghan said while police understand that residents are frustrated that the operation has taken some time to complete, this was unavoidable and an absolutely necessary precaution to ensure the safety of the

Donegal born businesswoman Moya Doherty has been appointed as the new Chairperson of RTE. Ms Doherty, one of the co-founders of Riverdance first joined RTE in the 1970s. She was a founding director of Radio Ireland, which later became Today FM. Speaking after her appointment this afternoon, Ms Doherty said RTÉ has to find structures

Concern is growing for the safety of a 33 year Derry old man who’s been missing since Tuesday of last week. Stephen McCloskey was last seen at his mother’s home at Ard Grange in Hazelbank on Tuesday night last. He is described as being approximately 6ft tall, of stocky build, with short brown hair and

The Junior Minister for the Gaeltacth has said that the Government ‘have to go back to the drawing board’ with Irish Water. Deputy Joe McHugh says that Irish Water has obviously failed, and that the Government has been over ambitious. The Fine Gael Deputy is back in the County this week, and he says after the weekends

Irish Water engineers have been blocked from installing meters in parts of West Donegal this afternoon. Contractors were due to install meters in Annagry and Loughanure today. But when they arrived in the area they were told by locals that they didnt want the meters installed. Local Cllr Micheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easpuig was one