Category: Old Donegal

Derry City and Strabane District Council has completed the acquisition of lands for a new cemetery in the cityside, close to the existing City Cemetery, which is nearing full capacity.

Welcoming the news, Foyle MLA Pádraig Delargy praised the work that has been done in the City Cemetery in recent years by the council, and said its vital that everyone work together to ensure the new land is commissioned properly.

With that in mind, he’s urging the council to consult widely, and calling on people in the area to make their views known:

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Teacher unions are warning of staff shortages and Covid-19 outbreaks ahead of the reopening of schools tomorrow.

Yesterday the Minister for Education said the return would be challenging but their was no public health rationale for keeping them closed.

Norma Foley’s comment followed a meeting with officials and education partners.

Deputy General of the teachers union, the ASTI, Diarmuid DePaor, is concerned a full return could lead to chaos:

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Rules around close contacts are set to be reviewed by public health officials tomorrow.

It follows a request by coalition leaders to look at reducing the current isolation period due to Omicrons impact on vital services.

It comes as a further 21,302 Covid cases were confirmed here yesterday, while 884 people are in hospital and 90 in ICU.

Infectious Disease Consultant, Eoghan DeBarra, says it’ll take time for the numbers to fall:

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Community Groups in Donegal are being invited to apply for grants under the latest Communities Activities Fund announced this week by the Department of Rural and Community Affairs.

The money, which will be allocated to groups in disadvantaged areas, can cover either capital expenditure or running costs.

Minister Heather Humphries launched the fund this week, with a national allocation of €9 million. It’s intended to support community and voluntary groups in disadvantaged areas with small grants of up to €1,500 available for running costs such as utilities and insurance, and large grants of up to €10,000 to carry out necessary repairs and improvements to their facilities, or purchase new equipment.

Cllr Niamh Kennedy, Chairperson of Donegal Local Community Development Committee is encouraging all Community and Voluntary Groups in the County to apply, saying the committee acknowledges the difficulties groups have faced in meeting their running expenses throughout the Covid 19 Pandemic.

The closing date for receipt of applications to the Scheme is 3pm on Thursday, 24th February 2022.

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Fund details –

Small Grant (€500-€1,500) for non-pay running costs such as utility bills (electricity costs, refuse charges, heating charges) or other non-pay operating costs for e.g. rental/lease costs, insurance bills during period 1st July 2021-30th June 2022.

 

Large Grant (€5,000-€10,000) to carry out necessary repairs and improvements to their facilities or purchase of equipment.

Closing date:-

The closing date for receipt of applications to the Scheme is 3pm on Thursday, 24th February 2022.

Further details and application form are available at

https://www.donegalcoco.ie/community/fundingforyourgroup/communityactivitiesfund/

Rob Slevin playing against Finn Harps in 2019 for Waterford Fc.Photo Stephen Doherty.

Rob Slevin has signed with Finn Harps for the 2022 season.

The defender spent the past two seasons with Cork City FC. He made his senior football breakthrough while studying at UCC, and was awarded the FAI Third Level Player of the Year award in 2019.

Capable of playing centre back and left back, the Cork native is eager to hit the ground running as preseason gets underway after battling injury the past 12 months.

Slevin told club media: “I had a tough season last year with a bad injury that required surgery and when I spoke to Ollie I got that sense of belief and confidence right away, I nearly took his hand off for the chance to come play under him and get back in the Premier Division.

Last year was tough for me, even more mentally than physically going through rehab by myself along with everything else going on in the world at the minute. I definitely learned that you can’t take the long-term for granted. I am absolutely buzzing to get in now for preseason and determined to give it everything.”

21,302 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.

884 patients are in hospital with the virus – 90 are in ICU.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan says the current infection levels are having a major impact on essential services across all sectors.

He said –

“As one of our key essential services – the education sector prepares to restart in person education this week, it is important that we continue to minimise, as much as we can, discretionary mixing indoors with people from other households.

“We saw a significant reduction in incidence of COVID-19 in primary school going children through December. However, given the very high and rising incidence of COVID-19 across all age groups in the community, it is inevitable that children will pick up this infection from household contacts in the days and weeks ahead. We also know, as a result, that there will be cases and outbreaks in schools and childcare settings. The Irish and international experience of the pandemic continues to give us reason to believe that schools are a lower risk environment for the transmission of COVID-19 and that the majority of children who are infected experience a mild form of this disease. It is also important to note that children between the ages of 5 – 12 are now eligible for vaccination. You can get more information on www.hse.ie.

“Children who have symptoms of COVID-19, or who live in a household where someone has received a positive or “detected” test result either on a PCR or an antigen test should not attend school.

“It is important that all of us continue to support schools, business owners, family and friends to keep to the spirit of public health advice. We must continue to restrict our movements to the greatest extent possible, by limiting the people we interact with from other households if we are to suppress transmission of COVID-19 and sustain our essential services.”

Met Eireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for low temperatures and ice.

The warning is in place for the entire country from 7pm this evening until 10am tomorrow.

Temperatures are expected to drop as low as minus three degrees, with Met Eireann predicting widespread sharp frost with icy stretches.

Donegal County Council says all roads on the council’s gritting schedule will be treated.

ALL routes will be gritted from 6PM on Tue. 04/01. Donegal gritting route index as follows:

06: Inishowen West
04: Inishowen South
01: National Primary North
02: National Primary Central
03: National Primary South
07: Milford South
08: Milford North
09: Cill Ulta East
10: Cill Ulta West
11: Na Rosa
12: Binswilly
13: Stranorlar North
14: Stranorlar East
15: Stranorlar West
16: Donegal West
17: Donegal North
18: Donegal South
19: Donegal National Secondary
05: Inishowen East
BT: Buncrana Town
LT: Letterkenny Town

 

Kosovar Sadiki Finn Harps. Photo Stephen Doherty

Finn Harps have lost another of their star performers from last season.

Kosovar Sadiki has moved to Italy and joined Serie C outfit Virtus Entella.

Big Kos will be playing his football for 2022 in Chiavari , part of the city of Genoa.

Entella are currently 4th in Group B of Serie C and chasing a spot in the promotion play offs.

News, Sport and Obituaries on Tuesday January 4th……..

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Everton have completed the signing of Scotland international Nathan Patterson from Rangers.

The full back has joined the Premier League club for a fee believed to be in the region of 16-million pounds on a three and a half year deal.

He will act as competition for Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman who plays in the same right sided position.

Patterson helped the Ibrox side win the Scottish Premiership title last season and becomes Rafa Benitez’s second transfer of the January window following the arrival of Ukraine defender Vitalii Mykolenko.