Category: Old Donegal

Donegal County Council is to erect temporary signage at the Clar Corner on the Moville to Derry road in a bid to curb the number of collisions that have happened in that area.

Cllr Martin Farren raised the issue at the latest Inishowen Municipal District Council Meeting, saying that while funding has been secured for a re-alignment of the road, that is still some way from happening and interim measures are needed.

Cllr Farren received a commitment that the new warning signs will be in place early in the new year, which he says is good news for the area……..

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Garda recruits will no longer need to be proficient in both Irish and English to be eligible to join the force.

It’s part of a new strategy to remove barriers that may be preventing minority communities from joining the Gardaí.

800 new officers will join the force next year and the Justice Minister is encouraging minorities including African Irish and Travellers, to consider applying for a role.

Helen McEntee says the Irish language will still play an important role, with some Gardai being specially trained to serve in gaeltacht areas such as West Donegal……..

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There were 44 admitted patients awaiting beds at Letterkeny University Hospital this morning, five of them on Emergency Department trolleys. That’s four down on yesterday.

Letterkenny was the third most overcrowded hospital in the country today after Limerick and Cork.

However, with 21 patients awaiting beds in Sligo, 10 of them in the ED, the combined North West figure is the highest in the country.

In total, the INMO says there were 408 patients awaiting beds around the country this morning.

The Ombudsman says Ireland’s in breach of a UN convention on human rights over its failure to provide people with a disability adequate access to public transport.

Peter Tyndall will tell an Oireactas Committee today it’s a huge barrier for people to lead an independent life and must be addressed.

He says accessibility to public transport’s a particular issue in rural areas.

Ballyshannon based Vicky Matthews has been a long standing disability access campaigner. She says the reality is Peter Tyndall is not the first ombudsman to issue such a warning, and her fear is nothing substantial will change…………

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The Executive Summary of a report detailing sexual abuse at a HSE-run centre in Stranorlar will be published today.

The Brandon report outlines 108 incidents of serious assault carried out by a resident between 2003 and 2016 at St Joseph’s Hospital in Stranorlar.

The National Independent Review Panel found at least 18 intellectually disabled residents were abused by the resident, referred to as Brandon, who’s now deceased.

Victims’ families received the report yesterday.

Donegal TD Thomas Pringle says there needs to be assurances this won’t happen again……

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Patients are being urged to stay away from their GP for the next month, unless they have an urgent problem.

It’s to allow them to double the amount of Covid boosters they do every week, under an accelerated programme.

The GPs vaccinating their own patients will be allowed flexibility to give boosters to people from the age of 16 upwards but will prioritise older age groups.

Dr Denis McCauley, from the Irish Medical Organisation, says GPs are temporarily scaling down other care………..

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1,000 pharmacies will also be involved in the vaccination programme, but only offering the service to the over 50s.

Vaccine centres will also be open from 8am to 8pm every day, and the 15-minute wait time after a jab has been scrapped.

NPHET is expected to recommend further restrictions on social mixing over Christmas when it meets this morning.

They’ll consider whether new limits are needed on household visits – and further cuts to the hospitality sector.

New rules on social contacts are also expected, with the Omicron variant accounting for 13 per cent of Covid cases here.

Dr David Nabarro, from the World Health Organisation, believes Ireland is on the brink of another coronavirus wave……………….

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Dylan Browne McMonagle was honoured at the Horse Racing Ireland Awards on Wednesday night.

The Donegal Jockey had a fantastic year taking the Apprentice Jockey Championship for 2021.

Dylan picked up the Emerging Talent Award:

Rachel Blackmore was named Irish Racing Hero and Horse of the Year was Honeysuckle.

St. Macartan’s 2 – 12
St. Eunan’s College 1 – 11

St. Eunan’s College bowed out of the Mac Rory after a great game with St. MaCartan’s, Monaghan on Wednesday.

Historically both of these teams have had many great tussles, one of the biggest was the 1956 Mac Rory Cup Final where St. Eunan’s lost by a single point in Omagh.

In the first half on Wednesday in Garavaghy the Monaghan boys led by 2 – 7 to 0- 8 but St. Eunan’s were not clinical enough and also missed 2 goal chances. In the 2nd half St. Eunan’s College came to life and a great run by Noel Barrett opened up the St. Macartan’s defense and finished with a great goal to the roof of the net.

St. Eunan’s came within 2 points but St. Macartan’s scored a couple of late points to win by 2 -12 to 1 – 11.

St Eunan’s scorers;
David Boyle 0- 5 ( 4 frees)
Noel Barrett (1 – 0)
Max Roarty 0 – 2
Daithi Gildae 0 – 1
Donal Gallaher 0 – 1
Gary Kelly 0 – 1
Gareth Gallagher 0 – 1

A nice evening to finish the journey …… @SaintEunans @officialdonegal @gaa_donegal #InHocSignoVince pic.twitter.com/hJKZuwqxt9

— The College (@EunansFootball) December 15, 2021

 

A nice evening to finish the journey …… @SaintEunans @officialdonegal @gaa_donegal #InHocSignoVince pic.twitter.com/hJKZuwqxt9

— The College (@EunansFootball) December 15, 2021

Photo Donegal GAA

Donegal learned their opponents on Wednesday evening for the season opening Dr McKenna Cup competition.

Declan Bonners side will play Down and Antrim next month.

All Ireland Champions Tyrone are grouped with Armagh and Cavan while Derry are in with Fermanagh and Monaghan.

The fixture details of each group will be finalised when the Ulster CCC meet on Sunday.

The opening round will be played on Friday night 7th January with the other group games on Tuesday 11th January and Saturday 15th January.

The semi finals are pencilled in for Tuesday 18th January and the final will take place on Saturday 22nd January, a week before the Allianz League’s start.