In the final DL Debate of the year, Brendan Devenney speaks with Donegal All Ireland winner Paddy McGrath on his retirement and Donegal Ladies All Star Geraldine McLaughlin while Gary McDaid and Brendan Kilcoyne look back at the highs and lows of 2021.
Listen to the DL Debate in association with Sara’s Kitchen at Sister Sara’s Letterkenny:
https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DL-Debate-full-13121.mp3
The main evening news, sport and obituary notices on Monday, December 13th…
https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/5pmdec13th2021.mp3
Emergency Services are currently attending the scene of a fire in Carndonagh Town Centre.
It’s believed that the fire began at a derelict property in the Bridge Street area of the town shortly after 4 o’clock this afternoon.
According to Gardaí, no injuries have been reported currently as crews are battling to put out the blaze this evening.
A nationwide status yellow fog warning has been issued.
It’ll take effect at 7pm this evening and run until 9am tomorrow.
Met Eireann says there will be reduced visibility in some areas leading to difficult travel conditions this evening and tonight, and caution is being urged for motorists travelling at those times.
A Donegal GP has said there hasn’t been a sense of urgency about the booster vaccine programme.
The HSE is due to unveil a plan this week for rolling out booster shots to those in their 40s and first doses to 5 to 11 year olds.
While an update is expected on the increased capacity for the booster programme.
People have been turned away from walk-in vaccination sites in parts of the country due to a lack of capacity in recent days.
But Donegal GP Dr Denis McAuley says he believes people have been reluctant to receive a third shot so far – but in the next few months, more people will present for a booster:
https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/mcauley3pm.wav
Finn Harps football club say their thoughts and prayers are with their under-19 player who suffered a serious injury in a collision during a match on Sunday.
In a short statement the club confirmed the injured player was brought to Letterkenny University Hospital before being transferred to a hospital in Dublin.
The club added they will provide support to the player and his family as he recovers from the accident.
A waste company facing charges related to the death of an employee from County Donegal will be taken to trial next month.
McGrath Industrial Waste Limited, based in Castlebar, has been charged in relation to the death of Donegal native Daniel Meehan in December of 2018, as he was working on a refuse lorry in the town of Ballymote in County Sligo.
The firm has been accused of “failing to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees in that they failed to manage and conduct work activities, specifically the operation of a refuse collection vehicle for the collection of refuse wheelie bins, namely a Mercedes Truck refuse collection vehicle which was defective and unsafe”.
It is claimed that there were a number of defects on the refuse lorry that led to the death of Daniel Meehan, including defective footboards at the back of the vehicle that were not positioned correctly, as well as wiring that had been altered that led to the rear sensor systems on the vehicle not operating.
It is also alleged that the safe speed limiting system on the lorry had been disabled, and that safety barriers that would prevent an operator from entering the lift unsafe zone at the rear were absent.
The company is also charged with “failing to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of its employees in that they failed to provide systems of work that were planned, organised, performed, maintained and revised as appropriate as to be safe and without risk to health”, as well as failing to “ensure the safety, health and welfare of its employees in that Daniel Meehan was permitted to work on the vehicle when the wiring to the near side sensor was altered”.
The trial will be heard at the next sitting of Sligo Circuit Court, on the 11th of January 2022.
Donegal County Council says it is still accepting applications under the Mica Redress Scheme, but no decisions will be made pending clarification from government on a number of issues.
Crucially, that includes confirmation that is materials apart from Mica and Pyrite are found which are not included in current protocols, they will be covered under the enhanced scheme.
Cllr Martin McDermott who chairs of the Council’s Mica Redress Committee says they’re hoping to meet with department officials this week.
Cllr McDermott was speaking on today’s Nine til Noon Show along with Mica Action Group PRO Michael Doherty.
He says scrapping the sliding scale introduced when the revised scheme was announced remains the main priority…….
https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/micmartupdate.mp3
The Christmas tree in Buncrana has vandalised during a weekend incident.
The display erected in the town centre was damaged after a number of people decided to climb the tree on Friday night.
Ryan Stewart, who is a member of the Buncrana Christmas Lights Committee says it’s disappointing after the work put into the display by volunteers:
https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/rstewart1pm.mp3
The grandson of a Donegal Coxswain who was awarded the RNLI gold medal for gallantry during World War II has returned home from Boston to become the third generation of his family to join Arranmore Island’s lifesaving RNLI crew.
Mark Boyle was born and raised on Arranmore, but this will be his first Christmas on call for the RNLI after he was quickly recruited on his family’s return to the island from America last April.
Mark follows in the footsteps of his late father Charlie, a former station mechanic spanning three decades, and his grandfather Jack, who was awarded the charity’s gold medal for gallantry.
Almost 81 years ago to the day, Jack and his crew rescued 18 people on the Dutch steamer Stolwijk of Rotterdam on the 7 December 1940. The Stolwijk was one of a convoy of ships from America which had come through three days of a rising north-westerly gale and was making for the passage between Scotland and Ulster, in a hurricane of wind and snow. The rescue of the vessel that was forced onto rocks at Inishbeg, was caried out in mountainous seas and a north to north westerly hurricane force wind accompanied by snow and sleet. The rescue by Arranmore RNLI’s crew was later recognised as one of great daring gallantry and endurance carried out in weather of exceptional severity.
While Mark is delighted to be carrying on the family’s lifesaving tradition, he says his reasons for joining the lifeboat crew run deeper than just that. And now as the RNLI launches its Christmas appeal, Mark is urging people across Donegal – home to three lifeboat stations at Lough Swilly, Arranmore and Bundoran – to help his fellow crew and the thousands of other volunteer crews carrying a pager over the festivities, to continue their lifesaving work at sea.
‘I was born and raised on the island and spent my early years fishing lobsters, salmon and working on local white fishing boats,’ Mark said. ‘I then went to college and worked in Galway for 20 years before I moved to Boston for seven years. I returned home to the island with my wife and two of my three children in April and while it was always my intention to join the lifeboat crew when I came home, Tony Ward, the Lifesaving Operations Manager beat me to it and asked me to join before I got the chance to make the ask myself, which was lovely.’
Mark who works in engineering as a Head of Operations for Irish Pressings, travels from the island to Bunbeg daily but when he is not working away, he is carrying his pager.
‘The family connections are important but for me becoming a crew member runs deeper than that. It is about the sense of community and that is what the RNLI is all about. I spent the first three months on my return fishing which for many here is how they make their livelihoods, on the water. The lifeboat provides the vital service to those in distress at sea and that is always acutely felt by those living on the island. It is an added benefit for me that as a new crew member I am continuing in the family tradition.’
Like volunteers around Ireland and the UK, Mark is one of many RNLI crew members who signs up to save every one from drowning – it has been the charity’s mission since 1824.
This Christmas Mark will be prepared to leave his loved ones behind to answer the call, each time hoping to reunite another family, and see those in trouble at sea safely returned. Over the past decade, RNLI lifeboats have launched over 1,200 times during the festive period.
But these rescues would not be possible without donations from the RNLI’s generous supporters, helping to fund the essential kit, training and equipment needed by lifeboat crews all year round.
‘This is my first Christmas as a crew member with the RNLI,’ Mark continued. ‘I know there will be thousands of volunteers like me wearing pagers and ready to drop everything at a moment’s notice and rush to the aid of someone in trouble on the water. At this time of year, the weather is at its worst and lives are on the line.
‘We know that every time our crews go out to sea, they hope for a good outcome, but sadly this sometimes isn’t the case. We hope that this year’s Christmas appeal will show people just how tough it can be, but also that with their help we can get so much closer to our goal of saving every one.’
