Category: Old Donegal

 

Listen back to Main Evening News, Sport & Obituaries for Monday November 29th:

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Donegal’s Gary McElhinney has finished second overall on the five day Roger Albert Clark Historic Rally in England.

McElhinney was calling the notes for Seb Perez in a Ford Escort Mk2.

After 31 stages they finished over four minutes down on the winner Ryan Champion in a Porsche 911.

Adrian Hetherington and Ronan O’Neill were third in an RS1800 Escort in third.

One of the legs of the event had to be cancelled due to Storm Arwen.

It was a weekend full of historic rallying, with Killarney also hosting their popular annual event.

Craig Breen and Paul Nagle in their BMW M3 were the winners.

Donegal’s Donagh Kelly and Rory Kennedy also in a BMW M3 finished in fourth just 29.6 seconds ahead of Donagh’s son Eamon Kelly and Paddy McCrudden in the Ford Escort RS1800.

In the Modified section Kevin Eves and Chris Melly finished 2nd second in their Toyota Corrolla.

 

A public consultation process is under way on an All Island Strategic Rail Review.

Ministers from both sides of the border announced the move today.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan says they want to hear views on how rail can support social and economic development across the island.

He’s encouraging all interested parties to participate in shaping the outcome of this important review.

 

A leading mica campaigner says homeowners will take to the streets of Dublin again, if 100 per cent redress isn’t delivered by government.

Paddy Diver has slammed a draft Cabinet memo, which would see people receive a maximum of 420,000 euro to rebuild their home, with second properties not included.

He says many people won’t receive the maximum amount and has asked critics to put themselves in homeowners’ shoes:

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A number of local representatives have raised concern over the Donegal County Development Plan.

The new draft Plan was before the latest sitting of Donegal County Council today where members debated a proposed variation in respect of a Wind Energy Policy Framework.

Some Councillors expressed reservations about the variation with guarantees sought that communities would be protected going forward.

It was also proposed that landslide studies would take place in tandem with any proposed future wind farm developments.

Cllr Gary Doherty says the ten times tip height policy must remain:

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1,464 new coronavirus cases have been recorded in the north in the past 24 hours.

There have been four additional Covid related deaths.

340 patients are being treated for the disease in hospitals in Northern Ireland, with 28 in ICU.

Two motorists have been caught speeding in south Donegal over the weekend. 

Gardai from Donegal Town were conducting speed checks yesterday and issued a Fixed Charge Penalty Notice to a driver who was detected travelling at 124KPH in a 100 zone on the N15.

Another driver was issued with a Fixed Charge penalty Notice after being detected travelling at 80KPH in a 50 zone in the Pettigo area.

Both drivers now will receive a fine of €80 and 3 penalty points.

 

Donegal County Council’s Capital Budget has not been agreed today with more in depth discussions to take place.

The executive is proposing a spend of almost €800m of a three year period with €192m of that to be spent in 2022.

€73.5 million will be spent by Housing, Corporate and Cultural Services, just over €60 million by Roads and Transport, €29.6 million by Community, Enterprise and Planning, €5.7 million by Water and Environment and just over €4 million by Economic Development, Information Systems and Emergency Services.

While the outlined expenditure has been widely welcomed, a number of Councillors called for a further workshop to be held to discuss the capital programme before agreeing on it.

Councillors Barry Sweeney, Niamh Kennedy and Donal Coyle called for more funding to be made available for the Donegal Heritage office.

Councillor Albert Doherty welcomed the €15m set aside for the defective concrete blocks grant scheme but raised a number of questions regarding the prioritisation of properties and when works will be carried out.

East Donegal Councillors Patrick McGowan and Gary Doherty during discussions highlighted the need to progress the Donegal Community Stadium project.

Councillor Gerry McMonagle also said a number of clarifications are needed in terms of unfinished estates and the takeover of estates as well as an update on the TEN T project.

Meanwhile, Cllr Marie Therese Gallagher raised concern that the programme doesn’t meet the housing needs of the county and calls for more of a focus on flooding issues in South Donegal was made by Councillor Micheal Naughton.

Councillor Frank McBrearty rejected the proposed Capital Budget.

Gardaí are investigating the discovery of a body in the Termon area.

The body of the man in his 90s was discovered last night.

Gardai say foul play is not suspected at this time.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out which is due to determine the course of the investigation.

 

Almost half a million euro in funding has been granted for Greenways and mountain trails in Donegal.

€200,000 has been granted to continue the Muckish Greenway along the Letterkenny to Burtonport railway line while €270,000 is being invested in the upgrade of the Slieve League mountain trail.

In welcoming the news, Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh praised the work of local community groups working on the projects.

He says the funding will go towards building upon Donegal’s tourism offering……….

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