Róise Collins delves into our archives to bring you the news  from yesteryear.

AUGUST 23, 1975

RETURNED TO ATTEND MASS ON THEIR NATIVE INISHCAORACH

OVER 100 people from around the west coast of Donegal paid a visit to the now deserted Iniscaorach on Sunday last.

They made the trip to take part in the first reading of Mass on the island since 1955. For great numbers of them it was a very moving experience as the island is their native birth place and memories of days gone by were evoked as the sun shone and the waves lapped the beautiful shore.

The mass was concelebrated by Fr John McGlynn, C.C. Gaoth Dobhair; Very Rev Fr Damien McDyer, P.P. Burtonport and Very Rev Fr Mc Dermott, P.P. Arranmore.

The one remaining building on the island is the old school house which now belongs to the State Solicitor Liam McMenamin, Ballybofey, and it was used as the location of the Mass.

The history of the island is like the history of many once happy islands which existed along the Donegal coast. Emigration, the merciless sea, privation and lack of facilities were the factors which force the inhabitants to move to the mainland, one by one.

UNIQUE TRAINING PROGRAMME AT REGIONAL COLLEGE

LETTERKENNY’S Regional Technical College has decided to embark on a unique special training programme. They have on offer training opportunities for students who might have difficulty finding jobs in the present economic climate because of the lack of the basic training which the jobs require.

The programme is specially designed to help a wide range of young people, but it is particularly geared to help those who are unemployed, those who are in casual or part-time work, or those who are employed in agriculture.

These courses are a big breakthrough for the college as they will now be in a very strong position to provide students with training in the many diverse fields of Irish industry. Among the courses which prospective students can avail of are secretarial skills, construction studies (site supervision) and science technician skills.

All trainees taking part in this course will be paid a flat rate grant of £8.30 per week and will have their instruction fees paid.

CARRIGART HOTEL HAS ITS OWN WEATHER FORECAST

DONEGAL hoteliers have always been noted for the high standard of service they provide and for their willingness to go to any lengths to keep their customers happy. But their quest for perfection has been taken a step further by Mr Dermot Walsh of the Carrigart Hotel.

In a gallant effort to make sure that his guests can plan their daily outings in keeping with the prevailing weather conditions of the day, Mr Walsh has arranged for the Meteorological Service to send a telex to his hotel each night stating what the prospects for the next day’s weather in North Donegal are. This service is really unique and Mr Walsh claims that his hotel is the only one in Europe which has its own forecast, and he believes that this is a much needed service for his guests in an area such as Donegal, where weather conditions have gained notoriety for their ability to change in a flash.

AUGUST 25, 2000

LARGES CROWDS TACKLE THEMe OF ‘WOMEN IN IRELAND’ AT MaCGILL SUMMER SCHOOL

The 20th annual Patrick MacGill Summer School drew large numbers of visitors to Glenties last week to hear a distinguished panel of speakers address the school on this year’s theme of ‘Women of Ireland’.

The popular annual summer school was opened by Mrs Joy McCormack of Greencastle who was one of the Irish delegates at the United Nations conference on women in New York recently.

Inequality for women in the workplace, the dire state of accommodation for homeless women in the country and the protection of the status of mothers in the homes were three topics that showed a different aspect of the Ireland of the Celtic Tiger.

Ireland’s first female president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Inez McCormack, addressed the issue of inequality for women in the workforce. She told delegates this inequality was manifest in all studies, surveys and audits of wage differentials, conditions and job segregation.

DRILLING BEGINS FOR INISHOWEN DIAMOND

DRILLING for diamonds began in Inishowen last week following four years of extensive research by a British-based mineral exploration company. Cambridge Mineral Resources PLC plan to drill at ten sites around the Moville and Gleneely area where it has already found traces of precious stones.

The company hope to find diamonds, rubies and sapphires after preliminary tests revealed diamond bearing minerals and traces of the other precious stones. Cambridge Mineral Resources set up an office in Moville last year where the drilled samples will be brought for initial sorting. They will then be sent to Canada for analysis.

A Galway-based company, Irish Drilling Limited, is carrying out the drilling which will take rock samples to a depth of 100 metres. Managing Director of Cambridge, Mr David Bramhill said the company was very encouraged by the results of the pre-drilling programme carried out over the last three years.

LIFFORD DUMP’S FORCED CLOSURE CREATES NEW HEADACHES FOR COUNCIL

THE urgent need for a solution to Donegal’s waste disposal problems was reinforced this week with the announcement that Lifford landfill is to close following an inspection by the Environmental Protection Agency. The announcement was made through public notices in the local newspapers.

Householders in the north of the county look set to face increased refuse charges with waste refuse collectors having to travel greater distances to access a suitable dump.