By Dionne Meehan A LETTERKENNY family travelled to Scotland this week to place a headstone on their long-lost grandparents’ grave which lay unmarked for 102 years. Following years of research, Noel Sweeney and his sisters Kathleen Ponsonby and Margaret Toner, who are all now in their 70s, said they have “found the missing link” after decades […]
Families are remortgaging their homes to pay for drug debts – claim
By Diarmaid Doherty PARENTS across Donegal have had to remortgage their homes in order to help pay off drug debts that have been amassed by family members, a senior Garda has claimed. Chief Superintendent Aidan Glackin has described the drugs problem as a “cancer on society” that is continuing to grow. Advertisement “There are families […]
Family living in defective block home plan move to Australia
by Louise Doyle A FAMILY whose home is crumbling due to defective blocks have told of how they have defaulted on their mortgage repayments for the first time and plan to make a new life in Australia next month. The family say they have flights, accommodation and employment lined up in Australia for January. Advertisement Posting […]
Local hospital staff hold a ‘recruitment freeze’ protest
by Jerome Hughes PATIENTS are at risk and staff face being overwhelmed by a recruitment freeze affecting clerical and administration workers at Letterkenny University Hospital. That was the key message from more than 100 LUH staff who staged a protest outside the hospital earlier this week during their lunch break. Advertisement Ann-Marie Boyle, who works […]
Council urged to ensure fire hydrants are ‘fit for purpose’
By Dionne Meehan LETTERKENNY Fire Service has been called on to ensure fire hydrants are “fit for purpose” after the response to a blaze in the town on Sunday caused concern. At about 9.35pm on Sunday evening Letterkenny Fire Brigade was alerted to a fire in a two-storey semi-detached house at Meadow Bank. Advertisement Cllr Gerry McMonagle […]
First Christmas tree excitement for little Luke
by Jerome Hughes TODDLER Luke Smyth was beside himself with excitement as his proud grandparents Maureen and Colin brought him on his first ever trip to buy a Christmas tree. The family travelled from their Altnagelvin home to ‘McKean’s Christmas Trees’ in Termonbacca, located on the Derry-Donegal border. Advertisement “Our wee 22-month-old grandson, Luke, adds […]
Councillor wants speed vans operating at night
By Diarmaid Doherty A call has been made for speed vans to operate at night time in an effort to cut down on the number of accidents and collisions on the county’s roads. Donegal councillor Michael McMahon has claimed that statistics now indicate a growing number of accidents between 12 midnight and 6 o’clock in […]
‘A beautiful meteor’ – parents pay tribute to Róise Quinn
by Louise Doyle LIGHT dances across the faces of Róise Quinn’s parents when they speak of her. Cathal Quinn and Rachel MacNamara, from New Mills, have been remembering their beautiful daughter who passed away peacefully at Letterkenny University Hospital surrounded by her family on March 22 last year, aged just 22. Advertisement An adored sister, […]
From America to the Abbey for a fairytale come true
THAT morning before Christmas, Siobhan McCann was in America. That evening she was in the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town. The Letterkenny woman was coming home for Christmas in 2009. Advertisement The College Farm Road native had emigrated to Boston over a decade before in 1997. Jet-lagged when she arrived into Letterkenny, her family were […]
Drivers flashing lights before checkpoints ‘doing more harm than good’
By Diarmaid Doherty A senior Garda has hit out at the practice of motorists flashing their lights to warn other road users of a Garda checkpoint or speed van up ahead. Chief Superintendent Aidan Glackin said all road users have a collective responsibility to ensure that our roads are safe. Advertisement But he said the […]