Eilisha Devlin delves into the archives to bring you the news and images from yesteryear.
April 5, 1975
Another view on Gweedore community school question
The heat that has been infused into the debate over the siting of the Gweedore Community School has been deplored by many people.
They see it as a matter of urgent and vital importance to the future of the young people of the district and in this competitive age believe that the children of this Gaeltacht area should be entitled to the best education facilities that can be provided.
Thus, they hope they will be equipped to compete on an equal basis with the rest of the country in the search for career opportunities. But it is feared that the differences that have arisen over the siting of the school could lead to further delays in providing a proper school building.
And some see the Community School being used as a political football in the grip of the different political groups.
Pupils from Scoil Mhuire, Ramelton model clothes from Next during their Fashion Show to raise funds for their school. The year was 2008.
Their hope is that the school question will be divorced entirely from the political arena; to them it is something into which the party political feuds should not enter; the children of the Gweedore and neighbouring districts are entitled to full equational opportunity and the facilities should be provided as soon as possible.
There are those who have claimed that the choice by the Department of Education of the site of the new Community School on the grounds of the former Ard Scoil Mhuire, prohibits proper development of the school. They point out firmly that the ground available is much too small and is also too restricted to permit building of an adequate school with possibilities of expansion.
Many unemployed in Letterkenny despite building boom
Despite the building boom that still continues in Letterkenny – although lessened in pace over recent months – there are many young men of the district who are anxious for work and cannot find employment on building sites in the locality.
Local Urban District Councillor Sean O’Donnell made reference to the big building project of the Courtaulds factory, and in the eighty or more houses and road-building work being carried out by the National Building Agency in the town.
However, it is known that many of the workers on these projects come in from across the Border. A special bus brings a group of workers into Letterkenny each day to work on the N.B.A housing scheme sited between High Road and Glencar.
And Cllr Sean O’Donnell alleges that there are young local men who have never been asked to take up any sort of job on this housebuilding scheme.
At present it is calculated that there are approximately 215 men unemployed in the Letterkenny district, within a six mile radius of the town. But of these, no more than half a dozen are skilled in any aspect of the building trades.
Employment in the town and district has been steady for the past few years. Despite the recession that has hit many parts of the country, Letterkenny has been only very marginally affected in lay-off of workers. There are just over twenty women officially unemployed in the town and district.
Gwedore Celtic winners of the Glencar Inn Division Two in the Donegal League in 2008.
New-look Mary from Dungloe festival this year
The eighth International Mary from Dungloe Festival will open this year on Sunday, 20 July, and continue until Monday, 4 August.
In arranging the extended dates, care was taken to incorporate the Glasgow Fair dates. This year’s Committee is headed by a five-man executive and they promise to present a new-look, top-class, two-week programme packed to capacity with events and functions catering for all; from Bonny Baby to the most Senior Citizen.
The new programme is to include a number of new events at which the Marys will be present-thereby offering the visitors greater opportunities of meeting them.
For the official opening ceremony, arrangements have been made for the return of the reigning Mary-Maribel Lopez Del Mayo, who was the Spanish representative.
For the ‘Mary’ contest itself, 30 finalists from the U.S.A, France, Spain, Germany, Turkey, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will compete for the coveted title and the substantial cash prize.
In addition each finalist may avail of a seven-day free holiday in Dungloe during the Festival fortnight. Anyone interested in obtaining further details should contact any member of the Executive as follows, Jim Gallagher, Joe Joyce, Neil Campbell, Charles Greene, Gerard McElwee.
April 6, 2001
Doctors under fire for weekend coverage
The people of South West Donegal have expressed concern that the North Western Health Board has plans to introduce a new service for weekend medical coverage without consulting the public.
According to Killybegs-based County Councillor Thomas Pringle this week’s announcement was another example of the “arbitrary manner” in which the board operates and was in line with its refusal over the past 18 months to meet with various Parish Councils to discuss the unsatisfactory weekend coverage by doctors.
Details of the new dedicated Donegal GP out of hours service, which is designed to significantly improve the current level of service in Donegal was announced in Letterkenny on Monday.
NoW-Doc (North West Doctors on Call) involves the creation of a dedicated service which begins as the normal surgery hours end at five centres in Donegal with a dedicated out of hours operation in each.
The five centres will be located in Letterkenny, Dungloe, Carndonagh, Killybegs and either Donegal Town or Ballyshannon with a further 10 ‘satellite centres’ dotted across the county.
Cllr Pringle said that he has written several times to the Board over the past 18 months informing them of the concern expressed by individuals and parish groups in the South West Donegal area on the weekend coverage by doctors and to seek a meeting to discuss the issue.
Pupils of Portlean National School at the official opening of the school by Donegal Person of the Year John Carr in 2008.
Pacificare confirm major expansion plan for Letterkenny
The Managing Director of the U.S healthcare company Pacificare in Letterkenny said he expects the first batch of a further 160 new workers at the plant to take up employment by the end of the year.
Niall Tuohy was speaking following the announcement on Tuesday that the company is to go ahead with plans for the creation of 160 new jobs over the next two years.
The new jobs are to be created as part of the new 19,000 sq ft extension to the company’s existing medical claims centre at the IDA’s Business Park in Kiltoy area.
The company was set up in the town in October 1999 and currently employs over 180 people.
“This is fantastic news for us and we are all thrilled,” Mr Touhy said.
“It’s a great tribute to the dedication and high quality of work by our staff. We had 150 workers in place and we processed over one million claims at this centre by the end of last year. We are away ahead of expectations.”
A planning application has been lodged with Donegal County Council and subject to a successful completion of the planning process construction will begin immediately.
Fine Gael meets to decide Maloney chairmanship
The eight Fine Gael members on Donegal County Council were due to meet last night (Thursday) in Carrigart as frictions emerged within the party this week about who is to be the party nominee for the chair.
The position has to be filled at the meeting of the Council in Lifford on Monday as part of the power-sharing pact agreement between the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independent Fianna Fáil. While Fine Gael members remained tight lipped when contacted in advance of last night’s meeting, a number of councillors who asked not to be named, were uneasy about the moves to elevate Cllr Sean Maloney to the post of Chairman following the sudden death of Cllr Charlie Bennet in New York on March 18. Cllr Maloney is the current vice-chairman.
It had been thought that Cllr Maloney would have been the automatic choice for the position but differences of opinions have emerged over the past few days.
Fianna Fáil and Independent Fianna Fáil may also hold meetings in the run up to Monday’s meeting to decide their position. This could present difficulties for the pact if members fail to agree to a candidate put forward by Fine Gael.
The leader of Fianna Fail on the Council, Cllr Bernard McGlinchey said it was a matter for Fine Gael to decide who they would nominate.
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