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From the archives: The way we were in Donegal

Róise Collins delves into the archives to bring you the news and images from yesteryear.
If you have a photograph you would like published, send it to editor@donegalnews.com

 

JANUARY 1, 1975
DONEGAL MAY RIDE OUT WORST OF ECONOMIC RECESSION
As stories continue to come in of factory lay-offs in most parts of the country, the gloomy nationwide picture for 1975 has caused businesses, homes and factories throughout Donegal to tighten their belts and gear themselves for difficult times ahead. Yet the indications still are that this county will manage to ride the worst phases of the storm of redundancies that sweep through the country.
There have been some fears among workers in various parts of the county that they will soon have news of lay-offs ahead, but there still seems to be determination among factory management to avoid redundancies as far as they possibly can. How long can they hold out? Some business people feel that the recession will soon recede and that the worse period may soon be ended.
In the large Gaoth Dobhair Industrial Estate, the expectations are that there will be very few lay-offs. Some factories are continuing with their expansion plans, despite the difficult world markets.
As the year ended with short term operation in many factories there was brighter news from the Herdsman factory in Ballybofey. There, 100 employees, who had been on short time, could look forward to returning to full time working if the expected uplift in the market arrived. The reduction in production had been necessitated through slowdown of sales, but the factory, which exports heavily to Japan and America, had met a very bleak outlook over the past few months with the hope of better times ahead in 1975.

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Laura Morrow, Hannah Laughlin, Judy Ball, Lance Ball and Sally Blake pictured during the days of the Letterkenny International Folk Festival.

FAREWELL FROM LETTERKENNY’S FAMED PATTERSONS
The Pattersons – Letterkenny’s famed family musical group – have ended as they began; all four of them on stage of the Fiesta Ballroom in Letterkenny.
Dorothy, who had left the group when she became Mrs Orr in 1969, rejoined them for their gala farewell performance.
It was a lively, colourful, happy occasion as the group charmed the capacity audience with their music and superb stage abilities. On the stage, the Pattersons have always captivated their audiences with their charm, eagerness to sing and entertain. They have presented a clean and fresh image of the entertainment industry in rural halls, in big towns, in cities, in the famous Albert Hall in London, and in the USA. Fame touched them during their 10 years as they stood side by side with the internationally renowned names of the stage and television. They themselves became the internationally renowned names of the stage and television.
Ten years before, the Pattersons, Dorothy, Christine, Ronnie and Billy had made their first public appearance as a singing group on the Fiesta stage in a concert organised by Very Rev C J Canon Mulreany, P.P., Stranorlar, then Administrator in Letterkenny.

JANUARY 7, 2000
HOSPITAL HIT AS BUG SWOOPS THROUGH DONEGAL
Doctors and chemists throughout Donegal have experienced a massive increase in patients with serious colds and flu-like symptoms over the holiday season.
In Letterkenny General Hospital it was estimated this week that up to 80 per cent of medical admissions in the past fortnight were flu related.
In many other instances other conditions experienced by patients were considered to be exasperated by flu symptoms. Employers have also reported larger than usual absenteeism due to the outbreak.

Letterkenny Hospital General Manager, Mr Chris Lyons, acknowledged that the number of admissions had placed added pressure on hospital services.
He confirmed that he has written to GPs across the county appealing to them not to refer patients to Letterkenny General Hospital, where possible, as they battle against an increased workload and sickness among staff.
Although overall admissions were on par with the same period last year, the numbers presenting with respiratory tract infection and flu like illness had increased substantially.
Mr Lyons noted that they were coping with the extra pressure, adding that they were monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis.

Boyzone in Letterkenny, Mikey Graham, Keith Duffy, Ronan Keating, Stephen Gately and Shane Lynch with Highland Radio’s Keith Fletcher.

 

THOUSANDS CELEBRATE DAWN OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM OVER DONEGAL
It was billed as the party of the century and many publicans, hoteliers and night club owners across Donegal had confidently predicted sell-outs.
Slashed ticket prices and under booked hotels were the order of the day, however as the Donegal public chose to rebel against the millennium mania which gripped the county, nation and globe on Saturday, December 31.
While hoteliers and publicans were left licking their wounds, off-licence owners were enjoying record sales as thousands of revelers chose the last night of the 20th century to have a house party.
Donegal started planning its millennium celebrations more than six months ago but customers refused to pay inflated prices for babysitting facilities, pubs and hotels.
Instead, many old sheds and barns were converted into makeshift bars and communities, neighbours and friends got together to organise their own celebrations.
Flares and fireworks lit up the night sky from Burtonport to Dungloe, around the entire Donegal coast to Killybegs, Rathmullan and Buncrana and throughout Inishowen, but notably not Letterkenny. Letterkenny’s marking of the new millennium was disappointing.

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