Aoife Doherty delves into the archives to bring you the news and images from yesteryear.

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JUNE 28, 1975

Letterkenny anger at Teilifís Éireann programme

LETTERKENNY, so dull, dirty, drab and dilapidated! Could this possibly be the principal town of any county in Ireland? No person with any spark of life could choose to live in such a place.

This was the sort of picture painted of Letterkenny by an RTÉ programme on which sizable sums of money was spent and the result of all was shown on Thursday night.

General agreement marked the production, ninety minutes of what should have been valuable viewing time, as nothing more than a miserable bore. For the people of Letterkenny, who had seen the highly paid crew of seven spend ten days last October in their town preparing this programme, it came as a severe disappointment.

To viewers accustomed to efficient and interesting BBC and UTV documentaries this RTÉ production seemed a dismal and pathetic flop.

It was one more proof of the poverty of RTÉ’s home productions. The programme was shallow and superficial, almost totally lacking in research. It failed to give any picture of the people who made up this town, and was obsessed with the black spots of the town, touching the dilapidation of the buildings at the Port Road – High Road junction time after time — a spot that has brought heavy criticism from within the local community.

Lack of research seemed the reason for arriving at some completely wrong conclusions about Letterkenny, a failure to understand the background and make any assessment of the quality of life in the local community.

The magic and the mystery of Letterkenny’s water supply

WHAT is the mystery surrounding the non-switch-on of Letterkenny to a 24-hour water supply?

Expert County Council engineers had promised that Letterkenny’s supply problems would have ended months ago.

A huge improvement scheme costing several thousands of pounds was being completed, and it was claimed that the completion of one of the two schemes would bring Letterkenny ample water. But the water supply continues to be cut off all night.

Then came the big Circuit of Donegal Rally. Suddenly local people found that after 10.30pm on Saturday they had water still running through their pipes. Sunday night was a repeat of the welcome supply. The rally passed but the water remained. On Monday night it continued to flow.

Hopefully, a Derry People and Donegal News reporter contacted the Town Clerk, Mr. Eunan Sweeney. Timidly he asked was the town’s water supply on to stay? The reply was not too heartening. “No definite decision has yet been made.”

But Cllr Tony Gallagher was submitting a motion for the next monthly meeting of the Council and the members would then decide whether it stayed on day and night or not.

Yet the Councillors would long since have opted for a switch-on. On Tuesday night the magic spell had passed. Letterkenny was back again to its old style – the water was cut off at 10.30pm. Not a trickle came through most of the pipes.

But there were thousands of gallons pouring into the Carnamuggagh Reservoir.

Following the magic first night a check at the reservoir showed that there was no danger of shortage.

Next morning a most encouraging level of five feet was noted to the reservoir.

Sunshine and thrills in best-ever Circuit of Donegal

THE Donegal International Car Rally held over last weekend was the biggest and best ever.

In brilliant sunshine the drivers made their way through a picturesque Donegal in search of that elusive first prize. The rally had its full quota of happenings, and big attendance of spectators at all the major vantage points certainly illustrated how this event has risen in popularity.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the rally was that there were no problems and no complaints. It speaks volumes for the dedication and organisational ability of the hard working committee, and special tribute must be paid to Phonsie McElwee, Secretary of the meeting.

Visitors came from all parts of the British Isles and the continent. During the three days, Letterkenny and its environs, were packed to course.

Hotels and guest houses within a thirty-mile area were booked out.

At the presentation dance in the Golden Grill on Sunday night, Radio Luxembourg DJ Tony Prince handed over a cheque for £1,000 to the rally winners, A. Warmboki and J. Davenport. Both drivers are from Germany.

They also picked up a further £280 in prize money and a number of trophies for their victories in special stages. After receiving the presentation, the winner paid glowing tributes to the rally organisers.

JUNE 30, 2000

Letterkenny to get a new parish

THE continuing growth of Letterkenny was further highlighted this week with confirmation that a new parish is to be established in the town.

Based at the Church of the Irish Martyrs, Ballyraine the new parish, which has been sanctioned by the Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Philip Boyce, takes in parts of the former Conwal and Leck parish which border the parishes of Drumkeen, Drumoghill and Ramelton.

It will extend from Bullock Park to the Pluck roundabout and as far as the Silver Tassie at Ballymaleel. The town boundary will be at De Valera Road.

The official blessing ceremony together with the appointment of a Parish Priest is expected to take place in late August or early September to coincide with the annual clerical changes. Fr Brian Quinn, Adm of the Church of the Irish Martyrs, said that the formation of the new parish was the next stage in the natural development of Letterkenny.

The parish, which has yet to be named, will be the second largest in the diocese behind Conwal and Leck.

“We will be inviting submissions from the local parishioners in the coming weeks to name the new parish,” Fr Quinn said.

‘71 Beetle beats the test – first time

A LETTERKENNY woman whose husband bought her a 29-year old VW Beetle as a wedding present last year, was yesterday celebrating as it became the country’s oldest vehicle to pass the National Car Test (NCT) first time round.

Kelly Mclntyre-Barrett, from 3 St Eunan’s Terrace said she was absolutely thrilled her coveted Beetle passed the test on Wednesday in Letterkenny.

She is now looking forward to many years of trouble free and economical motoring.

Kelly’s husband, Eugene, a native of Cork, bought her the car last April as a wedding present. It was bought from a John OToole from the Carrigart area who was the sole owner from the year it was made in 1971.

The Beetle was first commissioned by Adolf Hitler as a people carrier prior to the outbreak of the second World War. It was designed by Ferdinand Porsche.

“I always liked the VW Beetle. When it first came out it was described as the poor man’s Rolls Royce but went on to become one of the most popular cars in the world. I was thrilled when my husband bought me one as a wedding present,” Kelly said. “I was confident that it would pass all along,” she added.

Reward offered after vandals wreck 16 cars in garage compound

THE proprietor of Letterkenny Motors is offering £1,000 reward
for information leading to the prosecution and conviction of the people responsible for the damage caused to his car compound last weekend.

Approximately £30,000 worth of damage was caused in what Gardai have described as an act of wanton vandalism at the Letterkenny Motors premises at Pearse Road.

Garage proprietor and Donegal County Councillor J.J. Reid said that while they have had minor vandalism damage in the past, it was nothing like what he witnessed last weekend.

‘The yard was like a battlefield with smashed windows, smashed bodywork and rocks lying everywhere,” Mr Reid said.

Stones and rocks were thrown across the garage perimeter during the early hours of Sunday causing damage to the windows and bodywork of 16 second-hand cars.

“We are building a new garage and investing a lot of money, and at this stage you would feel like turning the key and walking away,” he said.

Admitting that the garage was not insured for such damage, Mr Reid expressed concern about the possibility of the same thing happening again. “This part of the town is given to problems and it’s a huge loss,” he said.