By Aoife Doherty
1975, July 19
Council chairman calls for enquiry into dole abuses
THERE were further allegations of abuses of social welfare payments when the Letterkenny Urban Council met this week. There has been considerable controversy over the dole payments for several weeks, and from around Donegal there have been reports of some signing for the dole and at the same time picking up more money than those in regular employment; the extra comes in through working unofficially without the necessity of paying tax, or even the now high – priced Social Welfare stamp.
Complaints of abuses have come in from farmers and building contractors in particular. The regular employer and worker are said to have become embittered, and the Letterkenny Council Chairman, Mr. Tony Gallagher said on Monday that ” It has gone far too far and it couldn’t last”.
A lot of the highest paid people are signing, he said “How is it that some earn far more than those at work and continue to sign at the Labour Exchange? They are signing and carrying on all classes of business and occupations, some taking contracts and driving lorries and some switching ownership to another name in order to draw steadily. Ordinary working people are fed up with it all.
There will soon be no honest workers left. In the long run it is the poor that will suffer.”
He said the situation had arisen that the highly paid were drawing dole. Cllr. Gallagher proposed that an enquiry be held into the system on which the dole has been handed out to so many people.
He said the honest employer who paid tax, wages and stamps each week and the honest were getting fed up with the whole system in which so many were drawing dole and working. He said some of the employers were also drawing dole, evading tax,stamps and paying a lesser wage.
Glencar residents angry at inactivity on water problems
HOUSEHOLDERS in the Upper Glencar area of Letterkenny are very angry at what they consider the lethargy of public representatives and bungling by officialdom that has left them with a continuing poor water supply. Their patience was exhausted last week-end when the limited supply came to a complete halt. Homes were left totally without water, from Friday morning until late on Sunday night.
Today Letterkenny has an abundant supply of water. But the Glencar problems have been so far untouched. Residents point out that officialdom was very well aware that their Glencar reservoir, fed from springs, was a diminishing supply.
And in the midst of this they allege that the Donegal County Council gave themselves planning permission to build eighty houses in this problem area. They say the Council planners must have been very, well aware that they were approving of building where the infrastructure was not provided. The water problem was a very pressing one and there had been many complaints about the sewerage system.
To the residents there, this is grievous blundering that calls out for the most urgent and serious attention.
Some are demanding that there should be a thorough and immediate public enquiry into the entire affair.
They feel that they in the Glencar community should be given the essential services..
Lennon Festival’s huge success a boost to Ramelton
RAMELTON looked every inch a town that could feel proud of Itself with its streets gaily bedecked with bunting, flags flying, neat streets, houses and business premises recently redecorated and resplendent for the opening of its seventh annual Lennon Festival. And throughout the Festival there was further ample confirmation of the excellence of civic spirit and community co-operation that was alive among the townspeople.
Everyone seemed to be wholeheartedly behind the Festival organisers, and indeed they had good reason as they had staged a six-day programme that gave every evidence of careful and imaginative thought and preparation, and was run off without any diminution of the standards set. Even the coming of rain during some of the outdoor events did not lessen the efficiency of the organisers nor the enthusiasm of the spectators. Everything went well and all seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed.
While there were many noteworthy events, one novel innovation that really scored an outstanding success was the Medieval Banquet in the Town Hall on Monday night. The hall itself had taken on something of a medieval atmosphere engendered by the special arrangements and effect carried out by the organisers. This set the tone of what proved a most interesting and attractive event.
There was a tremendous demand for tickets, which were sold out days beforehand and on the night with many Ramelton folk and their visitors costumed in the outfits of old this was very much a memorable occasion. Traditional music in their own special way was provided by the noted Gweedore group An Clannaid, and an excellent banquet was served.
The patrons entered wholeheartedly into the spirit of the occasion and all made for the success of the night.
2000, July 21
Death of founder of Oatfield Sweets
THE death took place in Hillcrest Nursing Home on Thursday night last (July 13) of Mr Ira James McKinney, Oatfield, Ramelton Road following a short illness.
Aged 92 years, Mr McKinney was the founder member of Wm Mr Kinney and Sons (Oatfield), one of Ireland’s most famous confectionery companies. The son of the late William McKinney, Ira and his late brother Haddon first started making sweets in a shed at the rear of their father’s grocery business at Port Road in August 1927.
Three years later their father purchased the present day site at Ramelton Road and for the past seventy years the brand name Oatfield has become synonymous with quality.
In more recent times Donegal Creameries PLC bought a majority share holding in Oatfield which exports its produce all over the world.
A quiet, private man Mr McKinney spent much of his time at his summer residence in Portnablagh in recent years but he always kept a keen interest in the business.
The funeral service, in Trentagh Presbyterian Church on Saturday, was conducted by Rev Geoff Jones, Minister for St Johnston and Ballylennon, with burial afterwards in Gortlee. Predeceased by his wife Frances more than twenty years earlier, he is survived by his daughter Ruth; nieces, nephews, other relatives and a wide circle of friends.
Hospital under fire over helicopter debacle
THE family of the English doctor at the centre of an aborted helicopter airlift from Letterkenny General Hospital last weekend have strongly criticised the hospital authorities. Suggesting that the hospital staff had been “unprofessional and unfriendly” a spokesman for the family said that the whole ordeal has been a nightmare. This has been strongly refuted by the Health Board.
The claims follow confirmation that the initial findings of an inquiry into how a rescue helicopter was sent to Letterkenny General Hospital on Saturday last without the authority or knowledge of the North Western Health Board will lie made available to senior management today.
The inquiry follows an bizarre incident on Saturday last when the airlift of the patient from Letterkenny to a hospital in Sheffield was aborted after it emerged that the Irish Coast Guard helicopter had not been officially requested by the Board. The cost of the operation is expected to be £15,000.
Apart from the cost, the operation also left the east coast without cover from an Irish based rescue helicopter for most of Saturday afternoon.
Relatives in fear as search continues for escaped murderer
A BROTHER of one of John Gallagher’s two victims has told of how the family have been living in fear since he failed to return to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum last Saturday evening.
Fifty-four years old father of three. Phonsie Lafferty from Knock, Ballybofey, said he was deeply worried that the double killer could return to the area again and seek out members of the family.
Gallagher was found guilty but insane of the murder of Mr Lafferty’s sister, Annie Gillespie (56) and her daughter Anne (18) in the grounds of Sligo General Hospital on September 18, 1988.
The former van driver from Post Office House, Lifford, who is now thirty-four years old was released for a social visit out of the Central Mental Hospital at around 12 noon on Saturday.
He was due back at 7 pm but failed to do so and disappeared without trace. Gallagher had access to a powerful Yamaha motorcycle, Gardaí have contacted their police counterparts at Interpol and in Britain as speculation grows that he could have escaped to England or Europe.
“He threatened members of the family before he murdered Anne and Annie Gillespie eleven years ago. We always took those threats seriously. How could turn up at our doors anytime. His escape has brought the whole thing back for the family. I am deeply worried about his escape from the hospital. It seems to have been well planned,” Mr Lafferty said.
“He could be anywhere now but it is the uncertainty of the whole thing. Since the news came out about his escape, I look out the front window of the house in a different way. I have become very suspicious of anyone calling to the house. He has changed in appearance over the years but it is still the same John Gallagher who murdered my sister and niece. What precautions can I take. I haven’t got a gun, he added.
Mr Lafferty has also hit out at the way Gallagher’s case had been treated and the fact there had been little garda contact with the family since he absconded from the hospital where he was participating in a phased rehabilitation programme.
