Ava Maguire 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 10, 1976
NO BIN COLLECTION SERVICE IN LETTERKENNY
From this week, Letterkenny is altogether without a domestic refuse collection service. The entire system has broken down, and loaded bins are lined along the Main Street waiting for the refuse collectors who are not coming.
“Dump your own refuse” is the advice of one person who knew that there was a collapse of the service. But the public dump,operated by the County Council is six miles away at Corkey, Manorcunningham, and there is no assurance that individuals would, even after making such a journey, be permitted to use the dumping ground.
It seems to be this faraway dumping ground that has precipitated the crisis.The contractor who has given very satisfactory service in recent years, found the longer journey too much for him. It cut too heavily into his other schedules.
As an emergency measure yesterday, a lorry and Council workmen cleared a section of bins from the streets, but regular service awaits an arrangement with a new contractor.
‘PEOPLE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF MESSING WITH WATER SUPPLY’
“The people are sick and tired of this messing about with their water supply. In fact, we all are. It’s time we had a good look at our £12 million scheme and decide who’s been fooling whom.
“I have a lot of questions for next Monday night’s meeting and someone had better have answers,” said Cllr Patsy O’Donnell of Letterkenny Urban District Council in an interview with the Derry People and Donegal News during this week.
Cllr O’Donnell was referring to the most recent interruption of the town’s water supply, which occurred in the Ballyraine area early in January. With the completion of the new water scheme County Council officials had stated there would be no further breakdown in supplies until 1979, at least.
Senator Bernard McGlinchey is also very interested in hearing the explanation of this latest cut in supply, and he has a series of motions listed for next Monday night’s Urban Council meeting.
He will inquire what time and date the water shortage was reported to the Council. What action did the Council take to alleviate the problem? How much water did the graph indicate was coming into Letterkenny on the weekend of the 24 January? And what emergency plans does the Council operate in situations of this kind? He also asks that the Council discuss its failure to supply water to the residents of Ballyraine-Gortlee on January 2, 3 and 4.
A GAOTH DOBHAIR GIRL IN A MAN’S “BUILDING” WORLD
A young Gaoth Dobhair girl, Miss Nuala Curran, of Derrybeg, is making a big name for herself in what is usually considered as very much a male preserve – the building trade. She has joined the firm of Northern Construction Ltd. and is presently employed as Assistant Site Agent for the company at Letterkenny General Hospital, where they are engaged in building the sizeable new extension. It is not uncommon to see Nuala moving about the site taking measurements and supervising work. Without doubt she is the only girl in Donegal qualified to do this kind of work, and one of a very few in Ireland.
However, Nuala does not feel one bit out of place, She puts forward “ a spirit of adventure” and “love of design” as her two main reasons for taking up the work. The realisation that the construction industry was heavily male-dominated did not deter her from pursuing her ambitions in this field, and one must pay tribute to her courage in going ahead.
January 12, 2001
‘NIXERS’ PROBE LAUNCHED IN COUNTY HOUSE
An internal investigation led by County Manager Mr. Michael McLoone will be carried out over the next three months to find out if Donegal County Council staff have been doing “nixers” or other work that conflicts with their professional duties.
Donegal County Council confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that an investigation is underway to ensure that local authority officers are not engaging in private activities which are incompatible with their official roles and could lead to a conflict of interest.
The Minister for Environment, Mr Noel Dempsey has asked for a full report within three months and for confirmation that no member of staff in Donegal is involved. He has appealed to local authority officials, councillors and members to “blow the whistle” on any evidence they have of wrongdoing.
The Government has ordered a clampdown to root out corruption in local authorities following revelations concerning planning and engineering staff in Kerry, Roscommon and Sligo over the past week.
A Council spokesman confirmed that the names and addresses of agents who submit planning applications are recorded and these will be checked over the next three months to ensure that no local authority officers are preparing planning applications for consideration.
There are no allegations that Council staff have been engaging in this practice. Any evidence that this has happened will emerge over the coming months from the checking system implemented.
HUMAN SKULL MYSTERY
A human skull together with a number of small bones were discovered by fish farm workers on Tuesday in a sea cave near Anney Point, between Portsalon and Rathmullan.
Gardaí in Milford confirmed yesterday (Thursday) that the remains had been sent to the office of State Pathologist, Dr. John Harbison. Detailed forensic examination may be able to determine the identity of the deceased.
Members of the Garda sub aqua team carried out a sea search in the general area on Wednesday while land based colleagues searched the shoreline in the area around Anney Point to see if any further bones have been washed up.
According to a Garda spokesperson the skull will be compared with records held on missing persons and through Dr. Harbison’s office, comparisons will be made using dental records and DNA.
“It was impossible to determine by looking at the skull what age it might have been and how long it was in the water. The State Pathologist’s office have all the necessary expertise to carry out such an examination” the garda said. It may be some time before the identity can be established, the garda press office confirmed.
WORK TO START ON OVERDUE LETTERKENNY PLAN
Work on the preparation of a new Letterkenny Development Plan is expected to get underway before Easter, 12 months late.
The present town plan was adopted in 1993 and a variation of that plan was carried out in 1995. Under the 1963 Planning Act the plan was due for review last year. However, under the 2000 Planning act which came into being on January 1 this year each local authority will now have to review all Development Plans that have been in place for more than four years, within a twelve month period.
Yesterday (Thursday) Ms Gaye Moynihan, Senior Executive Planner with Donegal County Council confirmed that the preparation of the new Letterkenny Development Plan would now be “fast tracked”.
“Under the new Planning Act, each Development Plan has a lifespan of six years once it has been adopted which effectively means that come year 4 of the cycle you have to start thinking about a review,” Ms Moynihan said.
Donegal County Council is to employ a team of consultants to work alongside Ms Moynihan and Letterkenny Town Planner, Mr Jim Harley in preparing the new plan.
“In November last the Council advertised for expressions of interest from interested parties in joining a panel of consultants. There was a superb response and we received 43 replies from high quality applicants. We will go through the applicants in the coming days and short list those for interview. We certainly hope to start work on the new Development plan before Easter,” Ms Moynihan said.
