Aoife Doherty delves into the archives to bring you the news and images from yesteryear.
June 19, 1976
Forty overseas teams for Circuit of Donegal
DONEGAL’S biggest tourist-drawing event, estimated to be worth £250,000 in tourist revenue, begins this Friday afternoon when from 2pm, 123 special cars will move out from their headquarters at Ballyraine Hotel, Letterkenny for three days of thrills and spills over the turning, twisting hill-climbing roads of Donegal.
They will all be in search of the biggest rally prize money in the British Isles and £1,000 cash for the winner.
With the costs of rallying becoming so high, there has been a reduction in the number of entries for all rallies this year, but this Donegal International Rally has been comparatively lightly touched. In fact the cars coming from the Continent have gone up and the rally takes on a new high in standard.
The British entry has gone up impressively, and there will also be a big welcome for the teams from Sweden (Car No. 3); Finland 8; Norway 10; Belgium. 30, 36, and 40; from Germany 22; and holiday-making Jamaican ace Colin Whittingham in No 64.
Ramelton’s big summer rush
RAMELTON would seem to be the place to be at the minute with the Lennonside town preparing for a busy social summer.
As well as the very popular Lennon Festival, plans have also now been made to cater for a visit from a big group of Donegal people now resident in Clydebank, Scotland and the International Motor Rally will be availing of the excellent road network around Ramelton for their very popular special stage events.
On the Festival front details of the programme of events have been released and it looks like it will be a very comprehensive festival: there is literally something to cater for all tastes. The opening will take place on Friday, July 9. On Saturday 10, there will be an Industrial Parade which promises to be one of the highlights of this year’s event.
This parade commences at 3pm and this year the committee would like to see greater emphasis placed by the entrants in creating a carnival-type atmosphere.
This can be easily achieved by having gaily coloured floats, trying out a few novelties or perhaps decorating the various floats with flowers.
Blaney triumph
THERE were scenes of wild elation at the Fiesta Ballroom, Letterkenny on Friday night when Patrick Keaveney of Moville was declared elected to the vacant Dáil seat for North-East Donegal, formerly filled by the late Liam Cunningham (FF) of Muff.
It was an almost totally unexpected development, but an undoubted victory for the organisation and hard work of the totally dedicated Blaney machine, who had carried out an intensive pre-election campaign.
Their loud cheering and upraised arms of triumph were expressions of their attainment of their highest hopes. Through their stirring up of the emotions of the people they had managed to turn North East Donegal away from the mainstream of the political life of the country to back a man unconnected with any of the political parties to join Mr. Neil Blaney, who has stood alone in the Dáil.
June 22, 2001
Irish secondary school marks successful first year
THE highly successful first year at the all Irish-speaking secondary school in Letterkenny was celebrated with the inaugural prize-giving last Thursday.
Coláiste Ailigh, Leitir Ceanainn, has 25 pupils, and six teachers.
They were joined at the prizegiving by a number of dignitaries from around the area.
“It has been a great first year for the school. I would like to thank the parents for their faith, patience and cooperation,” príomhoide, Micheal O’Giobuin said.
The guest of honour was the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr James McDaid who was joined by members of the Board of Management, the Chairman of Letterkenny UDC, Cllr Jean Crossan, Mr Sean O’Longain, CEO with Donegal VEC and the Chairman of Donegal County Council, Cllr Sean Maloney.
Dr McDaid paid tribute to all those involved in the new school and said judging by the number of local and national awards on display it had a bright future.
A celebration to remember
BUILT in adoration of the ‘Almighty’ 100 years ago, the people of the Diocese of Raphoe gathered over the weekend to celebrate the many gifts of faith and union celebrated in St Eunan’s Cathedral. The streets of Letterkenny and the Cathedral were decorated with bunting and flags in preparation of the 45 priests and clergy with thousands taking part in the numerous social and religious events.
On Friday, all those who had worked in the Cathedral maintaining the grounds, interior decorating, and in the choir gathered to celebrate Mass in the Cathedral.
The Centenary Mass was held on Sunday, officiated by Bishop Boyce.
The Cathedral bells rang for one half hour at the conclusion of the celebrations. The 12th and largest bell weighing 2.5 tonnes, donated by the maker Matthew Byrne in 1901, was heard in Letterkenny for the first time in 50 years.
Trading brisk as mart reopens
AFTER a four-month closure due to a foot-and-mouth scare, livestock marts around Donegal opened for business again this week much to the relief of farmers.
Carndonagh was the first to resume trading on Monday followed by Raphoe and Burnfoot on Tuesday.
By the middle of next week more than half of the nine livestock marts will be back in full swing marking a return to some sort of normality.
In Raphoe on Tuesday, 200 cattle were up for trade and 181 were sold, mainly bullocks and heifers.
Prices were reasonably good with the average 500 kilos bullock fetching around £650, almost on par with the price being paid before the FMD outbreak.
It was the first mart in Raphoe since February 22, although the building was used as a collection point for livestock when FMD restrictions began to ease.
Sales are expected to reach their peak in the next two to three weeks as farmers initially have a “wait and see approach” to price fluctuations. For many the mart reopening was a chance to meet again for the first time in four months and catch up on the latest in the industry and around their area.
“There is a renewed air of confidence back with farmers again. The large crowd at the mart shows how much farmers missed it. Livestock haven’t changed hands for months and there was a feeling of doom and gloom in the farming community. The reopening of the marts marks some return to normality,” the Chairman of Donegal IFA, George O’Hagan said at Raphoe mart.