Naomi Hamilton O’Donnell delves into the archives to bring you the news and images from yesteryear.
July 3, 1976
A cannon at the bottom of the garden
“IT’S NOT EVERY DAY you find a cannon at the bottom of the garden,” said Mr. Reggie McAuley, of Leckview, Letterkenny.
Mr. McAuley is one of Letterkenny’s best-known personalities and he is having an extremely hard time explaining how a cannon came to be found on his property.
The discovery occurred last week when Mr. McAuley and his brother, Cyril, were digging in the garden. A spade hit a hard object and on closer inspection the two men unearth this cannon. It’s thought that this piece of military hardware is several hundred years old; it is five feet in length, and weighs over one hundredweight.
An antique dealer of repute, the affable Mr. McAuley is unable to discover just what period this discovery belongs to. There are no markings whatever on it, and its origin remains a mystery.
Mr. McAuley says: “I have travelled all over Donegal looking for rare objects, but I never thought that I’d see the day when the oldest antique I could possibly have would be found at the bottom of my garden. Anyone interested in viewing this object is welcome to come along, and if they can tell something about it, so much the better. I think, personally, that the cannon is several hundred years old, but I can’t be sure.”
Gweedore rejoices in ordination of Rev. Colm Gallagher
GWEEDORE REJOICED ON SUNDAY on the ordination of another of her sons to the priesthood. In the lovely St. Mary’s Church, Derrybeg, before an overflow congregation of clergy and parishioners, Rev. Colm Gallagher was raised to the priesthood by the Bishop of Raphoe, Most Rev. Dr. MacFeely.
The impressive and touching solemn ceremony, conducted entirely in Irish, was followed closely by the people, honoured at the privilege of being involved in such a happy occasion.
The ordinand is son of well known primary school teacher and Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair member, Sean O’Gallagher, choir, O.S., and Mrs. Mary Gallagher of Cotteen, Derrybeg. For them and members of their family this was a particularly joyous occasion as it was the third member of the family to be raised to the priesthood. A brother of the newly ordained is Rev. Fr. Sean Gallagher of the Community School at Falcarragh and well known in his work for religious education among the post-primary schools; and another brother, serving with the Columban Fathers in Tokyo, Japan, Rev. Cathal Gallagher, who was ordained in Derrybeg two years ago.
Loughanure Festival will be bigger than ever
THE arrangements are well advanced for the four-day Loughanure Festival, which runs from Thursday 22nd to Sunday, 25th July, with various sports and cultural events by day and night.
The festivities begin with a Social Night and Céilí Mór, and on Friday afternoon there is a big football competition and a Field Day running simultaneously.
Highlight of the Friday 23rd programme will be the appearance of Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair with their Irish translation of “The Country Boy.”
Saturday 24th is a very colourful outdoor day with a series of angling competitions on Loughanure Lake with all its modern amenities, and a band parade, while that night there is a céilí mór.
Sunday rounds off the festival with a regatta that has proven a tremendous attraction in recent years, interesting enthusiasts from over a wide area and a treat for visitors. There will be sailing races and canoeing included. That night there will be a final céilí mór in the school hall with prizewinners and victors enjoying the occasion with all the local people.
July 6, 2001
Letterkenny girl is Donegal’s first Ulster Rose in thirty years
LETTERKENNY’S Sheila Patton has been selected as the Ulster Rose for this year’s Rose of Tralee beauty pageant.
A teacher at St. Patrick’s Primary School in Holywood, County Down, Sheila (22) was crowned Ulster Rose at a function in the Slieve Russell Hotel, Cavan on Saturday last.
The youngest daughter of Patrick and Brid Patton, Magherenan, Sheila was this week coming to terms with her new title and looking forward to the international event which takes place in August.
Sponsored by the Belle Fast Patisseries in Belfast, which is owned by the brother of her boyfriend Adrian O’Reilly, Sheila progressed through the heats in Enniskillen to become one of ten finalists in Cavan.
“It was a nerve-wracking experience. The judges spent the day following us and monitoring our every move. We had to take part in group interviews as well as doing an individual interview and I was as surprised as anyone when it was announced that I was the winner,” she said.
Young actress chosen for the European stage
FIFTEEN years old Letterkenny student Kathryn O’Shea has been selected to represent Ireland at the 2001 European Children’s Theatre Encounter in Estonia.
Kathryn is one of ten young Irish people who will travel to Viljandi on Monday next to participate in the two-week long project.
A member of the Letterkenny-based Makondo Theatre Company, Kathryn was selected from a series of auditions which took place in Dublin in April.
Remarkably, this is Kathryn’s second encounter as she was selected in 1998 to represent Ireland in Finland.
The eldest daughter of Aidan O’Shea and Janet Gaynor, The Glebe, Letterkenny, Kathryn has played an active part in all the Youth Theatre productions to date including ‘Lucky Peter’s Journey’, ‘Three Sisters’ and ‘Ghetto’ as well as local productions with the Letterkenny Music and Drama Society and the Lifford Players.
New x-ray system will put General Hospital on international map
A £1.5 million state-of-the-art computerised digital x-ray system is to be installed at Letterkenny General Hospital by the end of this year.
The new system will replace the current x-ray films with computerised digital images that can be viewed within five seconds, allowing for immediate consultation and diagnosis.
Letterkenny will become the first hospital in Ireland to install the equipment which is expected to radically transform the service both for the public and medical personnel.
Designed to make the x-ray process more efficient and accessible, the new system will also be installed in Killybegs Community Hospital.
It is anticipated that as many as 1,200 x-rays will be undertaken in Killybegs for people who would otherwise have to travel to Letterkenny to avail of radiology services.