Naomi Hamilton O’Donnell delves into the archives to bring you the news and images from yesteryear.
August 14, 1976
Glenfin parents hold meeting on schools closure
HEARING that the Department of Education had decided to close down primary schools in the district and open a new school outside the Gaeltacht district, Irish-speaking parents of Glenfin claim they will not tolerate such an action and are determined that they will fight such a decision right to the end.
They point out that their children are entitled to be educated in their native tongue and in a Gaeltacht area.
To alert people to the situation the parents have called a meeting for tonight (Friday) at the Reelin Bridge.
It will be held in the Cummeen Hall and it is expected that the people will make their views firmly known.
Donegal public representatives have been invited to attend, hear the opinions of the local people and, if possible, explain why three Gaeltacht schools in the district should be closed and students brought to the newly-erected school outside the Gaeltacht.
Brighter days ahead for Donegal farmers?
AFTER some years of depressing ill fortune caused by a fluctuating market which often caused farmers to sell off their livestock and crops at rock-bottom prices, the local farming community can now look forward with confidence to the future.
The general feeling is that the storm has passed and that all is well again. The Troubles, which reached their zenith in 1974, caused widespread hardship among the community and resulted in a not inconsiderable number of them moving off the land to seek greener pastures in various other employment sectors.
But the indications are that the ailing farming industry has made a complete recovery and is once again thriving.
However, there is some divergence of opinion on this “everything in the garden is rosy” picture. Mr. Daniel O’Donnell, Donegal’s Agriculture C.A.O., firmly believes that everything is going well and that yields and prices will be up on last year.
Lady traffic wardens for Letterkenny
Letterkenny is to have its first ever traffic wardens – and both of them are ladies. Appointed are Mrs. Sheila Doherty, of Ballymacool Terrace, and Mrs. Mary Doherty, Lower Main Street.
Their appointments were announced at the monthly meeting of the Urban Council on Monday night.
Mr. Brian Sweeney, Town Clerk, said he had written to the ladies enquiring if they were prepared to take up duty.
The County Manager, Mr. J. D. Williams, said it would be necessary for them to get some instruction from the Gardaí before they began their work.
The Town Clerk said that the Garda authorities had written to say that the new traffic by-laws on which there had been agreement between the Council and the Gardaí had been sent to the Garda Commissioner for his approval and seal.
August 10, 2001
Zambian born contestant lifts 34th ‘Mary from Dungloe’ title
A Zambian-born clerical officer from Wicklow has been crowned as the 34th Mary from Dungloe.
Fiona Callan (19) clinched the coveted title at the town’s international pageant on Sunday night, which attracted 14 young women from various parts of the world.
Fiona, who works as a clerical officer with the Eastern Health Board, scooped top honours at the festival’s pageant and proved to be a popular choice, even with show host Daniel O’Donnell.
Afterwards, a delighted Fiona said she was totally shocked when the result was announced.
“When I heard Daniel announcing my name it just didn’t register with me. I was in total shock. When I heard him say Wicklow it still didn’t ring a bell for a minute until I suddenly realised I was the one. I’m just over the moon and looking forward to what lies ahead. All the girls crowded around to congratulate me but I just couldn’t get to grips with what was going on,” she said.
In her stage interview with Daniel, she spoke of life in Zambia, where she was born, and how the family moved to Ireland when she was just four years old.
Former Rathdonnell students to re-unite after 50 years
PAST pupils of St Joseph’s National School in Rathdonnell are travelling from America and Scotland to partake in the two-day celebration which marks the growth of the school from its humble one-room beginnings in the Harkin brothers’ house to the new building on site today.
The former students will hold their first school reunion in over 50 years on Friday 24 and Saturday, 25 August. The first school in Rathdonnell was opened in 1948 in James and Patrick Harkin’s house, where 20 students were taught by Mrs O’Shea. James and Patrick Harkin later donated the land on which St Joseph’s National School now stands.
The community raised ten per cent of the cost of the new building under the guidance of Fr Michael Kelly, to open the doors of the new St Joseph’s National School in January 1958.
Rathdonnell School was built by local contractor Sandy Scholes. Schoolchildren walked up to four miles to school in an effort to raise the enrolment numbers, which took in pupils from Trentagh, Kilmacrennan, Drumbollogue and Glencar schools.
Claire’s a safe hand at the wheel
DRIVING a long-distance lorry is no longer the preserve of the male of the species as more women make a career in the haulage business.
Letterkenny woman Claire Hegarty goes to work every day in her 30-foot lorry, transporting goods throughout the county.
The 22-year-old is steering the family business into the 21st century as the woman behind the wheel at Sean Hegarty and Sons Haulage firm at Woodlands, Ramelton.
Driving around Donegal is a family affair as Claire joins her brother John and two uncles on the road. The family business is managed by her parents, Sean and Mary Hegarty.
Starting out behind the wheel of a Transit van, Claire has successfully passed her lorry licence and is currently learning for her Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) licence.
“I was brought up with trucks and lorries, so it is only natural that I would have an interest. I started out driving a Transit van for the first year and progressed to driving a rigid body lorry, which I have been driving for over three years now. My lorry has a 24-foot rigid body and the cab would be about five foot. I mainly do the Donegal runs and the Dublin-to-Donegal route,” explained Claire.