 Scéal Dún-na-nGall ar an Idirlíon / County Donegal on the Net News Vol.6 No.9 September, 2005 Holiday In Donegal in 2005 Hire a Guide to Donegal |
|
New Orleans Disaster The media in Ireland has been dominated by the terrible events in the Southern States of America - people cannot believe that more wasn't done sooner to help the stricken residents of New Orleans, Louisiana and Mississippi - why weren't the marines sent in? The scenes of depravation were unthinkable and people can't understand why the offers of help from around the world were not taken up by the US Government? Can so many US resources really be in Iraq that a quicker response was impossible? If so there's another reason to pull the troops out. Massive Job Losses in Donegal Nearly 630 jobs were lost in County Donegal in the last week of August. The Hospira medical plant in Donegal town has announced that it is moving to Costa Rica with 560 people being made redundant over the next year while the Clubman Omega shirt factory in Buncrana announced its closure resulting in a further 67 job losses. A recent report by the Combat Poverty Agency indicates that people in Co. Donegal are most at risk of poverty in Ireland, with the percentage of poor in the County being twice the national average while unemployment in the County is now at 16% - four times the national average. There have been calls for special incentives to attract industry to Inishowen following the job losses in Buncrana. Workers there were told that future production will be carried out in Lithuania. Senator Joe McHugh said there was no doubt that 'rip-off Ireland' and high business costs were the main factors in these job losses.  the view from the Hills... The Road to Rossport On a not unrelated note last weekend I drove to Rossport, County Mayo to see the village from which 5 men were imprisoned in June for obstructing Shell from laying a high speed gasline through their farms. The road to Rossport is an historic one. From Ballina you take the road for Killala where the French landed in 1798 and along the coast past the 5000 year old Céide fields, before turning for Rossport where Shell intend to bring untreated gas ashore from the Corrib field, 60km out to sea. The scenery on route is spectacular, sea cliffs and vast boglands, interspersed with the occasional old farm house and bungalow. It reminded me of St John's Point in Donegal but, unlike Donegal's coast, there are no holiday homes here and few inhabitants in this part of Mayo. The wide sweep of Broadhaven Bay was home to generations of fisher folk, but depleted fish stocks have depopulated the area a hundredfold since Cromwell uttered his infamous cry 'To Hell or Connaught'. Today colourful banners proclaiming 'To Shell or Connaught' straddle the bog where the pipeline is proposed. Uniformed Gardai stand sentry near the solidarity camp which sprung up following the imprisonment in June of brothers Vincent and Philip McGrath, Willie Corduff, Brendan Philbin and Micheál Ó Seighin, for refusing to obey the High Court order not to interfere with the construction of the Corrib pipeline through their land. Shell intend to lay 9km of pipeline at only 1.2 metres beneath the bog, even under people's driveways. In Healy's, an old style spirit grocer's, three Rossport patrons, all former fishermen, spoke fondly of their sea jaunts to Killybegs and their days on English building sites with men from Donegal. Now, in their retirement, they feel they are facing the biggest obstacle of their lives. 'Why isn't the gas being refined at sea, like in Kinsale? We'll have to leave if this pipe goes through.' A conglomerate of Shell, the Norwegian owned Statoil and Marathon Oil propose building the gas refinery at Bellanboy, a 400 acre Ceoilte (state forestry) site, given to them by the Irish Government. The site is surrounded by sixteen homes. The refinery power supply would come from burning off uncleaned gas dioxides with nine flare chimneys and toxic water being pumped out to sea by day and night. Could you imagine such a situation along the Gweedore Coast? This could be the scenario if the same gung ho attitude is adopted by government in the event of oil or gas being found off the Donegal coast. No construction work has taken place at Rossport or Bellanboy since the pickets began back in June and the men vow to stay in prison until the injunction is lifted. So seven days a week, 24 hours a day, locals gather at the refinery site, watched by Detective Gardai drafted in from Galway. The people in this Mayo Gaeltacht have thrown open their homes to curious visitors. Camp beds fill every room. They are glad of the support but such is their determination one senses that this battle is only just begun. After all, Mayo is where the term 'Boycott' was invented back in 1880 when the Land League ostracised Lord Erne's agent, Captain Charles Cunningham Boycott (1823-97), thus giving a new word to the English language. One wonders did anybody tell Shell?  A to Z of the Best Irish Sites Autumn Courses Muintearas Thir Chonaill are currently organising a series of night classes in computing at their training centre in Middletown, Derrybeg. It is intended to run the following courses subject to demand, ECDL General Course, ECDL Advanced, Sage Accounts Payroll, Beginners, Children’s Courses. Further information is available from (074) 9532578. Oideas na mBan is inviting women in the Fintown area to apply for places on free courses whihc will take place this Autumn, including: It is envisaged that these Courses will have 8-10 participants and will be delivered both during the day and in the evenings. Email Queries to Oideas na mBan. Oideas na mBan is in receipt of funding from Peace II under the auspices of ADM-CPA. Family Research Mike Boyd from near Brisbane, Australia recently visited Loughros Pt. Mike is designated head of Clan Boyd in Australia and was interested in talking with as many people bearing that family name or having that connection, as possible. He has already met Boyds from Scotland, Northern Ireland, the U.S., Canada, England, and New Zealand. His e-mail address is mikejboyd@bigpond.com. Jon Houston and his son, Adam, from Rhode Island, visited the Brocagh Lammas Fair while researching their Glenfinn ancestry. Jon's great, great grandfather, Neil Houston, married Margaret Walsh in Stranorlar in 1867 and emigrated to the US the following year. Neil's father was Francis Houston, born in 1811. Jon has his ancestors' Irish language marriage certificate which he's going to send so the townland can be determined and then these Houstons will know their exact origins in the County. Jon and Adam planned their visit to Brocagh through Donegal County.com. This web site has received enquiries from 10,000 people looking for their Donegal ancestry in the last couple of years and receives upwards of 3,000 hits a day. Brian K. McGlin also happened upon the website doing research for his site The US McGlin site. He was in Donegal on holiday last in 2002 and subscribes to this Newsletter to keep up with news from Donegal. Calls For Increased Funding For the Balor Theatre Balor Theatre Manager Mr. Conor Malone has asked Donegal Co. Council to increase funding for the Balor Theatre whose projects are in danger of being scaled down. He said he hoped an application to Peace and Reconciliation under the new Peace II extension would be successful. |
Inch Island from Grianán, of Aileach Calling all Sweeneys, Clan Gathering, 4th-10th Sept, 2005 - see Sweeey Clan Ballyhanna Medieval Church Call are being made for funding to restore the site of a 15th century church which was excavated during work on the N15 Ballyshannon to Bundoran bypass. Councillors are to bring a motion before Donegal County Council calling for funding to be made available immediately. The archaeological dig began in September 2003 and was completed six months later. A number of major discoveries were made including the foundations to a Medieval Church and cemetery which are thought to date from between 1100 and 1400AD. The site was not previously known to historians. Two years ago the National Roads Authority gave assurances that the site would be preserved when some 1,500 human remains were found. The Church foundation was proclaimed one of the biggest archaeological finds in Ireland in the last decade - yet the site is still not being protected from the elements in any way. Save Inishowen Campaign Newly formed action group 'Save Inishowen' have submitted a 3500 word document to Donegal County Council detailing their concerns about the proposed County Donegal Development Plan, which is currently under review. The group insist Inishowen is at a cross roads and that unsustainable development will alter the character of the peninsula irrevocably. The statement reads: 'The people of Inishowen have a choice. The choice is between prioritising the laying of foundations for sustainable ways of life or allowing the current rate and nature of housing development to destroy the core ingredients of what makes Inishowen the place it is and the place where people want to live and tourists want to visit.' They insist that the County Development Plan is a ‘weak plan.’ 'The language is vague when it should be clear and precise. It is a legal document and must stand up to legal scrutiny. There are contradictions between sections. There is a need for more joined up planning to be reflected in the plan. The plan does away with categories one, two and three that offered some protection to areas where, though there was some building, the green fields around it could be protected by Category Three status. In the new plan it is only used to protect obvious areas of hills and mountain tops. The plan appears to be building-development driven. Real enforcement of planning permission conditions is non-existent. Three officers to cover the whole of Donegal is inadequate. The plan appears not to be based on principles of good planning practice. Research into the projected need for permanent housing, social housing, and holiday homes should have been carried out. This research would then form the basis for deciding how much housing is needed and once that amount had been built then there would be a moratorium on further building. The review places few restrictions or rigorous regulation required to meet the specific needs of Inishowen.' They believe the key priorities for the plan should be: Glenveagh National Park Heritage Week Glenveagh National Park will be celebrating Heritage Week from September 3rd until September 11th. On Saturday, September 3rd and Saturday September 10th there will be Irish dancers and craft workers at the castle and Coco the Clown and bouncy castles at the visitors centre. On Sunday September 4th and Sunday September 11th there will be a falconry display, bread making, face painting, craft workers, live music, carnival, castle tours, treasure hunt and storytelling at the castle. In the Visitors Centre there will be creel making, and bouncy castle. All these events are free of charge and run approximately from 12.30 to 5.30. On Saturday, September 3rd and Sunday, October 2nd there will be guided hill walks departing from the Visitors' Centre at 11am and booking is essential. On Sunday September 4th, there will be garden workshops on plants, pagans and paradise. On Sunday, September 11th garden composting. These are from 2pm to 4pm in the Education Room, located beside the castle gardens and booking is essential. There will be garden tours on Saturday, September 3rd and September th, 10th and 11th. These take place at 2pm and 4pm, leaving from the main castle entrance, again booking is essential. There will be a special event on Friday, September 9th, ‘On Yonder Hill‘, a one man musical play in Glenveagh Castle, admission is €10 euro and booking is essential. For all booking contact (00353) 7491-37090 extension 3620. Tyrone for the Sam Maguire Ulster champions Armagh met their Waterloo against Tyrone at Croke Park on September 4th when the rivals vied for a chance to oust Kerry from their All-Ireland throne later this month. An injury time free-kick from Peter Canavan saw Tyrone through to the All-Ireland final as they beat Armagh by 1-13 to 1-12 in a riveting game which saw only three points between the teams at half time. Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2006 Letterkenny will host Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann again in 2006. This was the word from Comhaltas Ceoltiri Eireann in light of the success of this year's event inspite of the inclement weather. ‘A Time For Me’ Courses Inishowen Women’s Information Network are running courses called 'A Time For Me’ under the aegis of the Department of Social and Family Affairs and funded by the Dormant Accounts Fund. This comprehensive course will run in Malin Town, Malin Head, Glengad, Culdaff during September, subject to demand. It will consist of a free course for eight weeks, for one day or evening a week. The sessions will cover a wide range of diverse subjects, designed around the needs and interests of the age groups and participants. Topics covered will include cookery, personal development, beauty therapy, stress management, flower arranging, etc. For immediate bookings please contact Jacqui or Maureen on 93-79916 from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Volt House Sale and Auction The sale and auction at Volt House, Raphoe will take place on Friday, October 28th from 10.30am-2pm and from 7pm-10pm. Don‘t miss the sale, cake stall and raffle. Donations for the sale are welcome, contact the reception at the Volt House on 91-73966 for further information. No large items of furniture or clothes will be accepted.  Available to Rent in 2005 Mountain View Cottage, Derrylougháin, Gweebarra, Donegal |
If you have news to contribute email info@dun-na-ngall.com
History Genealogy Guestbook General Information Gaeilge Holidays Media Music Places to Visit
Property Projects Services Shopping Sport Towns & Islands Writers