 Scéal Dún-na-nGall ar an Idirlíon / County Donegal on the Net News Vol.10 No.1, January, 2009 Holiday In Donegal! |
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12 Years Online! In 2009 this website celebrates 12 years online! Last month County Donegal on the Net News celebrated ten years online so we have been 'blogging' since before the word was invented! This independent website continues to promote Donegal worldwide with no funding from any state agency. Donegal County.com & Dún na nGall.com is the most popular website about Donegal on many search engines and the site is now receiving over a million hits a year. a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year in 2009! Donegal to 'Light the way' in 2009 The first ever solar powered public lighting scheme in the State was switched on in the last week of December, 2008 on the N56 at Meenacuing in Gweedore and on a section of the N13 Derry to Letterkenny, making Donegal the first County in the state to have environmentally friendly public lighting. The pilot scheme has 15 solar panel lights. Under existing National Roads Authority policy these sections of road would not qualify for public lighting but after much lobbying the National Roads Design Office sourced a solar powered lighting system that they were keen to pilot. Arson in St. Johnston Gardai are investigating a fire at the Donegal home of a Derry man injured in a shooting at the same location three months ago. No one has lived in the house near St Johnston since the owner was shot and wounded in a gun attack in September. During the incident the man's girlfriend got out of a car to open the gate and four masked men opened fired on their vehicle. One of the men fired a shot with a shotgun through the windscreen while another fired a handgun through the driver's window. The driver was wounded but managed to drive to Manorcunningham to raised the alarm. His girlfriend was abducted but subsequently released a few kilometres away from the scene of the shooting. A pipe bomb was found at the same house a month after the shooting. Butt Hall Nominated for Best Design The Butt Hall Centre, Ballybofey, has been nominated for the Best Arts Building in the Local Authorities’ Members Association Awards, 2009. The new Butt Hall, designed by Ballybofey architects Carr and Company, is home to the Balor Arts Centre. The Butt Hall complex cost €6m with 95% per cent of the costs being raIsed directly from the community. The new Hall was built on the site of the original Butt Hall which stood on the town’s Main Street for 75 years and was synonymous with 'the Ballroom of Romance' in the 1950's, 60's and beyond. The other nominees for new arts developments in the Country are the Cork City School of Music, the Wexford Opera House, Birr Theatre, King House, the Mullingar Arts Centre and the Solstice Arts Centre. The winners will be announced on January 24th at the Citywest Hotel, Dublin.  Recreational Diving, Dive Training and Angling throughout the year in Donegal Dinny McGinley Criticises Health Minister Fine Gael Dail Deputy, Dinny McGinley, has voiced his disappointment that there will be no radiotherapy cancer treatment unit in the North West until 2015. Deputy McGinley asked the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, if she had any plans to establish a radiotherapy cancer treatment unit in the North West and when it was expected to be established? Minister Harney replied that her department and their counterparts in Northern Ireland are continuing to hold discussions. In April, Minister Michael McGimpsey of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland, announced the provision of a service at Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry by 2015. The campaign to get critical cancer services in Donegal has been ongoing since 2005 but there is no guarantee that the Derry unit will facilitate people in Donegal. Deputy McGinley said 'If we are going on the past promises of the Minister and she does use the word ‘expected,’ it is very disappointing news indeed for us in the North West.' Sterling - Euro Parity Sterling continued its downward slide in December, hitting a record low against the euro of 97.98 pence. Higher interest rates in the euro zone have increased the euro's value against the pound and narrowed the yield spread between the euro zone and UK government bonds. The increase in the value of the euro has seen record numbers of southern shoppers cross the border to take advantage of the euro/sterling parity and the decrease in the UK's VAT rates which, together, have seen prices in Northern Ireland tumble to 50% below the cost of the same items in the Republic. North West Business Action Group The first meeting of the newly formed North West Business Action Group took place on December 10th, 2008 at the Villa Rose Hotel, Ballybofey. Attendees were divided into 10 groups and each group documented 5 concerns and possible solutions to put before the floor for discussion. The meeting proposed that a letter be sent to the County Manager, Michael McLoone, requesting free cark parking in the County for Christmas week. The top concerns from the groups were: the reduction in bank interest rates; incentives for first-time buyers and increased overdraft facilities; V.A.T./V.R.T. discrepencies between north and south; labour costs and the minimum wage; overhead costs and employment legislation. A local builder, Joseph McMenamin, said pressure should be put on the banks to extend overdraft facilities to companies. NWBAG Chairman, Brendan Dunnion, is hoping more businesses from across Donegal will join the campaign to boost business in the North West. Finn Harps in Fiscal Crisis Finn Harps need to raise €150,000 by January 26th or they could be excluded from football competitions next season. The financial crisis emerged following discussions with FAI representatives over the granting of Finn Harps' licence for next season. It is understood that the club has debts of €290,000 and the FAI is asking that half of this must be raised by January 26th, 2009. Finn Harps Board has called an EGM for January 5th which will be followed by a public meeting. The Club chairman, Derek Wilkinson, believes that soccer fans will rally behind the club. A statement from the club reads: 'In the past the public of the north-west have supported Finn Harps in times of difficulty and we are asking the public to support the club on this occasion so we can successfully resolve this matter and secure our future in League of Ireland football.' Last season Harps were forced to impose a 50% pay cut on all its staff however work on the new stadium will continue to proceed in 2009. The EGM will be held in the Finn Valley Centre on Monday, January 5th at 7.00pm followed by a public meeting at 8.00pm in the same venue.  Click Pride.ie for Vintage Style Gaelic Football & Hurling T-Shirts Delivered World Wide Fishing Quotas Increased The fishing industry has welcomed an increase in quotas secured by Tony Killeen, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. There is a 5% per cent increase in total quotas from €194 million in 2008 to €202 million in 2009. Whitefish quotas for Greencastle are up 4% per cent on 2008 levels, while pelagic quotas are up 8% per cent. Inishowen Senator Cecelia Keaveney praised the Minister’s efforts: 'As ever, when you go to fight your corner you do not expect to gain everything but in this week there was a sense we could lose it all for the Greencastle whitefish fleet. The fact that the Minister, buoyed up by the strong support he had from within the industry and the political sphere here at home, fought a very important fight which has had a positive result.' Greencastle used to be the largest whitefish port in the Country but depleted fish stocks have seen the port come to a virtual standstill while Burtonport is no longer operating as a fishing port and Killybegs' fleet is but a shadow of its former size.  The Index of the Best Websites on Irish Stuff Online since 1997! Vandals Attack Church for a Secomd Time St Johnston Presbyterian church was attacked again before Christmas when a door was smashed, a chair lift set on fire and a plate glass window broken in the attack. Mr Ian McCracken, Clerk of Session at the church, says that the congregation is facing a repair bill of €30,000 but he does not believe that this was a sectarian attack on the the mid-19th century building. |
 Along the Gweebarra River, Donegal where ESB Networks wants to erect 110kv Pylons © ESB 110kv Project Once again ESB Networks and Eirgrid have applied for planning permission to erect 102 kilometres of 110kv electricity lines and pylons across some of Donegal's most scenic areas. The State owned companies attempted to so the same in 2000-2001 (See ATP) but lost their case at an oral hearing held in Dungloe which was attended by many of the concerned citizens who live along the route. The same concerns about health, the destruction of the landscape and the devaluation of land and property apply today as did in 2002 and there is expected to be strong local opposition to the electricity companies' plans. At the first oral hearing it was establised that the existing 38kv powerline was sufficient for local needs and, that if extra power was needed at Gweedore Industrial Estate, then a combined power and heat plant should be built there. This time round ESB Networks and Eirgrid are more honest in admitting that the lines are wanted to take energy away from Donegal's growing number of wind farms. There will be no advantage to Donegal from increasing the voltage on the grid and instead our landscape will be forever marred by the blight of wind turbines and electricity pylons, not to mention the very real risk to health and the devaluation of land if this project goes ahead. If ESB Networks and Eirgrid get planning permission to erect the 110kv line thereafter they do not need to get permission to upgrade the line to 220kv or even 400kv so it is essential that the line is stopped at this stage. Submissions/objections to their application must be submitted in writing by 5.30pm on February 2nd, 2009 to An Bord Pleanála together with a fee of €50. The proposed overground route can be seen at Donegal 110kv Project. See An Bord Pleanála for details of making submissions to the Planning Board. Frankie Kennedy Winter School Gweedore is currently hosting fans of Irish traditional music during Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy, the Frankie Kennedy Winter School. This is the 14th year of the School which runs from December 27th to January 2nd, 2009. The programme includes music master classes, evening concerts, afternoon recitals, lectures and workshops for children. The school is named after Frankie Kennedy, who managed and co-founded Altan with his partner, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh. Frankie became one of Ireland's best-known traditional flute players before his untimely death from cancer in 1994. He was also a gifted musician and teacher who drew inspiration from older generations of Ulster musicians and singers. The School attracts people from all around Ireland, Europe, the United States and Japan to the numerous classes taught by famed exponents of the flute, fiddle, bodhrán, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, singing and dancing. Among those teaching classes are Ciarán Tourish, Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, Daithí Sproule, Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhríde, Tara Bingham and Harry Bradley. The evening concerts are at Ionad Cois Locha, Dunlewey, with Mary McPartlan, Tommy Peoples and Seamie O'Dowd (Dec. 28th), Conal Ó Gráda, Benny McCarthy and Colm Murphy (Dec. 29th), Mairtín O'Connor and Frankie Gavin (Dec. 30th) and Altan (Jan. 1st and 2nd). There are also intimate afternoon recitals with Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Manus Lunny (Dec. 28th), Flute Blowout: Gerry O'Donnell and Cathal McConnell (Dec. 31st), and Maurice Bradley and Ciaran Kelly le Ciaran Curran (Jan. 1st). See Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy for more information.  The Donegal Woman by John Throne A 'Must Read' for everyone with an interest in Donegal and it's History Donegal made Sculpture unveiled in USA The Oregon Irish Potatoe Famine Memorial Cross was unveiled by President Mary McAleese at Mount Calvary Cemetery in North Western Portland in December. The 7 ton, 14 foot high monument is modelled on the 1,000 year old high cross at Clonmacnoise and was sculpted by Bundoran sculptor, Brendan McGloin. The Memorial was funded by the AOH, Portland, Maine who commissioned McGloin in 2004. Céili Mór There will be a Céili Mór in Magheroarty Community Centre on the 2nd of January from 8.00-11.00pm. €7 euro admisssion, refreshments available. All welcome. Computer Classes Free computer classes for adults will commence on January 7th, 2009 at 9.45am in Gweedore. There will be eight sessions lasting one hour each. For more details ring Síle on 074 95 31311. A ten week beginners course will commence in Magheroarty Community Centre on January 14th from 7.00-9.00pm. To book call 074 91 35556. A Fetac level 3 course is beginning in late January in Sean Scoil Tráighéanach, Dungloe sponsored by Donegal VEC. Please ring 074 95 22928 for details. Ionad Teampaill Chróine intends to run computer classes for children through Irish. The courses will run for 6 weeks. Contact Ionad Teampaill Chróine on 074 95 22198. Buncrana Flood Fears Buncrana Councillor, Peter McLaughlin, is concerned about possible flooding in the town as the breakwater project has ceased. It was revealed there is no facility to carry over any monies which have not been spent on the town's marine defences in 2008. Deputy Joe McHugh has asked the Minister for Fisheries to issue a lease to Donegal County Council to allow the breakwater project to proceed. Under the 2008 programme, €900,000 was approved for breakwater defences in Buncrana and it is believed that Donegal County Council have submitted their application for next year and have asked for the 2008 allocation to be 'brought over' to 2009. Letterkenny General Hospital Poor Hygiene Rating Letterkenny General Hospital received a 'poor' rating in the recent HIQA Hygiene Audit. The Hospital received ratings of 'minor compliance' for its laundry facility which dates back to the 1800s and for the monitoring and management of the hot and cold water systems. In all other areas inspected the hospital achieved a rating of broad, extensive or exceptional compliance. Ironically Letterkenny General Hospital has been rewarded with increased funding by the HSE for their savings in patient treatment costs in 2007. Next year Letterkenny General will have an extra €953,515 to spend. In spite of the fact that the Hospital has been criticised for leaving patients on waiting lists for months rather than referring them to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, it is deemed the third best performing hospital in the State for saving money by the HSE. Surely a case of Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish?  Find your Holiday Accommodation in Donegal Poor Education among Donegal's Population Donegal has the highest per centage of people with no primary or formal education in Ireland and ranks number one for its per centage of early school leavers. These statistics were revealed in a draft Community and Enterprise Report which states that the number of people in Donegal who left school under the age of 15 was 20.7% per cent, compared to the State average of 11.3% per cent. In Ballybofey and Stranorlar the figure is 16.8% per cent; in Buncrana 17% per cent; followed by Carndonagh at 14.8% per cent; Donegal Town at 14% per cent and Letterkenny at 12% per cent. County Donegal comes eighth lowest in the State in terms of numbers who have attained a third level degree or higher qualification with the figure at only 12.5% per cent. Community Development in Inishowen The Rural Development Partnership launched an Area Audit and Strategy Report for the Culmore, Muff, Quigley’s Point and Redcastle areas which revealed a 500% per cent population increase in the last 15 years. The Audit illustrates the need for new community services to meet the population increase in Inishowen which is due to people from Derry coming to live in Donegal as the population of the City of Derry expands. Community leaders in these four Inishowen communities, collectively known as the Foyle West Villages Network, are inviting people to volunteer their skills in a range of community developments over the next few years. If you are interested in volunteering you can contact Liam Breslin on 07493 83653 or Mura McLaughlin on 07493 84572. |
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