Michael McLoone has confirmed that he is to retire from his position as County Manager in July of this year.

The manager confirmed the news  in a letter to the Mayor which was read out at today’s monthly meeting of the council.

He thanked all those that he has worked with over his 16 years in the role, describing his time with Donegal County Council as the most challenging and rewarding of his career.

Mr McLoone must  leave his position on July 7th as he has reached the statoruy retirement age withing the public sector.

Wok on finding his successor is already underway.

Mr McLoone says he enjoyed his time with the council:

A controlled explosion has been carried out on what’s been referred to as an improvised viable explosive device left close to a shop which sells legal highs on Pearse Road in Letterkenny.

The device was discovered at 1 o’clock this morning, and an army bomb disposal team arrived shortly before 5 o’clock.

The area was declared safe at around half past six this morning.

Letterkenny Mayor Cllr Jim Lynch has condemned the placing of the device in the town. he says whatever the motive behind the incident, no-one has the right to take the law into their own hands………..

The N13 Letterkenny to Derry Road has reopened following an overnight security alert in Bridgend.

The Coshquin border crossing was closed after a white Transit van was hijacked by four masked men on the Coshquin Road in Derry at around 7.30pm last night. The van was found abandoned a short distance across the border near Bridgend.

The scene was cordoned off, a number of buildings evacuated, and an army bomb disposal team called.

The alert ended early this morning.

The incident has been condemned by Senator Cecilia Keavney, who says there should be more cross border cooperation on a North West basis in relation to practical things such as the bomb squad. She says the prospect of British Army experts coming into the republic should not be automatically rejected.

A controlled explosion has been carried out on a suspect device left close to a shop which sells legal highs on Pearse Road in Letterkenny.

The device was discovered at 1 o’clock this morning, and an army bomb disposal team arrived at 5 o’clock.

After the controlled explosion was carried out, the area was declared safe and the road reopened. The scene is still being forensically examined.

The N13 has been closed near Bridgend this evening due to a security alert.

The Coshquin border crossing has been closed after a white Transit van was hijacked by four masked men on the Coshquin Road in Derry at around 7.30pm this (Sun) evening.

The van was found abandoned near Burnfoot.

The scene was been cordoned off, a number of buildings evacuated and an army bomb disposal team called.

Motorists are being diverted via the Bridgend/Muff Road.

The incident has been condemned by local Cllr Padraig Mac Lochlainn and Senator Cecelia Keavney.

Senator Keavney said “The evacuation of Bridgend last night due to the presence of an abandoned
van that had been reportedly hijacked at gun point in Derry has led to
Senator Cecilia Keaveney asking for more cooperation on a North West basis
in relation to practical things such as the bomb squad.

“The first thing to say is that this ongoing activity must be condemned.
Hijacking vehicles and leaving them as potential bombs is totally
unacceptable to any democracy, including ours!

Many people were evacuated and left for hours wondering what would happen
to them and their property. This is needless stress for old and young
alike.

A number of months ago I had called on the Minister to reinstate the bomb
squad facility in Finner. I was told that the level of activity was lower
in our area than in other places and so Athlone was a more central base for
them. It may well be time to look at North West Cooperation in relation to
this resource.

National Football League Division 2
Donegal 1-12 v 0-10 Meath
Donegal are just one win away from promotion back to Division One. On Saturday Night in Ballybofey with a contribution of 1-6 from Michael Murphy,  Donegal ran out winners by five points against the Leinster side which finished the game with thirteen men. Armagh on Sunday beat Tipperary 1-15 to 2-8 to set up a crunch tie with Donegal in Letterkenny on Sunday 11th April with the winners moving up. Down sealed promotion at the weekend with a comfortable win over Westmeath, who are now relegated with Tipperary to Division Three.
Tom Comack spoke with Donegal Manager John Joe Doherty  after Saturday Nights win…. 

Finn Harps 0 v 3 Limerick.
Finn Harps’ aspirations of a third league win on the bounce were scuppered as Limerick FC left Finn Park with all three points on Friday night after an all too easy 3-0 win.John Tierney’s opener and a Stephen Hickey brace were enough for the side managed by Pat Scully to move onto seven points for the campaign to date, one more than the team they conquered in Ballybofey.
Highland’s Diarmuid Doherty spoke to Harps manager James Gallagher after the defeat…. 

Figures published this week show the Northern Ireland Fire Service crosses the border to help in Donegal and the other border counties far more than the help given in the opposite direction.

The figures were published by Health and Public Safety Minister Michael McGimpsey at the request of East Derry MLA John Dallat, who says he’d like to see the cooperation enhanced further.

According to the figures, the North’s fire service has crossed the border 548 times since 2005, while appliances from the South have only crossed the border on 18 occasions since 2007. Figures are not available for 05 and 06.

Minister Mc Gimpsey told the assembly that the North’s Chief Fire Officer meets four times a year with the Chief Fire Officers of the six border counties in the Republic to discuss common issues including operational co-operation and training.

While a county by county breakdown of the statistics is not available, the North West comes out strongest for cooperation, with an operational agreement in place between the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and Donegal County Council, and a partnership is in place between Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bundoran.

A new drop in centre for cancer patients and their families is being officially opened in Letterkenny on Saturday afternoon.

The Good and New Centre, at Grand Central on the Canal Road Roundabout, incorporates a second hand shop to raise money for cancer services in Donegal, and a space for people to mingle and talk.

Eamon Mc Devitt  is one of the directors of the centre – He’s hopeful it’ll be a resource for family members as well as patients.

A Nigerian with an address in Letterkenny has pleaded not guilty to child abduction charges when he appeared at Derry Crown Court today.

Victor Ibeyo of Riverview in Letterkenny was charged with unlawfully abducting a15-year-old female on a date unknown between May 14 and May 17 last year.

When the charge was put to him he said ‘I am not guilty.’ He also denied a charge of false imprisonment on the same female, sexually assaulting her and assaulting her during the same period.

The court was told that reports had to be gathered from an engineer on the vehicle involved in the case and also phone records had to be considered.

A date was set for June 21 for the trial to take place and Ibeyo was remanded in custody.