The remains of a small bomb have been recovered in Strabane.

A security alert in Springhill Park, Strabane, began at half past eleven this morning, following a report of a suspicious object.

It’s believed a device was thrown at a house in the area and exploded. The property was unoccupied at the time.

A number of homes were evacuated during the alert.

The army bomb disposal team removed the device for forensic examination.

Gardai have seized a significant quantity of suspected stolen goods as part of an ongoing investigation into criminality in the Donegal garda division.

During an operation in the Isle of Doagh area of Inishowen last evening a number of items were seized.

These included a jeep, quad and electrical equipement including tvs, mobile phones and games consoles.

Inspector David Murphy is heading the investigation:

Donegal’s Veterinary Officer has called on the dog owners in the county to take proper responsibility for their pets after figures released show that Donegal puts down more dogs than any other county in Ireland.

Last year 874 dogs were taken with almost 750 of those being put down – of that figure 105 were greyhounds.

Frank McGroary is the Veterinary Officer with Donegal County Council – he says an increase in the fee for a dog license could be one way of trying to tackle the problem:

The Friends of Lifford Hospital Group have said they are ready to take their campaign national.

Earlier this week the organiser of the “Save the Wexford Hospital” protest called on all the hospital campaigns to come together, to organise a mass demonstration in Dublin.

Closures of community hospitals throughout the country are expected, although nothing has been confirmed by the HSE of yet.

Secretary of friends of Lifford Hospital, Sylvester McGee, says they will do anything to help Lifford Community Hospital remain opened.

Donegal have won the Ulster Championship on five occasions. The last victory in a provincial decider was the year of All Ireland greatness, 1992. Having spent most of the past two years in the qualifiers Donegal are hoping for a run in this summers Championship. A former Donegal manager will be returning to Ballybofey on Sunday. Brian Mc Iver was at the helm when his side lifted the Division One League title a few seasons ago but on Sunday he will be in the opposite dug out as part of the Down backroom team.

The Managers from both counties  have clashed on the field of play in  Championship action during the 90′s. This weekend will see Donegal Manager John Joe Doherty and Down’s James Mc Cartan calling the orders from the line.
Since the disappointing defeat to Armagh in the league, John Joe says the Donegal players response has been very positive…
 

Kevin Cassidy this year is commanding his second stint as captain of the county side. The Gweedore half back won an All Star for his championship performances in 2002.  Kevin says it’s an honour to lead out the squad once again…
 

Highland Radio will be broadcasting live on Sunday from MacCumhaill Park with Charlie Collins and 92 All Ireland winner and former Manager of Donegal Declan Bonner. Throw in is 2pm.

Ardara based Fine Gael County Councillor Terence Slowey may be about to step down from his seat.

Newspaper reports suggest that Councillor Slowey has been asked to vacate his Donegal County Council seat by his party in the wake of an expenses controversy earlier this year.

In January Councillor Terence Slowey admitted claiming expenses for two conferences he attended in Cork and Kerry over the same weekend in October 2009.

Commenting at the time the councillor said  he regretted his actions, adding that he had made a mistake.

The councillor said the double claim was not ethical and that once he realised that there was a mistake he immediately refunded expenses of just over €1,100.

Despite this it is being reported that the Fine Gael party is now calling on Terence Slowey, who is the head of the party on Donegal County Council, to resign his seat.

Councillor Slowey was uncontactable this morning as was the Fine Gael National Secretary Tom Curran.

Donegal County Council is due to meet next week, it should be clear at that meeting if Councillor Slowey is to remain on as a councillor or not.

A Fine Gael bill proposing that bye-elections be held within six months of a vacancy arising in a constituency has been defeated in the Dáil.

The Government’s side won the vote 72-68.

Bye-elections are due in three constituencies: in Dublin South, Waterford and Donegal South West.

The Donegal South West seat has remained vacant for nearly a year.

Fine Gael Environment Spokesman Phil Hogan said the Bill would take away from any Government the decision on holding a bye-election.

Fianna Fáil TD Seán Power said he could see merit in a Fine Gael proposal to hold by elections within 6 months of a vacancy arising.

Deputy Power said that the people of Donegal South West need their rightful representation but that the Fine Gael proposal needs more ‘flexibility’.

The Bill was also supported by three Independents – Joe Behan, Finian McGrath and Maureen O’Sullivan and was voted last night.

An inquest in Derry has been told how a Castlederg girl choked on an uninflated balloon last year, just two days before her 11th birthday.

Dreena Harron wept after hearing coroner John Lecky describe her daughter Clarice’s death as  “absolutely devastating”.

The inquest heard how on November 7, parents Gerald and Dreena Harron and daughter Clarice went to Spamount Community Hall for a friend’s birthday party.

After about an hour however, that fun turned to tragedy when parents were alerted by hysterical screams from Clarice’s friends, who told them that Clarice had swallowed a balloon.

Despite only seconds having passed, family friend Jenny McMenamin said Clarice’s lips were already turning blue and the young girl was gasping and pointing to her throat. Efforts to remove the balloon and revive her proved fruitless.

Local GP, Dr Brendan O’Hare, who arrived at the scene within ten minutes said he did manage to extract the balloon from her throat but explained that already, it would have been too late to save her because of the way the balloon had lodged awkwardly on the top of the young girl’s windpipe.

Asked by Harron family solicitor, John Fahy if there was anything that could have been done by the public or even paramedics, Dr O’Hare said “no.”

Summing up his findings, Coroner John Lecky described the inquest as one of the saddest he has heard in years.

Sinn Féin have confirmed that local community activist Mary Kelly will be coopted on to Buncrana Town Council next month to replace former councillor Darren Lalor,

A convention will take place in the town on Tuesday next, with Ms Kelly unanimously nominated as the party’s sole candidate for selection.

Cllr Padraig Mac Lochlainn says Mary Kelly is well known in Buncrana, and the reaction from other town councillors to the nomination is very positive.

Workers in the retail sector in Donegal are being urged to become unionised.

The trade union Mandate is organising a major recruitment drive in the county this week, with Divisional Organiser Ciaran Campbell saying many retail workers have experienced significant reductions in living standards through deteriorated terms and conditions.

He says in some instances, this is because retailers are struggling, but in other other cases, he claims, companies are using the recession as an excuse to increase profits at the expense of staff.

Ciaran Campbelll says last year’s Boots dispute is a case in point.