Derry will find out in a few hours time if it is to be named the UK’s first City of Culture.

The winning city will be announced on tonight’s ‘One Show’ on BBC 1, which is aired between 7 – 730pm.

Derry faces competition from Sheffield, Norwich and Birmingham.

Meanwhile, Bookmakers William Hill have stopped taking bets on who is going to win the UK City of Culture 2013.

William Hill says they stopped taking bets on Wednesday night amidst rumours that Derry would win.

But, But, Brendan McMennamin, who is Arts Officer with Derry City Council, says they know something that the bid team don’t.

The father of one of the victims of the Co Donegal road crash says his family does not blame the driver of the Volkswagen Passat – or anyone else – for the loss of their son and brother.

Eamonn Sweeney made the remarks during the funeral of his 19 year old son Ciaran in Clonmany this afternoon.

He says his family wants everyone to pray for all those who died and also the driver of the Passat Sean Kelly – who remains in a stable condition in hospital:

A sex offender arrested in County Cavan two weeks ago after going missing in Lancashire has been jailed for four months in the Irish Republic.

56 year-old William Paden, origianlly from the North, was sentenced at Cavan District Court for breaching the Republic’s sex offenders legislation.

William Paden, was arrested in Ballyhaise on 30 June after going missing from a registered address in Blackpool.

In the days in the run up to his arrest there had been unconfirmed sightings of the convicted sex offender in Dungloe and Ballyshannon.

At Cavan District Court today a defence solicitor said he had left Blackpool after “locals discovered where he was and things got a bit hot”.

He went to visit relations in Northern Ireland and then went to the Republic.

Paden has 19 sexual convictions dating back to 1974, including rape, indecent assault on a child and assault with intent to rape.

Today, he pleaded guilty to breaching the Sex Offenders Act 2001 by failing to notify Irish police of his name, address and date of birth contrary to Section 12 of the act.

Judge David Anderson was told by Garda Inspector Seamus Boyle that Paden was wanted “in a foreign jurisdiction” in relation to a National Offender Management offence and UK authorities had prepared extradition papers for him.

Defence solicitor Gareth Fortune said “he will be extradited on finality of his sentence (in the Republic) to be dealt with by the English authorities”.

The judge backdated the prison sentence to 30 June.

The Chief Celebrant at the funeral of one of the victims of Sunday night’s road crash in Inishowen is appealing to young people to remember they are not indestructible.

Fr John Walsh made the comments at the requiem mass for 22 year old Eamonn McDaid from Buncrana, who was killed along with seven other in the tragedy. Three funerals took place yesterday, four more have been taking place today.

Requiem mass for Paul Doherty from Ballyliffin began at St Mary’s Church in Clonmany at 10 o’clock this morning. Today would have been his 20th birthday.

An hour later, the funeral of 22 year old Eamon McDaid from Buncrana began in St Mary’s Church in Cockhill.

Fr John Walshe urged the young people in the congregation to take care……

This afternoon requiem mass took place in St Mary’s Church, Clonmany for 19 year old Ciaran Sweeney of ballyliffin, while an hour later, the funeral began in St Mary’s Church, Cockhill of 21 year old Damien McLaughlin from Buncrana.

The last of the victims, James Mc Elaney of Minaduff, Clonmany, will be buried after 11 o’clock requiem mass in St Mary’s Church Clonmany tomorrow (Fri) morning.

The US health insurer UnitedHealth Group is to expand its operation in Letterkenny with the creation of 200 new jobs.

The announcement, made this morning, is supported by the Irish Government with the aid of IDA.

The Minneapolis-based health insurer currently employs 340 people in IT and medical claims processing at its Letterkenny site.

Managing Director of UnitedHealth, Pádraig Monaghan says today’s announcement is a testimony to the quality of staff already employed by the company:
 

Joe McHugh heads up the IDA in Donegal – he says foreign companies are performing very will in County Donegal:
 

Tanaiste Mary Couglan attended today’s launch – the Minister for Education says improved infrastructure and access to the northwest is key to announcements like today’s:

The Letterkenny native who died earlier this week in a motorcycle crash in Switzerland has been named as Bill Parke from London, and formerly of Garryharry.

Arrangements are being made to return his remains to Garryharry, and his family are requesting privacy until that has been done.

Gardai have confirmed they are not treating the death of a 19 year old woman in Convoy as suspicious.

The woman was found unconscious at her home early yesterday afternoon. She was rushed to Letterkenny General Hospital, where attempts were made to revive her.

However, she died in the hospital at 7 o’clock last night.

An announcement is expected this morning of almost 200 new jobs for Letterkenny.

United Healthcare, formerly Pacificare, are expected to employ 190 more people between now and the end of next year, bring their total workforce to 530. A formal announcement is understood to be imminent.

The IDA has already predicted 10-thousand new jobs this year, more than double the number of positions created last year in the foreign direct investment area.

CEO Barry O’ Leary says while it will not be possible to replace all the jobs that have been lost recently, he is optimistic about the coming months…………

The three North West MEPs have scored highly in a table ranking the European Parliament’s 736 MEPs.

Fine Gael’s Jim Higgins is ranked19th, with 87% attendence and an activity level 376% of  the EU average.

Independent Marian Harkin is ranked 84th, with 93% attendence and an activity level 202% of the EU average.

Fianna Fail’s Pat the Cope Gallagher is ranked 124th, with 100% attendence and an activity level 162% of the average.

Commenting, Jim Higgins said while he’s delighted with his own ranking, he’s also happy that all Irish MEPs are highly participative in the parliament’s activities, and as a small nation, Ireland is collectively punching above its weight.

He says one reason for the success of the North West MEPs is that they work closely together….

The Children’s ombudsman Emily Logan says uncertainty over the dates of by-elections should not be allowed impact on the date of the proposed Childrens’ Rights Referendum.

It had been speculated that the referendum would take place in autumn of this year, but thjere are now fears that will drag into next year.

There are three outstanding by-elections, including one in Donegal South West, with claims from the opposition parties that the government is running scared because it stands to lose seats.

However, Emily Logan says the two issues should be kept seperate……..