Staff at Letterkenny Hospital where stretched to their limits last night as twelve patients over-spilled to the out patients department.

As result a number of clinics will be closed today.

Dr Bannon and Dr Keatings medical clinics will be closed and the ENT clinic with Dr Constantine will also be closed.

Patients are being urged to  attend A&E today only if absolutely necessary.

This is happening on the day that the details of cost cutting measures planned by the HSE to curb a huge budget overrun in the HSE West region will be outlined at a meeting in Galway.

Gardai in Letterkenny have confirmed they are investigating an incident close to Ashlawn on Saturday evening at 7pm

A woman in her 70s was walking on Ballyraine Road, when she was approached by a teenager. The woman was not physically assaulted, but was shaken by the experience.

Gardai say the youth was aged between 14 and 18 years, and was between 5 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 7 inches in height. He was of slim build, with a bad complexion. He was wearing a white top, black woolly hat, and black bottoms

There were two other youths in the vicinity, but they did not approach the woman. Gardai are stressing they are not linking this to any previous alleged assaults. Investigations into two other incidents over the past three weeks are still under investigation.

Donegal County Council has been told more front-line staff should be recruited for the roads and sanitary sections of its operations.

The council was told today staff were stretched to their limits during what was one of the worst winters in decades to hit the county.

Councillors agreed that over last winter staff went beyond the call of duty, and couldn’t be asked to repeat that year after year.

Raising the issue, Councillor Bernard McGuinness said there’s a shortage of outdoor staff, and the recruitment embargo should be relaxed…………

Gardai still haven’t commented on speculation that there may have been a third attempted assault on a woman in the Ashlawn area of Letterkenny.

Local Councillor and Joint Policing Committee Vice Chairperson Gerry Mc Monagle says he’s been told a middle aged woman was approached by a man in suspicious circumstances while walking her dog at the weekend.

So far, there’s been no statement from gardai about the alleged incident.

Earlier today, Cllr Mc Monagle spoke to Greg Hughes on the Shaun Doherty Show. He’s urging woman to take precautions while out walking, particularly at night……

The Bank of Ireland is set to lose almost £36 million following the collapse of a Derry based property developer.

McDaid Developments Ireland,which had developments in the North, Donegal and elsewhere in the Republic, went bankrupt in June. Its portfolio of sites included completed houses, partially constructed schemes and undeveloped land.

The Administrators report showed that the developer owed the bank more than £42m.

It is thought that the sale of the firms remaining assets would raise less than £8m.

A student in the North has died from suspected meningitis.

The teenager had just finished his first week at the University of Ulster in Jordanstown when he became ill.

He was from Ballycastle in County Antrim and those who’ve been in close contact with him are receiving anti-biotics.

The young mans family had close connections with Downings and he himself attended the GAA summer camp there every year.

Fellow student Lauren Arlow says it’s a devastating tragedy:

Sinn Féin West Tyrone MP MLA Pat Doherty says that the self-styled vigilante group Republican Action Against Drugs should ‘go away and stay away.’

He made his comments at the an annual commemoration which was held in Strabane yesterday in memory of republican dead from the local area.

A large section of Pat Dohertys speech yesterday at Strabane Cemetery was directly addressed the issue of RAAD, who have emerged in the area in recent months and who have carried out shootings and pipe bomb attacks in the town and surrounding areas.

Saying that these attacks had caused nothing but hardship, fear, suffering and disruption to local families and the local community he went on to outline how one such cowardly attack was carried out on the Devine family- the family of IRA Volunteers Hugh, Michael and David Devine who are among those who were being commemorated yesterday.

He said the vigilante group had thrown a pipe-bomb into pensioner, Patsy Devines car.

Yet when the group where asked to meet with the Devine family, to explain why they carried out the attack, they refused.

Mr Doherty finished by saying that the group could no longer hide under the  mantle of republicanism and that they should go away and stay away.

A man who was told he had a mountain to climb after pleading guilty to breaching the peace with his drunken behaviour did just that on Saturday.

Joseph McElwee from Rathmullan was advised by a judge to undertake a pilgrimage to the top of Croagh Patrick ias a mark of respect for his fellow Irish people.

And not only did Joseph McElwee climb the mountain and complete the stations, he used the trek as an opportunity to raise funds for charity.

Jospeh McElwee admitted abusive behaviour when he called a garda “a Mayo wa*@$r” while out with a group of friends last March.

Earlier this month, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, intoxication, disorderly conduct, wilful obstruction and failing to comply with the direction of a garda.

And while he still awaits sentencing, Milford District Court judge Seamus Hughes suggested McElwee travel to the famous holy mountain as a mark of respect to his fellow Irish people, especially those in the line of duty.

McElwee rised to the challenge on Saturday and went a step further by using the climb to raise money for a worthy cause.

Himself and a number of his friends made their way to the top of Croagh Patrick at the weekend.

And in doing so the Rathmullen man has so far raised two thousand euro for the Donegal Hospice and a hospital in Mayo.

McElwee will be sentenced on October 11.

Donegal Captain Aoife Mc Donnell

All Ireland Ladies Intermediate Final.
Donegal 2-12 v 0-16 Waterford

Star full-forward Yvonne McMonagle bagged 2-05 from play as Donegal claimed the All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Football Championship title at Croke Park. The county captured the Mary Quinn memorial cup with a hard-fought two-point victory against Munster champions Waterford. Ulster champions Donegal will now make the step up to the senior championship in 2011. It’s been a brilliant season for Michael Naughton’s team, who added the All-Ireland crown to the provincial title and National League Division 2 title.

Highland’s Gaa Correspondent Tom Comack spoke with Yvonne Mc Monagle, Manager Michael Naughton and firstly Captain Aoife Mc Donnell.
 

In the senior final Tyrone Ladies had a disappointing day losing to Dublin 3-16 to 16 points.

Photo – Donegal Democrat

Four Masters secured the Division One All County League on Saturday Night with a six point win over Glenswilly. The Donegal Town club secured their first Division One title in 61 years by seeing off the challenge from the Glen men to move six points clear at the top. Second half goals from Michael Doherty and Conor Mc Monagle proved to be the winning scores as Four Masters took victory 2-9 to 0-9. With a few games to go Four Masters can’t be caught at the top and for being the most consistent team throughout the campaign deservingly take their first league crown since 1949.