A tourism initiative will be launched in Ballyshannon this weekend by the Minister Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey.

The intitative is aimed at developing rural tourism in Donegal and the North West.

Visitor facilities across the region will be improved, including Benbulben, Glencar waterfall and Sliabh League.

Manager of Failte Ireland North West, Paul Mc Loone, says Donegal has the potential to boost the economy through tourism….

A man in his thirties, was brought to Letterkenny General Hospital last night following a stabbing incident in Annagry.

The victim was working in a Chinese takeaway in the centre of the village when a man entered the kitchen and stabbed him in the arm and upper body at around quarter to twelve last night. The man’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

Three units of the Gardai and an ambulance attended the scene, and officers remained at the premises overnight.

The takeaway, which has only opened in recent months, remains sealed off this morning, with foprensic teams due in the area for as detailed examination of the scene today.

It is understood that no arrests were made at the scene last night, but a full investigation is underway.

There were a number of customers in the restaurant at the time of the incident.

Sinn Fein by-election candidate Pearse Doherty-who says he does not concentrate too much on opinion polls.

A RED C survey for ‘Paddy Power’ released yesterday showed Senator Doherty would have twice the first preferences of his nearest rival.

He said he is aware of the result but says he believes telephone polls are very unreliable.

But Pearse Doherty did say that he would be dissapointed if he didn’t win the Donegal South West by-election:

The operation to clear 33 dead pilot whales from the beach on Rutland Island has been completed. The whales were taken from the island by ferry this morning, and have now been brought to a facility in County Cavan for incineration.

A week ago, the council planned to bury the whales on the island, but local concerns led to the incineration option being favoured.

The owner of Arranmore Fast Ferry, Seamus Boyle, who originally found the dead whales, said this morning’s operation, whch took three hours, went very well……….

Nearly three quarters of second level school leavers in Donegal went on to third level education this year.

The figures published today show that 1,872 of the 2008 second level students who sat the Leaving Cert examinations in Donegal this year went on to third level studies. That’s a total of 72%

Of those, 508 are now studying at Letterkenny Institute of Technology, a total of 27%, while 220, almost 12 %, are studying at UK universities and colleges, which include colleges in Northern Ireland.

The schools with the highest percentage of students in college are Loreto Convent, Letterkenny with 99%, the Community School in Milford with 93% and St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny, and the Abbey Vocational School in Donegal Town, both with 91%.

Scoil Colmcille on Tory Island registered a perfect total of 100%, but had just 1 Leaving Cert student this year.

A two-day think-in is to take place in Ballyshannon this weekend aimed at addressing the difficulties facing the town.

Organisers hope the conference will help identifying the issues that have seen the town lose hundreds of jobs in recent years.

The ideas will then be presented to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Batt O’Keefe.

The event takes place this Saturday and Sunday in the Abbey Arts Centre with the Mayor of Ballyshannon Town Council Brendan Travers saying the days of laying blame are over, it’s time to look forward….

Donegal County Council is set to prosecute a woman who has refused to shut a chip-van that has served Ardara for 31 years.

Rosaleen McCollum yesterday received notice that Donegal County Council has instructed a solicitor to prosecute her for breach of two laws.

Ms McCollum bought the van almost three years ago in Ardara town centre from the estate of former owner Hammy Baskin.

For almost 29 years operating on the same site it was known as Hammy’s until Rosaleen and husband Derek renamed it to link it to their surname.

But the council, which never prosecuted the previous owner, is now set to bring 37-year-old Rosaleen to court under by-laws on casual trading introduced in 2004.

The law confines mobile traders to four hours a day and specifies they be at least 100 metres from any other fast-food outlet.

The letter specified that council legal agents had been instructed to prosecute under the 2004 casual trading by-law and for a breach of a roads law.

Rosaleen said she plans to fight the council instruction in court. She said her husband would never get back the farm that he sold in the North to buy the Ardara business.

She added that both would on the dole.

Students from Letterkenny IT will join colleagues from the West and Morth West today for a demonstration in Galway today, in protest against possible increases in the Registration Fee and cuts to grants.

Over 40 thousand students joined a protest in Dublin on November 3rd and another regional protest is planned for Cork on 1st December.

USI President Gary Redmond says the Government will be left in no doubt how students feel about the proposals………..

A new initiative to promote business leadership in the region is being launched at Letterkenny IT today.

Leadership North West W is an organisation formed by graduates of the LYIT’s Innovation and Leadership programme, with major business players from Donegal, Sligo, Cavan, Derry and Mayo already involved.

The organisation is intended to be a network which will address specific business issues and explore development opportunities.

Seagate Innovation Manager Brian Durnin is Chair of Leadership NW – He’s been outlining how the initiative came about………..

A new opinion poll shows Sinn Féin on course to win the Donegal South West By-Election.

The RED C survey for ‘Paddy Power’ shows Senator Pearse Doherty on 40 per cent of first preference votes.

Fianna Fáil’s Brian  O’Domhnaill polls less than half that on 19 per cent.

Fine Gael’s Barry O’Neill polls third on 15 per cent, with 14 per cent for Labour’s Frank McBrearty Junior.