There has been a warm welcome to the news that Irish television stations including RTE Digital are finally being made accessible to audiences in Northern Ireland.
The Irish television stations RTE and TG4 will be available on Freeview. It is part of a deal which is also expected to include greater access of BBC services to the Republic.
SDLP north/south spokesperson Pól Callaghan welcomed the news but stressed its roll-out must happen without delay:
Donegal County Councils salt levels are currently low, but they say they are trying to manage as best they can.
The gritter lorries will be out on the Countys roads tonight and over the next number of days as another cold snap is set to hit the NorthWest again.
Senior Engineer with Donegal County Council, Vincent Lynn, says this is the most prolonged winter weather he has experienced.
Former Ulster Council chairman Tom Daly will run for GAA president at next April’s Congress in Mullingar after his candidature was formally endorsed at the Donegal county convention on Monday Night. Daly was proposed by 1992 All-Ireland winner Sylvester Maguire and seconded by county chairman PJ McGowan. The Ballyshannon man has been a member of the Ulster Council for 22 consecutive years and also served as Donegal’s Ulster Council delegate for 12 years. Tipperary’s Con Hogan and Liam O’Neill of Laois have already declared their intention to succeed Christy Cooney as GAA president.
At the convention in Ballybofey there were six changes to the Donegal county board.
Highland’s Tom Comack has the details.
The Ulster Council on Monday announced the dates and times for the 2011 Dr McKenna Cup. The opening tie will see a repeat of the 2010 final with Donegal facing Tyrone at Healy Park on January 9th. Other games on the first weekend see Cavan play Queens, Derry play Monaghan, St Mary’s face Down, and Armagh taking on Antrim. The semi finals will be played on the 22 and 23rd January with the final being held on Saturday January 29, a week before the National League commences.
Sunday 9 January
Section A
Tyrone v Donegal (Healy Park)
Section B
Derry v Monaghan (Celtic Park)
Saturday 15 January
Section B
Cavan v Derry (Breffni Park)
Sunday 16 January
Section A
Fermanagh v Tyrone (Brewster Park)
Donegal v UUJ (MacCumhaill Park)
Wednesday 19 January
Section A
UUJ v Tyrone (Healy Park)
Donegal v Fermanagh (MacCumhaill Park)
Section B
Derry v Queen’s (Celtic Park)
Sinn Fein has condemned the Labour Party’s warning that a funding commitment from the Republic for the upgrading of the A5 to dual-carriageway status may have to be reviewed.
Labour TD Joe Costello said the party, if it is in power after the next general election, will have to look at all major infrastructure projects, including the plan to upgrade the road from Derry to Aughnacloy.
The Government has offered £400 million to upgrade the 88km stretch of the A5 from the Border near Aughnacloy, via Omagh and Strabane to Derry, along with the A8 between Newtownabbey and Larne.
Donegal Deputy Mayor, Padraig Mc Laughlin, says all opposition parties meed to be clear that they will support this infrastructure:
Meanwhile, Labour Councillor, Jimmy Harte says he’s 100% behind the A5/M2 project, but he says people have to be realistic, and the money simply isn’t there at this time:
The trial has opened today at Donegal Circuit Court of a 25-year-old man accused of unlawful sex with a girl when she was 13 years of age.
The offence is alleged to have happened in south Donegal on a date in October, 2003. The man has pleaded not guilty.
The girl is now aged 20.
Judge John O’Hagan told the jury of seven women and five men that the trial is expected to last three days.
Prosecutor Eileen O’Leary, SC, told them that the 13-year-old in October 2003 was behaving badly and was staying out late at night and was drinking and smoking and hanging around with older people,
Ms O’Leary said it was not suggested the defendant coerced the girl into sex.in his car at Rossnowlagh.
The offence was that the girl at the time was too young to be legally capable of consenting to sex.
The trial continues
Ulster Senior Club Football Final
Crossmaglen Rangers 2-9 Naomh Conaill 0-10
Naomh Conaill’s dreams of an Ulster title were shattered on Sunday as the Donegal champions found themselves outgunned by Crossmaglen. Having been reduced to 14-man the Armagh kingpins used all their experience to win a hard fought provincial football decider at Kingspan Breffni Park. The Donegal side led by 0-7 to 1-3 at the break, with Jamie Clarke’s goal keeping the Armagh side in contention after Conaill had dominated. Tony Kernan levelled on the resumption but was then sent off. Veteran Oisin McConville then goaled for Crossmaglen and a brilliant second half display saw them claim their eight Ulster crown.
Charlie Collins spoke with Naomh Conaill Manager Cathal Corey after the game.
Ireland struck gold for the first time at the European Cross-Country Championships in Portugal last Sunday. The Irish quartet of David McCarthy (11th) Brendan O Neill (13th) Michael Mulhaire (16th) and David Rooney (20th) all finished inside the top 20 to ensure victory for Ireland and claim the historic gold medal. Letterkenny AC’s Darren Mc Brearty was also running for Ireland in the Men’s U20 race but finished well down the field after a strong start. Letterkenny’s Teresa McDaid who was Irish team coach in Portugal was delighted with the men’s gold medal performance.
Having been offered the opportunity to remain as Harps boss two weeks ago, James Gallagher on Friday confirmed that he will continue in his role as Harps Manager. Gallagher has been in charge at Harps for sixty-two games and last season was his first full campaign in charge at Finn Park. Harps Chairman Joey O’Leary was delighted to get the managerial position sorted. “We offered James the role of Manager a couple of week’s ago, and I’m delighted that he has agreed to remain on. We have come through a difficult season and finished on somewhat of a high with seven points from a possible nine in our last three games. The aim now for James, myself and the club is to build on that and push on in 2011.”
Gallagher initially took over the managerial reigns in May 2009, after the resignation of Paul Hegarty.
James Gallagher spoke with Kenny Harkin on Saturday Sport.
It is reported that Buncrana Town Councillor Lee Tedstone has quit the Fine Gael party.
It is understood the town’s former Mayor has already tendered his resignation to Fine Gael and will formally notify his fellow Councillor at this weeks monthly meeting of the council.
Councillor Tedstone has so far declined to comment or to outline the reasons behind his shock decision.
