Donegal’s woodlands could be in line for a major European environmental award.
The woodlands are part of a Coillte project to restore 550 hectares of four priority woodland types.
Already, the project has restored some of the rarest woodland in Donegal and eight other counties, and has won an International Energy Globe Award.
A special meeting of Donegal County Council took place today to fill the vacancies left by the election of three former councillors to the Dail last month.
Former councillors, Sinn Fein Deputy Padraig McLaughlin, Fianna Fail Deputy Charile McConalogue and Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle were all present. to see their replacements confirmed as councillors.
Cllr John Campbell, who replaces Deputy Pringle in the Donegal Electoral Area says it’s a major challenge……….
Cllr Paul Canning replaces Deputy Mc Conalogue in the Inishowen Electoral Area.
He says there was a celebratory atmosphere in the chamber today, but he doesn’t expect that to last………
Meanwhile, Cllr Jack Murray replace Deputy Mac Lochlainn, also in Inishowen.
At 26, he’s now the youngest member of Donegal County Council……..
A security operation in Derry is over after a suspicious object found this morning was declared to be a hoax.
The object was on a car windscreen at Kinnego Park in the Foyle Springs area of the city.
It’s emerged that Fine Gael will have a Donegal candidate in the Seanad election, after Danny Byrne from Bruckless confirmed he will be running.
After the close of nominations for political parties at noon today, there were no Fine Gael candidates from Donegal. However, Mr Byrne, who lost his father and brother in the Skifjord tragedy in 1981 and made the initial complaint about the subsequent “Lost at Sea” scheme to the Ombudsman’s office has received an outside nomination from the Certified Public Accountants of Ireland.
Mr Byrne had been put forward in Dublin as a potential Seanad candidate, but that was ruled out by the heirarchy. Now, Mr Byrne says, while he is using the CPAI nomination to contest the Commercial and Industrial panel, he regards himself as a Fine Gael candidate………..
Donegal cemented their position on their own at the top of the NFL Division Two with an impressive 2-18 to 2-12 victory over Derry at the weekend.
A man of the match performance from Michael Murphy ( 1-7) helped maintain the Tir Chonnaill men’s unbeaten run in this year’s campaign.
However a lot of work still remains if the team is to win promotion, other weekend results mean just two points separating five teams with two rounds of games to go.
Team manager Jim McGuinnes, who for the first time this season fielded an unchanged team, says he is happy with how the team is developing.
A security operation is underway in Derry after a suspicious object was found this morning.
The object was on a car windscreen at Kinnego Park in the Foyle Springs area of the city.
Army bomb experts went to the area after the incident was reported at quarter to eight this morning.
The police say 18 homes have been evacuated and the area has been cordoned off.
Local Councillor Maeve Mc Laughlin has been speaking to local residents………
Finn Harps recorded a second draw in their Aitricity League of Ireland First Division campaign at the weekend.
They drew 2 all with Monaghan United at Finn Park on Friday night.
Kevin McHugh, in his second spell with the club, fired his 139th goal for Harps leaving him second in the club’sall-time top scorers chart – he later added a 2nd – but harps, reduced to ten men following a red card for Thomas Bonner, could only manager a draw thanks to a brace from Monaghan United’s Eric Foley.
The Finn Harps Manager is James Gallagher
Seanad candidates have until midday to decide if they’ll contest the election.
Locally, Councillor Jimmy Harte will run for Labour on the Industrial and Commercial Panel.
While, Seantor Brian O Domnhaill will run again for Fianna Fail.
Highland Radio news understands that there will be no Fine Gael candidates from Donegal contesting.
Labour nomination Jimmy Harte, says he’s hopeful of gaining a seat:
A special meeting of Donegal County Council is taking place in Lifford today to fill the vacancies left by the election of three former councillors to the Dail last month.
The three incoming councillors are John Campbell, who will replace Deputy Thomas Pringle as an Independent in the Donegal Electoral Area, Paul Canning, who will replace Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue as a Fianna Fail Cllr in the Inishowen Electoral Area, and Jack Murray, who will replace Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn as a Sinn Fein councillor, also in the Inishowen Electoral Area.
Jack Murray, a former strategist and press officer, says it’s a proud day…………
Meanwhile, with Padraig Mac Lochlainn no longer a councillor, Sinn Fein will need to appoint a new whip. Although that is hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we understand it’s likely to be Cllr Mick Quinn.
A Derry councillor is urging closer parental supervision of their childrens internet usage. Cllr Mark H Durkan made the call after he was contacted by a constituent who told him an attempt had been made to groom her eight year old daughter.
She said the child had been contacted by an adult pretending to befriend her on a social network site used by young children.
Cllr Durkan says this is potentially a very serious situation, and one which all parents should be aware of:
