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GAA – Donegal Look For First Win At Home To Laois

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:59:45 +0000

This Sunday Donegal play their first home game of the National Football League against Laois in Letterkenny and the county will be seeking their first win in Division 1 having lost 1-10 to 1-9 at the hands of Down last Saturday in Newry. Martin McElhinney’s goal 16 minutes into the second half looked to have swung things in the way of Tír Chonaill men but the home side managed to claw their way back with four unanswered scores. Down got off to the better start with a 1-3 to 1 point advantage early on. Donegal came back to leave just a goal in it, 1-5 to 0-6 points at the break. The turning point seemed to come when second half sub McElhinney found himself in the right spot to turn in a great goal for Donegal. Down’s response was instant however as the mourne men rattled off four points on the bounce to lead by two. Dermot Molloy reduced the deficit to just a single point but he failed to level the game with the last kick of the game.

Donegal Manager Jim Mc Guinness gave his reaction to Oisin Kelly.

GAA – Tyrone Off To Div2 Winner But Defeat For Derry.

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:27:45 +0000

Tyrone 2-11 v 0-12 Kildare.
Tyrone made the perfect start to their 2012 NFL Division 2 campaign on Saturday night, beating fellow promotion favourites Kildare by five points in a game that exploded into life in the second half at Croke Park. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte may have given auditions to some new faces following a succession of retirements in the off-season, but it was two old hands, Stephen O’Neill and Owen Mulligan, who led the way for the Red Hands. They struggled badly in the first half and trailed by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break, but a far better second half performance helped the Ulster side to an unexpected but thoroughly deserved win. It was Peter Harte and Martin Penrose who scored the goals while O’Neill ended the game with 5 points.

Tyrone Manager Mickey Harte was pleased to get off to a winning start.

Derry1-11 v 1-15 Galway.
On Sunday Derry were undone by a young Galwayside who showed greater composure in the closing minutes to claim a four-point victory at Celtic Park. Having clawed their way back into the match the Oak Leafers trailed by only point with an hour gone and looked set to go on and claim a result. However, with Derry taking some wrong options the visitors kept their cool with late scores to secure the points.

Speaking with derrygaa.ie vice-captain Joe Diver was disappointed with the result.

Rory Gallagher Festival named one of Ireland’s best

news — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:32:25 +0000

Ballyshannon’s Rory Gallagher Festival has been named among the Best Festivals in Ireland.

The tribute event picked up the award for best National Medium Festival for attendances between 10,000 and 30,000

The festival claimed the award holding off competition from the Cork’s Live at the Marquee, Galway Arts Festival and Kilkenny Arts Festival.

The Electric Picnic Festival won the National Large Festival Award for attendances above 30,000, while the Fleadh Ceoil, which is coming to Derry next year, won the Best Traditional Festival.

Cllr Barry O Neill, who is part of the Rory Gallagher Festival Committee, says they are delighted with the award…..

Strabane Courthouse facing closure despite £120,000 facelift

news — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:25:13 +0000

A courthouse earmarked for closure by the Court Service had a £120,000 refurbishment less than a year ago.

A councillor said the money spent on Strabane Court to upgrade security, refurbish holding cells and redecorate “defies logic”, given that it is one of the five courts whose economic viability is currently under consideration.

Security upgrades costing £100,000, refurbishment of holding cells costing £18,000 and £5,000 redecorating costs were incurred in the renovation.

Strabane district councillor Karina Carlin, who is also a solicitor, said the spend “beggars belief”….

Donegal priest says parents should reduce spend on Communions and Confirmations

news — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:49:14 +0000

A Donegal priests says families should not put themselves under financial pressure when it comes to children’s Communions and Confirmations.

Fr James Sweeney was commenting as the government’s decided cut to exceptional needs payments for Communions and Confirmations.

The Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore said the decision was made to slash the payment – in order to bring these “lavish” costs under control.

Last year the Department of Social Protection spent 3.4 million euro on such payments to struggling parents to pay for Confirmation and Communions.

The average payment was 242 euro.

Fr Sweeny says many families put themsleves underpressure as the cost of Communions and Confirmations do not have to be that high:

‘Magda’ says she loves Donegal and wants to open her own business here

news — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:22 +0000

The woman who was misquoted as slating Donegal in an Irish Independent article has come forward to clarify her comments.

An initial translation of an article which appeared in a Polish newspaper accused ‘Magda’ of claiming she was living the high life on the dole.

The Independent’ article also claimed that Magda described Donegal in derogatory terms.

However she has rejected those claims on Highland Radio today – ‘Magda’ told the Shaun Doherty show that she loved living in Donegal and is hoping to open her own business here:

Polish Ambassador says Polish Community more optimistic about country’s prospects

news — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:55:36 +0000

The Polish Ambassador to Ireland says the Polish community here can be more optimistic about the country’s prospects than Irish people.

Marcin Nawrot yesterday hit out at a newspaper article which suggested a Polish woman was living ‘the good life’ on the dole in Co. Donegal, saying the original article had been translated incorrectly.

Up to 180-thousand Polish people are living here at the moment.

And Ambassador Navrot believes that despite the economic downturn, they believe it’s a good place to be:

Polish woman claims to be living the ‘good life’ on benefits in Donegal

news — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:29:30 +0000

A Polish waitress living in Donegal has claimed she is living the good life on Irish welfare benefits.

Speaking to a Polish newspaper the woman describes her life in Donegal as a ‘Hawaiian massage”.

She says welfare payments here are €182 more every week than back in her native Poland, and she states that she would not work in Ireland for less than €8 an hour.

Donegal Labour Senator, Jimmy Harte has said the claims are an enormous disservice to hard-working non-nationals here in the County…..

Concerns over Government plans to introduce central water authority

news — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:49:00 +0000

Concern has been expressed about the lack of detail in Government plans to introduce a central water authority with fears that they could seriously diminish the quality of water supply in Donegal.

A National Water Company is to be established to take over the water responsibilities of the country’s 34 County and City councils – it could be in place as early as next year.

It is not clear what impact the plans may have on Donegal’s group water schemes or who would be responsible in managing a water shortage.

Councillor Brenden Byrne says the Government seems to be adopting the strategy employed in Northern Ireland and says that in itself is a cause for concern:

IMPACT urges management of various sectors to consult with Unions

news — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:45:48 +0000

With hundreds of people expected to leave public service jobs at the end of this month, the Impact trade union is urging management in the various sectors to consult with the unions now in order to facilitate as smooth a transition as possible.

New pension arrangements come into force after the end of February, and the fear is several senior personnel will go in order to ensure they don’t lose pension entitlements.

Impact spokesperson Richy Carrothers says resignation letters are being submitted now, and the numbers will be clear by next week.

He says in the face of the recruitment embargo, it’s vital that local discussions begin immediately….