Phyl on Winning Streak

Ray Bates, National Lottery; Phyl O’Sullivan, Phyl Conway who sold the lucky scratch card and Derek Mooney at the presentation of Phyl’s cheque

Electricity usage reached a new high in the area on the evening of Saturday November 15th as television sets in every household were switched on to watch ‘Winning Streak’.
Appearing on the show was Phyl O’Sullivan, Mountcharles, supported in the studio by a vociferous band of local supporters who had travelled to Dublin by bus for the ocassion.
Looking stunning in an outfit from Geraldine Óg in Ballyshannon, Phyl began by correcting host Derek Mooney’s pronunciation of Mountcharles and then made sure to get in greeting to all at home, including mother-in-law, Mary O’Sullivan, Drumcliff - indeed so lengthy was Phyl’s list of greetings that RTE man Derek had to remind her that the show had to finish before the nine o’clock news.
But a great night for Phyl and her supporters, with the Monte Carlo lady pocketing €16,200 plus a holiday in Florence with €2,000 in spending money.
And fair play to the home support in the audience, they made sure Donegal Times featured prominently for the millions watching. Indeed Derek Mooney noticing that the paper had appeared on screen and been mentioned three times, asked why “well,” said Phyll “my husband write some articles for it.” Husband is, of course, our ace contributor, Paul.
A great occasion, carried off with aplomb by our local contingent and the betting is that the craic went on well into the night after the show.
Phyl bought her ticket in Conways Newsagents having won €4 from a ticket bought a short time earlier in the Post Office

Paying to Park

Pay and Display is coming to Donegal Town. At a meeting of the Electoral Area Committee, council engineer Peader Thomas outlined his plans. The costs, proposed and seconded at the meeting, will be 50 cent per hour on street, 30 cent an hour in car-park. It is proposed that an area at the Quay be designated for all-day parking at a cost of €1.20. Peader informed the meeting that he was aiming for an introduction of the charges in June or July of next year.

Happy Thanksgiving

Donegal Times extends warm and happy greetings to Americans everywhere on Thanksgiving Day this Thursday, November 27th.

Major road project to start in 2004

One of the major road projects to commence next year will be the Bundoran/Ballyshannon by-pass. Due to start in June 2004, five tenders have been sent out. The time scale of the project is two and a half years.

Long established Letterkenny Jeweller to
open shop in Donegal Town

R. Mc Cullagh Jewellers, established 1869 in Letterkenny, is now run by 4th generation couple Julian and Caitriona Ball. Donegal Town is their first move outside the Cathedral Town in which they have branches on Main Street and Letterkenny Shopping Centre. Speaking to Donegal Times, Julian explained “Donegal Town is the natural choice for R. McCullagh to provide quality of product and service to the south west of the county. The town is expanding and needs a wider choice of stores for the increasing population. We will provide a full range of jewellery ranging from silver chains to diamond pendants. Customers will have use of a private viewing room for engagement and wedding rings. We can also make handmade rings to individual designs”.
Julian continued “We will stock quality watch brands, Raymond Weil, Rotary, Adidas, Storm, Guess, Sekonda and there will be a watchmaker on the premises. Also full jewellery workshop facilities will be available including pearl restringing, redesigning and alterations.”
Julian also spoke of the great emphasis Mc Cullagh’s place on staff training, designed to provide customers with the most professional service and keep them appraised of new product lines.
Manager of the new shop will be Denise Kelly joined by Orla Grieve and local girls Stella Mc Groarty and Helen Gillespie.
The Shop will open on Main Street, Donegal Town, in the first week of December.

Windmills, Windmills, Everywhere

From the Irish Independent: Donegal County Council ‘North-West Wind Ltd. intends to apply to the above authority for planning permission for the construction of 11 wind turbines with 8 turbines of 60m hub height and 33m rotor diameter and 3 turbines of 55m hub height and 33m rotor diameter 6.5m wide access trackways a 38 kV substation building, a 40m anemometer mast and associated site development works at a site in the town lands on Meenagranoge, Altcor and Carraduffy, Inver, Co. Donegal. An Environmental Impact Study (E.I.S.) accompanies the application.

Overloaded Vehicles

In a letter to Donegal Co. Council, Inspector Michael Finan confirms that a mobile weighbridge is currently being shared by the Letterkenny and Donegal Town Traffic units. Part of the letter states ‘The Donegal Traffic Unit has stopped a number of lorries carrying forestry timber. These lorries were taken to the mobile weighbridge at Mayes Quarry, Ballintra and found to be overweight. Fixed penalty points were issued and the sergeant-in-charge of the Donegal Town traffic unit informs me that forestry lorries now only carry 75% capacity in their trailers’.
Reacting to the letter Cllr Peter Kennedy stated ‘I am happy about this - they have to abide by the rules the same as everybody else’.