GOAL fundraising cheque raised by local hotels

Edel McNamee accepting a fundraising cheque for GOAL from Patricia Wilson & Jim White, Abbey Hotel and John Feeley, Central Hotel. The money was raised from collections over the Christmas period in the two hotels.
Edel McNamee, daughter of Danny and Mary McNamee, Ballintra, has been working with GOAL since 2003. Although based in Dublin, Edel spends most of her time on the road as she covers the entire country as Development Education Co-ordinator. Her job entails visiting schools and educating the pupils on the aims and aspirations of GOAL. Edel spent a year in Sierra Leone. She had planned to spend Christmas and the New Year at home in Ballintra but when the Tsunami disaster struck she went back to work right away. She thanks Jim White, proprietor of the Abbey and Central Hotel, Donegal Town, and his staff who led the appeal and spearheaded the collection and, of course, the public for their generosity in donating the great sum of €6,134.

Inver Notes

Firstly, I would like to wish everyone in Inver a Happy and Prosperous New Year. I would also like to wish Liam and the staff in the Times office a Happy New Year and another successful one for the paper. It was great to see a lot of familiar faces home for Christmas on holidays but, unfortunately, they all had to go back.
Happy birthdays to the following: Muriel Ward, Jody McGroarty, Leanne Rose and Annie Kelly who all celebrated their birthdays recently. Congratulations to Aoife Maguire, Ardaghey, who celebrated her 21st birthday recently.
Well done to Kay McAleavey and the children of the ‘Sound of Music’ who spent several evenings singing in Harvey’s Point and in the Abbey Hotel on Wednesdays and Sundays before Christmas. From what I hear, they were excellent and got great applause from the crowds on each night.
Well done also to the children from Keelogs school who made an excellent job of the nativity play in the Chapel and to Muriel and Elaine Ward who provided the music. A large crowd turned out to watch.
Hard luck to the local boys on the St Nauls minor team who lost out to Ardara by a single point in the county final on the 18th December. Eany Celtic’s first game after the Christmas break is away to Kilmacrenan Celtic on Sunday. Hopefully they’ll put a few wins together in the new year. The St Nauls Bord na nÓg AGM is on Saturday 15th of January in the clubrooms at 8pm. Sean Paul McHugh

1994 AVS Reunion

AVS 1994 class reunion in Abbey hotel: (more photos in print edition of Donegal Times) Back Row: Emmett Brady, Melissa Slevin, Adrian McDaid, Barry Kennedy, Noel Mohan, Hugh McNulty, Nigel Weir, Caroline McCoskor, Dennis Feeley, Kieran Campbell, Shane Ward, Peter Mogan, Pauric McInern, James Donagher. Middle: Fiona Friel, Karen Gallagher, Gerard Crawford, Micheal McMonagle, Sinead Meehan, Yvonne Martin, Jayne Boyd, Helena Conaghan, Roisin Carr, Emmett Cassidy, Bill Collins, Raymond Rooney, Jerome Hughes, Aidan Haughey, Brendan Griffith, Simon Waugh, Donna McGowan, Denise Hughes, Sarah Daly, Damien Conaghan, Niamh McGarvey, Jonathan Kennedy, Angela McDaid, Sinead Foy. Front: Declan Ryle, Daragh Quinn, Jennifer Brady, Manus Rooney, Terry Needham, Martin Meehan, Fiona Reck, Claire Gallagher, Shane O’Sullivan, Cathal Mohan, Declan Prendeville, Aidan Kerrigan, Philomena Martin, Caroline Given, Toni Needham, Teresa McGroarty, Laura Rooney.

Inver Post Office on the move

After 60 years in the Glackin family, Inver Post Office is moving down the road, having been taken over by another local, Anne Cassidy. Mary Glakin was the postmistress from 1945-1960 - then her sister Annie McGrane (nee Glakin) assumed control for the last 45 years. Annie said she has seen many changes over the years, mainly in communications and mail sorting, “When we took over the post office 60 years ago, we had five postmen all using push bicycles, now we only have two, but motorised.” Annie commented.
Annie is due to close the doors mid-Feburary when Anne Cassidy, daughter of Alfie and Anne Cassidy, Fanaghan, will take over at their premises on the main Killybegs road.

Henry’s Back?

Over a year ago we highlighted the fact that there was no Ford agency in Donegal Town, since the Davin family sold “Floods” garage to Super Valu circa 1990.
Ford has been among the top three best selling cars in Ireland for years - it was second only to Toyota in 2004.
But the nearest place south Donegal motorists could get their Mondeo, Focus or Fiesta was either Letterkenny or Sligo - a bit of a hoof for servicing and back-up.
With the appointment of O’Donnell Motors as main Ford dealers, the famous marque has, after an absence of many years, re-established a presence in South Donegal. Initially to be based in Dunkineely, a new facility is under construction in Donegal Town which will accommodate the new franchise. Paul O’Sullivan  

Twins celebrate 30th birthdays

Twins Leslie and Tracey Bustard (centre) who celebrated their 30th birthdays in
Dom’s Pier 1 along with girlfriend, Nuala, and boyfriend James. At back are parents Billy and
Christine Photo: Jason McGarrigle

RNLI New Year's Day Swim a Mountcharles

‘Arrrrrghhh - the water is cold!!!!’ screams Joe Coyle

At 10.30 am on Sat Jan 1st, the Big Pier in Mountcharles was packed for the annual New Year’s Day Swim. The weather was dreadful, but the spirits were high! As the heavens opened, releasing a deluge on the hardy annuals huddled below, the wind roared a gale, adding misery to discomfort (this was the same day a twister hit Dunshaughlin and 80mph winds damaged two planes at Dublin Airport!).
Proceedings were done and dusted in a matter of minutes as the brave swimmers got in and out of the water and made a beeline for their cars to thaw out.
Luckily next year’s event will be in the afternoon, thanks to the tides. The R.N.L.I. would like to thank everyone for their tremendous local support throughout 2004 and wish everyone a safe new year - in and out of the water.
Paul O Sullivan, P.R.O

Local An Óige Hostel to close

Eight hostels nationwide are to be closed by An Óige. These are to be put up for sale as, according to a spokesperson for the organisation, ‘some of the hostels are losing money hand over fist’. One of those due to close is Ball Hill hostel outside Donegal Town.

Lisa McNern, Dunkineely, and Martin Cunningham, Carrick, who were married in
The Church of St Joseph and Conall, Bruckless, with reception in the Abbey Hotel

Impression of Ireland

The following article comes from an unaddressed postcard which was recently found unsent in the Blueberry Restaurant. It was handed into Donegal Times by the finder and gives an insight of this tourist’s perception of Ireland - maybe it should be used by Bord Failte.

Hi Brian,
We’ve been here in Ireland a week now. What a place - I think you would like it. The scenery has been beautiful - rolling and old-worldish. The people - oh, the people! They love to talk - not rambling, but really talking. The pace is slow. Late nights and drowsy mornings - the shops sleep in too. My favourite area was around Dingle. We heard REAL music in Doolin, and went last night to a pub that one of the Chieftans owns - 2 gentlemen fiddled and one played a push-button accordion. Now we are further north and the people look like trolls! and kind of act like them too! I thought that was long gone in storybooks, but no! We’ll go to Dublin tonight to fly out in the morning. You should make time and come for a visit and recharge. You might never want to leave! You can wear wool sweaters, sit by the fire in the pub and talk ‘till your heart’s content.
Christi

A New Year Wish

All here at Donegal Times thank those who sent us cards and messages of good wishes over the Christmas period. We are happy that you enjoy our paper – and appreciate you writing to say so. As we enter 2005, we wish everybody a happy and productive year – especially our developers and planners whom we hope will finally come to agreement and give our town the retail and commercial infrastructure it so badly needs.