New Donegal kit launched in Abbey

Barry Dunnion, Natasha Ni Gairbheith and Karl Lacey model the new Donegal kit at the County Board fashion show in the Abbey Hotel Photo: Jason McGarrigle

Inver Notes

Congratulations to all the children who made their first holy communions on Saturday in Ardaghey. They were Michelle Boyle, Shaun Burke, Hannah Campbell, Pierce Connolly, Jayne Diamond, Kevin Furey, Shauna Gallagher, Sinéad Gavigan, Alanna Gormley, Pauric McGroarty, Rebecca McDaid, Niamh McGlinchey, Liam McHugh, Dylan Meehan, Emma O’Hagan and Pauric Rose.
Happy birthdays to Francie McHugh, Seamie Cannon, Kevin Doherty (Drimlatafin) and Deborah Gormley. Congratulations to Imelda McDaid on becoming the All Ireland champion in Line Dancing. The Magee Bluestack Challenge are holding a Barn Dance for Special Needs in the Bluestack Centre, Drimarone, on Friday, 27th May, at 10.30pm. Music by Michael Cleary and Bríd Kelly.
Last weekend, St Nauls seniors recorded a good away win against Glenswilly. The reserves put in a good performance but unfortunately, they were beaten in the end. This weekend the reserves won by 8 points and the seniors lost by 5 points at home to Malin. Both teams are away to Glenties at the weekend. The minors recorded a good win against Aodh Rua last week. The Under 12 boys play away to Aodh Rua tonight and play at home to Glenties on Monday. Hard luck to the girls under 12s team who lost out to a strong Termon side last Wednesday night. Sean Paul McHugh

Spokesman says Bennett is here for the long-haul

Talking to our reporter, Margaret Gallagher, John White, Development Director with Bennett Construction Limited, answered some questions.

MG: Is Bennett still interested in the Mart come June 1st?
JW: While there is a contract in place with the other developer, we will not comment on the mart site. But we have two other very good sites in Donegal Town, with two major anchor tenants on board, so we would like to concentrate on these.
MG: Why has Bennett perservered with Donegal Town since 2001, despite all the objections?
JW: From very early days when our company won the open competition to develop the Drumlonagher site, we have received much support from Donegal Town, especially the local Councillors, (none more so than Peter Kennedy), the County Manager and the Chamber of Commerce, who are genuinely concerned about bringing business and employment to the Town. More recently, I have personally received letters of support from local people from Donegal Town expressing both their support for us and their frustration with the delays caused by objections.
We have been developing projects across the country for many years now and we have never experienced anywhere else the level of third party objections we have had to deal with in Donegal Town. For example, in three other towns very similar in size to Donegal, we are currently developing similar schemes where we are bringing a major anchor and employment to the town. This is being done in tandem with the normal planning process and local area plans or regeneration schemes. The response to each of these schemes has been very positive.
Despite the objections and delays in Donegal Town we, as developers, have never objected to anybody, anywhere in the country. We feel there is room for both developers and confirm that Dunnes are still very much committed to Donegal Town. We will be responding to the additional information request raised by the council on the planning at the Mullans site as part of any normal planning process. However, we do not have control over third party objections to the development of the Dunnes Stores site and it is these objections which will ultimately delay the opening of the store in Donegal Town - and the creation of the jobs which follow.
The Drumlonagher application is with an Bord Pleanala at present and we are confident of a positive response so we can get on with starting work on this site. We would hope to receive the go-ahead on this by late summer, given that, with the track record of objections and delays in the Town, this Bord is now very familiar with Donegal Town and its planning history.

More Closures on the Diamond

Second Debut boutique on the Diamond is closing at the end of June. Proprietor, Betty Nulty, started her business on Upper Main Street in 1987, before moving to the Diamond in 1990. A closing down sale starts next week.

Wedding Bells!!

Carmel Gallagher, Drimnacarrow, Frosses, (daughter of Michael and Bernadette) and Stephen McSharry, Sligo, (son of Emer and Gabriel) who were married in St Mary’s Christchurch, Frosses, reception in Harvey’s Point

Frosses Notes by Colm Kelly

Happy Birthday to Kayleigh McGready (Drumbarron), Margaret Griffiths (Gargrim), Maeve Charlton who is six, Maeve’s mother Mary who is celebrating a big birthday - and a special happy 40th to Margaret Kelly.
The Frosses Golf Society’s next outing is on Wednesday 1st June. New members are always welcome. Daniel Ward represented the golf society in the Kelly’s Lexus Day at Letterkenny Golf Club and was successful in qualifying for the final in Mount Juliet in August. Good luck to him in the final.
Congratulation to Elish Ward (Ballybrillaghan) who was on the winning Donegal Ladies U-14 team that played Monaghan in the Ulster final in Ballybofey last Saturday. By all accounts, Elish had a fantastic game. Also on the Donegal team was Rachael Crawford from the Four Masters Club.
The building of the council houses in Drumbarron has resumed. It’s good to see progress going on around the village.
The football field has been reseeded and fertilised. The committee asks anyone who is using the field to please stay off the main playing surface and use the lower area of the pitch. Thank you.
The Frosses mountaineering club had an outing to Slieve League on Sunday. Conditions were difficult, with some members not being able to take part.
There will be a group of traditional musicians from Strabane playing in Kelly’s Bar in Frosses on Saturday 11th June. Any musicians who would like to play along with this group, please feel free to come along.
Sunday 5th June is the annual walk up Carnaween, dust down the walking shoes and get out and get some fresh air up Carnaween.

Junction Progressing

Big disruption out at the Tullyearl junction this week where the feeder road from Donegal Town is closed, necessitating a detour round by Drimlonagher. But it will be worth it in the end.

Coffee Morning

Maureen Buchanon, Collette Shovlin and Susie McHugh enjoy a cuppa at the Thrift Shop Coffee Morning in aid of the Special Olympics ‘Go’ campaign. The ladies raised €960.

Closed 1

Declan’s Shoe Repairs in the Diamond Centre carpark closed in January, and will be cleared out in two weeks time. Anyone with goods to collect from this outlet can call 087 2362660.

Closed 2

The Kevin Sharkey Gallery on Bridge Street seems to be closed again. Only re-opened about a fortnight ago, the removal of pictures and sign above the door, seems to indicate that the shop has once more shut its doors.

Freak accident injures local lady

Best wishes for a full recovery and a quick return home go from the whole community to Maura Caldwell who was involved in a freak accident on Friday, May 13th. Now being treated in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, it is understood she has injuries to leg and back.
The accident occurred when a car, driven by a local lady, careered over the wall at St Patrick’s Church and stuck Maura as she crossed the road below.

Happy 80th!

Fr Aodh Curristian (back left) who celebrated his 80th birthday with family and friends at a party in Dom’s Pier 1. Pictured with Fr Aodh are Fred Ring, Fr Patrick McShane, Fr Eoin O’Frighil and John Kennedy

‘Pay more attention to River Eske’

The Chairman of the Eske Angling club has called on the Northern Fisheries Board to “pay more attention to the River Eske”. Speaking to Donegal Times, John Hanna outlined the dangerous situation along aneglected and unkempt riverbank, and also told of the danger of a missing manhole cover. “In the river at Castle Street one of the large sewerage system tanks is missing a manhole cover - a potentially lethal situation. If a child fell into it they would never get out. Is anyone other than the angling club looking after this fishery?? The North West Fisheries Board need to fufill their obligations and start taking an interest in this area” warned Mr Hanna.

TESCO COMMITTED TO DONEGAL TOWN

With reports that Tesco is due to apply for planning permission for a store in Ballybofey, speculation locally was that this would stymie the prospects of Donegal Town securing the multiple. To allay these fears, Donegal Times contacted Michael O’Sullivan, spokesman for Tesco. He declined to comment on the Ballybofey store but confirmed that the company is very much committed to Donegal Town for a store of 20,000 sq ft net shop floor.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,
It’s been a while since I wrote to your paper. This letter should be a little comedy, it’s not intended to insult, or annoy anybody, but for the last number of years all I have read in your paper is about the planning by Mr Keeney and Mr Bennett - a shopping centre, a cattle mart, a cinema, and so many other good things for the town - and then all I hear is objection, objection, and objection. Now I just read that the pleasure boat may go, a new boat bought, the committee suspended, a new committee formed. What will be next?
Now my plan is very simple, and cheap. Buy three gates, install one on the Donegal side of the Mountcharles roundabout, install one on the Donegal side of the Clar roundabout, and the last gate on the Laghey roundabout. Now all the problems will be over. No need for shopping centres, no need for parking, and no need for pleasure boats, and some, if not all, the Donegal Town people will live happily ever after. Have a nice summer!
Sincerely,
John C. Higginbotham,
Brooklyn,
New York
P.S. When I wrote these few lines, I thought it was just funny, but now that I think of it, it makes me very sad. The last time I was over there was 2003, and all the great things that were going to happen around Donegal Town. Now it’s 2005, and not a thing has happened. I was sure that Donegal Town was going to be the number one town in Co. Donegal. It looks more like it’s going to fall through the cracks, and be nothing. Just my opinion.
JCH

Dear Editor
Further to an article printed in ‘The Donegal Democrat’ on 19th May 2005 regarding objections to the proposed Dunnes Stores development at The Mullans, please accept this letter as clarification of our objection for the benefit of your readers.
Our objection is based solely toward the proposed location of a new large roundabout which would form the access to the Dunnes development and NOT the development itself. As business proprietors in Donegal Town for over thirty years, we fully understand the need for continued expansion and improvement to the town’s facilities.
Yours faithfully,
Victor and Edith Browne

B&B hospitality night in Doms

Front: Joan McCrea, Albert & Teresa Morrow, Mags Harvey. Back: Liam McCrea, Mary Harvey, Marty and Edel Walsh Photo: Jason McGarrigle

Heroic save by young Donegal Town guard

A young Donegal Town Garda stationed in Drogheda for the past two years has been hailed a hero after saving a 17 year old girl from the river Boyne last Tuesday night.
Garda Nigel McInaw (25) was on duty on the night. The incident began shortly after the girl in question had been released from a garda station into the custody of her parents. Sometime later gardai were notified that a girl fitting her description had gone to St. Mary’s Bridge in the middle of the town, and was threatening to throw herself into the Boyne below.
When Garda McInaw arrived, the girl was already in the water and a life ring had been thrown to her, but due to the strong current she was unable to hold on to it. Garda McInaw lowered himself into the water using a rope, and was able to reach out to the young lady. The Donegal Town man pulled the girl from under the water and, with the help of a Fisheries Officer who had arrived on the scene, she was pulled onto the safety of nearby rocks. Nigel and the young girl were taken to hospital in Drogheda where they were both treated for hypothermia.