 Scéal Dún-na-nGall ar an Idirlíon Vol.10 No.9 September, 2009 Holiday In Donegal! |
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Donegal Politicians' Expenses hit the Headlines Donegal's politicians appear to be living a pre-recession lifestyle and are coming under fire for the extravagant nature of their expenses claims. The amount which politicians claim in expenses is not on public record and the facts were only obtained after an application under the Freedom of Information Act by the Irish Independent newspaper. According to a report in that newspaper Donegal's three senators received almost €319,000 euro in expenses over and above their basic salaries of €106,500 (US $150,921) since they were appointed in 2007. Senator Cecilia Keavney received €122,748 euro; Senator Brian O'Domhnaill received €109,428 euro and Senator Pearse Doherty received €86,639 euro. Donegal's six TD's have collected a total of almost seven hundred thousand euro in expenses since the 2007 General Election. Fianna Fail Deputy Niall Blaney received almost €190,000 euro in addition to his salary; Deputy Jim McDaid received almost €146,000 euro; Fine Gael's Joe McHugh received almost €120,000 euro; Fine Gael TD Dinny McGinley received just over €177,000 euro; Pat the Cope Gallagher €130,000 euro and Minister Mary Coughlan received just under €39,000 euro. In contrast to these high expenses, much of which are tax free, Deputy Jim McDaid believes the country's minimum wage is too high and is making Ireland uncompetitive. He said on local radio that Ireland has the second highest minimum wage in Europe and that this is a deterrent to employers. The Deputy also said that social welfare payments should be decreased.  Recreational Diving, Dive Training and Angling throughout the year in Donegal Birth Rate Highest in over 100 Years Last year saw the highest number of births recorded in Ireland since 1896 with a total of 75,065 children born. The Central Statistics Office has revealed that there were 2,263 births registered in Donegal in 2008 with the majority of these children born to women in their early thirties. Jack and Ava were the most popular babies' names registered in 2008. Jack retains the top position it held in 2007 while this is the first time Ava has taken the number one spot, climbing from sixth in 2007. There were 1,141 boys named Jack in 2008, 178 more than the number of boys named Sean. There were 685 girls named Ava, 22 more than the number of girls named Katie, the second most popular girls' name. The top five boys' names in 2008 (Jack, Sean, Conor, Daniel and James) also made up the top five in 2007, retaining the same order. Four of the top five boys' names (Jack, Sean, Conor and James) have been in the top five since 1998, with only their order changing from year to year. Daniel entered the top five at number four in 2007 but had been ranked sixth from 2002 to 2006. There has been more variation in the girls' top five. While Emma and Sarah have been in the top five since 1998, Katie has only been in the top five since 2003. Emily and Ava are in the top five for the first time. & Sea Views at Ballyhiernan, Fanad  Buy Your Home in Donegal at Tírconaill Property.com Landslide near Glencolmcille Over twenty families in the townlands of Strabouy, Kiltyfanned, Lougherherk and Largybrack, north of Glencolmcille, have been cut off from the rest of the county due to an 800 metre long landslide which occured on August 23rd after fifteen hours of torrential rain. Luckily no-one was hurt in the incident. The landslide is 220 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, making the local road impassable. The road will not be reopened for several weeks due to the amount of mud and the fact that the area is one of Special Conservation so all care must be taken in removing the earth and debris. Families isolated by the landslide have to make an eight kilometre detour to avoid the landslide. Going Green Going Under... A Donegal firm of Undertakers is making environmentally friendly coffins and funeral urns. Green Coffins Ireland Ltd are based in St. Johnston and the firm was established to provide a range of eco-friendly funeral products. All the products are made from natural or recycled materials and no varnishes or plastics are used. Eco-friendly materials include bamboo and willow grown in Donegal and the products are all manufactured in the county. Letterkenny Pipers Call the Tune Congratulations to Letterkenny and District Pipe Band who were judged world champions at the World Championship Pipe Band contest in Glasgow. The majority of the band are under 21-years-old and they came first in their group and later competed in the final which they won. The event attracted over 200 bands from 15 different countries. Out of the six grades, two titles came to Donegal. Residents Claim Gravel Being Removed from River Foyle There are fears that the removal of sand and gravel from the River Foyle at Lifford will cause environmental pollution and endanger the salmon population of the river. The Minister for the Marine and An Bord Pleanála refused permission to Island More Sand & Gravel Company to extract gravel from the river near Lifford Bridge. However the company is continuing to excavate the river, according to local residents. Youth Theatre Forum An Grianán Youth Theatre aims to offer young people opportunities for both creative and personal development through drama and performance techniques. A free introductory session to theatre and performance for young people will take place on Friday, September 18th at 4.30 to 6.30pm in An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny. If you are aged between 14 and 21 and would like to take part go along to the free session to find out more.  The Best Websites on Ireland & the Irish Weather Met Eireann's have released statistics which reveal that Donegal enjoyed some of the best weather in the country over the summer months. Malin Head observatory recorded both the highest amount of sunshine and least amount of rain in the country with only 72mm of rain recorded while 256mm was recorded in the Valentia Observatory in Co. Kerry. Donegal had the highest amount of sunshine with 191 hours recorded in July while the lowest monthly total was in Birr, Co. Offaly with only 137 hours. Acting Masterclass There will be an acting Masterclass with Dan Gordon on Saturday, September 27th at An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny. Dan Gordon, one of Ireland's best known actors, also has many directing credits, most recently for Marie Jones' - 'Women on the Verge of HRT' at Belfast's Grand Opera House. The Masterclass costs €50 (including lunch) and will run from 10.30am to 3.30pm. The workshop is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in drama or performance to improve their stagecraft. DonegalCounty.com News This is the 105th Donegal on the Net Newsletter, online for eleven years and one of the most popular in Ireland with over a million hits a year. If you would like to advertise here email Donegal County.com. You can hear the Donegal news live in Pennslyvannia on Echoes of Erin radio show on Sundays from 1.00-2.30pm EST. Listeners in Brisbane, Australia can catch the Donegal on the Net News on Saturdays between 12.30 and 1.30pm on Caomhín O'Seoige's Irish show on 4EB 98.1 FM. In Sydney you can listen to Sydney Irish Radio on 107.3FM on Sundays from 7.30am to 9.00am local time. |
 View of Meenacross by Brent Nokes currently on exhibit at An Clachan Studios, Gweedore Arranmore Ambulance Arranmore Island has become the first Irish island to have its own voluntary ambulance service. Prior to this the closest ambulance was in Dungloe and it could take over an hour to get to the island depending on the location of the ferry and the tides. The Arrranmore Island Ambulance Service has five qualified drivers and two Emergency Medical First Responders to staff the new vehicle as well as twenty-two people trained to administer CPR and a defibrillator. The new ambulance service is a welcome addition to the island's medical services. The island has just over 500 permanent residents but the island's population rises to twice that number during the summer months. Someone Who'll Watch Over Me Blackwater Projects presents Frank McGuinness’s Tony Award-nominated play 'Someone Who'll Watch Over Me' at An Grianán Theatre on September 23rd and 24th at 8.00pm. The play was inspired by the events surrounding Brian Keenan’s abduction and imprisonment in Beirut in the 1980's and the play describes the tribulations of an Irishman, an Englishman and an American as they’re held hostage in Lebanon. This play is not suitable for children and contains strong language. Tickets cost €18 and early booking is advisable. Donegal Class Sizes among the Highest in Europe There are over 3,000 Donegal primary school pupils being taught in classes of thirty or more students. This represents 17.5% per cent of the county’s school students. Of these 107 pupils are being taught in classes of between 35 and 39 children. The Irish National Teachers Organisation has stated that Ireland has some of the most overcrowded schoolrooms in Europe. Drumfries mast Angers Local Residents Donegal County Council has granted permission for a controversial telecommunications mast at Ballinlough, Drumfries. The application was made by Dublin based Tetra Communications Ltd to construct a 15 metre pole to carry radio aerials and associated telecommunications equipment. The public newspaper announcement of their intention to apply for planning was published in a national newspaper as a result of which no local residents objected to the planning aplication in time to be able to lodge an appeal to the Planning Board. Inishowen Councillor John Ryan has called for a change in the procedure for notifying the public when a planning application is being made, saying 'It should be made mandatory that a notice for a planning application be placed in a local newspaper'. Residents in the Drumfries area are concerned about the health and safety issues associated with this type of mast and its proximity to Drumfries National School.  The Donegal Woman by John Throne A 'Must Read' for everyone with an interest in Donegal and it's History Turf-Cutting DVD for Charity A Carndonagh charity DVD showing traditional turf-cutting skills in the hills of Inishowen has sold out twice and is now into its third edition with all the proceeds from sales going to the Alzheimer's Unit in Carndonagh Hospital. Members of the McFarland family - Larry, Gerry, Niall and Leo - joined forces with Joseph McElhinney and Harry McDaid to produce this authentic record of an ancient craft for future generations. The film follows the entire process of preparing turf, from 'paring', which is removing the sod above the bank, to cutting, footing and bringing the turf back to keep the home fires burning during the long winter months. Those who've braved the bog in fine weather and foul over the years will no doubt appreciate this tribute to the hard work of our ancestors and generations past. The DVD shows exactly, in every detail, how turf was cut in 1964, from the bikes the men rode out to the bog, to their peaked caps and wellington boots to the old kettle used to make tea on a turf fire in the bog. If you would like to purchase the DVD call Larry McFarland on (00353) 086 894 8241 or email The McFarlands. The DVD costs €12 euro plus €5 postage (Ireland and Europe) or $20 (including postage) to the United States. French Symphony of Thoughts Franck Saucian is a French artist who lives and works in Donegal. His latest exhibition, 'Symphony of Thoughts', features paintings created over the past two years, a period which has seen his work take on a more surrealistic turn. The exhibition will run from August 31st to October 3rd at An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny. The Official opening is on Friday September 4th at 7pm and all are welcome to attend.  One of the surreal paintings by Franck Saucian currently on exhibit at An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny |
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