Paddy Harte, Donegal Person of the Year for 1998
The Donegal Association of Dublin have announced that the Donegal Person of the Year for 1998 is Mr Paddy Harte, former TD and a native of Raphoe. He is the 21st recipient of the Award which he received in recognition of his contribution to the establishment of the Island of Ireland Peace Park at Messines, France to commemorate the Irish soldiers who died in the First World War.

Gweebarra Bay Conservation Group lodge Appeal
The Gweebarra Bay Conservation Group lodged an Appeal with the Aquaculture Appeals Board on February 11th against the Granting of an Aquaculture licences in the Bay. The Group does not object to aquaculture per se but does not want to see any developments which will spoil the natural amenities of the Bay. The Group awaits the decision of the Board. See Here for details.

ESB Plan Eyesore
The recent snow storms and electricity cuts have given the Electricity Supply Board a public relations boost in advance of the announcement of their intention to erect a high-tension power line across the County from Frosses to Letterkenny which, they argue, will make power cuts a thing of the past.
While the grid needs re-inforcing the planned route is causing concern because it is going to run through some of the most spectacular scenery in the County.
As these areas are under populated the ESB and the County Council feel they will not meet with much opposition. However environmental groups from the Gweebarra Bay, Lettermacaward, Dungloe and Gortahork areas are already planning to lodge appeals against the proposed development. Coiste Forbartha Glenn Atha, a local development group in Gortahork, say that the line should go underground and a meeting is planned with the ESB to discuss the issue.
Objections must be lodged with the County Council before the end of April.

Oh Kay Computer
Searc.ie and Monkeyhouse Productions will be filming a documentary for broadcast /webcast in Donegal in April. The Documentary tells the story of Kay McNulty Mauchly Antonelli who is a significant but forgotten player in the history of modern computing.
Kay McNulty worked on the ENIAC computer project at the University of Pennslyvania during and after World War II. The ENIAC computer provided a crucial step in the progress of technology; it also served to convince scientists and technical experts of the value and practicability of electronic computation. The resulting enthusiasm laid the foundations for the information revolution which has transformed the world since 1946.
Kathleen McNulty was born in the Creeslough Gaeltacht of County Donegal in 1921 and she will travel with the crew to visit her home and to speak at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology on April 29th.
See Searc.ie for details.

Fruit of the Loom Saga Continues
The voluntary redundancy packages offered to Fruit of the Loom workers in Buncrana has been over subscribed by 400%. The job losses at Milford, Malin Head, Buncrana and Raphoe announced in December will come into effect in April and workers who remain in the plant after that date are worried that the redundancy packages they will be offered at the end of this year will be less than those on offer now. A further 700 job losses are expected in December and 600 job losses in 2005 when the plant is expected to close entirely.
The situation is compounded by the fact that people must be unemployed for a year before they can avail of small business grants thus precipitating a renewal of emigration from the area.

Donegal Carpets get major commission
Good news in Killybegs where Donegal Carpets, now under local management, have secured a major commission from English Heritage to reproduce a rug designed by Marion Dorn (1896-1964) for Eltham Palace in London. The circular rug, 20ft in diameter, will contain over 400,000 hand tied knots.
Donegal Carpets was founded over one hundred years ago and has continuously produced hand woven quality carpets on the same looms for customers from throughout the world.
The company's general manager, Michael McDaid, told me that they are now looking for artefacts and photographs connected with the famous "Donegals" so as to build up enough material for a museum in Killybegs.

Rural Housing Crisis
The housing crisis in rural Donegal is now reaching an all time high as low-income farmers cannot compete for land with property developers and holiday-makers buying second homes in the County, especially in the Dunfanaghy area and in East Inishowen.
There are currently 1,538 applications outstanding for local authority housing in the County while the Council plans to build only 118 houses this year. Donegal County Council is acutely aware of the problems associated with housing and are planning a meeting with the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, Noel Dempsey, to discuss the crisis.
Irish Rural Link, an national organisation founded in 1991, has held a series of meetings on social housing and derelict houses in rural areas, the findings of which will be published this month.
The Council for the West, established by the Bishops in the West of Ireland, works - "To create an environment where people have a choice to live and work in Western areas in vibrant and sustainable communities". They are a voluntary organisation.

Donegal Artist Exhibits in Copenhagen
Eamon O'Kane from Ballindrait, near Lifford is currently exhibiting KOORDINATOR MCMICA at the Kulturministeriets Udstillinghus for Nudtig Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark.
You can see one of Eamon's artworks here.

Corravaddy Dump Halted
For several years controversy has surrounded Donegal County Council's decision to situate a landfill dump at Corravaddy. The Drumkeen and Letterkenny Environmental Group has actively campaigned on the issue, pointing out the effects the dump would have on water and air quality in the area. As a result of their protest the Council was forced to carry out additional environmental impact studies which became available at the end of February and which has resulted in the halting of the proposed development.
At present there are 7 landfill sites in Donegal where 45,000 tonnes of rubbish are disposed off with only 3% of the County's waste being recycled!

Culture Tour of Donegal
Dún-na-nGall.com is organising a week long cultural tour of Donegal from June 20th to June 27th, 1999. The Tour will take in the history; literature; archaeology and the living culture of Donegal and participants will have a choice of accommodation whether Hotel or B/B. Places are limited to 25. Check out Tour 99.

Clannad Win Grammy
It was a night of glittering prizes for Donegal group Clannad when they won a coveted Grammy Award for their Landmarks CD in Los Angeles on the 25th of February. Clannad, who began their music career as a traditional music group, won the Grammy under the New Age category.

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