Fears that that the Ardara Health Centre faces an uncertain future have been allayed. On Thursday, its GP handed her resignation to the HSE. Dr. Mirelle Sweeney confirmed the decision after 29 years in the position on a post on social media. Dr. Sweeney says she has highlighted to the HSE the looming manpower crisis that single handed rural GPs are…

New funding has been announced for the addition of new classrooms to the Four Masters Primary School in Kinlough. Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD revealed the investment for the national school under the additional school accommodation programme. The development will include 3 Special Education Tuition rooms and 2 Special Education Classroom…

The annual Sean Mac Diarmada Summer School will have its official opening this evening in Kiltyclogher. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will be in attendance at the Sean Mac Diarmada Homestead, to kickstart the program. Beginning at 5:30pm and continuing over Saturday, they will cover a range of themes from historical to economical, with a variety of…

Owners of a number of buildings on High Street in Sligo Town have been ordered to demolish them. The notice, served by Sligo County Council, has instructed the owners to demolish the structures known as 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 High Street. The derelict buildings have been a topic of discussion for the longest time, with sections of the street blocked off …

A local branch of a housing union say that 90% of local election candidates have ignored their questions on housing. The Sligo Leitrim branch of the Community Action Tenants Union say they contacted over 60 candidates on the issue and gave them five days to respond, to which only 7 candidates did. CATU say that no Fianna Fail or Fine Gael members r…

Questions have been raised after a recent announcement by Irish Rail excluded the Sligo-Dublin Connolly route from a list of increased services. Proposals included new services between Dublin to Galway and Waterford, as well as significant commuter services in the capital. After consulting the NTA, Irish Rail decided to address routes which haven't…

It's feared that a serious accident will occur in south Donegal should appropriate safety measures not be put in place. Speeding issues have become notorious outside a number of schools including Dunkineely National School and Abbey Vocational School with a number of near misses in recent times. Earlier this year, it emerged that the local authorit…

Paddy McGill is joined by Owenie McGarvey & Brian McCabe Cork v Donegal this Saturday in Pairc Ui Rinn, Donegal v Mayo in hurling's Nickey Rackard Cup final - and Kilcar in the All-Ireland Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta in Cork.

A contractor has been appointed to service public toilets in Mullaghmore. They will be open from today, and will be maintained after Sligo County Council secured an appointment. Portaloos have been in operations for the last number of years, as local residents campaign to have them changed for more long-term solutions. Independent Sligo-Drumcliffe …

Further warnings have been sounded over a childcare catastrophe looming in north Leitrim. Many providers have shut for good in Leitrim and the wider North West region, with many more struggling to continue operating. The root of the issue is said to be the red tape with core funding - providers must now submit mass amounts of accounts records in a …

There are further fears over the future of filling stations along the border over potential Government plans to reinstate excise on fuel. There's major concern that the planned reintroduction of the higher rates of excise duties will have a disastrous impact on petrol stations in the south. The Taoiseach has insisted that the matter is being kept u…

Transport Infrastructure Ireland have confirmed that roads funding for local authorities has been cut, despite previous denials by government. The revelations came after the Irish Asphelt Producers Association requested projections for funding from the TII, and were told that finances were being scaled back. It means a number of local and national …

A Donegal TD has spoken out in the Dáil this afternoon regarding the Defective Concrete Block Scheme. Sinn Féin TD Padraig MacLochlainn highlighted the situation during questions for the Minister for Housing. The case was made that the grant scheme should be changed to a genuine 100% redress. Deputy MacLochlainn labelled aspects of the current set …

A series of workshops are being run in Sligo Town by the HSE for parents of children diagnosed with autism. This new initiative includes five in depth sessions delivered by skilled HSE staff including Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists. The workshops aim to increase family understanding of the needs of their c…

The Sligo greenway was a topic of discussion at a joint committee in Dublin today. Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny and Independent TD Marian Harkin took part in a discussion regarding the future of the Greenway and rail line in the North West. Although both initiatives are sought, Deputy Kenny highlighted that it's important to not risk one for the sake …

The Irish Nurses' and Midwives' Organisation extra beds announced for the likes of Sligo and Letterkenny University hospitals are pointless without a workplace plan in place. Plans are afoot to provide over 140 additional beds across the two hospitals - 69 extra beds in Sligo and 72 in Letterkenny. The Health Minister announced the new beds are to …

An annual tradition in Sligo Town will again take place this weekend. It's the Corpus Christi Procession this Sunday evening, June 2, leaving the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception after the 7pm Mass there. On its route through the town, the procession will be joined by groups and individuals from the parishes that make up the Sligo cluster of …

The Secretary of Donegal Vintners' Branch has reiterated the importance of extending opening hours to the industry. Concerns have been raised as though the new laws have long been planned, there is no immediate end in sight. The new rules propose that nightclubs can stay open until 6am, and pubs can stay open until 12:30am every night. Also a count…

Plans are afoot to provide over 140 additional beds across Sligo and Letterkenny University Hospitals. Sligo is set to receive 69 extra beds while there are plans to provide 72 at Letterkenny. The Department of Health announced that almost 3 thousand beds will be delivered nationally by 2031, on top of over 1000 beds previously promised. It's estim…

A new poll out this morning shows Sinn Fein's vote has collapsed among farmers. The Irish Farmers' Journal says support for Sinn Fein continues to plummet, while support is on the rise for fledgling party 'Independent Ireland' and the country's independent candidates. Irish Farmers' Journal Political Correspondent, Pat O'Toole, says Fine Gael tops …

There's still a lot of wide-ranging issues and dissatisfaction among frontline Gardai over the direction the organisation is going. That's according to Donegal GRA Representative Brendan O'Connor, who has been reacting to this week's developments that rank and file Gardaí have backed a new roster by an overwhelming majority. The proposal is said to…

There are calls on the Government to expand a new initiative supporting medical students that would benefit students from Donegal and across the North West. There's said to be many young people in the region Donegal who go on to study in the North, given its close proximity to home and given the housing shortage in Dublin at the moment. At the begi…

Confirmation that Letterkenny University Hospital will receive 72 new acute beds has been met with a cautious welcome locally. The increase was announced this afternoon by Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly under the Acute Inpatient Hospital Bed Expansion Plan. Local Fianna Fáil election candidate Claudia Kennedy says while the new beds are need…

There are calls for more youth-centred facilities in the North West amid a recent study showing young teens have fewer close friends today than they did ten years ago. The Growing Up In Ireland report by the ESRI, also showed that 13 year olds have a closer relationship with their parents now than the previous generation did a decade ago. Other asp…

The RNLI turns 200 this year. The charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the UK. Latest statistics show that its lifeboat crews and lifeguards saved a total of 355 lives last year – that’s almost one life saved for every day of the year. This special programme is in recognition of t…

The Marine Minister has given a commitment to explore all funding avenues and supports for the inshore fishing sector. It follows concern that the sector has received little financial assistance since Brexit. There was no tie up scheme or fuel supports provided to cope with the big increases in energy costs and now this is said to be further compou…

There's a reason why many people in the North West are spending intense days in the bog. That's according to Independent TD Thomas Pringle, who claims that there is been a resurgence in turf cutting due to the spiralling cost of fuel. Deputy Pringle says if the Government are serious about a green agenda then they need to provide more supports to p…

West Sligo voters once again face the prospect of casting their votes in a different polling station in the upcoming local and European elections. Voters from Culleens and Owenbeg traditionally voted at Culleens National School. However, following the school's closure in September 2022, they have been forced to move to a separate booth at Kilglass …

A Donegal TD has raised concerns over the future of Ireland's neutrality. Independent TD Thomas Pringle will be speaking in the Dáil this week on the issue, with the hopes of seeking assurances on the country's future. Fears have often been stated that Ireland may no longer be a neutral country in future wars, due to its ties to other states. Deput…

The Irish SME Association Roadshow is set to land in Sligo this week. They are to hold a number of events including network events, guest speakers and panel discussions at the Sligo Park Hotel. The association say the roadshows provide SMEs with the knowledge they need to thrive and be an opportunity for businesses to gain a competitive edge. Incom…

Fears remain that a number of derelict buildings on a Sligo street are on the verge of collapse. Despite strengthening works being carried out on some of the structures on High Street, cracks are said to be widening while it's believed a front window has shattered due to pressure buildup. This in turn has caused disruption for retailers, pedestrian…

The Minister for Agriculture, Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue says farmers could gain a potentially lucrative income if they sign up to the new National Biomethane Strategy. It is believed that long-awaited plan to produce zero-carbon homegrown gas from grass and organic waste. Full details of the 40-million-euro project will be revealed this aftern…

The joint Garda/PSNI initiative to tackle illegal migration across the border has been branded a 'complete joke' by former Dragon's Den panellist Peter Casey. The Midlands-North-West European election candidate says 'Operation Sonnet' has been 'overhyped' - and stopping 50 people at checkpoints last week is just playing 'smoke and mirrors'. They we…

The Marine Minister is under increasing pressure to address the ongoing ban on fishing Pollock along the North West coast and elsewhere. The ban is said to be imposed due to depleting stocks. Glenties Cllr. Micheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig says this is based on a recent survey taken by two boats off Dingle, Co. Kerry but not in this region. He has …

Concern has been expressed about the proximity of proposed wind farms to homes in Leitrim. The Save Dough Mountain and Leitrim Wind Aware groups were among 20 groups that gathered outside the Dáil last week in protest. The concern stems from out-of-date guidelines regarding how close wind farms can be to rural homes. The turbines have almost double…

It's emerged that a large quantity of sewerage has flown directly into a north Leitrim river. Just last week, flash flooding led to excess water and raw sewage running through the streets of Manorhamilton. While in recent days, it was found to be flowing into the River Bonet (Pron: Bone-net) in Dromahair. Local Fine Gael election candidate Kevin Co…

Serious concern has been raised over the of the condition of a number of local authority rented houses in north Leitrim. Some of the houses are said to be deteriorating at a rapid rate while general maintenance like footpaths and roadways are being neglected. Green Party candidate in the local elections, Bláithín Gallagher says while many tenants r…

A Sligo Cllr has welcomed new legislation that will be brought before the Dáil this week to link Jobseeker’s Benefit to work history. Its aim is to prevent a sudden drop in pay for the recipient, with enhanced benefits given to those with a strong work history. The current rate for those who lose their jobs is €220, but the new set-up would see peo…

It's been claimed that not every Cllr in south Donegal was invited to a recent meeting over the one way system in Donegal Town. It's estimated that around 130 people attended last Thursday's meeting at the Abbey Hotel to vent their concerns over aspects of the project. But some local Cllrs were not invited to the meeting. Fianna Fail Cllr Michael N…

It remains to be seen when permanent cath lab servicers will be restored at Sligo University Hospital. The cath lab services at the facility ceased at the end of June 2022. The publication of the National Cardiac Review continues to be delayed while Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District Thomas Walsh says it is paramount that Sligo University Hospital …

Sligo Rovers reflections on Friday night's 2-2 draw with Derry City at the Brandywell.

Some elderly people are having to plan their trips into Sligo town due to a lack of public seating. That's according to Mayor of Sligo Borough Declan Bree, who was seeking updates regarding the current situation on O'Connell Street and other locations in the town centre. Recent seating has been made available with the development of Queen Maeve Squ…

One of the biggest issues facing people in Strandhill is speed and traffic, which affects both motorists and pedestrians. That's according to Sligo-Strandhill Fianna Fáil Cllr Tom MacSharry, who says the situation is continually being raised. Traffic calming measures along with upgraded footpaths and road resurfacing have long been highlighted by l…

Yet another local election candidate has had a number of their election posters vandalised. Labour Party candidate in the Manorhamilton electoral area Bernie Linnane has fallen victim of the acts. Posters from Dromahair to Manorhamilton via Sox Line have been cut down while others located in Kilcoosey have been defaced between Friday night and Satu…

For the second time in this year's championship, Donegal caught Tyrone red-handed with an impressive 0-21 to 0-14 win. Paddy McGill reviews Saturday's game in the company of Mark McHugh, Emlyn Mulligan, Michael McMullan, Damian Devaney and Michael Murphy.

Road verges getting deeper is something that the next council is going to have to take into consideration. That's the view of Fianna Fail councillor, Paul Taylor, who feels that it's a consequence of upgrading and resurfacing roads. Constant growth at roadsides masks how deep verges on rural roads actually are, while resurfacing works carried out a…

The footpaths outside of St John's Hospital are not near an acceptable standard for any user. That's according to Sligo People Before Profit Cllr Gino O'Boyle, as he asked the county council to put the issue on their list future projects. There are concerns for the elderly who use the hospital's services, that they may be at risk of injury at the p…

Another local election candidate has fallen victim to having their election posters being torn down. Michael Kelly, who is running for the Irish People's Party in the Sligo Strandhill Municipal District, says his posters were taken down both in Cranmore and in the Garavogue Villas area of Sligo Town. He also claims it is not the first time that thi…

There are calls for more residential committees to be set up and supported in Sligo. It is with the hope building closer-knit communities, by giving residents a sense of ownership over where they live. Retiring Fianna Fáil Cllr Rosaleen O'Grady brought the situation to attention at a recent council meeting, and highlighted the importance of encoura…

There's concern locally that the new Garda mobility app doesn't go far enough. It's been claimed that the app, which detects uninsured vehicles, can only target private vehicles. It means that the likes of fleet and other trader vehicles are not on the system for Gardai to catch. Susan Gray, Donegal based founder of the road safety group Parc says …