A Donegal TD has today (Friday) written to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to ask what measures are being taken to ensure the force is adequately resourced to deal with a worrying increase in incidences of crime along the border region.

Pearse Doherty’s actions come following mounting reports from business people operating businesses in several border towns across Donegal of a spike in criminality and anti-social behaviour over recent months.

In a letter to Commissioner Harris, Deputy Doherty is urging the head of the force to outline the steps being taken to address the current situation.

Teachta Doherty said: “I have today (Friday) written to the Garda Commissioner asking him to provide details of the various steps and actions which An Garda Síochána are taking in order to address what has been a surge in criminality in a number of small towns across Donegal dotted along the border over recent weeks and months.

“In fact business owners who operate companies on or close to the border have been contacting me over recent weeks to express their concerns over an apparent increase in incidences of crime, not least of which the issue of anti-social behaviour.

“For example one such proprietor has been in touch with me recently and spoke of his concern for the welfare and safety of his employees following a number of very serious verbal and physical assaults having been perpetrated against his staff on an almost daily basis now.

“Business owners are also claiming that the response they’ve received by An Garda Síochána to such incidences when reported has been far from satisfactory, and it’s claimed that this is due to there being insufficient Garda personnel stationed on the ground.

“Worryingly, those living, working and operating businesses along the border now fear that a failure to remedy this alarming situation will inevitably lead to the criminality of a far more serious nature, including loss of life.

“Given the substance of these reports I’ve been receiving I have now written to Commissioner Drew Harris to call on him to ensure that all the necessary resources, including the appropriate Garda numbers, are and will be made available to border communities going forward to ensure that both law and order is upheld and that the public is protected.

“Clearly, the safety of the public is paramount and so I intend to stand up for all communities across Donegal where local residents and business people feel threatened by the reckless actions of a small number of individuals who feel that they are above the law.”

A FORMER youth footballer faced his coach who sexually assaulted him, as the ‘sick and evil actions’ were recalled in court.

John Paul Foley, who has waived anonymity, recalled how he has been dealing for 25 years with the actions of his former coach, Michael Murray, who appeared before Letterkenny Circuit Court in relation to the incident.

Detective Sergeant Michael Troy said that Mr Foley came forward to Wexford Garda Station in February 2017, to make a complaint.

Mr Foley was between 10 and 12 years of age and a player at Rosslare Strand FC in Wexford when the assault took place.

Ms Fiona Crawford BL, prosecuting, said Murray pleaded guilty to the charge.

Murray, now 49 and living at a nursing home in Letterkenny, has four previous convictions, arising from four counts of indecent assault on a victim dating back to 1989 in Derry.

The Court heard that Mr Foley joined Rosslare Strand FC when he was nine and how they used to train on the pitch at the community centre every Saturday.

He remembered Murray as being known by the nickname, ‘Derry’, where the former coach is originally from.

Mr Foley recalled being brought into the community centre by Murray and taken onto the stage. Murray sat on a chair and instructed Mr Foley to sit on his knee before removing his tracksuit bottoms and underpants and sexually assaulting the young footballer. 

Mr Foley recalled being startled when he thought he heard the door open and ran out. He believed that he would ‘get into trouble if I told anyone’.

Mr Foley left Rosslare Strand FC and transferred to another club in the area a short time later.

Murray was arrested at Hillcrest Nursing Home, Letterkenny on August 24, 2017 and later admitted to the charge. 

“The abuse act itself mightn’t have lasted for a long time but, for me, it’s something I have been dealing with for 25 years,” Mr Foley said in court.

He told Murray: “I could stand here today and tell how my childhood was taken away by your actions, but it wasn’t just my childhood.

“You took away my adult life when you took advantage of your position. You left me feeling numb.

“For years, I blamed myself for the events of that day, asking myself why didn’t I fight back or why didn’t I tell someone? Hopefully, now I will be able to let things go and put my mind to rest.

“After you did this, I thought: ‘Who can I tell? Who will believe me? Who will believe a boy over a grown man?’ In the mind of a child, I thought that I would be in trouble and I pushed what happened to me way inside of me and pretended that it didn’t happen. 

“To this day, if I’m in a crowd or someone is standing too close to me, it brings me back to that day and I get the fear again of being back to being that small, scared boy again. 

“Today, things are different. I’m not the boy who looked up to you – I’m a grown man looking down on you, knowing that my life will get better knowing that you, Michael Murray, are finally being held accountable for you sick and evil actions.”

Mr Foley told how he underwent treatment for depression and it was during this period in 2016 that he first began to talk about the abuse.

He said: “When I finally informed my parents, in August 2017 of what had happened, their response was to blame themselves. I had to watch my mother and father cry because they felt guilty for not being there to protect me and apologise for it. No parent should have to have to feel that way.”

Defence counsel, Mr Sean McGee BL, said Murray was ‘extremely remorseful’.

“He wishes, for what it might be worth, to unreservedly apologise for the devastation he has so obviously caused,” Mr McGee said.

The Court heard that Murray had himself encountered sexual abuse as a child, aged eight at the hands of a contemporary of his father and by a boy who was older than him. Murray’s brother died after being struck by a British Army vehicle on Easter Sunday, 1981.

Murray now uses a wheelchair and has been in nursing home care since 2011 and had ‘very demanding and increasing needs’.

He requires dialyses three times a week, suffers from diabetes, and an inflammatory disorder that has left him morbidly obese. In 2017 he had an above-knee amputation of his right leg.

Mr McGee said: “He sees his current situation as retribution and the life sentence he deserves.”

Judge John Aylmer asked for the state prosecution to establish whether the prison service has the capacity to deal with someone such as Murray, who is receiving life-maintaining treatment.

The matter was adjourned until January for the imposition of a sentence. Judge Aylmer said that his starting point would be a ‘significant custodial sentence’.

Two Donegal students were awarded Gaisce’s Silver Award in Dublin on Thursday.

The President’s Silver Award Ceremony was held in the O’Reilly Theatre Dublin 1 on Thursday the 7th of November where 148 people from throughout Ireland were awarded.

CEO of Gaisce, Yvonne McKenna, presented Luke McCarthy and Ailbhe McGowan from St. Catherine’s Vocational School Killybegs with their awards.

Speakers on the night included UN Youth Delegate Jack O’Connor, who is also a Gaisce Bronze Awardee, and Olivia Porter, a Wexford native who received her Gold Award in December last year from President Michael D. Higgins. The event was MC’d by Spin 103.8 DJs Graham O’Toole and Nathan O’Reilly.

Silver Awardees recognised on the night have successfully completed at least 26 weeks across three different challenge areas and undertaken a 3-day adventure journey. The adventure journey incorporates either a 50km walk or or a 190km cycle.

Speaking about the achievements of the awardees, Yvonne McKenna said, “I heartily congratulate this evening’s Awardees on their achievements. It’s fantastic to be honouring so many young people tonight for their dedication to personal development, and I think it’s a testament to the tenacity of young people today that we have so many Awardees here tonight.

“I hope they have made lasting memories and gained invaluable self-knowledge through their Gaisce Journey. Completing a Silver Award has required a significant amount of dedication and effort from each one of them”.

She continued, “I would also like to congratulate their wonderful President Award Leaders, who have guided them along their path to silver. Our President’s Award Leaders truly are the lifeblood of the Gaisce programme, without whom there would be no Gaisce, but also their families and communities, whom I’m sure will be incredibly proud of them”.

Speaking about the ceremony, Gaisce Gold Awardee and speaker on the night, Olivia Porter said, “I’d like to congratulate all of the Silver Awardees on their amazing success. I received my Gaisce Gold Award last December and I can’t convey the level of achievement I felt during the ceremony. I know that many of the Awardees here tonight will relate to that experience. Doing Gaisce really pushed me out of my comfort zone and shaped me to be more self-aware and open to new things. I think undertaking Gold made me realise how much I enjoy improving myself and that has really motivated me in other areas of my life. I hope the Silver Awardees tonight take the next step on their Gaisce journey and feel the benefits I felt from undertaking Gold”.

Gaisce – The President’s Award is a personal development programme for young people which enhances confidence and wellbeing through participation in personal, physical and community challenges.

Since its inception in 1985 over 178,000 young Irish people have completed a Gaisce Award, including former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh and Irish rugby international Robbie Henshaw.

Donegal County Council has announced that gritters will be out around parts of Donegal tonight from 7pm.

Temperatures will drop to lows of -1C this Friday night, as Met Eireann forecasts a calm and cloudy night with patches of mist and fog.

The following routes will be gritted from 7pm tonight, Friday:

• 01: National Primary North
• 04: Inishowen South
• 05: Inishowen East
• 06: Inishowen West
• 07: Milford South
• 08: Milford North
• BT: Buncrana Town Council Priority 1

Check Donegal County Council’s interactive map for gritting routes
Assume that no road is ice-free.

The Donegal Daily Group require a Digital News Reporter.

This is a full-time position within Donegal’s biggest media outlet and will be based out of our Letterkenny office.

The successful candidate will have relevant experience within the media industry and a background in online news is essential.

Previous coverage of courts, council meetings and other relevant ‘markings’ will also be an advantage.

They will be required to work flexible hours with a knowledge of sport also an advantage.

If you think this is the position for you to further your career in journalism working within a talented and dedicated team of reporters, please send your CV to info@donegaldaily.com

Minister of First Derry Presbyterian Church and Monreagh in Donegal, David Latimer minister of First Derry Presbyterian Church and Monreagh has announced he is to retire in the new year.

The Donegal minister who struck up an unlikely friendship with Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, in turn causing a rift amongst his congregation in the Presbyterian Church.

Some who left the church had lost loved ones at the hands of the IRA.

Rev Latimer said he was retiring with a “heavy heart”.

Reflecting on his relationship with Mr McGuinness and the controversy it caused, he said: “You’ll never take everybody with you, but if you were to wait until all the ducks were in a row you would end up doing nothing.”

“There was a hand that was guiding and a heart that was planning.

ST EUNAN’S College got their Danske Bank Mac Rory Cup off to a winning start at Drumragh this afternoon.

St Eunan’s College 0-9 Holy Trinity 0-7

By Charlie Collins at Drumragh

St Eunan’s had two points to spare over Holy Trinity in their opening game of the new term.

Shane Monaghan boomed over a free to open up a 0-9 to 0-2 lead for St Eunan’s on 46 minutes.

However, the Letterkenny scholars had to withstand a strong comeback from Holy Trinity in the final quarter.

Eunan O’Neill kicked three frees with Thomas Doris and Aidan McAleer on the mark. By the 56th minute, Holy Trinity were within striking distance, but St Eunan’s held on for the win.

Holy Trinity briefly led in the early stages as O’Neill and Caolan McLaughlin cancelled out Kelan Dunleavy’s point after just 15 seconds. 

Monaghan and Eoin Dowling swung the tide and St Eunan’s were into a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Shea Lawn, the Holy Trinity, pulled off a magnificent save to deny Shane Monaghan a 25th minute goal. The Naomh Colmcille man seemed set to rattle the net, but Lawn made a telling save.

The follow-up, by Jack Alcorn, was put behind and Kealan Dunleavy’s ’45 gave St Eunan’s a 0-4 to 0-2 lead at half-time.

Monaghan’s brilliant score, nine minutes into the second half, kick-started a St Eunan’s purple patch.

Jack Alcorn added to the tally after a superb fetch.

Eoin Dowling and Dunleavy converted from distance and Monaghan looked to have put it too far out of Holy Trinty’s reach.

That he did, but St Eunan’s were nervous as their opponents hit back.

St Eunan’s College: Emmet McGuire; Sean Gallagher, Jamie Grant, Kieran Tobin; Dylan Duggan, Jack Gallagher, Conal McDermott; Kelan Dunleavy (0-3, 1 ’45), Eoin Dowling (0-2, 1f); Cian McMonagle, Conor McGinty, Conor Cassidy; Emmet O’Boyle , Jack Alcorn (0-1), Shane Monaghan (0-3, 2f). Subs: Daragh Ellison for McGinty (40).

Holy Trinity: Shea Lawn; Jack Hamilton, Caolan Mulgrew, Callan Devine; Niall Connolly, Patrick Quinn, Niall Devlin; Blaine Ryan, Aodhan O Loughlin; Eunan O’Neill (0-4, 3f), Shea Quinn, Caolan McLaughlin (0-1); Ben Donnelly, Peter McGurk, Thomas Doris (0-1f). Subs: Aidan McAleer (0-1) and Sean Loughran for McGurk and McLaughlin (40), 

DONEGAL TOWN rally driver David Kelly has been nominated for this year’s Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver Award for his performances in the period August to October. 

Kelly took the overall junior win on the recent Fastnet Rally, adding to previous junior wins which he scored this year on the Cavan and Midland Stages events. 

Kelly also claimed second overall in the junior section of Killarney Rally of the Lakes, as well as sampling competition outside Ireland where he took part in four rounds of the BTRDA Fiesta ST Trophy.

David started his motorsport career in the co-driver’s seat in 2011 before making the switch to the driving seat in 2013. Starting out in a Peugeot 205, Kelly moved up through the ranks progressing into a Honda Civic and then a Citroen C2 R2 before stepping into a Toyota Starlet. 

With the 2019 season all but finished, Kelly has purchased the latest specification R2T Ford Fiesta from M-Sport and ahead of using the car in anger next year, he has a number of testing days planned and he aims to compete in some navigation trials in a left hand drive car to get used to the switch. Indeed Kelly finished as top novice on the recent Monaghan Navigation Trial.

When he isn’t competing, Kelly works in the family business as the purchasing manager. 

They run a contracting firm and work throughout the country building commercial properties for a number of clients and private developers. 

David’s long term sporting ambition is to compete in the British Rally Championship in an R5 car. Having competed on a number of British events this year, it has made Kelly want to go back and do more. He would love to do the Junior World Rally Championship but admits that the costs involved are substantial.

Over the past two seasons, Kelly has started over 20 events and he acknowledges that only for his sponsors, none of it would have been possible, especially the support from local companies in Donegal including Glebe Builders, Gortlee Tool Hire, Bonars Quarry, Donegal Hardware and Sweeney Scaffolding.

Kelly’s nomination means he is the eighth driver to be nominated for this year’s Billy Coleman Award as he joins other monthly qualifiers Josh McErlean and William Creighton as well as automatic championship winning nominees; Brian Brady, Derek Mackarel, Shane Kenneally, Nigel Roche and Stephen Reynolds. 

A wildcard selection will be made in the coming days by a separate judging panel, meaning that nine drivers will be in contention for the award in 2019.

The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award will now receive €100,000 worth of support to contest rallies nationally & internationally in 2020. 

Coupled with Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland’s €50,000 investment, a further €50,000 has been pledged by the Team Ireland Foundation. 

The award winner will also receive the assistance of Billy Coleman co-ordinator, Sean McHugh. Additional support from the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy as part of a training and development plan to further the winners’ career will also be available and the winner may apply for funding for a second year of support upon satisfactory performances in their award winning year. 

Both of the award runners up will receive support to compete in stage rallies at home and abroad up to an amount of €15,000 each.

The Aurivo /North West Words Poetry competition is now open for creative and talented writers to submit their entries.

Now in its eighth year, the competition is open to original and previously unpublished poems in English.

This competition is open to anyone over the age of 18, as long as the poem is the original work of the author submitting it. The winner will receive €250 and and the Aurivo Perpetual Cup.

Copyright remains with the poet, but North West Words reserves the rights to the first publication or broadcast of the winning poem. Entries must not have been previously published in any media, self-published, broadcast and/or won any competition.

All shortlisted poets will be invited to read at the North West Words January event on Thursday the 30th of January 2020 and will also qualify to be published in the Spring/Summer issue of the North West Words magazine.

The cost of entry is 5 euro per poem and there is no limit to the number of poems you want to be submitted.

For online entries, poems should be copied into the body of the email and sent to northwestwords@outlook.com. the deadline is 5pm on Thursday the 12th of December 2019.

For postal entries, send your poem(s) along with a cover letter with name, address and phone number and/or email address and the title(s) of each poem submitted. If you are sending more than one poem, please put each poem on a separate page. Please DO NOT put your name or personal contact details on the same page as the poem(s). Postal entries are to be sent to: North West Words, Aurivo Poetry Prize 2019, 54 Thornberry, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland, F92 Y 76W.

The 2019 Aurivo English Poetry Competition will be judged by Kate Newman from Summer Palace Press. All entries are judged anonymously.

North West Words ins a non-profit organisation run on voluntary effort and competition fees go towards the administrative costs of the competition. Payment may be made by Cheque, Postal Order, Money Order (payments should be made out to North West Words) or via Paypal.

A shortlist will be published on North West Words’ Facebook page in December. The winner will be announced and the prize awarded at a North West Words Event in Dillon’s Hotel, Main Street, Letterkenny, on Thursday the 30th of January 2020. the winning poet will be notified in advance of the event.

Note that the cost of entry is 5 euro per poem. For each poem entered, you will need to fill out a separate Paypal transaction of 5 euro. So; 1 poem will require 1 Paypal transaction of 5 euro, 2 poems will require 2 Paypal transactions of 5 euro each and 3 poems will require 3 Paypal transactions of 5 euro etc.

Mark Russell says Finn Harps’ keen interest in him was the main reason he elected to move to Finn Park this season.

Russell spent some pre-season time at both Harps and Derry City before signing for Harps three games into the 2019 season.

Picture: Mark Russell celebrates his goal for Finn Harps against Drogheda United last Friday at Finn Park. Picture by Joe Boland, North West News Pix

He proved a quality signing by Ollie Horgan and it was the Scot who netted the opening goal against Drogheda in last Friday’s promotion-relegation play-off final second leg.

“I really enjoyed myself,” Russell said of his season in the League of Ireland.

“It was my first time away from my family, but I was made to feel very welcome at Finn Harps. I really enjoyed playing here.

“The coaching staff got in touch with my agent. They made me feel wanted. I wanted to come and try my best for them.”

Russell bagged his first goal as a Harps player last week. His goal forced the play-off final to extra time, when Harry Ascroft bagged a precious winner.

Russell said: “I couldn’t have timed it any better. I’m over the moon to get the goal in the play-off final.

Harps Mark Russell keeps his eyes on the ball as he sets up another attack on the UCD goals. (North West Newspix)

“We went into the game thinking we could get the first goal and take it from there. We knew we could win the tie eventually. 

“Words can’t describe it. Everyone in the ground backed us. They came out in their numbers for us.”

Russell was included, while at Morton, on the PFA Scotland League One Team of the Year in the 2014-15 season.

His goal came after just seven minutes, but admits that the clean sheet at the other end was every bit as valuable.

He said: “My main attribute is going forward, but we had to stay compact and keep the clean sheet. 

“We were very patient in the build-up. We were always ready for the game going to extra time. 

“We base it all on hard work. We have a never-give-up attitude. We’re just thankful that we managed to stay in the Division.

“It was a very nervous last five minutes. Thankfully we managed to hold out and get the win.”

Russell seems set to join Ascroft – who this week signed for Dandenong Thunder in Australia – in leaving Finn Park.

Wherever he may go in the winter months, Russell will have fond memories of his time by the Finn.

And the 23-year-old believes there isn’t much between the League of Ireland and the Scottish League.

He said: “The top sides in Ireland are serious teams. There isn’t much between the rest.

“I would say the top teams would compete in the Scottish Premiership. The rest would be okay in the Championship.”

DONEGAL SCHOOLGIRL Emma Dolan competed at the XI WKF Junior Championships in Chile – and finished seventh.

Emma, who competes for the Three Rivers Shotokan Club in Lifford, took part in the Championships held in Santiago.

Emma, who hails from Argary and is a student at the Royal and Prior in Raphoe, was part of the Irish team that made the journey.

Emma overcame her South African opponent 8-0 before claiming a 3-1 win over a competitor from Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Emma was pipped 1-0 by a French girl, who won the gold medal.

Emma’s seventh-placed finish is the highest place by a female from Ireland at any WKF World Championships .

Emma trains at Three Rivers under sensei Martin McNamee and travelled to Chile with John Connolly , ONAKAI National Coach.

120 countries, representing the 5 continents, with a total of 1700 accredited athletes taking part over five days of competition at the National Stadium Sports Centre.

A FORMER Donegal taxi driver has been sent to prison for possessing child pornography.

David Martin (52), now of 78 Sylvan Park, Letterkenny has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended.

Martin was residing at 11 St Jude’s Court, Lifford when Gardaí were alerted by the Online Child Exploitation Unit to someone using an IP address associated with that house posting child pornography images on Twitter.

Gardaí searched the premises on October 6, 2016 and seized a Zeus Storm Desktop computer which contained six videos, with a combined duration of almost two hours, showing teen and pre-teen boys and girls engaged in sexual activity with adults. 

Martin admitted downloading, viewing and possessing the images and also of posting images on Twitter, which brought the matter to a head. The videos were being described as Category 1, the most serious category. 

Sentencing at Letterkenny Circuit Court, Judge John Aylmer said that Martin, who will be on the sex offenders register, had set up ’sophisticated anti-forensic software’ on the device 

Martin had told officers that he often used search engines for the dark web. 

“While this is a single count, evidence establishes that he was engaged in this type of activity since 2013,” Judge Aylmer said,

“It is clear that this material represents only his harvest on this date.”

Barrister for Martin, Mr Peter Nolan BL, said his client’s marriage was over and the marital home had been sold. Mr Nolan said that Martin’s extensive heart issues made him unsuitable for community service.

Judge John Aylmer said his starting point for sentencing was a two-and-a-half-year prison term. There was no suggestion, he said, that Martin was immediately proximate to the abuse or swapping the material for commercial gain.

Described as a low-risk of reoffending, Martin claimed to have been sexually abused as a child and has attended 15 psychotherapy sessions in Dublin. 

Judge Aylmer imposed a sentence of two and a half years in prison and suspended the final 12 months. Martin entered into a €100 bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months subsequent to his release.

Judge Aylmer granted a destruction order on the seized property.

A 59-year-old Derryman has been given a one-year suspended sentence for aiding and abetting the cultivation of cannabis at a grow house in east Donegal.

Over 100 marijuana plants were found when Gardaí raided a property at The Haw, Carrigans on October 23, 2015.

Officers found two grow tents, each containing ten mature plants, while numerous other plants or cuttings were found along with incubators under fluorescent lighting. 

Detective Sergeant Joseph Kealy told Letterkenny Circuit Court that Gardaí had the property under observation.

Detective Sergeant Kealy and colleagues went to the premises on October 23, 2015 and found a male inside. The male was subsequently arrested and charged with possession of a controlled drug and cultivation of cannabis without a licence.

Other detectives remained at the house to preserve the scene when they heard a key turn and a male entered the property, where he shouted to ask who had turned off the radio. 

Officers altered the man to their presence and he dropped the key on the floor.

Edward McDermott (59) of 11 Abbotswalk, Bogside, Derry was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting the cultivation 

McDermott told Gardaí that the owner of the property was living in Dubai and he had been asked to check on the house.

Barrister for McDermott, Mr Moriarty, said his client, who has no previous convictions, had suffered ‘a veritable constellation of medical difficulties’.

“A black dog has had a firm hold for the majority of his life,” Mr Moriarty said.

“He showed signs of mental fragility from an early age and he has been in poor health for a long time.

“This was not an operation for profit and not one described as being on an industrial scale.”

McDermott’s co-accused, Christopher McDaid, received a one-year suspended sentence at Letterkenny Circuit Court in February 2017, having said that he was growing the plants to treat his then ten-year-old son who suffered from ataxia-telangiectasia, a rare genetic disorder which has no cure. 

Judge John Aylmer said he couldn’t countenance making findings different and inconsistent to Judge Nolan. 

“I have to deal with it as being one where it has already been established that this was a not-for-profit operation,” Judge Aylmer said. 

“His co-accused was doing this for a particular medicinal purpose. Mr McDermott is before me having pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the operation He is a person who is obviously vulnerable and prone to being in an operation such as this and being taken advantage of to some extent.”

Judge Aylmer said the offence could merit a sentence of 18 months for McDermott. However, Judge Aylmer reduced that to one year and suspended the sentence. He directed that McDermott enter into a bond of €100 to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. 

Special Olympics Ireland is calling on Co. Donegal to get ‘Freezin’ for a Reason’ this winter by participating in their ‘coolest’ fundraising event of the year.

Donegal’s Polar Plunge will take place at Rathmullan Strand, Rathmullan on December 7th from 12.30pm.

Last year, crowds of people including families, Special Olympic Athletes, businesses and individuals turned out to take part in this unique fundraising event, bravely plunging into icy cold waters. 

Special Olympics are hoping that this year’s event will be just as popular with potential plungers, so that much needed funds for the organisation and its athletes can be raised. 

Special Olympics Ulster Polar Plunge 2019 launch at Rathmullan House

Special Olympics Ulster Polar Plunge 2019 launch at Rathmullan House

Speaking at the launch of the Polar Plunge, Special Olympics Ireland’s Ulster Region Director, Shaun Cassidy said: “Special Olympics Ulster are delighted to be able to launch the Polar Plunge this year in Rathmullan. Now in its fifth year the Polar Plunge fundraiser is a great community event and this year will be even better than before.

“Every day, the athletes of Special Olympics Ulster step up to meet the challenges of the sport that they love and do so with a smile.

“We would encourage everyone to sign up today and take on a fun challenge in support of these inspirational athletes. We would like to thank the Athletes of Little Angels Special School in Letterkenny and Rathmullan House for supporting this launch.”

Special Olympics Ulster Polar Plunge 2019 launch at Rathmullan House

Special Olympics Ulster Polar Plunge 2019 launch at Rathmullan House

Special Olympics Ireland provides sporting opportunities for nearly 8,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across 313 clubs all over Ireland. 

Those who think they are brave enough to take the Polar Plunge can register at www.specialolympics.ie/polarplunge. Registration costs just €20 with plungers encouraged to raise an additional €50. Plungers who raise €50 or more will also receive a complimentary Polar Plunge t-shirt.

To keep up to date with Special Olympics Ulster events and athletes, follow the organisation on Twitter, @SOIreland @SO_Ulster and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsUlster. 

A DONEGAL woman who was found guilty of altering price tags in a Letterkenny shop has been fined in court.

Gloria McCafferty (40) of Driminin, Barnesmore, was before Letterkenny District Court, where she pleaded guilty to the incident at TK Maxx, Letterkenny.

McCafferty was found to have changed price tags on a handbag and a pair of tracksuit bottoms. The handbag had been €139.99 and a price tag of €38 was put on while the tracksuit bottoms were changed to €5.

McCafferty admitted to the offences and Gardaí say she was ‘extremely co-operatve and apologetic’. The items were returned as re-sellable.

Solicitor for McCafferty, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said his client, a full-time mother, made ‘full and frank admissions’ and had ‘no need to do it’.

Judge Paul Kelly said that he would deal with the case by way of a €250 donation and would strike the matter out.

The goal for most, at this time of year, is to get in shape for the Christmas party season. 

New clothing will be bought, photographs will be taken, and everyone will be out and about over the festive period.

So, who doesn’t want to look their best?

If you are looking to drop a few pounds on the lead up to the big day, I have a few tips for you below that will help you to get what you need, before the big man comes to town.

Monday is your last chance to join in on our Christmas countdown challenge. After that, we won’t be accepting any new members until January.

It gives you 6 weeks to get to work and get in shape for Christmas.

You can get signed up through the link below.

SIGN UP HERE

There are a few things to consider when planning to get in shape for Christmas.

1) You MUST be in a calorie deficit.

It doesn’t matter what diet you follow or what guru says what, if you aren’t in a calorie deficit 1st, you will NOT lose body fat.

Don’t get caught up on ‘health’ foods, or the latest fad diet that will be floating about.

Eat wholefoods 80-90% of the time.
Eat less than you expend per day.
Don’t binge on the other 10-20%.

2). Eat Protein

Try to eat 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight
It is a basic recommendation for someone who is training and trying to drop fat.
It will keep you full and help to preserve muscle mass, which is important when trying to improve your physique when dropping bodyfat.

If you don’t want to count calories or grams of protein, use palm-sized portions of protein and have 3-4 servings per day.

3). Weight Train 3-5 times per week.

If you want to target specific area of your body, weight training is the way to do this.
While it won’t specifically burn fat from that area, it will increase blood flow to the stubborn areas and help to mobilise the fat.
It will also make your physique look better and weighing less, while looking worse physically makes no sense.
So, add in some resistance training using bodyweight and weighted exercises and you’ll be glad that you did.

4). Prioritize fruit and vegetables as your carb sources.

You get more fibre, more food for less calories than starchy carbs.
It’s a win-win situation here.

There are loads of options when cooking with vegetables and to add flavour, think of things like spices, salt, pepper etc to flavour them to your liking.

5). Keep your starchy carbs for around your training days

A simple way to cycle your carbs is to have carbs with your meals on your training days and stick to vegetables on non-training days.

You will automatically reduce your overall calorie intake by doing this, and you will have more calories on the days that you need them most.

6). Add Cardio as needed

Is cardio needed for fat loss?
No!
Is it a benefit to it?
Yes!
Should you add it in straight away?
Not necessarily.
It is a tool that you can use.

You don’t want to use them all at once, because if fat loss stalls, you may have nowhere to go.

So, use your cardio wisely and save it until you need it.

Fat loss is simple, not easy.

You just have to do it and stick to it.

If your goal is truly to drop a few pounds before Christmas, the guidelines above gives you a great way to achieve this.
#leanin2019

Monday is your last chance to join in on our Christmas countdown challenge. After that, we won’t be accepting any new members until January.

It gives you 6 weeks to get to work and get in shape for Christmas.

You can get signed up through the link below.

SIGN UP HERE

Matthew McCole completed a standout National Senior Championship last night as he took victory in the welterweight final.

McCole overcame Martin Sammon from Olympic BC in Galway to win the senior title.

The Dungloe puncher, fighting in these Championships for the Illies Golden Gloves, swept the board for a unanimous decision win at the National Stadium. 

McCole was always in command against Sammon and the final verdict was reflective of his dominance. 

McCole had beaten Christian Preston (Docklands), Conor Reneghan (Keady) and Sean Butler (Riverstown) to reach the final, taking a unanimous decision each time.

Caroline Gallagher and Matthew McCole with Illies Golden Gloves coaches

That was acknowledged as McCole was also presented with the Dr Martin Purcell Trophy as he was named Boxer of the Championships.

Carndonagh’s Rosie Doherty – punching for the St Francis club in Limerick – won an all-Inishowen women’s welterweight final against Caroline Gallagher of Illies GG.

Doherty, now studying at the University of Limerick and fighting out of the Shannonside club, took a 5-0 win to end the hopes of Gallagher, who had an impressive win over Karolina Jaglowska in her semi-final.

Ballyness Bay has been in the news recently on account of a major plan to convert this beautiful tidal estuary into a large-scale shellfish farming area.

There has been a great deal of shock in the locality about proposals that would see vast ugly beds of shellfish dominate this stunning coastal location between Falcarragh, Gortahork and Magheraroarty.

People generally believe that the bay should be retained as an amenity for the local community and visitors.

They think that it is far more valuable as a natural asset contributing to the well-being of all those who use and enjoy this amazing landscape.

They also conclude that it can contribute greater economic benefit to the community through the growth of sustainable employment built around diverse outdoor activities and eco-tourism.

Bird watching is just one of the many strands that form part of these varied outdoor pursuits. It is something that draws visitors into the area from far afield with the opportunity of viewing a rich array of coastal birdlife in an unspoilt natural setting.

Ballyness Bay is an ideal location in which to appreciate the wonderful selection of birds to be found on our shores at this time of year.

Protected on its seaward side by extensive sand dunes, this relatively sheltered bay and its surroundings provide excellent habitat for a wide variety of resident bird species as well as many seasonal visitors.

It is particularly good as a wintering ground for waders and waterfowl, and its shores have been designated as a Special Area of Conservation.

A guided tour on Saturday the 16th of November will offer the chance for people to explore some of the stunning locations around this lovely tidal landscape and learn more about the abundance of birdlife it nurtures.

Those who come along will learn to identify birds that have flown south from more northerly locations to overwinter here, alongside some of the hardy locals that stick around through the colder darker months.

This event is weather dependent. It is hoped those who come along will have an opportunity to observe some of the wildfowl, though in nature nothing can be guaranteed with certainty.

It will be led by a local ecologist who has worked on various research and conservation programmes throughout Donegal. Those who wish to join in should phone (074) 918 0994 or (086) 822 0404 to reserve a place.

As one might expect for a coastal walk in Winter you will need to wear warm clothes and sturdy, waterproof footwear, and if you have them to bring a pair of binoculars or a portable telescope.

The tour will begin at 10am and should take about three hours. It is organised by The Glasshouses (LAN Ctr.) Cill Ulta, Falcarragh, and supported by Donegal ETB.

DAVID O’Herlihy says his St Eunan’s College side will take confidence from yesterday’s Danske Bank Mac Rory Cup win over Holy Trinity.

St Eunan’s had the edge, 0-9 to 0-7, in Drumragh, as the Letterkenny students held off a stern comeback having been seven points ahead at one stage in the second half. 

“We always expected Cookstown to have a purple patch and they came back at us,” O’Herlihy told Donegal Daily/Donegal Sport Hub. 

“It was backs-to-the-wall stuff at the end. It was cagey. They played a little bit like ourselves so it was never going to be a high-scoring game.”

St Eunan’s face some tough tests in the coming weeks, but O’Herlihy and co are just glad to be in tis mix.

He said: “We know that we’re minnows so getting that victory will do the lads confidence good. It only gets hard for us now, but it’s a good start and all we can do is build now.”

Listen to the full interview below …

Voodoo in Letterkenny is the place to be tomorrow evening as the official switch-on of the venue’s Christmas lights takes place at 5pm.

Once again the youngest member of An Garda Siochana, Jack Beattie will perform the official duties.

Santa will also be on hand to make sure Jack performs his duties and there will be lots of goodies for the children.

All proceeds raised on the night will go towards the Bumbleance Children’s Ambulance Service.

As well as the official switch-on there will be lots of music performed by lots of well-known artists including Ritchie Remo, Michael Maloney, David James, Wild Rover, Conor O’Donnell and Ailish McBride.

So if you want to banish the winter blues away and get that warm feeling of Christmas, get along to Voodo Venue at Lower Main Street before 5pm and let that magical feeling begin.

See you all there!