A YEAR after a devastating fire at the his yard resulted in the death of two horses, Donegal show jumper Kenneth Graham collected a cool €10,000 win bonus at the weekend.

Graham won the Horse Sport Ireland International Show Jumping Challenge after he won the 2019 Cavan Equestrian Centre International Grand Prix.

It brought him full circle, almost exactly a year after a blaze tore through Lenamore Stables in Muff. Two horses died in the blaze, caused by an arson attack.

Five more were saved by his girlfriend, Megan McGettigan, his groom, who won a €1,000 bonus at the weekend.

“It was tough to come back,” Graham said.

“We had a lot of great friends and family to thank for getting us back to where we were. We got back up and running as quickly as we could.

“We were all determined to get back. It was hard for all of us. 

“It was nice to win a year on from that. For Megan, too, as she had to go in and take the five horses out. She got burned in the fire and had to get treatment. She saved a lot. Ten more minutes and all of the horses could have died.

The damage caused by the arson attack at Lenamore Stables. (North West News Pix)

“She works so hard in the yard. She got the Groom of the Year award a little while after that, which she deserved. It was nice for her at the weekend to be rewarded too.”

Graham revealed that the damage – said to have been in excess of €100,000 – by last year’s inferno could have been much worse, but for the quick intervention.

He said: “Ten minutes more and we could have lost much more. There were seven horses in there and two of them died. At the far side of the shed, there were 60 bales of straw. The whole place could have gone up.”

Graham won on the aptly named Beir Bua (be victorious) in Cavan. He was the only rider eligible for the bonus – awarded for three podium places at the four Grand Prix meetings – and he did it in style aboard the nine-year-old grey.

“There was a lot of pressure for the weekend,” he said. “You don’t get to jump for that kind of money too often. 

“That was Beir Bua’s first time at that level, too. Anything could have happened during it. I went into the lead half way through the jump off. The three before me went clear and when I was in the lead I was fairly sure that I would finish in the top three. There was a lot of talk and banter in the build-up to the weekend.”

He needed one more podium place to get the bonus. Earlier in the year, he came third at Mullingar and won in Millstreet. Those podium places were earned on board George, owned by his father, Willie Lapsley from St Johnston.

“We had a great year,” he said.

“Beir Bua is a nine-year-old, but doesn’t have much experience. It was nice to do it on a horse that we produced. That was Beir Bua’s first international grand prix.

“We spend a lot of time with the horses, training them and producing young horses.

“That’s the season over now. It was a great year in the end. The bonus is a new thing that has started and it’s brilliant to keep riders competing. It won’t be won too often I’d say because you need three podiums from the four events.”

He was a late-comer to the sport although he always helped out with his mother, Geraldine, at the Lenamore yards. 

“I wasn’t very keen, but once I got into it, I got the bug,” he said.

Graham paid tribute to his family and friends for their support and also hailed the influence of Swiss pair Regula and Haymbert Wassmer, from Zurich, who have been invaluable.

Now, he’ll take a break from competition over the winter but has earmarked an event in Spain in March. 

He said: “We always try and get away to compete two or three times a year. With everything else we had going on we didn’t go this year, but definitely we want to get on the road again in 2020.”

Local Donegal County Councillors and the general public are concerned commuters could face further delays driving to Letterkenny ahead of a new road scheme on the N56.

The video below was taken on yesterday morning (Mon) for Donegal Daily and shows the traffic chaos coming into the town.

These scenes are uncommon, but they could become more frequent with plans for a new Four Lane Road Safety Improvement Scheme to improve to the main road – a process that could take more than two-years.

In an email from the National Roads Office to councillors, the Letterkenny Chambers of Commerce and An Garda Siochana, it outlines how the scheme will start in the first half of 2020.

In the email, the Senior Executive Engineer for the National Roads Office said he was “keenly aware” of the concerns and disruptions by retailers and business during the period, but stressed the “importance of this project to the continued proper, safe and efficient function of what is the primary access to Letterkenny”.

It is understood that the project will also address deteriorating road pavements, provide new and improved road drainage, cycleway and pedestrian facilities.

“We will continue to consider all concerns all the concerns raised,” the email said.

“In the completion of the tender documentation over the coming weeks, we will assess how best to address these matters wherever feasible, practical and appropriate to do so”.

The highly-successful Lagan Harps U12 girls were honoured by the local council today for their many achievements in 2019.

A presentation was made to the victorious class of 2019 by Letterkenny-Milford councillors, who celebrated the girls’ many cup wins of the year.

Lagan claimed a mighty five titles this year – Challenge Cup, Donegal Women’s League, the Highland Bakery Cup, the Willie McLaughlin Ulster Cup and the FAI North West Region Challenge Cup.

And they received yet another trophy of recognition from Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District council today. The team was joined by their coaching team and proud parents for the memorable occasion.

Lagan Harps U12 Girls Team honoured by the Members of the Letterkenny-Milford MD on their achievements in 2019

AMBER Barrett looked to have fired the Republic of Ireland to a crucial UEFA Women’s 2021 European Championships Qualifier win in Greece – but the Girls in Green were denied by a late sucker punch.

Barrett’s first-half goal was all that was between the teams, but Greece drew level with an injury time equaliser.

The Greeks eked out a point when Anastasia Spyridonidou fired home in the 93rd minute to deny Ireland. 

Barrett, who has settled into life at FC Köln in Germany having made a big move from Peamount United, was elevated to the starting XI for the clash at the Nea Smyrni Stadium.

Vera Pauw, the Ireland manager, made five changes from last month’s 3-2 win over Ukraine in Tallaght.

Barrett sustained a knock late in the game and, with eight minutes remaining, was replaced by Stephanie Roche.

And Ireland were left reeling when Spyridonidou side-footed past Marie Hourihane right at the death.

Barrett broke the deadlock in classy fashion in the 13th minute. Katie McCabe’s clever ball into the box fell invitingly for Barrett. 

As the ball bounced, the Milford woman checked the position of the goalkeeper before brilliantly flicking home her second Irish goal. 

Louise Quinn fired over from another McCabe delivery as Ireland looked to double their advantage.

Diane Caldwell couldn’t direct a volley on target before Denise O’Sullivan saw her shot saved by the ‘keeper early in the second half.

Barrett turned provider just before the hour as her cross from the right-hand side just missed a touch from the in-rushing Emily Whelan.

Tyler Toland was an unused sub – the second game in a row the St Johnston woman has not been utilised by new boss Pauw.

Greece 0-1 Ireland – Amber Barrett gives Ireland a well deserved lead with a wonderfully delicate lob to give Anthi Papakonstantinou no chance in the Greek goal. Follow it here https://t.co/hFTXszcDFT #rtesoccer #GREIRL #20×20 pic.twitter.com/YBATeS8fmX

— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 12, 2019

The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today (Tues) welcomed the significant progress on the remediation programme for 40 schools constructed by Western Building Systems (WBS).

Donegal’s Letterkenny Educate Together NS  was part of the second phase of the remediation programme by the government covering 40 schools.

Seventeen schools, including Letterkenny Educate Together NS, were included in the second phase of the remediation programme.

The update follows confirmation of progress in August after structural works were undertaken on a number of school buildings and more detailed analysis was carried out on a number of other school buildings.

As outlined then, a significant programme of remediation work took place during summer 2019 in relation to the 40 schools in which structural and fire safety deficiencies were identified.

Structural remediation work has taken place on 14 schools bringing them up to the highest possible standard and allowing for the removal of precautionary measures.

The bulk of the remainder of the Schools Remediation Programme is scheduled to be undertaken on a phased basis over 2020 and 2021.

Minister McHugh’s absolute priority at all times has been the safety of students, staff and everyone using these school buildings.

The Minister said: “I welcome the significant progress that has been made on what is a complex, time-consuming and difficult job to fix these school buildings and bring them up to the highest possible standard.

“I want to thank all those connected with the affected schools for your patience and understanding during really disruptive times. I would also like to thank the teams of contractors, engineers, fire safety specialists and project managers for their professionalism from day one.”

“The team overseeing the programme in the Department’s Building Unit deserve huge credit for the way the work has been planned and the way costs have been managed and also for the way in which schools have been supported.

The Department has confirmed that about €40m has been spent this year up to the end of quarter 3 2019 on the remediation programme, covering the cost of investigations, precautionary measures, fire safety upgrades and structural repairs.

The Department continues to liaise with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office on the on-going legal process related to the 40 schools built by Western Building Systems.

Minister McHugh said: “The cost to date is less than was initially estimated and this is largely due to the well-managed way in which the remediation programme has been handled.

“The cost is being met through a contingency provision as part of the increased 2019 capital budget of €942m and also thanks to the reduced funding requirement for multi-annual capital development in TU Dublin Grangegorman following the sale of DIT Kevin Street.

“This approach ensures that the cost of the remediation has had no impact on school and third level building projects.”

The next steps for the Schools Remediation Programme are to complete the bulk of structural remediation works in 2020 and 2021 and to continue the phased implementation of the fire safety programmes.

In addition, one school building was closed at Ardgillan Community College, Balbriggan. The remediation solution has been finalised.

Minister McHugh said: “Schools, patrons, principals, teachers, students and parents should be assured that the Government is committed to remediating these schools to the highest possible standard and that we will continue to keep them updated on progress.

“At the same we are also committed to planned construction projects being delivered over the course of 2018, 2019 and 2020 which will provide 70,000 school places and the 29 building projects being progressed at third level.”

A 67-year-old man charged with murdering two British soldiers in 1972 is set to mount a legal bid to get the case thrown out, a court has heard.

John Downey’s lawyer confirmed plans to contest prosecution attempts to have him stand trial for the car bomb attack which killed Ulster Defence Regiment members Alfred Johnston and James Eames in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

Concerns were raised about a European Arrest Warrant used to detain him in the Republic of Ireland in October last year.

Defence solicitor John Finucane told Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday: “Even without exploring these issues (the committal proceedings) are going to be contested.”

Downey, with an address in Creeslough, Co Donegal,  faces prosecution after losing an extradition battle.

He exhausted all appeals before handing himself into the authorities last month.

Lance Corporal Johnston and Private Eames died in an explosion on the Irvinestown Road in August 1972.

They were carrying out checks on a car when a command wire initiated device was detonated, killing them instantly.

The bomb went off as a truck carrying 13 off-duty soldiers approached, blowing it onto its side and injuring some of the troops inside.

That lorry is believed to have been the primary target for the attack.

Downey is also charged with aiding and abetting an explosion likely to endanger life.

A previous court was told his fingerprint was allegedly found on insulating tape used to construct the device.

Although the original impression has since degraded, photographs of it were said to have been used in “multiple comparisons”.

They included analysis carried out on prints taken from Downey earlier this month, and also after his arrest at Gatwick Airport in 2013 for the 1982 bombing at London’s Hyde Park.

He had been due to stand trial for the murder of four Royal Household Cavalry men in the Hyde Park attack.

But the case against him collapsed after it emerged that he received a letter of assurance from the British Government that he was not wanted for any offences.

The prosecution now intends to rely on the fingerprints taken at Gatwick as evidence in the current case.

Downey remains in custody after being refused bail at the High Court in Belfast.

His case is due to be reviewed again later this month, when a date for a preliminary enquiry was expected to be set.

But it emerged on Tuesday that the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) is seeking to bring those proceedings forward by a week.

Mr Finuncane expressed opposition to the move, and sought approval for two barristers to represent his client due to the circumstances and complexities of the case.

“There are issued that have arisen as a result of having sight of the papers,” he told the court.

“There’s also an issue which has arisen with regards to the European Arrest Warrant itself.”

Adjourning the case, District Judge Fiona Bagnall agreed to certify two defence counsel.

She said: “It’s a unique and highly complex case.”

Parking problems outside An Grianan Theatre Letterkenny are posing a ‘real danger’ to nearby residents, according to local councillor Jimmy Kavanagh.

People living in the local area have been ‘trapped in their homes’ during times when the theatre is hosting large events with a high volume of visitors.

Cllr Kavanagh raised the issue at today’s Letterkenny-Milford council meeting and asked for the council to work with the theatre to find urgent solutions.

He said that elderly people at Covehill could be denied access to emergency services when parking is not managed at busy times.

“It’s not just an inconvenience, it’s a real danger for people,” Cllr Kavanagh said.

He added that a woman was taken to hospital recently and it was lucky that it was a night when there was nothing on in the theatre, because the ambulance may not have been able to access her home otherwise.

Cllr Kavanagh called for a parking management system to be put in place and for alternative overflow car parks to be identified for buses.

“It’s a real problem for the theatre because after a big successful event it’s followed by bad publicity on social media, and it’s exactly what they don’t need. It needs to be solved permanently and soon,” Cllr Kavanagh said.

Cllr Kavanagh asked for the council to hold a meeting with the theatre management in a bid to find a solution to everyone’s benefit.

Donegal County Council has announced that gritters will be out around parts of Donegal tonight from 9pm.

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

The following routes will be gritted from 9pm tonight, Tuesday:

• 01: National Primary North
• 02: National Primary Central
• 04: Inishowen South
• 09: Cill Ulta East
• 12: Binswilly
• 13: Stranorlar North
• 14: Stranorlar East
• 15: Stranorlar West
• 18: Donegal South
• LT: Letterkenny Town

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

Once again the Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital is extremely busy this week.

The hospital has admitted a significant number of ill patients, many of whom remain in the ED, awaiting a bed.

The Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented and all efforts continue to be made to identify patients who are appropriate for discharge.

The hospital has deferred a number of elective non-urgent procedures.

Hospital management say they regret the inconvenience and distress the long delays cause patients and their families.

A spokesman said: “The hospital prioritises those in most need of care and this may lead to delays for less urgent patients.

“We would like to remind the public that we encourage them to attend the Emergency Department only in the case of real emergencies and they should contact their GP or GP Out-of-Hours service in the first instance.

“We are committed to treating everyone who presents at our ED but we do so strictly in order of medical priority and apologise for the long wait times currently.

“We would like to thank our staff who are working extremely hard at this time.”

Organisations who will be using the new Social Enterprise centre in Letterkenny have brought a number of concerns to light after design plans were unveiled.

Five community groups will be allocated space in the new building, which is due to will be developed next year on the Joe Bonner link road at a cost of €4 million.

However, some tweaks are needed to make the building most suitable to the needs of the groups, according to Councillor Michael McBride.

Cllr McBride says he has been in contact with Cara House, who have great concerns about the space.

Forty per cent of the social enterprise centre will be allocated to the Cara House family resources services, but the group has raised concerns about the layout, design and interiors.

Cllr McBride said that Cara House has issues with the location and size of the toilets in the building and their suitability for children’s care services. They said that the number of parking spaces (15) and the fencing on the exterior of the building is also a cause for concern.

A number of groups were also concerned by the “exorbitant” rental fees quoted to them for space in the centre, which Cllr McBride said was deemed “over the top”.

Cllr McBride asked for the groups’ concerns to be considered by the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District at the 11th hour before the project goes to tender. He acknowledged that the social enterprise centre will be a positive facility for Letterkenny’s groups, but he said the plans require some adjustment.

“It will be a great asset, but we need to make sure it’s right,” Cllr McBride said.

A power outage has struck South Inishowen this evening, impacting just under 800 homes and businesses.

The ESB fault occurred at 5.18pm in Newtowncunningham and surrounding areas.

Emergency repair crews are working on the issue and it is estimated that power will be restored to customers by 9pm.

Gardaí are investigating the theft of a rucksack in Letterkenny belonging to a woman who was due to travel to   Canada, it has emerged. 

The incident happened yesterday (Mon) in a car near the Letterkenny Shopping Centre at around 3pm.

It is understood that the woman and her family were dining out in a nearby restaurant before her bag was unlawfully taken.

The rucksack contained a passport, purse containing cash, bank cards, and driving licence – all items were stolen expected for the passport which was found a short time later.

Gardaí, who confirmed that the incident is being reviewed on CCTV, told Donegal Daily: “Gardaí are investigating an incident of theft from a vehicle that occurred at Letterkenny Shopping Centre on 11^th of November 2019 at approximately 3pm.

“There have been no arrests made and investigations are ongoing.”

VETERAN Finn Valley AC coach Peadar McGranaghan was honoured with a Volunteer in Sport Award this afternoon.

At a function at Farmleigh House in Phoenix Park, Dublin, the Castlefin man was presented with an award by the Federation of Irish Sport in association with EBS.

Picture: Peadar McGranaghan of Finn Valley AC, Co. Donegal, is presented with his award by Roddy Guiney, Chairperson of the Federation of Irish Sport, left, and Richard Gernon, Regional Manager EBS. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The awards recognise the 450,000 volunteers who deliver sport in Ireland each week. 

This year, nominations were accepted on a 32 county basis with an overall winner from each county being honoured at today’s ceremony.

Peadar, who hails originally from Keelogs, Ballindrait, has been involved at Finn Valley AC since 1974.

An ever-present at the club since those early days, he remains an integral cog in the wheel.

On Friday-week past, the club hosted a celebration to mark Peadar’s 80th birthday.

The McGranaghan family have become synonymous with Finn Valley AC. 

In the 1990s, his daughter Catriona was a member of the all-conquering Finn Valley women’s cross-country team. Another daughter, Sinead, has been winning medals at Masters level recently while Dermot is a well-regarded coach in schools locally with Athletics Ireland.

In the early years, Peadar had a training base at Porter’s Field, next to the family home at Hillhead, Castlefin, where he and his wife, Sadie, reared a family of six: Catriona, Sinead, Peadar, Dermot, Hugh and Kevin.

Next week, Peadar and Sadie will celebrate 54 years of marriage. 

Peadar was instrumental behind the scenes fundraising in those early years when the Finn Valley club was driving its development.

He remains an active coach at Finn Valley AC, working mainly with the juvenile athletes. Recently, he took on a team including the late Shane Bonner, Ian Ward, Ryan McDaid, Pauric McLaughlin, Aidan Connolly and Darren McGlinchey and they won nine All-Ireland middle distance titles in a row.

MARIE Green received an early Christmas present when she recently matched all four numbers in the Finn Harps Super 4 Lotto draw.  

By doing so, Marie scooped the €10,000 jackpot for herself.  

The jackpot, the largest in the history of the long running Harps lotto, had been sitting at its €10,000 ceiling for just over six months.

Marie, living in Knock, Ballybofey is well known to many around the Twin Towns area – she is employed in the Births, Deaths & Marriages Office in the HSE in Stranorlar.

The four magic numbers drawn in the lotto draw on Tuesday 5th November were 1, 11, 20 and 26.  Marie was presented with her winnings by Charlie McHugh from the Finn Harps Lotto committee.  

Joe Doherty sold the winning ticket to Marie.

In addition to Marie receiving €10,000 in the Jackpot, the Harps lotto gave away a further €10,000 throughout the year through the weekly €200 prize which is distributed when the jackpot isn’t won. 

Therefore, in excess of €20,000 was won by Harps lotto players throughout the last twelve months.  

The Harps lotto is one of many vital fundraisers that is run in order to keep senior football alive in Donegal.  

The lotto alone generates approximately €25,000 for the club in any given year.

It has never been easier to enter the Finn Harps lotto – it can be done online at www.finnharps.ie.  Enter today, and you could soon be scooping the jackpot too!

Deputy Charlie McConalogue has called on the Minister for Health and HSE to immediately appoint an Autism Therapist for Inishowen, describing the delay in making such an appointment an absolute disgrace.

Deputy McConalogue had been informed during the summer that recruitment for the vacant post was ‘under way,’ but to date, no appointment has been made.

He commented, “This is a vital service and one that impacts hugely on many young people and their families in Inishowen. It is absolutely disgraceful that it is now 17 months since the previous therapist left their job and yet the post still hasn’t been filled.

“When I raised the matter in the Dáil in June, I was informed that the vacant Autism Therapist post in Disability Services had been approved and the recruitment process was under way.

“Four months has passed since I last raised the matter and I was told the recruitment process was under way and still no appointment has been made. That’s four more months that families have had to do without this holistic person-centred vital service and 17 months in total that they’ve had to do without.

“The people who are impacted by this are the children on the autism spectrum and their families and they have waited long enough. After waiting for 17 months there can be no more delays and I will be asking the Minister and the HSE to get a new Autism Therapist appointed immediately so this vital service can be restored,” Deputy McConalogue concluded.

A Donegal man has been named TG4’s Singer of the Year.

Gort a’ Choirce’s, Lillis Ó Laoire, two-time winner of the premier sean-nós singing competition Corn Uí Riada in 1991 and again in 1994 is to be awarded the title.

Lillis now lives in Galway, where he lectures in Irish, folklore and Celtic civilisation at NUI Galway.

O’Laoire was raised in a bilingual family and spoke both Irish and English at home.

He learned traditional songs in school, but his interest in singing truly began during his time at NUI Galway, where he studied Irish and took classes with celticist Breandán Ó Madagáin.

Ó Madagáin taught Irish poetry and texts in relation to music, and O’Laoire became interested in this connection through him.

He started publicly singing in competitions at NUI Galway, organised by the Irish language society at the time and in 1986, began competing at the fleadh ceoil. In 1991 and again in 1994, he won the prestigious Corn Uí Riada singing competition at the Oireachtas na Gaeilge.

Harper Laoise Kelly from Westport, Co. Mayo is announced as TG4’s ‘Musician of the Year’, and is one of the youngest recipients of the main award to date. Laoise will be awarded the title at TG4’s Gradam Ceoil gala concert which will take place in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall next February.

The other award recipients are Lifetime Achievement Award to Séamus Connolly, Outstanding Contribution Award to Nenagh’s Ned Kelly and Composer of the Year to Josephine Marsh.

Gradam Ceoil TG4 is 23 years in existence, an awards ceremony that recognises and celebrates the cream of Irish traditional music.

The full list of TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2020 recipients reads as follows:

Ceoltóir na Bliana/Musician of the Year: Laoise Kelly

Ceoltóir Óg/Young Musician of the Year: Sharon Howley

Gradam Saoil/Lifetime Achievement: Séamus Connolly

Amhránaí na Bliana/Singer of the Year: Lillis Ó Laoire

Gradam Comaoine/Outstanding Contribution: Ned Kelly

Cumadóir na Bliana / Composer of the Year: Josephine Marsh

Gradam Ceoil TG4 is the premier annual traditional music awards scheme and academy. An independent panel of adjudicators select recipients each year.

It is not a competition. The Gradam Ceoil recipients are presented with a specially-commissioned piece by leading sculptor John Coll as well as a small stipend.

This year’s awards will be presented at the Gradam Ceoil TG4 concert in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast on Sunday 23rd February and televised live on TG4 at 9:30pm, hosted by Doireann Ní Ghlacáin & Dónal O’Connor, the 2020 Gradam recipients will be joined in performance on stage by their own special musical guests in a unique, star-studded line-up of musicians and award-presenters.

TG4 Director General, Alan Esslemont, sais ‘Gradam Ceoil TG4 is 23 years in existence, and recognises the best of traditional Irish music, an initiative that TG4 is immensely proud of. I would like to congratulate all of this year’s winners. They are the embodiment of traditional Irish music and song, and we are delighted to award them the highest honour in Irish music. Gradam Ceoil TG4 will take place in The Waterfront Hall in Belfast for the third year running, a successful collaboration with Belfast City Council, ILBF, Red Shoe Productions and TG4’.

• Only new toys will be accepted.
• Please don’t gift wrap so that the toys are easily identifiable and can be allocated to the appropriate charities
• Put your gift in a blue or pink gift bag with the age range of the gift clearly marked on the gift tag.
• Get in the Christmas spirit and join in the fun at the drop off points.

Letterkenny Rovers Under-16s sealed the treble tonight as a derby win over Bonagee gave them the Letterkenny and Northwest Premier Cup at a drenched Diamond Park.

Letterkenny Rovers 4 Bonagee United 2

By Chris McNulty at The Diamond Park

It was only when Tobi Akinyimika tucked away the fourth goal in the final minute that the game was really copper-fastened.

Rovers, though, were deserving winners on a night when Jason Blake’s stunning double allowed Bonagee to hang in.

Akinyimika’s goal, in the final minute, extinguished any hopes that Bonagee had of forcing the tie to extra time.

Sean McGinley, Adam Yisau and Jack Dwyer also netted as the Leckview lads completed the clean sweep, adding the Premier Cup to the League title and the Donegal Schoolboys Champions League titles they had already won.

Rovers began well with McGinley turning home from a James B Gallagher cross in the ninth minute after Dwyer neatly spread the ball out to the right.

Rovers doubled the lead on 26 minutes as Yisau finished well when a cheeky back heel by Nathan Plumb caught the Bonagee rearguard out.

In between times, Plumb was denied by Ronan Coady, the Bonagee ‘keeper, while Leon Doherty had drawn a good save in the early moments. Centre-back Fouad Bashar did well to direct a header goal-ward, but Bonagee survived.

Bonagee did fashion one good opening in the initial exchanges, but Jonathan Pearson saved from Leon Boyce, after Blake put him through.

Ryan Creevy blasted wide as he reacted when a Blake free came back from the wall.

A 2-0 deficit felt like a mountain to climb for Bonagee, but they were back in business on the half-hour. 

Spotting Pearson off his line, Blake let fly from long range and the ball dropped perfectly to the back of the net.

Dwyer clipped narrowly over with a delicious left-footed effort as Rovers sought to regain their control.

By then, the rain was teeming in sheets on the participants, making life testing in the extreme. 

There was still plenty to keep the crowd on the edge of their seats and Coady saved superbly from Dwyer’s header, which was destined for the top corner. 

Dwyer wouldn’t be denied 13 minutes into part two as he tucked home at the far post when Rovers caught Bonagee napping.

Ten minutes from the end, Blake struck gold from distance a second time and it was game on.

Rovers had kept Akinyimika and Sean Pascual in reserve and, although Bonagee remained in touch, it was the men in white who were in the driving seat.

Akinyimika rolled wide under pressure from Sergey Alcorn and Coady thwarted Rory Pyper, but Akinyimika sealed the issue when he turned neatly and picked his spot.

Letterkenny Rovers: Jonathan Pearson, James B Gallagher, Fouad Bashar, Cian McMonagle, James L Gallagher, Leon Doherty, Jack Dwyer, Rory Pyper, Sean McGinley, Nathan Plumb, Adam Yisau. Subs: Tobi Akinyimika, Sean Pascual, Josh Patton, Nathan Bonner.

Bonagee United: Ronan Coady, Jay Maguire, Eoghan Quinn, David Boakye, Sergey Alcorn, Ryan Creevy, Adam Murphy, Lorcan Harvey, Luke Doherty, Leon Boyce, Jason Blake. Subs: Joseph Aidoo, Niall McCrossan, Josh Doherty, Harry Winfield, Conor Hughes.

Referee: Mick Lagan.

There have been calls for new safety measures on the road opposite Conwal Graveyard to protect mourners accessing the site.

The turn for the graveyard outside Letterkenny has been labelled as a dangerous junction due to the lack of signage and lanes on the busy road.

Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh called on the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District council to examine the issue and explore the possibility of widening the section of the road.

The call follows an accident where a young couple’s car was hit as they attempted to turn into the graveyard entrance.“It’s amazing someone wasn’t killed,” Cllr Kavanagh told the local council meeting.

In seconding the motion, Cllr Michael McBride added that drivers face a danger of being rear-ended when turning right into Conwal and there is a danger of motorcyclists overtaking.

Cllr Kavanagh added that he looks forward to working with local authority engineers on the matter. 

Major concerns have been raised about the current position of the Litter Warden in Letterkenny.

Cllr Ciaran Brogan brought the issue to the fore with the local authority yesterday after it emerged that the previous litter warden had moved to another role.

Cllr Brogan asked the council environment section to clarify the role of the current warden and said: 

“We have had a lot of success with Tidy Towns over the years and that didn’t happen by accident. We have had a lot of good work with residents associations around the town 

“The litter warden we had went well beyond the call of duty and we need to make sure we have the same full-time dedicated service to match what is needed. I am calling on senior management to invest in that as a matter of urgency.”