The father of a 14 year old soccer player who was racially abused at a match in Donegal says he does not want fans who taunted his son banned.

Thierry’s older brother Noe who plays for the Ireland Under 19 team.

Castlebar Celtic player Thierry Baba, a brother of Ireland Under 19 captain Noe Baba, was allegedly called a “black bastard” and suffered monkey chants when he played at Swilly Park in Ramelton last Saturday.

His side faced Swilly Rovers Under 15 in a National Cup game.

Thierry was left fuming after a small section of the crowd at the game racially taunted him.

But in an amazing act of forgiveness, his father Pierre said the fans shouldn’t be banned but educated about racism.

Swilly Rovers have yet to comment on the incident which is being fully investigated by the Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland

Pierre told the Irish Daily Star

“This should be stamped out but banning people is not the answer. These people are ignorant so education is the only way of dealing with it.

“I do feel sorry for people who are so ignorant that they could do this to a child.

“I played football myself ad I know that things can be said between players during the game but I can’t understand abusing a child,” he said.

A full report on what happened during the game is expected to be given to the SFAI by match referee Joe McHugh.

The well-known and respected referee did momentarily stop the match and warned the section of fans to stop or he would abandon the game.

Pierre added that members of Castlebar FC have since called to his home to offer their support over the incident.

Gardai have issued a warning to the public across Donegal regarding the advertising and sale of fake iPhone 5’s to unsuspecting customers.

Sgt Paul Wallace

These phones look like the original Apple i Phone 5 come boxed with instruction manual charger, earphones etc but are fakes.

However, these phones will not power up, accept a sim card are useless with no comeback for the purchaser.

Local Garda Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Paul Wallace has advised the public not to be duped by advertisements by unscrupulous persons who use authentic sales platforms to advertise these phones.

Commenting Sgt Wallace said ‘ We have had a number reports again in recent days of people being caught again by this scam. Sales usually take place in car parks (without cctv) or close to the border so that a quick getaway is possible.

“The seller will allow the purchaser to examine a genuine phone and then goes to get the box and accessories. The boxed phone is handed over for payment usually about €470 and the seller makes a quick exit. When the purchaser opens the box, they find a useless piece of plastic which resembles an Apple i phone 5’.

“The public are advised to purchase such items from proper outlets where you have comeback and will be sold a gunine product supporting businesses in your community.

“It is important for the public to be aware that ‘ buyer beware’ as if you are purchase one of these phones which are useless there is usually no comeback or if a proper phone may in fact be stolen remember you have no title to it and you are in possession of stolen property.

“Remember if it sounds too good to be true it normally is ! by purchasing you are feeding into crime in your county and in your community’- Sgt Wallace concluded.

It is important to report to Gardai if you have become a victim of this type of crime.

Robert Kee & Sons have much needed funds for charity after hosting and organizing their inaugural Operation Transformation!!   

The group had between 35 – 45 people turning up regularly to the group meetings over an eight week period and together they lost a staggering 244 lbs!

It was decided that at the weekly weigh-in that transformers would donate €2 each per week.

It was also decided by organisers to donate the money raised towards The Good & New Cancer Bus Service, that takes Donegal Cancer Patients to Galway for their treatment.

The group have €500 raised so far, and plan to raise more at their 5k Family Fun walk/run, which will take place this Sunday.

Entry is €2 (or donation of your choice).

Organisers would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to come along and show support, the Walk/Run leaves the Eurospar at 3pm.

Afterwards the presentation of the cheque will be made to Mr Eammon Mc Devitt.

Gardai are hunting a gang who wrecked a house and stole two shotguns and a hunting knife from a house on the outskirts of Newtowncunningham.

The raiders broke into the empty house at Rooskey yesterday afternoon and pulled a gun cabinet off the wall.

The owner of the house, whose son in a keen hunter, arrived back in the afternoon to find the house ransacked.

A substantial amount of money was also taken which was being saved by a young man in the house for a function.

A farmer in the area who was spreading slurry noticed a man in a hoodie acting suspiciously in the area at the time.

Gardai are now looking for the movements of a blue or green car with possibly a Northern Ireland registration in the area at the time.

GAA Director General Paraic Duffy has held clear-the-air talks with Donegal Chairman Sean Dunnion and Secretary Aodh Mairtin Ó Fearraigh.   

Padraic Duffy has held clear-the-air talks with Donegal chairman Sean Dunnion over the Patrick McBrearty biting incident.

Duffy launched a scathing attack in his annual report on the handling of the investigation into the Patrick McBrearty ‘biting incident’.

At the time of his annual report he accused both Donegal and Dublin of discrediting the GAA.

Duffy was angry that nobody was held accountable over the incident and that McBrearty refused to attend the hearing into the incident.

In today’s Irish Daily Star, Dunnion said, “He (Duffy) didn’t mean to cause offence to the officers or to Patrick McBrearty in relation to this incident.

“We insisted that we did all we could on the biting incident and that we had to stand by the player and respect his decision not to attend the hearing.

“He accepted our argument and admitted that we had done all we could.

Exclusive: A young Donegal man who was kicked out of a taxi for speaking Irish says he has still not received an apology from the driver.

Anthony Blair has still not received an apology.

Glasgow cab-driver Alan McKinnion was suspended from driving for one month and ordered to go on a customer courtesy course as a result of the incident.

But student teacher Anthony Blair, 20, from Gaoth Dobhair says he has still not received any contact from the driver or the cab company Hampden Cabs.

Anthony said “I am glad he has been sent on a course to learn how to treat customers with respect but he has still not bothered to apologise to me.

“We haven’t even heard from the taxi company so it means nothing to me,” said Anthony, who is studying at St Patrick’s College.

Anthony his brother Joseph and two friends were in the cab at 1am after a night out when he began speaking Irish to his brother which is their first language.

The brothers had travelled to Scotland to visit their grandmother Mary O’Donnell.

However while on their night out driver Alan McKinnion told them to “stop speaking in that language” and that they should speak English when they were in Britain.

The passengers objected and the driver said that if they didn’t like it then they could get out of the taxi which they did.

Driver Alan McKinnion was banned from the road for a month after Glasgow City Council declared he had breached some conditions of is license.

He was accused of offloading four passengers at the side of the road after they confronted him when he demanded they stop speaking Irish in his cab on December 19th last.

A representative for Mr McKinnion said he had been driving for 19 years and said the incident was an “aberration.”

Donegal man Anthony Blair said he was glad the case went ahead and that he hoped lessons had been learned.

“It was a serious incident and you can call it racist. The Commonwealth Games are coming up in Scotland late this year and there will be people of all nationalities using taxis in Glasgow.

“Does this mean that people can only speak English when they are using taxis or public transport. Hopefully the case has highlighted what is obviously still a problem for some people but will teach them that it is not acceptable in 2014,” he said.

Letterkenny Rovers got their season off to a good start when they defeated a youthful  Finn Harps Reserve side 4-1 in the Knockalla Caravans Cup. 

John Doherty makes a strong challenge on Finn Harps player Paul McVeigh.

Rovers didn’t have it all their own way, Harps battled gamely throughout against a much physically stronger and more experienced side.

Oisin McMenamin broke the deadlock for Trevor Scanlon’s side just two minutes before half-time.

Harps responded however when first team player Paul McVeigh equalized on 53 minutes.

Letterkenny began to get a stronger foothold in the game and three goals in a seven minute flurry put this game to bed.

Darren McElwaine chases down Harps defender Dylan Quinn.

Kieran McGrath netted on 67 minutes before further goals from Oisin McMenamin and Matt Harkin who played for Finn Harps last season condemned the young Harps side to defeat.

Sam Hegarty was missing a number of key players from his side but he’ll be encouraged by how his side applied themselves against an excellent Letterkenny Rovers side.

Donegal decided to re-create their own version of ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams and it has become a YouTube sensation.

The fantastic video was only uploaded on the 4th of March to YouTube but already it amassed over 47,000 views!!

Organizers got the entire Donegal County involved!!

Hundreds of Donegal people, Irish dancers, Youth Clubs, ZUMBA dancers, Pantomine Characters, along with many local businesses and much much more!!

Donegal TV and Wallace Media want to throw out a warm and kind thank you to everyone who took part in Donegal is Happy.

The Supreme Court has made a landmark ruling relating to the admissibility of evidence obtained from a Donegal suspect before receiving legal advice.

The appeal was brought by Raymond Gormley – with a previous address at Quiet Moment Apartments in Letterkenny – who was convicted of attempted rape in 2007 and has served a six year sentence.

In 2009, he sought leave to appeal his conviction, partly on the basis that evidence was admitted of his interviews in custody in alleged breach of his Constitutional right of access to a lawyer.

The Court of Criminal Appeal was satisfied that gardai had made reasonable attempts to contact Mr. Gormley’s solicitor while he was in custody.

The matter was complicated by the fact he was arrested on a Sunday.

The case was sent for review to the Supreme Court on the basis that it raised legal questions of exceptional public importance.

Today four Supreme Court judges agreed with the decision of their colleague Mr. Justice Frank Clarke – that as a consequence of Raymond Gormley’s clear request for a lawyer, gardai should have postponed questioning him until his solicitor arrived.

The judgment is in line with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

Mr. Justice Clarke notes ‘there are further questions which will have to await other cases with different factual scenarios concerning the precise parameters of that right’.

A young man said he is terrified that his stolen guns will be used to terrorise and rob more pensioners in Co Donegal.

Mark Dowds with the camouflaged rifle which was one of two guns taken in the raid on his family’s home. (NW Newspix)

Hunting enthusiast Mark Dowds has been left devastated after thieves broke into his family home and stole two shotguns, a hunting knife and cartridges.

The 22 year old lives in Newtowncunningham, an area devastated by dozens of raids on the homes of pensioners in recent weeks.

The gang broke into Mark’s family home in Rooskey and used a shovel and crowbar to smash open a locked gun-chest containing his guns.

Devastated Mark told Donegal Daily “I am sickened to think that these guns could be cut down and used to terrorise old people and rob them.

“I know there’s every likelihood that this could happen and it makes me sick. Old people have suffered around here enough.

“They are terrified at night and now these scumbags have two more guns and a very sharp hunting knife they can use in their cowardly raids.”

The robbery is even more devastating for Mark as one of the guns, a Lamper Over and Under shotgun, was given to him by his father Ivor when he started to shoot.

“I simply can’t replace that gun. It has huge sentimental value. But the cowards who broke into our family home don’t care about that,” said the Moyle Gun Club member.

The gang also stole a significant sum of money which Mark had saved to celebrate his 23rd birthday this weekend with friends.

Gardai are hunting the gang behind the raid which happened between 1 and 2pm on Wednesday afternoon.

A local farmer spotted a green or blue car with a Northern Ireland registration acting suspiciously in the area at the time.

As well as nightly patrols in the area, local residents have set up text alert schemes and provided alarms and sensor lights for the elderly at cost price.

A recent meeting to discuss the burglary crisis in the was attended by more than 1,500 people and a €10,000 bounty was offered to catch the gang.

Mark said he has no qualms in saying what he would have done had he have walked in on the burglars ransacking his family home.

“They may have walked in but they wouldn’t have been walking out. It’s as simple as that.

“The aw is on the side of these people and the Gardai simply don’t have the resources to catch them.

“It’s going to take a serious incident and I mean one of these people getting badly hurt during a burglary to send the message out.

“People are sick of being preyed upon. I will never forget what these people did to my home but if they do it again I will be ready,” he said.

Grace Boyle is going back to her roots to officially launch her election campaign.

The former Donegal GAA County Board official and community activist will stake her claim to a county council seat when she launches her campaign in the Ramelton Town Hall on Saturday at 8.30pm.

The well-known keep-fit fan has been heavily involved in local issues down through the years and continues to give freely of her time to numerous charity events including the North West 10K.

Grace is running on the Fine Gael ticket and is one of a growing number of female candidates putting their voices forward to be heard.

Grace said “There are exciting times ahead. I am surrounded by a great team and we are working hard on our plans and strategies for the coming months,” she said.

Everyone is invited to tomorrow night’s launch.

GARDAÍ are searching for the occupants of a car which was disrupted during what officers believe was a crime gang’s bid to carry out house raids.

It follows an incident in which a man was arrested in Letterkenny on Wednesday. Martin Stokes, from Derry, appeared in court in Sligo yesterday on 36 separate driving offence charges.

He will appear in court again in Letterkenny next Monday.

Gardaí are now searching for a second car which was spotted in and around Ardara on Wednesday afternoon with a number of males inside.

Officers believe the men – who fled the town at high speed – may have driven across the Border.

They are liaising with colleagues in the PSNI to identify the gang members.

Gardaí believe good police work prevented a series of planned break-ins in and around the Ardara and Glenties areas.

Officers have set up a special team in Letterkenny to coordinate a high level investigation into a series of robberies in the county in recent weeks.

It’s understood detectives are looking at suspects from both Donegal and Derry in several different investigations.

Some of those suspects may now be armed after stealing weapons belonging to a burglary victim in Rooskey earlier this week.

So far no-one has been arrested in the hunt for the gang behind robberies at the homes of six elderly people in the east of the county in late January and early February.

Noel Keating’s amazing Timelapse film certainly captured the spirit of the Northern Lights in al their glory last Thursday.

Noel managed to snap the Moon and Sun from Rossnowlagh and the Aurora from Murvagh Beach and also Mountcharles.

The results, we’ll sure you’ll all agree, are quite stunning.

Simply click to play.

ISS Facility Services, a leading global facility services provider are looking to recruit a Service Controller/Administrative Support in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

Successful candidates will be based in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

Successful candidates will be Reporting to General Manager of Route Based Services or as otherwise directed.

The position is full-time and the working hours are from 9am until 5pm.

The Role:

This role provides administrative support to our Pest Control Division, the clients of which cover a broad spectrum of market sectors including healthcare, transport, pharmaceutical, educational and retail.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Administration

To organize workload schedule for Pest Technicians and ensure service reports and related documents are completed and filed correctly.

To provide administration assistance to the office as required.

Operations Point of Contact

To be the point of contact for Clients, Technicians & Management for the Pest control Division providing support which may include; orders, client cost breakdown, client report request, etc.

To successfully manage complaints/client issues when received and co-ordinate with Technicians & management to ensure successful resolution

To liaise with other departments, offices and divisions within ISS.

Industrial Scheduling

Liaise with Service Supervisor and Service Manager in relation to work scheduling for the Pest Division

Complete weekly service management from Technician call details

Liaise with relevant ISS managers where the Pest Control team has been scheduled to attend their site.

Person Characteristics:

Experience within a busy operations department ideally in the Service industry

Proactive planner who is highly organized with strong attention to detail

Excellent communication skills, including fluent English (both verbal and written)

Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills with a professional telephone manner

High level of accuracy, knowledge & use of punctuation and experience in the drafting of professional correspondence

Excellent PC skills required; proficient ability to use MS Word and Excel crucial

Database experience would be advantageous

Must be able to work independently and be able to excel under pressure

Ability to work on own initiative in a fast paced and changing environment

Ability to deal with confidential material and staff issues professionally

High degree of reliability

Legal entitlement to work the specified times in ROI for the duration of the contract

ISS Facility Services are an equal opportunities employer.

If you are interested in this position please forward a cover letter and your CV to Kate Connellan, HR Generalist, ISS Facility Services, Citywest Business Campus, 3007 Lake Drive, Dublin 24 or by e-mail to kate.connellan@ie.issworld.com

The closing date for applications is the 14th of March. 

MORE THAN 450 children dressed up as characters from their favourite books for International World Book Day at Lurgybrack National School.

Even some of the teachers got involved……

The fifth installment of the annual boxing series between Letterkenny Rugby Club and St.Eunans GAA Club is hotting up. 

The eagerly anticipated Lord of the Ring 5 ‘The Rematch’ is taking place on Friday March the 14th and Donegal Daily will be regularly profiling the boxers on show.

Today we look at the profiles of four other competitors that will take part on the big night.

Name: Dan “Baby Gap” Gallagher

Occupation: Student/Security Guard

Boxing Style: Dynamo  

This is one laid back guy but going hard in training and showing every bit of the competitive streak he uses to Letterkenny Rugby clubs advantage on the field.

A busy DJ and a dedicated United fan (for his sins) he also finds time to attend the gym, swim and attend to his busy social life.

Says he is enjoying training to a whole different level of fitness, something his sporting hero’s Brian O’Driscoll and Peter Stringer will know all about.

Determined not to lose and with ambitions of owning his own gym he will surely want to start by “owning” his opponent on the night.

Name: David “Ledley” King

Occupation: Help Desk Analyst/Engineer

Boxing Style: Lightening McQueen   

There is a recurring theme with this one. Reason for taking part: To fight Peter Devine; Pet Hates: Peter Devine (his best friend!!)

Representing the Rugby Club David is making a real impression during sparring at the club.

Quick on his feet and not lacking aggression (especially when it comes to P Devine) – a fierce competitor.

A big fan of John O’Shea the Donegal Hurler, King has achieved sporting glory in his own right with an U-16 Donegal Championship Medal with St.Eunans.

A self-declared Liverpool fanatic, he has his family’s full backing for this his first charity adventure.

Name: Edel “Balboa” Bonner

Occupation: Leisure Centre Manager

Boxing Style: Terrior   

Participating “as she couldn’t say no to Anne Robinson”, better known for her sporting encouragement of others through her work in Letterkenny’s Radisson Blu Hotel.

Edel is hoping to add success in the ring to her other sporting charity achievements – an accomplished marathon runner (for Crumlin Children’s Hospital).

No shrinking violet she toughened her way through Hell and Back Twice as well as various Duathlon.

A Man United fan (?) if only to keep the peace with newly-wed husband Enda.

Taking training in her stride and approaching this new experience in the right spirit, it’s a foul who mistakes her cheerful exterior as anything but a disguise for her battle hardened competitive streak.

Won’t be found wanting on the night.

Name: Marissa “Mysty The Mystifier” Carre

Occupation: Senior Team Lead – Pramerica

Boxing Style: Tornado  

Claim to fame: Helping Man United’s Lee Sharpe set up his first business venture. Fanad and Pramerica’s finest boxer (to be confirmed!).

She once taught English to Children in Brazil, and as a child she dreamed of being the first Premier League manager.

Family don’t know she is doing it (until they read this), her biggest fear on the night is coming up against the wonder punch that left Karol Harvey on his behind on last year’s event.

Despises wafflers, people with no cop on and Jeremy Kyle, Mysty is already proving in training that she is “no fake”.

With devilment oozing out of her she will be trying hard to give her opponent the slip.

The Lower Main Street in Letterkenny has been closed off because of fears over an unsafe building.

The derelict building, close to the old Kelly’s building, has partially collapsed.

There are fears that other sheds and a house beside the collapsed building may also be in danger of coming down.

He area has been closed off to traffic while an assessment is carried out.

A building inspection team is due on the site later.

Traffic is being redirected from the area.

Fighter! Geraldine

COUNTY football star Geraldine McLaughlin is among a group of club players taking to the ring tomorrow night – for a fight night!

Geraldine, of course, is an equally talented soccer player.

But she’s looking forward to her one-on-one duel with Termon’s Laura Gallagher at the Lagoon on Saturday night.

Fights on the night are as follows:

Paddy McDaid -V- Brian Trearty

Maureen O’Donnell -V- Roisin Friel

Laura Gallagher -V- Geraldine McLaughlin

Therese McCafferty -V- Grainne McDaid

Daryl Orr -V- Frankie McElwee

Paddy O’Connor -V- Connell McGrenra

Chuck McDaid -V- Damian Cairns

Fiontann O’Flynn -V- Sean Gallagher

“It’s going to be a great night’s boxing and entertainment guaranteed,” said Geraldine.

Tickets are on sale from any of the boxers or in The Lagoon – €20 for adults, €10 for children.

Doors open at 7pm – first fight is at 7.30pm.

DONEGAL athlete Mark English goes for glory at the Ergo Arena in the IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships in Sopot, Poland, today.

Drawn in the third of the three heats in the 800m (set for 12.44 Irish time), the 19-year-0ld Letterkenny man knows he has a tough race ahead.

Only the winner of each of the three heats, along with the next three fastest losers, will qualify for Sunday’s six-man final.

Ireland athletics manager Patsy McGonagle said: “The race is live on the BBC and EuroSport. I would urge schools to allow children to watch the race if they can.

“We need to inspire a new generation of young people in Donegal and Mark – like boxer Jason Quigley – is another one of our finest role models.

“I certainly won’t be missing it.”

The Lower Main Street in Letterkenny has reopened to traffic and pedestrians following the collapse of a building earlier this morning.

The collapsed building at Lower Main Street.

Part of Charles Kelly Ltd came tumbling down overnight.

Nobody was hurt during the incident.

The Lower Main Street was closed of for a time this morning but has since reopened.

The area around the building has been closed off and people are asked not to go near the damaged property.

Part of the old Charles Kelly building is completely destroyed.

Gardai have been in contact with the owners and a full investigation into the incident has been launched.

There had been previous concern over unsafe buildings on Main Street as a number of them are very old and decaying.