A Donegal woman has credited Slimming World with her dramatic transformation which has seen her lose a whopping four stone.

Shauna McKinley, 33, from Buncrana admitted she used to dread shopping for clothes and spent as little time in them as possible.

However, since her weight loss, Shauna jokingly quipped that you can’t get her out of the shops now.

Shauna explained that when she was a teenager she had weight issues that affected her confidence.

Shauna also have four children and so her weight continued to be a issue for her throughout her 20′s.

However, she signals the day she joined Slimming World in 2012, as the significant turning point in her battle to address her weight issues.

Shauna said, “I knew I had weight to lose but I wanted to do it in a healthy way. I wanted to change my whole lifestyle and not just my weight.

“I’d tried Slimming World before but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind and I didn’t fully understand it. This time around Slimming World has changed my whole outlook on food. Now I’ll pick fruit and veg over the crisps.”

Shauna lost 3st 7lbs and then discovered she was pregnant.

Shauna said: “I was delighted, but a little worried as I thought that I would have to give up Slimming World and I had come so far.

“So the first thing I did was Google if I could still do Slimming World while pregnant. I was over the moon when I realised I could.

“I followed a slightly different eating plan that ensured I was getting enough vitamins and calcium for me and my baby.

“I didn’t limit myself too much – when I wanted an occasional slice of cake or a takeaway I would have it – and I still ate healthily for most of the time.

Shauna has now fallen back in love with fashion and having reached her target weight can now look forward to shopping for a family wedding over Christmas.

“I’m really looking forward to shopping for the wedding and getting dressed up and feeling good – it will be a lot easier to find an outfit now than when I was bigger.

“You can still enjoy occasions while in Slimming World and have just as much fun, if not more.

Parts of the Whoriskey’s stunning light display.

A Donegal family have raised a staggering €26,000 wiht their wonderful Christmas lights display.

The Whoriskeys from Kerrykeel go to extraordinary lengths to light up their home during the festive season.

Inside Santa’s grotto!

And what started out as a bit of fun nine years ago has turned into an amazing fund-raising extravaganza for local charities.

Mary Whoriskey revealed that have now raised a staggering €26,000 for various charities through donations given by locals and passers-by.

People come from miles around to see the stunning light display which includes tens of thousands of bulbs and even a Santa’s grotto.

“Our chosen charities this year are the Acquired Brain Injury Ireland Support Letterkenny and also the Autism Support group at Woodlands National School.

“The lights give people so much pleasure and we’re just delighted we can help put a little back into the community,” said Mary.

Donegal Christmas spirit at its finest.

Dunfanaghy Golf Club Notes:

We have been extremely fortunate with the weather conditions in November and I don’t think the course has ever been in such great condition at this time of the year.

It is great to see so many golfers on the course throughout the week. Long may it continue. It was great to see Derek Porter in the winner’s circle again with a fine score on Sunday. Well done to Dan Curran from Letterkenny on Wednesday.

This Sunday is the monthly medal and it is the last chance for anyone outside of the top twenty to qualify for the Grand Final on Sunday 14th of December. The list of the Top Twenty is on the notice board. The next Gaeltacht match is on this Saturday in Portsalon. We wish the team the best of luck. Congratulations to Termon Ladies Football team who won the All-Ireland last weekend. What an achievement. I have no doubt they are still celebrating their victory.

The best of luck to the lady Members who have their Hamper completion on this Saturday and hopefully they have good weather. Don’t forget to spread the word regarding the next senior open competition on the 15th of December for men and ladies. The first outing was a great success and it can only get bigger.

The Winter Open 4BBB competition started on the 1st of October. This competition is great because you can play any day of the week, with whoever you want and as many times as you want until you qualify. There are four monthly winners each month who go forward to the Grand Final on the 21st of June 2014. The first three pairs qualify automatically and then the fourth pair will be the best recorded score by a 4BBB made up of club members each month. The 4BBB can be any combination and it would be great to see mixed pairs taking part as a follow on from the great competition ran by John and Cheryl Chambers this summer. All details of the competition can be seen on posters displayed in the clubhouse.

Results:

Wednesday 26th November 2014;

1st: Dan Curran 40pts

2nd: Alan Simpson 39pts bot

Gross: Donal Boyle 38pts

3rd: Thomas Mc Clintock 39pts

Category: Hugh Ferry 38pts

1st nine: Charles mc Bride 20pts bot

2nd nine: Fergal kilferder 22pts

CSS: 37pts

Saturday 29th November 2014 4BBB open

1st: David and Joe Walshe 60

Sunday 30th November Turkey and Ham Competition

1st: Derek Porter 43pts

2nd: Peadar Curran 42pts

Gross: Daniel Mc Colgan 35pts

3rd: Brendan Kelly 41pts

Category: Patrick hunter 35pts

1st nine: Patrick mc Ginley 21pts bot

2nd nine: Michael Mc Colgan Jnr 22pts

CSS: 38pts

Competitions this coming week:

The competitions are as follows:

• Wednesday 3rd December Open Singles Stableford

• Saturday 6th of December Open 4BBB Stroke Competition

• Sunday 7th December monthly Medal competition

Christmas Party on 5th of December 2014!!!!!!!!!!

You are cordially invited to a special Christmas Party to be held at the Vardon Lounge, Dunfanaghy Golf Club at 9pm on Friday the 5th December. There will be a Mulled Wine reception, Music, Refreshments, Goodies, Giveaways and a Christmas hamper to be won. Make sure tyou apps the word around and bring your friends and family along on the night.

Bring friends & come along and join us for a fun filled night. Hope to see everyone there!

Sunday 21st December “Santa” will make his appearance at around 4pm in the evening. To ensure that Santa has something for everyone please put your child’s details on a sheet posted on the notice board.

Party Venue Alert!!!!!!!!!!

We have hosted a number of private functions in the clubhouse recently and these have proved to be a great success. If you, or someone you know, is organising a private function please be aware that the clubhouse is available free of charge, with exclusive use for the occasion. So far, the feedback that we have been getting is that the golf club is the ideal venue for parties of up to one hundred people. Please make contact with Sarah if you are interested in holding a function at the clubhouse (074 91 36335)

New Members alert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone interested in joining the golf club, we have special offers in place at the moment. All details can be viewed on our website or contacting the clubhouse and speaking to Mary or Ruth. Anyone joining now will get the rest of 2014 free of charge.

A.G.M. !!!!!!!!!

The Annual General Meeting of Dunfanaghy Golf Club will be held in the Clubhouse on FRIDAY 12th DECEMBER 2014 at 7.30pm.

Juvenile notes

Carlos O Reilly came out on top in last Saturday’s competition with Cormac Hall leading the Cadets home. This Saturday is the big one when the Christmas Hamper will be played at 8.30am sharp.

The pups which were born juts hours after the dog was dumped by its owner.

A heartless dog-owner dumped a heavily pregnant dog to die at the side of a mountain.

Animals In Need (AIN) volunteers were shocked to be called out to rescue near Killybegs at the weekend.

Lassie was dumped up a mountain to give birth

A local man first noticed the dog there on Thursday last week whilst taking his own dog for a walk off the beaten track.

This Good Samaritan began to bring the dog food and rang all the farmers in the area to see if she was a lost sheepdog, but to no avail.

However, when he returned on Saturday he was astounded to find she had given birth to five pups.

Animals In Need responded to the call for help immediately and went out to find the dog and her pups, who had taken refuge in a forested area on the mountainside.

The rescue volunteers found a very friendly though disheveled and matted mother dog waiting for them, with an old rope still dangling from her neck, along with her helpless pups.

Named Lassie by her rescuers, the dog had sheltered her pups from the elements as best she could, but as this was an emergency situation, although AIN had absolutely no foster places available, the AIN volunteers had to take this vulnerable family to a safe place.

An Animals In Need spokesperson said ‘That someone could be so cruel as to leave a pregnant dog up a deserted mountain to give birth in December defies belief and the spirit of Christmas. However, Animals In Need couldn’t say there’s no room at the inn, so even though all the dog foster places were full, we had to rescue these dogs who had no chance of survival on their own and they are in fact now being looked after by one of our cat fosterers.’

Animals In Need doesn’t have a shelter or a holding place so all the animals have to be looked after by unpaid, voluntary fosterers in their own homes until a permanent home can be found for them.

The spokesperson explained ‘The situation with abandoned animals and dogs dumped in the Letterkenny Pound has gotten completely out of hand in Donegal over the past few years with almost 800 animals rescued by Animals In Need in the past year, 535 of them being dogs, mostly from the Pound but also we’re seeing cases of heartless abandonment such as this.’

The good news is Lassie and her pups are now safe, cosy and warm, having had a lucky escape from the very different fate that awaited them on that frozen mountainside and when the pups are old enough, they will all be found good homes as will their mum.

If you would like to donate towards the care Lassie and her pups will need, please text the word ‘KITTEN’ to 50300 to donate €2 or donations can be made via PayPal on Facebook or the website at http://www.animalsinneeddonegal.com

Gardai have warned business-owners to be vigilant in the run-up to Christmas after a man was brutally attacked on his way to lodge cash in his local bank in Letterkenny.

The man was set upon by a gang in a car park behind the AIB bank off Main Street.

The man was struck in the head and knocked unconscious before the gang made off with a “substantial” amount of cash.

The attack happened just after 1.30pm on what is a busy car park just off the town’s main shopping area.

Their victim was found in a pool of blood by a passer-by a short time later between his own van and a parked car.

Gardai suspect the gang had the car-park staked out and were waiting on the well-known local businessman to make a lodgement.

Inspector Pat O’Donnell confirmed that Gardai are viewing CCTV footage of the crime which happened on Friday last.

Gardai said they did not want to release details of the attack because the man was still bring treated in hospital.

Inspector O’Donnell said the crime was “nasty” and appealed to anybody who may have been in the area at the time to contact them at Letterkenny Garda station.

He also made an appeal to business-owners lodging cash to be vigilant at all times.

“This incident has shown the lengths some people will do to get their hands on cash.

“This was a vicious and nasty attack which left this completely innocent man in hospital.

“We would ask people who are lodging cash to be vigilant and to take whatever precautions are necessary to ensure their safety,” he said.

Workers at the Mevagh Boatyard who will be featured on RnaG

Listeners across Donegal have plenty of great reasons to tune in to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta over Christmas with a wide range of special programmes being broadcast. Barrscéalta will broadcast their Christmas show live from Siopa Mhicí in Gaoth Dobhair on 11 December, and Rónán Mac Aodha Bhuí will have his Rónán Beo @3 wrap party in the Gweedore Bar on 19 December at 3 pm.

Postman Padraig Mac Eamharcaigh

As is Christmas tradition, an tAthair Brian Ó Fearraigh of #priestselfie fame, presents an atmospheric programme on Christmas morning, Réalta Órga Ríogacha, at 10 am with music, hymns, and Christmas thoughts. As Scoil Gheimhridh Ghaoth Dobhair gears up for its first year, RnaG will bring us the best of the final Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy, with music from Maighréad and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill with Dáithí Sproule, Altan, Fidil, Máire Ní Bhraonáin, and more, on Christmas day at 6.30 pm. On 29 December Séamus Mac Géidigh will present a programme about Bád Chlós Mhíobhaigh, the Mevagh Boatyard, built by the Congest Districts Board and opened in 1910. We will hear from some of those who worked there about its importance for the area, and for the fishing industry in the county. On 30 December at 11 am, we will hear a special programme about Donegal and the First World War. It is estimated that up to 5,000 people from Donegal fought in the First World War, and 674 of them were killed. In this programme, historians Dr Seosamh Ó Ceallaigh and Niall Mac Fhionnghaile, will share their knowledge on the subject with us, in particular the story of Canon Mac Giolla Chearra, a chaplain in the war who was later Parish Priest in Gort an Choirce. Listeners will get a second chance to hear programmes from the series An Lá seo Romham over Christmas, presented by Dónall Mac Ruairí, where he spends a day with people working in different areas to learn about their lives. The programmes will be broadcast at 1.30 pm from 29 December to 2 January, and will include programmes with Muiris Conchubhair Beag Ó Gallchóir, a member of the fire service in Gaoth Dobhair, lorry driver Liam Mac Aoidh, an eventful night out with taxi man Charlie Mac Mac Pháidín, and a day doing the rounds with Pádraig Mac Eamharcaigh, postman for Gaoth Dobhair. Áine Ní Churráin will bring us a special programme about Coláiste Loch Súilí in Glenvar on 30 December at 2 pm. Tune in on 31 December at 11 am, when Fr. Seán Ó Gallchóir will discuss the tenure of Jim McGuinness as Donegal football manager, and what the future holds under the stewardship of Rory Gallagher. For a full list of Christmas programme highlights, see www.rte.ie/rnag

Donegal Daily have joined the social media campaign which is urging people to vote for Irish Women’s soccer star Stephanie Roache to win the coveted FIFA Puskas Award.

The prestigious award honours the best goal scored in the world that season.

Roache has made the final three, which in itself is already a wonderful achievement.

Robin Van Persie and James Rodrigeuz are the other nominees for the FIFA Puskas Award.

The fact that both those goals were scored at the World Cup on the biggest stage of all highlights the achievement of Roache even more.

Roache scored her amazing goal in a league match for Peamount United against Wexford Youths.

Her stunning goal received huge exposure when it went viral at the time with Gary Lineker, Paul McGrath, Matthew Le Tissier and Rio Ferdinand among those who marvelled at her goal.

A huge campaign was launched in the hope of seeing her shortlisted for the award.

It has worked by now supporters of Roache are calling on Irish soccer fans to keep voting for the Peamount United striker.

If she wins she’ll become the first woman to ever win the award.

Roache will travel to Zurich for the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony which takes place on January 12.

You can vote for her at the link outlined below.

http://www.fifa.com/ballon-dor/puskas-award/index.html

The Donegal County Childcare Team has revealed it has received requests from 530 families for presents for more than 1,300 children this Christmas.

Percy with Donegal County Childcare Committee last year. Pic Clive Wasson

Last weekend the DCCC revealed it was saddened at not being in a position to meet all family’s requests such was the huge volume of requests.

The team at Donegal County Childcare are delighted with the generous response to the Presents for Percy Appeal since the publication of the open letter by DCCC Manager Avril Mc Monagle on Sunday last on Donegal Daily.

Avril said since Monday morning at 9am, members of the public have been dropping by the DCCC Office to lend a hand. We have had everything from small pocket money donations from children to larger donations from businesses.

Transition year students from a secondary school in Falcarrgh are organasing a fundraiser as a school project, shop workers have set up collection boxes and local businesses have pledged donations.

Anonymous individuals have made online donations, young people will be collecting outside a nightclub in Letterkenny at the weekend and Supervalue have put a number of collection points at different branches in place.

Avril’s letter has been viewed almost 15,000 times on the DCCC Facebook page and has been shared widely.

Unlike other appeals for general toys, the Presents for Percy Appeal is unique as it aims to respond to the actual preferred Santa choices of children themselves.

DCCC and the 19 organisations operating as distributers for the appeal, actually purchase specific toys and gifts that children have requested. By taking this targeted approach, parents are prevented from getting into unnecessary debt.

Avril said – currently we have requests on behalf of 530 families with 1,300 children.

To date we have raised €18,000 but still have a shortfall of approximately €10,000. Although the appeal aims to provide a maximum allocation of €50 per child, some organisations have applied for as little as €12 per child. So every small amount makes a huge difference.

A big thank you to everyone so far for supporting the appeal and to the Donegal media for helping us spread the word. If you would like to donate money to the appeal Cheques/Postal Orders can be made payable to the Presents for Percy Appeal, and sent to Donegal County Childcare, 10-11 St Columba’s Terrace, High Road, Letterkenny. Alternatively, if you would like to make an online banking donation to the Presents for Percy Appeal, the banking details are as follows:

Bank: Bank of Ireland, Ballybofey

A/c No: 9264 8110

Sort Code: 90-47-12

IBAN: IE07 BOFI 9047 1292 6481 10

BIC: BOFI IE2D

Our sincere thanks … Avril McMonagle, Manager, Donegal County Childcare

Mickey the Post reckons snow is just around the corner!

Some swear by his predictions while others may be a bit more dubious!

But Ireland’s best-known amateur weather forecaster has said there is a “berry-good chance’ we’ll see snow this Christmas.

Glenfin postman Michael Gallagher has accurately predicted the weather for a number of years using the tell-tale signs of plants and animals.

Postman Michael Gallagher

A few years ago he cost bookmaker Paddy Power more than €70,000 in bets when he accurately predicted a white Christmas.

Now the amateur weather sleuth says he is “99.9%” sure many parts of Ireland will have plenty of the white stuff over the festive season.

And he is undeterred by the extremely mild weather we have been having lately.

He told Donegal Daily “I have been saying this since October and I am sticking by my predictions – the weather is going to turn very cold, very quickly.

“When the grass is still growing and flowers are still blooming this late, there is always a sting in the tail.

“The weather will turn for the worse very soon and I am 99.9% certain that we will have snow in many parts of the country over Christmas.

“I do no think we will have blizzards like some have been predicting but I do expect snow,” he said.

Michael said he has never seen various bushes and plants coming down with such heavy crops of berries at this time of year.

“The berries are there and now I have witnessed the birds gathering as many as they can. They know the cold snap is coming and they are stocking up,” he said.

John Haran of St. Benadettes school with Letterkenny Rotary member s at the launch of the 5k.

Tomorrow evening (Thurs) the Winter Woolie Warmer 5k road race and walk will take place. It’s the second year of the event which attracted a large field of 230 competitors last year.

This years’ event is again been run by Letterkenny rotary club with the proceeds going too St. Bernadettes School and Rotary Charities.

Registration for the event is taking place at Divers Hyundai from 7pm and the race starts at the old Dunnes Stores at 9.30 p sharp.

You can pre-register by emailing winterwooliewarmer@gmail.com. Make sure to wrap up well and come and enjoy what is an excellent night.

A Donegal judge has dismissed all speeding cases involving ‘Go Safe’ vans.

Judge Sean MacBride, who is from Moville, said the speed detection vans, operated by a private company, were “bringing the law into disrepute”.

Since it began five years ago, the outsourcing of speed detection by gardaí has been controversial.

Judge MacBride threw out all prosecutions before Monaghan District Court involving ‘Go Safe’ vans, saying “the chain of evidence was inherently flawed” and there were “defects in the serving of the summonses”.

‘Go Safe’ vans are operated by a private company, on behalf of An Garda Síochána.

Judge MacBride said they often operated just inside or outside 30km/h zones, in places where detecting offences was like fishing in a “goldfish bowl”.

This was rejected by an inspector from the Garda Fixed Penalty Office, who was adamant they were in “black spot” areas and “saving 25 lives a year on Irish roads”.

The ruling is the latest setback for ‘Go Safe’ vans, coming after the dismissal of 98 such cases in Co Clare last month.

Leitrim star Paul Brennan is seeking a transfer from Melvin Gaels to Bundoran.

Leitrim GAA star Paul Brennan has requested a transfer from his club Melvin Gaels to Bundoran.

It is believed the reason Brennan wants the transfer is because he wants to pave a path into the Donegal set-up under new manager Rory Gallagher.

Brennan has ambitions of competing at the very highest level inter-county football has to offer.

It is believed he feels that the best option of achieving that is with Ulster SFC winners and All-Ireland Finalists Donegal.

His transfer request comes hot on the heels of the decision by star forward Emlyn Mulligan to take a year out of the game.

Rory Gallagher is continuing to run the rule over a number of club players he has regularly gathered for trials.

Gallagher hopes the trials can unearth some players who are capable of performing at inter-county level having enjoyed good season with their clubs.

A Donegal performance artist has gone viral with a Youtube video of a speech about the upcoming water charges protest.

Letterkenny-based Andrew Galvin’s superb ‘On the 10th of December Ireland Will Rise’ has already been watched more than 30,000 times since it was uploaded on Saturday.

The eight-minute speech is a call to the Irish people ahead of the water protests due to take place on December 10.

Simply click on the video to play.

Management at the Letterkenny Festive Christmas Market are giving away TWO FREE ONE DIRECTION tickets.

The Letterkenny Festive Christmas Markets are running in The Courtyard Shopping Centre on Letterkenny’s Main Street, over the next two weekends.

They kick-off firstly this weekend on the 5th and 6th and then on the 12th and 13th of December.

But giving yourself the opportunity to win One Direction tickets isn’t the only reason to attend the markets.

During the markets there will be tremendous value to be had in the many shops on Letterkenny’s Main street!

There will be an array of additional food and craft stalls!

There will be classic Christmas sounds that will be resonating around Main street from the gospel choir, orchestras, school choirs, accordion band and individual musicians performing at the market.

However, in recognition of the opening of the only Ticketmaster outlet in Donegal (in Easons in the Courtyard Shopping Centre), the chairperson of the Letterkenny Town Team, Mark Bundschu, has kindly sourced the most sought after tickets since Willy Wonka opened his chocolate factory!

Tickets to the One Direction Tour of Ireland are like gold-dust and would be the ultimate Christmas gift this year.

To be in will a chance to win these tickets all you have to do is visit Easons in Courtyard shopping centre or any of the stands at the Christmas Market and fill out the entry form.

The draw takes place on Monday 22nd of December.

Its not only the big guy in the red coat who is in a giving mood this festive season.

So check your Christmas list and make sure a visit to the Heart of Letterkenny is on it.

Lee and Paddy Gildea pictured on their family farm. The Letterkenny butchers really can offer farm to fork meat because they meat they sell in the shop comes from their own farm.

If there’s one thing the Gildeas know about it’s their meat – and that’s because it is THEIR meat!

Because if there’s a secret ingredient as to why people continue to return to The Friendly Meat Shop in Letterkenny, it is because they know where the produce comes form – the Gildea’s own farm.

Pictured from left in The Friendly Meat shop are Paddy Gildea, Jerry Drumm, Cathal McFadden and Lee Gildea.

As people across Donegal continue to spread the message about shopping locally this Christmas, butcher Paddy Gildea is hoping they’ll also shop locally with their friendly butcher for truly premium quality beef.

Paddy certainly knows a thing or two about products of distinction and the meat bought in the Friendly Meat Shop he now runs with son Lee and popular butcher Cathal McFadden can’t come any more local.

“Customers are very conscious these days about where their food comes from and we often hear people talking about food that comes from farm to fork. That’s exactly what they get when they buy their meat from us.

“It’s not just a case of us saying that we know who the farmers are who raised the beef that we sell. We are the farmers and we raise our own animals so our customers really are getting a product that comes from farm to fork,” Paddy explained.

The secret to the superb quality, says Lee, comes in the hanging of the beef from animals they have slaughtered weekly at Edenmore Meats in Lifford and delivered then to their Friendly Meat Shop in Letterkenny.

“There is a continuous cycle now of our own beef coming in fresh to the shop. It is then aged perfectly before it is presented to the customers as a product of excellence.”

Lee maintained that the skills and experience his father and Cathal McFadden have amassed over the years are a source of great comfort to customers who feel reassured by the knowledge and expertise they have.

“Many of the customers know my father from his previous store, his mobile butchers and indeed know Cathal too when he worked with my father in SuperValu.”

But, he adds, even new customers are always impressed to see the butchers working on their own meat in store

“We are very much a traditional butcher shop with skilled craftsmen who can be seen boning and cutting our own beef in store. People realise then they are not being presented with something produced in a factory and they understand that, not only do we know the art of butchery, we also truly appreciate what it is to produce really good food.”

Paddy says their commitment to quality is such that they will only deal with people supplying the store who can deliver to the same high standards.

“As well as our own beef we also use our farmland at Correnagh and Manorcunningham to raise lambs while our turkeys for instance will come only from Noone’s in Clonmany because we know that they too produce a top-quality product.”

Having taken over the Friendly Meat Shop across from the old Dunne’s Stores just over three years ago, the Gildeas say they hope Donegal people are really genuine in their commitment to supporting smaller local businesses.

“We are situated in a part of the town that has a small village-type community and small businesses that share many customers. We have a corner shop, vegetable and fish stalls, a chemist, our butcher store, a newspaper office, hotel, café and insurance office etc.

There has been lots of people talking on social media and other outlets about supporting local business over the past few weeks in the run up to Christmas. I hope they really do that, in the knowledge that not only will they be supporting local jobs, but also that they’ll be guaranteed excellent produce like our very own farm to fork beef,” Paddy concluded.

Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs, Joe McHugh T.D., announced today that he has sanctioned a grant of €900,000 for the Higher Education Authority to be allocated to Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge to enable them to continue providing a range of courses through Irish in their three Gaeltacht locations, in Gaoth Dobhair, Carna and An Cheathrú Rua, in the 2014/15 academic year. 

Announcing the grant, Minister of State McHugh said this morning: “The Acadamh greatly contributes to the educational opportunities available to the Irish language and Gaeltacht communities and it has a positive influence on the social, economic, cultural and linguistic life of those communities”.

In 2004 the National University of Ireland, Galway established Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge to fulfil the University’s obligation to develop third-level education through the medium of Irish.

NUI Galway has an obligation to the Government under the provisions of section 3 of the University College Galway (Amendment) Act 2006 to develop and provide a third-level programme ‘through the medium of the Irish language’.

“Through the Language Planning and Preservation Diploma that they offer in conjunction with Údarás na Gaeltachta, people from the Gaeltacht are trained to take leadership of the future of language planning in the Gaeltacht. I am pleased to announce this grant” said the Minister of State.

Children have it tough this Christmas. Not only is Santa deciding who is naughty or nice but he also has his creepy little helper, Elf on the Shelf, keeping an eye on them.

This little fella will set you back €34.99 but that doesn’t include any therapy your little ones may need as adults after enduring this festive freak throughout their childhood.

The Elf on the Shelf isn’t some quaint tradition of Christmases past rather it’s a well executed marketing ploy which had annual revenue topping $16-million in 2011.

As one of the creators, Christa Pitts, said: “If we were going to be successful, we had to get people to embrace the brand.”

What is Elf on the Shelf?

Launched in America in 2005, the soft toy elf is packaged in a keepsake box alongside an accompanying storybook. This scout elf flies to the North Pole every night to tell Santa whether your children have been naughty or nice.

He also likes to play hide-and-seek in different places in the house and children are told not to touch the elf as he will lose his magic. Slick, very slick.

Ireland’s First Official Elf On The Shelf Adoption Centre opened in October and more than 20 Irish retailers are selling the product.

It would be less tortuous to install CCTV in your home. At least your children wouldn’t have a Chucky-esque doll staring at them during the happy holidays.

Worse than Elf are the parents who convince themselves (and us) that their children have abandoned their naughty ways because this little sprite sitting on the Mantlepiece is watching them.

No more tantrums, refused dinners, sibling squabbles or Elf will report back to Santa and you can forget about that Elsa or Spider-Man costume.

This is ‘Stepford Wife syndrome’ for children.

Let’s not forget the endless Facebook feeds about Elf’s latest shenanigans. Make It Stop!

Who makes time to move Elf around the house or make an Elf breakfast? It’s not fairy dust that does housework but a parent.

If we’ve bought into the Santa story why can’t we buy into Elf on the Shelf? Simple, Elf’s a bully and has a killer stare.

He also has a sideline of making a fortune for his creators who’ve played over-stretched parents like a fiddle.

Brenda O’Neill

Church Lane in Letterkenny in all its rugged glory.

A Letterkenny street promises to be one of the most festive in the entire North-West this Christmas.

Letterkenny’s Cathedral Quarter is inviting all schools in Letterkenny and further afield to help create a Christmas Garden on the Church Lane.

The theme of the initiative is ‘A White Winter Christmas Garden’ and students are invited to participate in a number of ways. Schools can create a Christmas window box, which will be placed in a dedicated space on the Church Lane throughout the festive period. Alternatively, students can create outdoor decorations inspired by the ‘White Winter Christmas Garden’ theme.

Entries will be unveiled on Friday, 19th December and the garden display will remain in The Cathedral Quarter during the festive period. Schools wishing to submit entries can make contact via the Cathedral Quarter Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheChurchLane.

The closing date for entries is Tuesday 16th December, 2014 and there will be prizes for the winning entry. There will also be an ecumenical carol service on The Church Lane on Friday, 19th December at 7.30pm

The Cathedral Quarter originally began as the Save the Church Lane campaign. Since its formation earlier this year, the project has gathered significant momentum in its efforts to regenerate the historical Church Lane.

The long term goal is to create a hidden treasure in the heart of Letterkenny for locals and tourists to enjoy.

Letterkenny man Donnan Harvey is spearheading the Cathedral Quarter project and he said they are delighted that this year marks the first time in living memory that Christmas lights have been erected at the foot of The Church Lane.

“We’re also looking forward to our ecumenical carol service and to seeing the Christmas Garden come to life. We believe there is huge potential in Letterkenny to create a tourist hub in the town, similar to Shop Street in Galway. For us, this is just the beginning, and we’ve seen elsewhere how small steps like these can make a big difference.

“Ultimately, we want to see the buildings on the street restored to their former glory and explore the possibility of cobblestoning the street and pedestrianizing the Lane at certain periods. This would greatly enhance our tourism offering, create jobs and open up all sorts of opportunities for local businesses”.

A taxi-driver is facing a bleak Christmas after heartless thieves stole a set of seats from his specially-adapted taxi-van.

Dickie McGranaghan had left the specially-made seats outside his Letterkenny home when he went to collect two wheelchair-bound pensioners.

But when he returned to refit the seats back into his taxi, they were gone.

The theft of the seats, which were specially made at a cost of almost €1,000, now means Dickie won’t be able to collect passengers in his car.

Dickie, from Ballymacool Terrace, explained “I take the seats out to allow me to collect wheelchair-bound passengers.

“They were specially made and fit onto rollers in my taxi. They cost me more than £750and had to be made in Northern Ireland.

“Christmas is the busiest time of year but now I can’t collect bigger parties in the eight seater because I don’t have these seats,” explained Dickie.

Dickie says whoever stole the seats on Tuesday night last knew exactly what they were doing.

“It would have taken two people to lift them and they initially moved them a couple of hundred yards before someone must have collected them in a van,” he revealed.

But the fed-up taxi-driver said the expensive seats are useless to anybody else.

“It’s sad because nobody will be able to use them as they have been especially made to fit my taxi.

“I’m not sure if they were just taken by someone passing in a van or if they planned it. But the problem is that they are useless for anybody else because they only fit my taxi.

“The sad thing is that they have probably just dumped them in a field where they’ll rot away,” he said.

The theft has been reported to Letterkenny Gardai who are investigating the matter.

Jim McGuinness will give a presentation at the GAA Games Development Conference at Croke Park early next year.

Former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness will be one of a number of high profile names in Irish sport who will provide a presentation at a GAA Games Development Conference.

The list of speakers was announced at the official launch of the GAA Games Development Conference yesterday by GAA president Liam O’Neil.

McGuiness is one of the most high profile sportsmen in Ireland following the remarkable job he done with Donegal since taking the job in 2010.

The amazing transformation of the Donegal team under his stewardship prompted Celtic FC to employ McGuinness as a sports performance psychologist with the club’s academy.

McGuinness is now working closely with Celtic’s first-team after gaining a promotion from the academy under new manager Ronnie Delia.

However, due to work commitments McGuinness will have to give the presentation via a video link.

Other notable speakers at the GAA conference are former Olympic medallist Sonia O’Sullivan, former Dublin hurling manager Anthony Daly and Kilkenny hurling star Richie Hogan.

The conference takes place on the 9th and 10th of January 2015.