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Donegal Clear of Foot & Mouth Disease There were nervous moments for the Donegal farming community when Foot & Mouth disease was found in Counties Armagh and Louth in February and March. Strict disease control measures were introduced and the National Park at Glenveigh was closed to the public to protect the Park's wild deer population. Foot and Mouth disease poses no threat to humans but it would be devastating to the local economy if the sheep population in Donegal were infected. The Government is expected to lift all restrictions on May 1st and people involved in the County's tourism industry are hoping that US media scare reports will not damage tourism this summer. Enya does it again! Enya's new CD A Day Without Rain has exceeded 5 million sales while the Donegal songestress was recently voted International Recording Artist of the Year in Japan where the album has already reached sales of 1 million.  Enya has sold 50 million albums since 1988 Rory Gallagher's Irish Tour 1974 is now available on DVD. New Art Gallery in Ramelton A new exhibition space is now open on the Mall, Ramelton. The Ferguson Gallery includes works by Markey Robinson, Louis Le Broquy, Felim Egan; Séan McSweeney and Tony O'Malley. The Gallery is open Tuesday to Friday 11.00am-6.00pm. Tel (+353) 074 51363. TravArt Exhibition in Letterkenny The Donegal Travellers Art project, TravArt, has opened a second exhibition in the County Museum including ceramics by Mary McGinley, Kathleen McGorey, Charlie and Mick Boyle. The exhibition will travel to the City Arts Centre, Dublin in May before touring Cavan, Tallaght, Mayo and Belfast throughout 2001. Works are available for purchase and great interest has already been shown in this innovative art project. 13% Unemployed in Donegal Donegal's unemployment rate is the highest in the Irish Republic with 13% of the adult population (10,000 people) signing on the register. Claimants receive IEP84 per week which is IEP18 less than half the average disposable income for the country. Letterkenny has 2,538 people on the register, Buncrana 1,984, Ballybofey 1,141 and Dungloe 1,404. On April 9th the Government announced the creation of 213 new jobs in Letterkenny and Moville in the software and textile industries respectively. Politician criticises Police Technology Cecilia Keaveney, Fianna Fáil Deputy for Inishowen, has criticised the lack of resources in the County's Gardaí Stations. According to the Deputy only 15 of the county's 45 police stations have fax machines, only 26 have a photocopier while only an astounding 6 have a computer and printer. This means that a lot of administrative time is taken up delivering documents by squad car between stations rather than emailing them! Deputy Keaveney's party colleague, Mary Coughlan, Deputy for South West Donegal has been appointed Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht while fellow Donegal TD, Fine Gael Deputy Dinny McGinley has been appointed opposition spokesperson for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Looks like Donegal is the tops! Refugee fears for his life A Moldovan refugee who has been living in Donegal Town for nine months fears for his life if he is deported to his native Moldova at the end of April. Thirty-four year old Valentin Turcanu is being supported in his legal battle against deportation by a local asylum seekers support group. A spokesperson for the Group, County Councillor Tony Pringle, is concerned at the lack of facilities for refugees who receive their meals and accommodation free but only IEP15 per week pocket money while a government ban on their working prohibits them from increasing their income. The Vikings are Back! An Norwegian oil exploration company have resumed work on the 'Errigal' rig 100 miles north west of the Donegal coast. Bad weather prohibits work on the rig from October to April but throughout the coming months over 100 Norwegians will be based on the rig where indicators of finding oil are said to be good. The return of the Scandanavians has meant increased business for Donegal airport which is used for helicopter transports to the rig. Brian Kennedy and Daniel O'Donnell play Mary of Dungloe Belfast singer Brian Kennedy will headline the Mary of Dungloe Festival at a gig in the Dome, Dungloe on August 5th next. This is his first appearance at the world famous Festival which also includes 3 concerts by Donegal's own Daniel O'Donnell from July 30th. For further info call (+353) 075 21254. St. Eunans club ballad group win the Ulster final of Scor The St. Eunans ballad group won the Ulster Final of Scor in Monaghan on the 8th of April. They will take part in the all Ireland finals of Scor Sinsear in Killarney, Co. Kerry on Saturday 21st April. The group are Kathleen Forde, Micheal O'Giobuin, Terese McMonagle, Wesley Moore and Anne Nicholls. Donegal in the World Cup No less than 3 of the football players in the Ireland soccer team have Donegal connections - Following in Packie Bonner's steps as goalie Shay Given from Lifford earned his 28th cap in the Republic's team while Cardonagh man Gary Doherty earned his first I |