Dún-na-ngall.com - Nuacht /News, Vol.3 No.8, March/ Márta, 2002

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!

Scéal Dún-na-nGall ar an Idirlíon / County Donegal on the Net News Vol.3 No.8 March/ Márta, 2002

(This page is archived as it initially appeared online - any broken links are subsequent to publication)

Gobán from Baile na Finne, March, 2002 ©
Gildea Bows Out
Thomas Gildea, Independent TD for Donegal South West, has announced that he is not standing in the next General Election which is due to take place in May. Gildea, who stood on an environmental platform in the 1997 election, proved something of a controversial figure in the Dáil (see Newsletter Vol.3 No.6) and, while he rarely spoke therein, he achieved much for the County by bargaining his support for the Government for improvements to harbours, roads and other essential services.

Tragedy in Donegal Bay
A visit to Donegal ended in tragedy for a County Tyrone teenager who was missing for over a week before his body was found in Donegal Bay. Fifteen year old Brendan Rush disappeared after a night out at a disco in Donegal Town on February 17th. The weather during the following days was atrocious as over five hundred volunteers from Counties Tyrone and Donegal, together with the rescue services, searched the area around Donegal Town.

Church of Ireland sees the Light!
The Church of Ireland in Glencolmcille, which was built in the 1820's on an ancient Christian site, has been illuminated by newly installed floodlights. The Church lies in the valley of the Glen and the new lights promise to make the view of the Church as attractive by night as by day - let's hope they aren't sodium lights.

Surfs Up for Donegal women!
The National Surfing Championships took place at Tullan Strand, Bundoran at the beginning of March. Locals took all the womens titles with Zoe Lally of Rossnowlagh winning first place; Bundoran's Nicole Morgan taking second and Rosnowlagh's Easkey and Naomi Britton taking third and fourth places respectively.

Glenveagh Top Tourist Attraction
Glenveagh Castle and National Park have come top of the list of tourist attractions in Ireland. The award was based on 25,000 questionaires presented to tourists by CIE International Tours in 2001.

Inishowen Song Festival
The 13th International Folk Song and Ballad Seminar takes place on the weekend of the 22nd - 25th of March in Ballyliffin and Clonmany with 'Rural Folk Songs & Urban Ballads' as this year's theme. The Festival will be attended by local and internationally known singers as well as eminent speakers on the folk song tradition.
The Festival was initiated by the Inishowen Traditional Singers' Circle which was formed in 1988 to celebrate, encourage, foster and perpetuate the Folk Song and Ballad tradition of the Inishowen Peninsula. For further information on this year's Festival see Inishowen Folk Song Festival or email .

Gaeltacht University on the Way
The National University, Galway is set to open a campus in the Donegal Gaeltacht at Gweedore. Initially the University will take over the management of An Crannóg, an Irish language facility in Derrybeg, and intends to purchase an 9 acre site to build a Donegal campus.

County Art Exhibition
The County Art Collection is currently on view at the Arts Centre, Letterkenny until March 23rd. The collection, begun in 1988, is an eclectic mix of work by local artists and artists who worked in the County, the exception being a ceramic piece by Jeff Koons.

Reving it Up!
Kilcar band The Revs have been awarded the Best Newcomer section in the annual Irish Record Music Association awards. Together for just two years the band was nominated in six categories, a figure that was only topped by U2!
The Revs describe themselves as a Rock band and are delighted by their first IRMA award. United States audiences can catch The Revs on their upcoming tour including dates in Boston, LA and at Arleen's Grocery, New York on March 18th. The Revs have their own record label - Treasure Island records.

Finn Valley Ladies do it again!
Congratulatioons to the ladies of the Finn Valley Athletic Association who have once again won the National Senior Cross Country Championships, making it their nineth national title in ten years.

Fancy Running Up a Hill? Anyone?
The Irish Mountain Running Association have decided to add Donegal to their list of forthcoming races. The first takes place on a 5.6 km course on Glengesh on March 15th and this will be followed by Errigal on March 16th. Anyone interested in hill running in Donegal should email .