Ocean FM News Reports

North Sligo farmer Brendan Canning has been named as the Irish Charolais Cattle Society’s Hall of Fame recipient for 2025. Brendan began breeding in 1987 with the purchase of his first pedigree Charolais from the Skidoo Herd. Since 2009, the Sagesse Herd has consistently dominated Irish Charolais breeding. Brendan has won two gold medals at the Tullamore Show (in 2017 and 2023) while in 2019, he p...

Emergency legislation must be introduced to fast-track the planning and delivery of housing and critical infrastructure in Sligo. That's according to a local Cllr, who highlighted the community frustration over a lack of housing and services in the region. It's hoped this would limit delays without removing essential parts of the process such as community input and environmental protections. Indep...

The vast majority of children under the age of four in Roscommon's second largest town can't access childcare. A meeting of the Boyle Community Childcare Committee heard that 77 percent of children in the area can't get places. The group is highlighting the lack of spaces for children in the town - with just one provider. Chair of the committee is Christina Egan Marnell - she believes the issue is...

A Sligo-Leitrim TD has jokingly suggested to the Tanaiste that politicians should spend less time on their phones. This follows a discussion in the Dail, where Deputy Frank Feighan highlighted the importance children spending time away from their phones and social media. Deputy Feighan used the opportunity to call for €9 million to be ringfenced for the proposed phone pouches that were to be intro...

Questions are being asked over the increasing level of illegal parking in north Leitrim. Images have been circulating on social media in recent days over alleged misdemeanours in Drumkeeran over the weekend. It's felt that this in turn results in wheelchair users and other users, such as buggies being forced to get off the path and out on the road. Just two fines were handed out for illegal parkin...

The lack of parking in Sligo is said to be 'haemorrhaging' the town. It's claimed that the long running issue is worsening further, with fears growing that it's severely impacting on local businesses. There are renewed calls to explore the ideal of establishing new car parking facilities and enhancing new ones. Local Fine Gael Cllr Thomas Walsh this infrastructure must be improved to meet the futu...

The Ballymote Playground has reopened today following being closed for a number of years. The development of the playground has been a priority for Ballymote Community Council since it’s establishment in 2022. This has been made possible through community efforts which fundraised over €50,000 along with state grants. During the summer months, the playground will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. More...

Almost €500,000 has been allocated to the North West as part of the Local Enhancement Programme 2025. Included in this funding is 236 in Donegal, 162 in Sligo, and over 100 in Leitrim. The small grants aim to benefit community groups across the country with a focus on the future of rural groups. Donegal Minister Charlie McConalogue says this funding is in recognition of all the good work being don...

A 'pivotal' briefing report over North West infrastructure proposals has been presented to Oireachtas members in Dublin.   The report outlines 33 transformative infrastructure projects for the Northern and Western Region-projects of scale that are vital for balanced regional growth.   The North West Regional Assembly has been continuously calling on the Government for these to be priorit...

The Tánaiste has challenged a local TD to go back to Donegal parents and schools and ask them do they feel the Government is providing enough support as it relates to phone use in schools. It comes as phones are banned from being used in primary schools from today. All schools are required to implement the policy, while secondary schools will have to restrict their usage. That can be done in a num...

A Leitrim Councillor has backed the moves by the Tánaiste which urged the EU's trade commissioner to exempt sectors key to the Irish economy, such as the production of whiskey from any tariffs the EU could impose on a range of US products should the current trade negotiations fail.     The comments from Councillor Enda McGloin come as Simon Harris sets out the Government’s position with...

A Leitrim Councillor and member of the Regional Health Forum West says the fact less people are able to afford private health insurance will increase the pressure on already over-stretched Hospitals.     The number of people buying health insurance has dropped significantly, according to the Health Insurance Authority.     Its latest market bulletin found the number of new poli...

There's a call for a halt to what's been described as a political row over the surgical hub plans for the North West.   A surgical hub for Sligo was mentioned in the HSE Capital Plan a year ago with Sligo put forward as the proposed location as part of a HSE business case.   Meanwhile, Donegal GPS and consultants are due to meet with the Health Minister next week and they will be providi...

There shouldn't be a surgical hub competition between Sligo and Letterkenny. That's according to Donegal Sinn Fein TD Padraig MacLochlainn who feels that a unique case needs to be made for this region. It comes as the Health Minister is due to meet with Donegal GPS and consultants next week as the North West surgical hub debacle continues. A key meeting between Minister Jennifer Carrol MacNeill an...

A swan has been severely injured by a fishing hook in Doorly Park in Sligo. The alarm was raised by several members of the public yesterday morning who noticed that the swan had a fishing hook lodged in under her wing and was bleeding profusely Wildlife West Rescue attended the scene and it took two men to hold the swan steady so that the hook could be removed. The swan was treated for her injurie...

€300,000 in graveyard maintenance is to be allocated across twenty cemeteries in Sligo this year. A priority list of graveyards had been drawn up following a review process of all burial grounds earlier in 2025, and those selected will now receive funding for works. There will be varying levels of developments carried out at each site, depending on requirements. Ballymote-Tubbercurry Fianna Fail C...

Tanaiste Simon Harris has said that renters across the North West will benefit from the latest measures introduced by the government. This follows comments from Donegal TD Pearse Doherty that renters have been “thrown to the wolves”. In a major change to how renting works in the country - every single tenancy will be in a Rent Pressure Zone, which means yearly rent increases will be capped at 2 pe...

The Leitrim PPN, the Women’s Collective Ireland, See Her Elected are holding a half day event in Carrick on Shannon entitled Connecting Women to Local Decision Making in Leitrim. The event will take place tomorrow and will run from 10am until 12:30 in the Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus. The keynote speaker at the event is Senator Nikki Bradley, from Donegal. Senator Bradley ran for G...

The Taoiseach has acknowledged the trauma that the family of Denis Donaldson continue to go through. Denis Donaldson was shot dead at a remote cottage in Glenties almost 20 years ago, after the ex-Sinn Fein official was exposed as an MI5 informer. In recent weeks, the Donaldson family have renewed calls for a public inquiry into his killing as an inquest has now been adjourned 27 times over a 19 y...

A Sligo Senator has raised in the Seanad the case of an asylum seeker currently living in the  Abbey Hotel in Dromahair.     Olesgun Ifade,is due to be relocated to Athlone tomorrow.   It's understood that local elected representatives have been lobbying to stall the move so as his son can complete the current school year in the local national school.   Speaking in the Sea...

The second public consultation on the Barnesmore Gap Greenway is taking place today. It's phase three of the preferred route consultation. It follows what's been described as a well-attended event in Donegal Town yesterday. Donegal County Council, with the support of the TII, is progressing the development of the proposed provision of a Greenway between the towns of Donegal Town and Ballybofey/Str...

The Health Minister is due to meet with Donegal GPS and consultants next week as the North West surgical hub debacle continues.     It comes as a key meeting between Minister Jennifer Carrol MacNeill and Donegal TDs took place last night, where the case was put to the Minister that a standalone hub for Letterkenny is crucial.   Sligo has been identified as the preferred location as...

A Sligo Leitrim TD says the Health Minister is receiving representation from elected representatives locally in relation to where a new surgical hub will be located in the North West.   A major campaign is taking place in Donegal to have the centre situated in Letterkenny.   Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will meet with a delegation of Donegal Healthcare workers next week to discuss the issue...

  The government have been accused of letting the people of Sligo down after the building of 63 social homes has been put on hold.   The Department of Housing are halting the development in Finisklin, due to the rising costs associated with the project.   However, it is still hoped that other avenues can be explored, as planning permission has already been secured for the site. &nbs...

Sinn Féin have launched what they claim to be a comprehensive Fisheries and Seafood survey. The findings of the survey were launched earlier by the Donegal TD, and spokesperson on Fisheries and the Marine, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, and by the Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Conor McGuinness in Leinster House. The survey highlighted the severe challenges facing the...