Ocean FM News Reports

A Donegal community has been plunged into shock and sadness following the passing of two teenagers in a swimming tragedy. The Coast Guard were alerted to a report of three teenagers in difficulty in the water at Lough Swilly at around 4pm on Saturday. One teenager’s body was recovered from the water while another who was brought to Letterkenny University Hospital has since died. The third teenager...

Donegal are celebrating a 12th Ulster senior football title after Saturday evening's dramatic one-point extra-time victory against All-Ireland champions Armagh. Paddy McGill attempts to take it all in - in the company of Manus Boyle, Emer Gallagher and Martin McHugh - with additional post-final contributions from Colm McFadden, Paddy McGrath, MacCumhaill's manager Gary Wilson & The Donegal Dem...

More than half of Pharmacists claim shortages in medicines have "significantly increased", while 78 per cent still expect the situation to worsen over the next 12 months. A survey, conducted between March and April, by the Irish Pharmacy Union revealed 83 per cent borrow stock from other pharmacies to ensure continuity of care. Pharmacists and their teams now spending over 6 hours per week managin...

The success of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant in Donegal has been praised locally. As of the end of March 2025, Donegal County Council had received 1,114 applications, of which 811 have been approved, with over €7.4 million issued to applicants on completion of works. New applications are continuing to be submitted to the local authority, as there is no closing date to the scheme. Cathoir...

A Leitrim Councillor is urging the Local Authority to urgently review the conditions being imposed on forestry companies when it comes to the removal of timber. Following recent storms, a larger than normal amount of wood is expected to be extracted from plantations across the County this year. As a result, it's expected that the increased amount of heavy goods traffics will put many secondary roa...

Serious concern has been raised over how efficient the new Rescue 118 will be in catering to the North West and West coast of Ireland. The new aircraft is unable carry stretchers on air ambulance missions while there are also questions surrounding how far it can travel out to sea when compared to the helicopter that’s currently in use. The switchover at its base at Sligo Airport is now due to take...

There are calls on the Department of Social Protection to allocate more staff to deal with the compensation scheme which was opened following Storm Eowyn. It comes as there have been more than 90,000 applications for compensation made following the storm, which brought record-breaking gusts to the North West in January. More than 92,000 applications for the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme have been...

Pharmacists are urging Government to re-think its free Hormone Therapy scheme. The new initiative provides women with free treatment to relieve symptoms of menopause, and is due to be rolled out from the 1st of June. However the Irish Pharmacies Union say it's an unfair initiative, with State subsidies not covering the true costs of supplying the medicine. Union President and Donegal based pharmac...

A petition has been launched calling for the restoration of catering services on the Sligo - Dublin train. The service was shelved during the Covid-19 pandemic and has never been brought back. It's thought that while Irish Rail say it's not financially viable, there's a big demand among commuters locally for the likes of tea, coffee and water. Labour Senator Nessa Cosgrove and her party colleagues...

There's major concern in Leitrim and the North West over recent comments by the Junior Minister with responsibility for forestry.   Minister Michael Healy Rea has expressed that he wants to allow forestry on peatlands.   This is said to be in stark contrast to plans by Agriculture Minister Martin Haydon who wants to preserve peatlands.   Sinn Fein spokesperson on Agriculture and Sli...

The Bishop of Achonry and Elphin Kevin Doran has joined with several religious and political leaders by welcoming the appointment of Pope Leo the XIV   Bishop Doran says the descriptions of Pope Leo as a missionary at heart with significant international experience are accurate.   The new Pontiff has ministered in three continents.    Speaking to Ocean FM Bishop Doran, who rece...

It's hoped that a resolution will be found at the eleventh hour over controversial works set to take place in Killybegs.   A number of businesses have voiced their opposition over the upcoming works, which involves closing the Main Street during trading hours.   Some businesses claim that there were give insufficient notice and say that they will suffer major financial losses as a result...

There are renewed calls for the reopening of the Western Rail Corridor in a bid to improve access to third level education in the North West.   It's widely thought that the reopening of the disused rail line along the North West coast would have far-reaching economic benefits.    Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Nessa Cosgrove says if ATU Sligo is to reach its full potential, then be...

The President and political leaders have sent their congratulation to the new Pope.     Michael D Higgins said it was an immensely significant moment for all those of faith and goodwill around the world who look to the Papacy for spiritual guidance, moral clarity, and global leadership     The Taoiseach Michael Martin said he hopes the groundswell of best wishes towards the Pop...

Tanaiste Simon Harris has once again highlighted the government's mission to find justice for Private Sean Rooney. Private Rooney from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal lost his life in December 2022 while serving on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. The Tanaiste visited the region recently and met with Lebanese Ministers where he stressed the need for accountability. Speaking in the D...

There is backing in Sligo for the Deposit Protection Scheme Bill brought before Leinster House yesterday. Housing charity Threshold presented the bill amid their concerns that a number of private renters are having their deposits unlawfully retained by the landlord. This new scheme would mean the deposits are lodged with an independent third party and then returned to the tenant at the end of the...

The Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council says new EPA report into the quality of bathing water in the North West will be a further boost for the local tourism sector.   The report was positive for the majority of local beaches in Sligo and Donegal.     The publication released this morning, (Thursday) did state Localised intense rainfall has led to bathing water restrictions bein...

A number of businesses in Killybegs have come together in opposition to upcoming works in the town centre. The roadworks are set to last for a week and will result in the closure of Main Street from 7pm on Monday evening until 7am on Saturday. Several businesses feel that trade will be seriously impacted and claim that they were not given sufficient notice. Businessman Kevin Hegarty who owns the l...

Young people all across the North West are being encouraged to join the Be The Arrow: Gaisce 40th Anniversary Challenge. Gaisce, the President's Award, has empowered over 400 young people in Sligo in the past year alone. It can involve a volunteering challenge, a physical challenge, or a skills challenge, and is targeted for people aged between 14 to 25. Gaisce CEO, Avril Ryan, says the award is a...

A North West MEP is not surprised by a recent confidence poll by the Irish public. According to European Movement Ireland, 43% of people don't believe that their views are being represented at European level. However, support for membership of the European Union is still strong at 82%, although it is the lowest it's been since 2013. Independent Ireland Midlands-North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly is no...

People across County Leitrim are being urged to take part in a public consultation that will help determine policing priorities in the future. It's being conducted by the new oversight body for An Garda Síochána - the Policing and Community Safety Authority. The organisation has set up a 10-minute online questionnaire that allows the public to allocate 'points' to the areas of policing they consid...

It's emerged that an elderly Kilcar man had to wait nearly two hours for an ambulance after having a fall outside his home. His daughter, who made the 999 call, was told that there were no available ambulance in Donegal with the nearest one in Boyle, County Roscommon. The man who's in his, mid-80s, eventually arrived to the hospital three hours and 40 minutes after the initial emergency call was m...

A new Sligo Cancer Bus is expected to be purchased in the next few months, with the process of identifying a suitable vehicle currently underway. A working group has been set up involving charitable organisations and Sligo University Hospital representatives to progress the situation. The new bus will have toilet facilities and be wheelchair accessible, which have been highlighted as essential for...

Department of Agriculture officials are expected to announce new proposals today at an emergency meeting to prevent the spread of TB.   It comes as levels of the disease on Irish farms have increased significantly in recent years.   There was a 36% increase in the number of herds restricted between 2022 and 2024.   Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is holding the meeting of key...

The need for a surgical hub in Donegal has been raised on the floor of the Dáil.   Last week, campaigners gathered outside Letterkenny University Hospital where Minister Jennifer Carroll McNeill was visiting the site of the new Letterkenny Community Hospital.   Patients throughout the county are currently forced to travel long distances to access care and undergo surgeries.   Deputy...