Ocean FM News Reports

The Bishop of Achonry and Elphin says while it's not realistic for us to solve the world's problems, we can adopt a mentality that sees other as persons like ourselves. In his annual Christmas message, Bishop Kevin Doran has spoken of the millions of refugees forced to leave their homes every year. He says our mentality has the potential to bring about change:

Cllr Edel McSharry has called for the new 42-bed healthcare block at Sligo University Hospital to be named after pioneering nurse, senator and national leader Linda Kearns MacWhinney. The Sligo woman played a major role in Irish history, from establishing a Red Cross hospital during the 1916 Rising to shaping national health and nursing policy in the early years of the State. Cllr McSharry says na...

A Leitrim carpenter has applied his trade to producing Nativity cribs over the festive period. Sales have been high for Martin Gilmartin since he started advertising online. The Drumshanbo native recently featured on RTE's Nationwide programme. He says it's a year-long process:

A Sligo Councillor says running trains directly from the likes of Sligo and Carrick-on-Shannon Railway stations to Dublin Connolly would significantly reduce the travel time the service currently takes.   Independent Councillor Marie Casserly believes if parking was increased at these stations commuters would be happy to bypass the likes of Ballymote, Boyle Collooney and Dromod stations in or...

A Leitrim County Councillor and teacher has warned against providing too many incentives encouraging teachers to take up positions in the capital.   Leitrim Independent Councillor James Gilmartin has warned that many local schools in the North West are also facing staffing challenges.     Department of Education officials are understood to be calling for new initiatives, including t...

A Leitrim Councillor has launched a blistering attack on Local TD's for supporting the Government's decision to proceed with plans to build a liquefied natural gas terminal at Shannon.     Leitrim Independent Councillor Eddie Mitchell has been raising concerns over fracked gas for a number of years.   He says the move could open the door for the practice of fracking to be introduced...

The Government is being urged to intervene to protect older people from eviction in Enniscrone.   Last week, it emerged that a number of older residents living in a retirement village have been served with eviction notices and told they must vacate their homes next year.   There are fears that if the Government don't take urgent action, similar situations will arise in other parts of the...

Irish peacekeepers from Finner Camp that are in the Lebanon will mark Christmas with a charity run, a carol service and a special dinner at Camp Shamrock.   About 366 members of the camp’s 600 soldiers are Irish Defence Forces staff.   Most of the unit arrived in early November, and will remain on duty on the Blue Line for another five months.   Bundoran Sergeant Shane Gallagher is...

Strandhill has been awarded nearly €50,000 under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, announced by Minister Dara Calleary, with three other Sligo projects also benefiting in the latest round. Ballygawley, Cliffoney and Easkey each secured €300,000, while funding just under €50,000 has also been allocated to Riverstown. The Strandhill funding will support a feasibility study into a tidal pool, aime...

It's thought there is a profound crisis in the North West hospital service. It comes the Health Minister says hospitals are managing well despite a surge in flu cases. As of last week, Sligo University Hospital had been battling six flu outbreaks across various wards. People are being urged to get the flu vaccine as hospital admissions are expected to peak next week. Sligo was the second most over...

The chances of a white Christmas in the North West look slim. That's according to Met Eireann who are forecasting dry conditions across the Christmas period. The last white Christmas for most of the country came in the big freeze in 2010. Speaking to Ocean FM, meterologist at Met Eireann Linda Hughes says it isn't likely to return:

There are further calls the Western Rail Corridor all the way from Sligo to Galway to be regarded as critical infrastructure that requires urgent government investment. It comes following confirmation from Sligo County Council in recent weeks that the proposed greenway project on the line has been shelved. Meanwhile, Irish Rail has previously indicated that it is preserving the rail line between C...

Three projects in Sligo are the big winners locally in the latest announcement of Town and Village renewal funding The respective projects in Ballygawley, Cliffoney and Easkey have been awarded 300, 000 euro each. Funding to the value of just under 50,000 has been allocated for projects in Rivestown and Strandhill. No projects were successful in North Leitrim while in Donegal half a million has be...

The Government is being blamed for the decline in families raising children through Irish in the Donegal Gaeltacht.   Figures from recent censuses and found the number of families raising children through Irish fell less than one percent from 2016 to 2022.   This is despite an apparent revival of the language in mainstream culture.   Clr Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig says that t...

A former Fianna Fáil Senator and TD says the fallout come from the Presidential election campaign has severely damaged the Party Leadership.   John Ellis says it's highly likely that a possible party leadership challenge could be launched before St Patrick's Day.   The former Sligo Leitrim TD says the Taoiseach has burned a significant number of bridges over the years and that at present...

Concern is being expressed in Manorhamilton over the safety of the bridge situated at Sean Mac Diarmada Street. The issued was discussed at this week's meeting of the Manor Municipal District of Leitrim County Council. Local Councillor Felim Gurn says it's time that all relevant landowners have been contacted regarding completing pedestrian works on the bridge. Until this is complete he says there...

Part one of the Ocean FM Sports Awards 2025, in association with EJ Menswear, which were held in the Radisson Hotel in Sligo on Saturday, November 22nd. Presented by Austin O'Callaghan & John Lynch.

Part two of the Ocean FM Sports Awards 2025, in association with EJ Menswear, which were held in the Radisson Hotel in Sligo on Saturday, November 22nd. Presented by Austin O'Callaghan & John Lynch.

Part three of the Ocean FM Sports Awards 2025, in association with EJ Menswear, which were held in the Radisson Hotel in Sligo on Saturday, November 22nd. Presented by Austin O'Callaghan & John Lynch.

Urgent safety measures are needed along the L6104 road at Ranamore Coolaney, where the exposed Owenmore River presents a serious hazard to motorists. The stretch of road, which leads to the N17, becomes slippery during frosty weather and heavy rainfall, with vehicles dangerously close to sliding into the fast-flowing river. Cllr Mulvey has put the issue on the agenda for the upcoming municipal mee...

A Donegal TD has claimed that fishing communites across Ireland have been devastated by the EU's fishing policy. Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Fisheries Padraig MacLochlainn made the claims in the Dail. It comes after the latest fishing quota agreement has caused concern in the Irish fish industry. He said that something has to be done about the influence Dutch companies had over EU member states:

Two women from the North West are raising money for a local charity by completing 12 sea dips this month. Lianna Monahan and Allie McGloin have raised over €7,200 for SHOUT in the two weeks since they began fundraising. It's in honour of their late husbands Fergus and Brendan. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Lianna says that Allie still has two dips to go:

A mysterious object that a controversial scientist claims could be an alien battleship reaches its closest point to Earth today.     The object, known as 3i/ATLAS, will speed by at over 209 thousand Kilometres an hour, at a distance of over 273 and a half million miles, roughly twice as far away as the sun.     While most astronomers think the object is a comet, a Harvard Unive...

A Sligo Farming official says the violent events that took place during a farming demonstration in Brussels yesterday will not deflect attention away from the purpose of the protest. Michael O Dowd has been giving an eye witness account of what he witnessed yesterday in Belgium to Ocean FM News. Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels and fires were set alight as farmers converge...

A number of elderly people in Enniscrone are facing eviction. Six households are being told they must move out by June 5th. The residents, some of who are in their 80s and with major health issues, are living in a wider estate for independent living with a nursing home located in the centre of it. The homes – part of an estate named Sonas Retirement Village – were previously owned by Sonas, the fo...