Latest news with #Lifford
BreakingNews.ie
10-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man admits dangerous driving causing death of bride-to-be
A man has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of a young woman in Lifford in 2021 – hours after she had been "window shopping" for wedding dresses. Sean Connaughton appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court where he pleaded guilty to a single charge arising out of a hit-and-run incident at Townparks, Lifford, on July 11th, 2021. Advertisement Laura Connolly, a 34-year-old pedestrian, was taken from the scene to Letterkenny University Hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Ms Connolly had been earlier shopping for a wedding dress with friends as she had been due to marry her partner Joe McCullagh in 2022. Father-of-two Connaughton, from Co Donegal but with an address in Co Louth, spoke only to plead guilty when he appeared in court. The charge is contrary to section 53 (1) of the Road Traffic Act. Advertisement A number of members of the late Ms Connolly's family were present in court for the brief hearing at Letterkenny courthouse. Barrister for Connaughton, Peter Nolan, led by Colm Smyth SC and instructed by solicitor Frank Dorrian, said other matters will be dealt with in due course. He said his client has now been on bail for four years and has complied with all bail conditions to date. He told Judge Roderick Maguire that apart from one road traffic matter some time ago, his client had no previous convictions. Advertisement Mr Nolan said he was anxious that a probation and welfare report be obtained for his client. He said he appreciated all that Ms Connolly's family had been through but added that his client had also been suffering from great stress and anxiety since the incident. Mr Nolan asked for a psychiatric report and also to a GP's report to allow for medication for various other matters. Ireland Deaths of mother and daughter in Donegal road cras... Read More Fiona Crawford BL, barrister for the State, said there was no objection to Connaughton being granted bail. Judge Maguire said he would adjourn the case until the October sessions of the circuit court for sentencing but warned that due to great pressure on the Probation Services, a report may not be ready by then. If that is the case, he informed the Connolly family that sentencing may regrettably have to be adjourned until February 2026. Judge Maguire also offered his sympathies to members of the Connolly family in court.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- BBC News
Fr Edward Gallagher: Priest charged with seven further offences
A priest who is currently in custody on a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child has been charged with a further seven Edward Gallagher, 56, of Orchard Park in Lifford, County Donegal, had been released into police custody for further questioning on appeared at Londonderry Magistrates' Court on Friday on charges including possessing of an indecent image of a child and possessing extreme pornographic has also been charged with making an indecent image of a child, distributing indecent images of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual activity and sexual communication with a child. The court was told the offences are alleged to have taken place on 17 Gallagher spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth, and there was no application for was remanded in custody to appear again on 31 Gallagher is already facing a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child on dates between 2 April and 17 April.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- BBC News
Fr Edward Gallagher: Priest returned to police for questioning
A priest who is currently in custody on a charge of attempted sexual communication with a child has been released into police custody for further Edward Gallagher, 56, of Orchard Park in Lifford, County Donegal, is charged with attempted sexual communication with a child on dates between 2 April and 17 appeared at Londonderry Magistrates' Court on Thursday, where a police inspector said they wanted to to take him back into custody for three days to question him about seven possible new was no objection from the priest's defence team and District Judge Conor Heaney released him into police custody for a period of three days.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- BBC News
A5: Elderly woman dies after two-vehicle crash
An 82-year-old woman has died after a crash on the A5 in County was Bernadette Cranley, known as Bernie, from Lifford in County car she was driving was in collision with a SUV on the Mellon Road between Omagh and Newtownstewart at about 12:30 BST on Saturday. The driver of the other vehicle, a woman in her 70s, was seriously injured and was taken to hospital by ambulance. The crash happened close to the entrance to the Ulster American Folk Park outside which were due to take place at the park on Saturday night as part of the Bluegrass Omagh Festival were called off. Throw-in for the GAA match between Donegal and Tyrone in Ballybofey was also postponed until 19:15 local time due to the road, which was closed for a number of hours, has since reopened, police have said. West Tyrone assembly member (MLA) Daniel McCrossan said tragedies resulting from the A5 are "never ending"."Can I ask our community to keep all those affected in their thoughts and prayers," he than 50 people have died on Northern Ireland's A5 road - which runs between Londonderry and Aughnacloy - since 2006. In the Republic of Ireland, three women have been killed in separate incidents on pedestrians - one in her late 20s in County Wexford and another in her 60s in County Meath - and a cyclist in her 70s in County Clare died in the crashes. What is the A5? The road, which is more than 58 miles (94km) long, is single carriageway for most of its length, with overtaking lanes in some A5 is a vital artery of the Northern Ireland road is also the main north-south route in the west of Northern Ireland, providing a link between County Donegal and Dublin, via the N2 in County Monaghan.A £1.2bn upgrade to the road was announced last year by then Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd, but is now the subject of a judicial review.
Sunday World
20-05-2025
- Sunday World
Arrest warrant issued for jockey ‘in hiding' over drug debt
Oran Brown was convicted in court after being caught with over €11,000 worth of drugs A Judge has ordered an arrest warrant to be issued for a Co Donegal horse-racing jockey who is 'in hiding' over a drug debt after he failed to complete a community service order. Oran Brown was convicted in court after being caught with over €11,000 worth of drugs at his home in June, 2020. In 2023, the Lifford sportsman was ordered to do 240 hours of community service after Gardai raided his home and found drugs and cash. Last month, Donegal Circuit Court heard that he has been unable to undertake that part of his sentence. The case was adjourned to today to see if Brown could be contacted to explain why he had not undertaken the community service in lieu of the prison sentence. Brown's barrister, Mr Peter Nolan explained that his client has been in hiding over a drug debt. 'Oran Brown has an individual looking for him to pay a drug debt. 'He is in hiding. He can't comply with the community service order as he is in fear of third parties,' he said. The case was brought back before the court by the Probation Service due to Brown's non-compliance with the order. The case was mentioned again today but the Probation Service told the court that they had made 'numerous efforts' to contact Brown but had still not heard back from him. A spokesperson for the service said they had tried to reach the accused by phone and had sent him letters since last November but had still not heard back from him. They also confirmed that Brown had not completed ANY of the 240 community service hours imposed in lieu of time in jail. Judge John Aylmer said he was satisfied that Brown was aware of the order and issued a warrant. Previously, Brown was sentenced to a three-and-half-year term in prison, which was suspended for three and a half years, for the possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling or supplying to others. He was also ordered to complete 240 hours of community service in lieu of 6 months in prison on a charge of the unlawful possession of cocaine. Gardai, armed with a search warrant, swooped on Brown's home at Collate, Lifford on June 25, 2020. Detectives seized €8,668 worth of cannabis and cocaine with a street value of €2,504.81. Some of the cannabis was found in deal bags. A Zopiclone tablet, valued at €2, was also located in the raid. A grinder, weighing scales and a quantity of Ziploc bags were also found. Quantities of Diazepam and Xanax were found in a Tommy Hilfiger bag in the property while gardai observed a line of suspected cocaine on top of a dresser. A quantity of cocaine was found inside a safe, which also contained €7,225 and £2,480 sterling in cash. Brown was searched and a cylinder containing cannabis and a grinder was located on his person. Almost £9,000 in cash was found inside a safe and, after being arrested, Brown told Gardai he 'smoked a lot of weed and sniffed cocaine'. He added: "I won't lie, I sold a few bags of weed too." Brown said the cash was given to him by his parents and grandparents for his birthday the month before. He refused to give gardai the PIN for his mobile phone as he said there was 'stuff on the phone' that he didn't want them to see. Detective Garda Michelle Kelly said gardai were unable to access data from the phone as the PIN was not provided. In court in 2023, Mr Nolan said his client, who he said was a 'conditional apprentice' at the time, began taking cocaine 'to keep the weight stabilised'. 'Stupidity led him to these circumstances,' Mr Nolan said. At the time of sentencing Judge Aylmer said 'It was clear from all the paraphernalia found on the premises that there was a significant amount of dealing going on. 'This is an unusual case where he deserves a second chance. It is with some hesitation, but it is a case that it may be dealt with better on a non-custodial basis given all of the features."
