The potential knock-on effects of gold mining on land in the north west remains a live issue. Members of the Tresure Leitrim group have held a number of meetings in recent weeks with the area just one of the proposed destinations for a gold mine in the near future. Landowners are being reminded that they can prevent the mining company gaining acces…

Two Sligo farmers are among those chosen as ambassadors for the 2024 Farming for Nature programme. Rob Kennedy and Seán Gilligan, who operate an organic farming system from Knocknarea Farm near Strandhill are among those chosen for this year's programme. Across the year, the duo will host a number of events, including a farm walk on their land, and…

Sligo Tidy Towns is celebrating a number of prizes in the 2024 Tidy Towns national awards. It was named the winner in the Bat Conservation Ireland award for its Bat Mural. It also received a special award (large town and large urban centre) in the gum litter task force category and received €2000. Elsewhere, Riverstown was named as Sligo’s tidiest …

Warnings have been issued over a scam text relating to electricity credit payments. A large number of people have been sent texts from a number claiming to be from gov.ie, asking them to click on a link to apply for a discounted electricity bill. This is false, as the credits will actually be applied to people's accounts automatically, with the fir…

The Garda Commissioner says it could be possible to have a public inquiry into the Creeslough tragedy at the same time as the criminal investigation. Several families of those who died in the County Donegal explosion two years ago met the Justice Minister earlier this week, to press their case for an inquiry into non-criminal factors of the blast. …

Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Declan Bree, says he has not decided if he will run in the General Election or not. The former Labour party TD says that while he is certainly interested in running as an Independent this time around, negotiations are ongoing and a decision is yet to be made. He was re-elected to Sligo County Council in June's…

The Labour Party say their plans for Early Years and Childcare Providers will revolutionise the sector. They claim that the current system is not working for anyone involved, particularly parents and children. Among Labour's plans are a complete overhaul of the childcare sector, which will see an increase in wages to prevent providers effectively b…

The Sinn Fein leader is in Donegal for a number of engagements today, including meeting the families who lost loved ones or who were injured in the Creeslough tragedy. It follows a meeting between the families and Justice Minister Helen McEntee at Government Buildings this week. That meeting came after fears were expressed by the families that thei…

There's said to be an alarming increase in erratic and dangerous driving behaviour on a main road in south Donegal. Several complaints have been sounded over some motorists overtaking on the continuous white line on the Fintra to Kilcar R263. This is then said to be leading to a big safety risk for residents accessing properties on the right side o…

There are calls for a bigger Garda clampdown on the illegal use of fireworks in Sligo going forward. It's after what's been described as a night of disruption in the town and in other parts of the County. There are reports that fireworks were being let off until the early hours of this morning in some areas. The penalties are fines of up to €10,000…

Measures have been put in place to facilitate the return the stop on the 981 bus route to Collooney village. The stop was due to return following the start of the trial one way system, however it was removed again as the bus couldn't get down the Main Street due to a number of cars double parked on both sides of the road. Following a meeting betwee…

On the Halloween edition of 'The Final Whistle': Leitrim's Mickey Quinn and Sligo's Brendan Kilcoyne remember former county bainisteoir PJ Carroll, who past away this week. Reflections on last Sunday's dramatic finish to the Sligo Homeland senior football final with Coolera/Strandhill's Sean Taylor and St Molaise Gaels Jimmy Langan & Jack Davitt. P…

Sligo residents describe TD Payments as "ludicrous" and "hard to Justify"

Pedestrian path from Coolaney to Rockfield into final stages

The funeral of a 22 year old man killed in a weekend collision in south Sligo has heard that burying someone so young is not the norm. Sean McGuiness who from the Lavagh area of County Sligo, died after the car he was driving was involved in a collision on the R294 near Tubbercurry in the early hours of Saturday morning last. An investigation into …

The Department of Health have confirmed this morning that an additional 8 million euro is to be allocated to the National Ambulance Service. The aim of the will see an additional 180 staff added, improve response times and increase access to care. Funding for the service will now stand at 16 million euro by 2026. Speaking to Ocean FM News, Independ…

People living in North Leitrim are said to be crying out for more investment into the area. There's significant disparities as it relates to Government funding sanctioned to north of the county when compared to South Leitrim. Fianna Fail Cllr and General Election Candidate Edel MacSharry says local residents feel hard done by and that there are a l…

There's said to be concern among some voters in the north west over general election candidates calling to them in the evening time. With an election date set to be announced imminently, and the clocks going back an hour over the weekend, many are said to feel uncomfortable answering their door in the dark. Independent candidate for Sligo-Leitrim, …

Two outgoing North West TDs are set to get substantial exit payments and pensions in the 12 months after the Dáil is dissolved. The figures come from a report by The Journal Investigates, which looked at what each of the 29 current deputies who will not stand in the next election will be entitled to. Both Independent Sligo Leitrim TD Marc MacSharry…

It's expected the Garda investigation into the Creeslough tragedy will be completed in the first quarter of 2025. Families of the victims met with the Justice Minister yesterday, and say "extremely serious questions" still need to be answered about why the explosion occurred. Last month, Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, confirmed the investigation …

The families affected by the Creeslough tragedy have told the Justice Minister they want an independent statutory inquiry to be held urgently. 10 people died in the explosion in the County Donegal village on October 7th, 2022. Around 20 family members who have been directly impacted and their legal representatives attended a meeting this afternoon …

It’s felt that ATU is missing out on reaching its full potential. That’s according to the university’s president, Doctor Orla Flynn who is calling on the government and policymakers to enable it fully to deliver on its promise to the north west. Dr Flynn says it’s vital the current constraints on the ATU are lifted and the same tools afforded to ot…

A business owner in Leitrim has hit out at the Government over a lack of financial support following last year's tornado. Last December, a tornado ripped through Leitrim Village, devastating a number of local residents and businesses. Following the freak incident, loans with an interest rate of 5.5% were offered, but it was not clear how to access …

Long-standing drainage issues must be resolved before work can proceed on upgrading paths around Ahamlish Cemetery. The paths around the cemetery are have fallen into disrepair, however, nothing can be done with them until issues regarding the draining of land in the area can be sorted. It's hoped that drainage work can begin in the cemetery in the…

A delegation, which includes those from Leitrim are set to meet the leader of the Green Party later over fears of fracked gas imports in the county. Just last month, members of Love Leitrim gathered outside Leinster House as part of an ant-fracking protest. The group are calling for a ban on fracked gas imports to be put in place before planning pe…

It's estimated that thousands of people passed through the doors of St. Clare's Church in Manorhamilton yesterday to venerate the relics of St. Bernadette. The relics are due to leave Manorhamilton today and will make their way to the Diocese of Cork. St. Bernadette witnessed eighteen apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes in 1858 and countless million…

It's claimed that Sinn Fein's healthcare plan would transform the North West. The party is promising free prescription medicines to all households and 5 thousand more hospital beds, if it gets into government. It also says it would guarantee a job for ever health graduate in the country to encourage them to stay in Ireland. Sinn Féin Agriculture Sp…

Questions are being asked over when works near Barnesmore Gap will be finished. The works, which began in January include the construction a hard shoulder on the N15 between Donegal Town and Ballybofey in an area known locally as McGrory's Brae. However, the works were scheduled to be complete by September but are still ongoing, with the traffic li…

Plans for a new caravan site at Rossnowlagh have been welcomed locally. Planning permission was recently granted for a site to house 29 caravans, along with three three-bed cabins, and a number of other facilities in Rossnowlagh Upper. Caravans and campervans have long been a bone of contention across Donegal, with a high number of tourists pitchin…

There are further calls on both the OPW and Donegal County Council to work together towards alleviating coastal erosion at Inver. Three homes in the area are said to be at a heightened risk while other nearby lands are being consistently eroded. It's been an ongoing problem for some time but the recent storm and previous severe weather events are s…

There are calls on Councils in the North West to get to the root of the Japanese Knotweed issue. The problem is said to be growing in various areas across Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. The invasive plant can cause untold damage to property and land. Donegal County Councillor Michael McClafferty believes more can be done in tackling the issue. He's ca…

Claudia Kennedy believes that ground work carried out during her local election campaign will stand to her as she contests the upcoming General Election in the Donegal constituency. In what some might say was a shock move by Fianna Fail, Miss Kennedy was added to the party ticket last week alongside former MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher and Minister Ch…

Defective concrete block homeowners have expressed frustration in Donegal over the recent downgrade decisions made by the Housing Agency. Over 100 families have been removed from original recommendations for full demolition and rebuild to what they say are less comprehensive and cheaper repair options. Members of the Mica Action Group have previous…

Frustration has been expressed in north Leitrim over AIB's nationwide investment with the aim of reducing its operational carbon emissions. Last week, the bank announced number of branches in the north west are set to be refurbished as part of a €40 million package. At the end of 2022, AIB withdrew its cash counter services at its Manorhamilton bra…

Leitrim County Council are to invest in technology to remove weeds from a number of villages across the county. Currently, the council are limited in how they can remove the weeds, due to stringent regulations that are in place regarding the use of pesticides. Funding is to be made available to Tidy Towns committees across Leitrim to purchase equip…

It's felt that investing in existing transport infrastructure will be of benefit further down the line. Last week, the Western Rail Committee held their AGM to discuss the reopening of a rail link between Sligo and Galway. Should the proposed development take place, it's expected to take decades to get it up and running. But local Independent Counc…

Over 1,200 drivers have been detected driving faster than the speed limit since Thursday morning. Gardai have been conducting a roads policing operation throughout the bank holiday weekend - which is in place until tomorrow morning. Three people have been killed in collisions over the weekend, including one man in his 20s just outside Tubbercurry, …

Irish troops in Lebanon are set to be replaced by a fresh batallion in the coming weeks. Currently, troops based in Finner Camp in Co. Donegal, and in Athlone, are undergoing training to replace troops that have been on peacekeeping duties in Lebanon for the last six months. Taoiseach Simon Harris says he has received assurances from the Lebanese g…

Listen back to the dramatic closing seconds of Sunday's Sligo men's Homeland SFC final between Coolera/Strandhill and St Molaise Gaels at Markievicz Park - as described by the Ocean FM Sport commentary team of Colm McGee and Willie Gormley.

Listen back to Sunday's historic Connacht LGFA junior club football championship final in Swinford between Coolera/Standhill (Sligo) and St Fursey's (Galway), as described by Ocean FM Sport's Dónal Ryan & Aisling Browne.

It's felt that Kiltyclogher is missing out on attracting post-primary school students. Seán MacDiarmada's cottage gives an insight into the origins of one of the seven signatories of the proclamation. Councillor Justin Warnock says the failure to maximise the potential from the cottage is another blow to north Leitrim tourism businesses and tourist…

Tenders are due to go out for two state-of-the-art outdoor centres in Sligo in the coming weeks. The centres, which will be located in both Enniscrone and Rosses Point, will include a number of facilities, such as toilets, outdoor showers, changing areas and storage areas for outdoor and water sports. The tenders are expected to go live online by t…

A dark cloud is hanging over south Sligo following the death of a man in his 20s in a road-traffic collision. That’s according to local Fianna Fáil Cllr Barry Gallagher who has been speaking after the collision which occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning on the R294 at Drimina. Gardaí are appealing to any road users who may have camera fo…

Those looking to take part in water-based activities are being reminded to take care and prioritise safety this weekend. Water Safety Ireland along with the Coast Guard and RNLI have issued a joint-appeal. With temperatures dipping and darker evenings drawing in they're asking people to be aware of the body's reaction to cold water shock. Warnings …

It's been claimed that speeding and dangerous driving continue to be major issues in the north Leitrim area. The R280 at Killargue Village has been cited as a hub of such activity, with many residents in rural areas said to be fearful when out walking. New road safety laws are on the way which will reduce the speed limit on rural local roads from 8…

Fears continue to be expressed for the future of the Killybegs fishing industry. There are major concerns in relation to the overfishing of mackerel by Norwegian fishing vessels in Irish waters. The Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association have called upon the European Union to act and impose restrictions on Norway. Brendan Byrne, CEO of the…

Sligo business nominated for bookshop of the year

Gardaí have issued a warning for dog owners to be vigilant as the early lambing season approaches. It comes after a dog attacked a flock of sheep in the Grange area last night. Gardaí have also asked that any sightings of stray dogs should be reported to them straight away to prevent such attacks happening. Independent Sligo Drumcliffe Councillor, …

An Garda Siochana have made a safety appeal for all North West road users ahead of the October bank holiday weekend. Caution is being urged ahead of what is one of the busiest periods on Irish roads. With the clocks set to go back an hour as well, pedestrians and cyclists are being reminded to wear increased visibility clothing. Sergeant Aoife Haye…

It's been claimed that no repsonsibility is being taken over the amount of patients forced to wait on trolleys at Sligo University Hospital. Statistics released by the INMO yesterday show that Sligo University Hospital has been the fourth busiest hospital in the country so far this year. Over 6,000 patients have been treated on trolleys or inapprop…