From www.derryjournal.com

  • McGavigan and McGreanery families’ disbelief at PPS decision not to prosecute soldiers

    Annette was 14 when she was shot dead by a British soldier in the Bogside on September 6, 1971. William was 41 when he was killed by another member of the British Army days later on September 15, 1971. Both families have been urging the PPS to make decisions on prosecutions ahead of the cut-off date for investigations relating to the conflict of May 1, imposed through the Legacy Act. On Monday the PPS confirmed the available evidence in both cases was insufficient to provide a reasonable...

  • PPS decide not to prosecute soldiers over Annette McGavigan and Billy McGreanery killings

    Annette was 14 years old when she was shot dead by a member of the Royal Green Jackets Regiment in the Bogside on September 6, 1971, as she watched a riot. William was 41 when he was shot dead by a member of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in the early hours of September 15, 1971. Two former soldiers were reported on two separate investigation files submitted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. One former soldier, known as Soldier A, was reported on an investigation file in connection...

  • Over £13k spent cleaning-up after Galliagh August 15 bonfire in five years

    Communities Minister Gordon Lyons outlined the expenditure in response to a query from Mark H. Durkan who asked him to detail the costs associated with the clean-up of the bonfire at Galliagh Linear Park. He replied: “My Department provides annual funding to Derry City and Strabane District Council for additional cleansing, maintenance and remedial works which includes funding for emergency clean-ups after bonfires at Galliagh Linear Park. In the past five years the following amounts have been...

  • Feeny's Dearbhaile grabs bronze at Para Swimming European Championships in Madeira

    The team of six swimmers collected a staggering 11 medals over the course of the week including three golds between Roisin Ni Riain and Nicole Turner. Limerick swimmer Ni Riain had by far the busiest schedule of the week, with six races to contest, five of those with heat stages, but she rose to the occasion and returned to Ireland with five medals: two gold, three silver and one bronze. Paralympic gold medallist Ellen Keane competed in two events, coming away with silver in her preferred event...

  • 'Serious incident of vandalism' at Derry's City Cemetery

    Several graves were vandalised, and wreaths and momentums removed and damaged in the incident, discovered on Saturday. A PSNI spokesman said police received a report shortly after 9am on Saturday that a number of graves had been damaged. “We have identified a male suspect and are following a definitive line of inquiry in relation to the incident,” he added. Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed that a serious incident of vandalism had taken place in the Kildrum section of the City...

  • Derry band Tessio release their new single 'She used to love me'

    Tessio are two college boys, Jude McCandless who has been playing around Derry since he was 13 and Callum Feeney a pianist turned guitarist, playing since he was 10. The two got their start in St Columb's College, Jude remembers: “If you were ever free in the college, there were the music rooms, loads of pianos, loads of guitars. Just mess about for hours, that's where me and Callum started to play together and it hasn't changed since.” Together they're Tessio. Although they did not start as...

  • 687 ‘untoward event’ notifications in relation to looked after children reported by WHSCT

    There were 308 cases of children being detained by the PSNI for greater than four hours; 288 cases of unregulated placements; 73 cases of children being detained in the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre; and 18 cases of children being admitted to adult mental health facilities. There were no reported cases of looked after children being admitted to adult learning disability facilities over the five year period. In total there were 687 untoward events reported by the Western Trust between April...

  • Watch: Walk across Derry's new bridge as it opens to public

    Work on the bridge, costing £2 million pounds, has been ongoing since May. DC&SDC confirmed back in June that the contractor, FP McCann Ltd., started pre-construction activity (including bridge design work) in June. Connecting the city’s riverfront to the Bay Park Nature Reserve and also the new greenway, the development will allow for a walk or cycle from Muff to city centre once the Culmore greenway ends. The project is funded by the INTERREG VA Programme, administered by the Special EU...

  • Bid for major new housing development on farmland on western edge of Derry city

    The developers have applied for permission to build over 250 houses and apartments on a large site at numbers 42 and 44 on the Springtown Road immediately west of Derrymore and St. Eithne’s Park. If approved by Derry City & Strabane District Council, the development will be the most westerly housing scheme in Derry city proper. The plans include provision of a new community centre, a large green space in the centre of the estate and a play park. A design statement, prepared by Park Hood...

  • Desi Henry wins but Greer keeps eye on McGrady Insurance NI Rally Championship prize

    The Citroen C3 Rally 2 team set their stall out early by going fastest on the opening Lisbunny stage, measuring 6.8-mile, by four seconds and didn’t let go of the lead despite three rivals taking stage wins along the way. On his home rally Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan were second in preparation for the Killarney International this bank holiday weekend. The Volkswagen Polo R5 driver improved his pace at the start of the second-half to win a stage but there was no denying Henry from scoring...

  • Muff to Quigley's Point Greenway is officially opened

    The Lifford to Castlefinn Greenway was also officially opened on the same day. The Greenways have been constructed as part of the North West Greenway Network Project which will deliver a 46.5km network of cross border Greenways delivered by Donegal County Council in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Transport NI and Sustrans. This project represents an investment of approximately €34M across both council areas and is primarily funded by the INTERREG VA programme...

  • St Joseph's Boys' target NI Schoolboys Plate glory: Let's meet the squad

    The team, led by NI Schoolboy international Glenn McCourt, are confident of winning the trophy after coming through some difficult games in the run-up to the final and ahead of the big day, we take a look at the players hoping to bring the trophy back over the Glenshane Pass . . . .