Sligo Weekender
Man arrested in major drugs bust suspected to have strong links to north west crime gang
A MAN who was arrested as part of a major drugs bust in Co Meath is suspected to have strong links to a north west crime gang. The arrest - one of three with another man and a woman also detained and arrested - occurred on Monday in the Navan area...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Serial burglar jailed for spate of break-ins
A SERIAL burglar who repeatedly broke into businesses and homes in Sligo, Longford and Roscommon has been described as “a complete scourge and a pest” who was “out of control on drugs.” Judge Keenan Johnson made the comments after hearing how Jimmy...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Threatened to slit ex-wife’s throat “from ear to ear”
A MAN who harassed his ex-wife and threatened to slit her “from ear to ear” has been warned he’s facing seven years in prison unless he gets a positive Probation Report next April. The man, who cannot be named to protect his two victims’ identities,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Parents jailed over physical and emotional abuse of their children
A COUPLE who subjected their children to years of “relentless” and “degrading” physical and emotional abuse have been jailed for five and half years and three years respectively. Handing down sentence at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court last Friday,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Jailed for false allegation of sexual assault made against prison officer
A WOMAN who made a false allegation that she had been sexually assaulted by a prison officer escorting her on a hospital visits has been jailed for 21 months. Nicole Chambers (29) alleged the prison officer had assaulted her in a hospital...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Forsa warns of ‘unfair and unsafe’ work practices at Coastguard Search and Rescue
FÓRSA has advised members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport that Search and Rescue (SAR) aircrew in Sligo face “unfair and unsafe” working-time practices next year, unless Government intervenes to end the long-standing use of factoring in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Council meeting told about urgent need for progress on school projects
SLIGO County Council heard about the urgent need for progress for projects at three schools throughout the county at this month’s meeting at the Riverside. The issue which is affecting Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré and Ursuline College in Sligo town and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Woman was left waiting for six hours outside hospital for an ambulance - TD
A SLIGO-LEITRIM TD has claimed in the Dáil that a woman was left waiting six hours outside Sligo University Hospital for an ambulance. Sinn Féin Deputy Martin Kenny made the claim on Tuesday evening during a debate on the Health Insurance (Amendment)...
Read Full Story (Page 3)
Sligo County Council approves budget of €82.6 million for 2026
SLIGO County Council approved a budget of €82.6 million for 2026 when they met at the annual budget meeting on Monday at the Riverside. The budget was passed by the council by a vote of 14 councillors in favour, with three against and one absent. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Connaughton Road car park to remain closed despite councillor’s call for it to re-open to address parking issues in Sligo town
SLIGO Municipal District (MD) have refused to open the car park at Connaughton Road after a councillor called for it in a motion. Fianna Fáil Councillor Tom MacSharry called for the car park to be re-opened to address the lack of car parking spaces at...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
‘Unacceptable’ treatment of pupils by school bus service highlighted
THE County Council heard about dissatisfaction with the school bus service in the county at this week’s meeting at the Riverside on Monday. Fianna Fáil Councillor Barry Gallagher brought the issue up at the meeting. Cllr Gallagher said that the issue...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Jailed ‘ringleader’ behind fatal attack on pensioner moved to different prison after making threats to associate
THE MAN described as the ‘ringleader’ behind the fatal attack on pensioner Tom Niland in 2022 has been transferred to a different prison after making threats to his fellow associate behind bars. John Irving was transferred to Midlands Prison after...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Call for Gardaí to start cracking down on fireworks
AN INVESTIGATION is under way after lit fireworks were thrown into people’s letterboxes in Sligo Town. The incident occured last Thursday and happened in the Ballytivnan, Cartron and Cranmore estates. If someone is found to possess illegal fireworks...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Three men to be sentenced today for roles in killing of Tom Niland
THE three men who have pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Tom Niland are to be sentenced today, Thursday, at 2pm at the Central Criminal Court, Dublin. Francis Harman (58) of Nephin Court, Ballina, Killala Road, Ballina, John Clarke (37)...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Sligo native among Irish citizens on Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by Israel
A SLIGO native is one of several Irish citizens who was on board a Gaza-bound flotilla which was intercepted by Israel on Wednesday morning. Fionn Macarthur was on board ‘Conscience’ when the Israeli military raided the boat at around 4.30am Irish...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ATU president slams decision not to allow technical univeristies to appoint professors as ludicrous and driving regional inequality
THE President of Atlantic Technological University (ATU) has warned that the Government's failure to allow Technological Universities to appoint professors is deepening regional inequality, particularly in Sligo and across the west and...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Sligo Gaol receives €7 million investment as part of THRIVE Programmes
ON Wednesday, it was announced that Sligo Gaol will receive €7 million under the Government's new THRIVE – Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme to transform the historic gaol into a publicily accessible community and tourism asset. The...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Retractable roof called for at Queen Maeve Square
A COUNCILLOR has called for a retractable canopy or a covering to be installed at Queen Maeve Square. Labour Party councillor Ann Higgins brought the motion up at this week’s meeting of Sligo County Council to allow for the holding of year-long,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Garda speed vans in Sligo only collect €261,360 in 30 months
GARDA speed vans in the county have only collected €261,360 in 30 months. The figure is the lowest in the north-west as speed vans in Donegal and Leitrim collected approximately €1 million and €344,000 respectively. Sligo’s figure is also far below the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Budget 2026 could ‘make or break local tourism’
IN advance of Budget 2026, hoteliers are calling on the Government to deliver targeted measures to safeguard the longterm viability of Irish tourism and hospitality. The upcoming Budget takes place against a backdrop of ongoing challenges for local...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Work is under way to identify site for 24-hour emergency women refuge
WORK is underway to identify a site for an emergency 24-hour women’s refuge in Sligo. Currently, the county is one of nine who do not have one in the country. Women’s refuges are emergency accommodation for women and their children who are fleeing...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Man accused of bank holiday stabbing incident has case adjourned to September
A MAN accused of stabbing another man in Sligo town has had his case adjourned until September. D y l a n F e e n e y o f Maugheraboy Estate who has been charged with assault rising out of an alleged stabbing in Sligo town on the early hours of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Undercover operation caught man who was having sexualised conversations on app for teenagers
A DRUMCLIFFE man who sent highly sexualised online messages to a British undercover police agent believing they were a 13-year-old girl, has been found guilty of producing child pornography. Paul Nugent (48) of Westway, Castletown, Drumcliffe, Co...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trio sentenced for Castle Street affray
THREE Sligo men have been sentenced for kicking a man and stomping on his head in front of shocked onlookers during an affray in the town centre last year. Michael Corcoran (35) of Glendallon, Ballytivnan, Killian Snee McLoughlin (30) of Upper John...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Man jailed for campaign of harassment against next door neighbours
A RETIRED member of the Defence Forces who harassed and terrorised his next-door neighbours for over two years has been sent to prison for 27 months. John Burns (62) of Finure, Dromard, Co. Sligo was sentenced to three years in prison with the final...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tributes paid to 18-year-old Conor following sudden passing abroad
TRIBUTES have been paid to 18-year-old Conor James Burke from Enniscrone who passed away suddenly last week in Thailand. Tributes to Conor - originally from Tubbercurry and who had been living abroad in recent months - were led by local councillor Joe...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Health Minister quashes claims decision made to have surgical hub in Sligo
THE Minister of Health Jennifer Carroll – MacNeill has reportedly quashed Marian Harkin’s claim that the location for a surgical hub in the north west has already been determined. Last Friday, June 27, Minister Harkin stated that the decision to site...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HIQA inspection finds that overcrowding issues remain at Sligo University Hospital
THE latest HIQA inspection of Sligo University Hospital (SUH) found that overcrowding issues remain at the hospital, especially at the Emergency Department (ED). The inspection also noted that there were zero non compliances issued. The inspection...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Social media giant X will appeal against former employee’s record €550k unfair dismissal award
THE Labour Court has scheduled a three-day hearing starting on July 29 to consider Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) appeal against a record-setting unfair dismissal award of €550,131 granted to a Sligo man who had worked for the company. The Workplace...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Orthopaedic Theatre’s new roof expected to be completed by end of the year
SLIGO University Hospital’s Orthopaedic Theatre’s new roof is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The news came from the Regional Health Forum infrastructure update meeting on Wednesday morning, June 11. It was also revealed that the full...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Life sentence for man who murdered his mother
A MAN has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his mother at her home in Sligo town in 2023. Last month, Nigel Canavan (39) was convicted of murdering Angela Canavan (58) and was sentenced on Tuesday at the Central Criminal Court in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Gardaí appeal for witnesses as investigation launched into criminal damage in Cartron Estate
AN investigation has been launched after a car was set on fire in the Cartron Estate of Sligo Town. The incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday morning. In a statement, the gardaí confirmed that they are investigating an incident of criminal...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Gardaí issue warning about spread of misinformation following alleged incident
THE SLIGO-LEITRIM Garda Division have issued a statement warning about misinformation about inappropriate approaches to children in Sligo. The warning follows an incident this month in which a local school sent a safetly alert on such an incident...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Over half of rental properties in Sligo failed an inspection last year
IT has emerged that over half of the private rental dwellings in County Sligo did not meet regulatory requirements by inspections in 2024. According to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, 817 inspections were carried out in the...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Bail refused for man charged with alleged crime spree
John O’Connor (47) of Bride Street, Dublin 8, was brought before Judge Sandra Murphy at Sligo District Court last Thursday 24 April after he was arrested the day before while collecting his disability payment in person at St Andrew Street Post Office...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Family’s fear that late son’s killer could return to Sligo
THE father of a young man who was killed in Sligo town in 2018 has expressed his disappointment that the opinion of Gardaí was not sought before the Central Mental Hospital granted unsupervised day releases to his son’s killer. Michael Loughlin has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Pharmacy’s registration suspended following inquiry
A SLIGO pharmacy has had its registration suspended by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) after it was found guilty of misconduct in relation to supplying prescription-only medication to customers in the absence of a registered phamacist. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Motorist went on ‘drugs and alcohol binge’ after knocking down and killing nine-year-old boy
A MOTORIST who knocked down and killed a nine-year-old boy went on a drugs and alcohol binge after the incident, a court heard. Sergee Kelly (24), from Upper Mullaghmore, struck Ronan Wilson at Atlantic Way, Bundoran, Co. Donegal at around 9.20pm...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Workers and mothers express frustration as €100,000 maternity ward suite is rarely used
A SOUGHT-AFTER modern labour room with a birthing pool funded by the HSE to the tune of €100,000 is being rarely used in Sligo University Hospital (SUH). The Journal Investigates revealed today, Thursday, that despite it being the only delivery suite...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Man jailed for four years for dangerous driving after fatal crash
A THIRTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD man has been sentened to four years and six months in prison and has been disqualified from driving for eight years for driving whilst intoxicated and dangerous driving causing death. On October 25, 2023 at 8.11pm Anthony...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Homeless man who perished in tragic fire last year finally laid to rest
A DISABLED, homeless Ukrainian man who died in a fire at his makeshift camp on wasteland in Sligo town over Christmas has finally been laid to rest. There were no next of kin or family present despite the Garda’s efforts to trace them over the past...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘No surprise’ as psychiatric nurses vote to take industrial action - Cllr
LOCAL Fianna Fail councillor Edel McSharry, is not surprised that the psychiatric nurses are set to take industrial action. On Tuesday, the Psyhciatric Nurses Association (PNA) issued a notice of industrial action to the HSE in a dispute over staff...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Concerns about space and privacy at “overrun” health centre raised at meeting
THE HSE’s Integrated Healthcare Area Manager for Sligo, John Fitzmaurice confirmed that he intends to visit the Gurteen Health Ventre to assess the situation, the HSE Regional Health Forum heard this week. This was in response to a motion by...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Defendant who killed Sligo native in Australia to be sentenced in coming weeks
A MAN who killed a Sligo native in Australia is to be sentenced in the coming weeks. Luke Samouel Simon (60) appeared before New South Wales Supreme Court this week where the court saw CCTV in the lead-up to the incident in which he shot dead Sligo...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Sligo County Council grants planning permission for new homes in Oakfield
SLIGO County Council have granted planning permission for a major housing development in Sligo town. The development located on the Oakfield Road will consist of 207 homes, for which 42 will be four-bedroomed houses, four three bed semi, 99 thre-bed...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Councillor calls for Minister of Justice to help retailers with ‘frightening’ increase in shoplifting
COUNCILLOR Dara Mulvey has called on the Minister for Justice Home Affairs and Migration Jim O'Callaghan to help retailers with the frightening increase in shoplifting at this week's Sligo County Council meeting. Councillor Mulvey stated:...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Frustration as some areas of Sligo remain without power following storm
RESIDENTS in some areas of Sligo have been left frustrated and feeling forgotten about as they remain without power and other essential amenities almost two weeks since Stoem Eowyn rolled through the county. More businesses in a position to do so have...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Glowing HIQA review for local care centre
A LOCAL care centre has received a positive HIQA review. Rusheen House is a community residential service providing care and support to four adults with disabilities who have complex health and support needs. The service at Rusheen House is managed...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Integration Department has ‘no plans’ for Yeats Country Hotel
THE Integration Department confirmed that they have no plans for the Yeats Country Hotel at Rosses Point. Frank Feighan TD sent a query to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth. The procurement team responded that it...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Sligo-Leitrim TD set for for Junior Minister role
SLIGO-LEITRIM TD Marian Harkin is poised to be appointed as a Junior Minister in the formation of the next Irish government. A deal has been struck between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group to form a coalition for the next...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Gardaí seek public assistance as investigations continue into whereabouts of missing teens
GARDAÍ are continuing to seek the public’s assistance in tracing the whereabouts of two teens who were reported missing from Sligo town in recent weeks. Nicole Doyle (15) and Jake Hafford (17) were reported missing in separate appeals - Nicole has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Man’s death being treated as tragic accident
GARDAI are treating the death of a man in Sligo town as a tragic accident. The burned remains of a man were discovered near Hughes Bridge on St Stephen’s Day.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TWO EDITIONS of the SLIGO WEEKENDER
will be in shops and online on the earlier dates of Tuesday, December 24 & Tuesday, December 31
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Healthcare worker sexually assaulted female patients in emergency department
A HEALTHCARE worker sexually assaulted a teenage girl and a woman while taking their blood samples in an accident and emergency department in the midlands, a court has heard. Eldhose Yohannan, 38, originally from India but with an address at...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Parents left devastated as son’s killer approved for ‘unsupervised leave’ from Central Mental Hospital
Getting justice for his son Jimmy’s tragic killing has become Michael Loughlin’s life work. “Because if you stop you can’t go back to it. I wish it wasn’t the case, and that I could get on with my life, but I have to stay on top of it all the time. If...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Major step forward for Cleveragh Regional Park Masterplan
YESTERDAY, Wednesday, SligoDrumcliffe Cllr. Thomas Walsh welcomed the new Masterplan for the final phase of development at Cleveragh Regional Park. Cllr Walsh “The development will include a skate park, pump track, learn-to-cycle facility, car...
Read Full Story (Page 3)
Local cafe is Ireland’s favourite local business
A LOCAL café owned by a hospitality veteran and champion of Irish producers has been crowned as Ireland’s Favourite Local Business. Ósta Café and Wine Bar picked up the accolade in a national competition run by Miconex, operators of local Town & City...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Emotional turmoil and economic hardship associated with Bovine TB continues unabated for local farmers
CATTLE testing for TB has been in operation for over seventy years now, and local farmers are wondering how much further it has advanced the eradication or even suppression of bTB – or even if at all. For many farmers it seems we’re no further along....
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Three men are arrested after burglary spree
THREE men have been arrested in connection with 29 burglaries across five counties, including Sligo. The men were arrested in Dublin on Tuesday after four properties in the Dublin Metropolitan Region were investigated. During the course of the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Father of jailed murderer sues CAB over seized cash
THE father of double murder Yousef Palani is suing the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in a bid to retrieve the €350,000 that was found at the killer’s home. Palani is currently in prison serving a life sentence for the murders of Michael Snee and Aidan...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GARDAI PRAISED FOR HANDLING OF INCIDENT IN COLLOONEY Man handed eight-year jail sentence for rape and coercive control of wife
A WOMAN who waived her right to anonymity has spoken of the trauma inflict by her husband. Sergio Correia was jailed for eight years earlier this week for raping and coercively controlling his wife Kathleen during their marriage. Speaking on RTÉ’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Local dog owner says XL Bully ban will not have desired effect
A LOCAL dog owner has warned that a ban on owning a dog whose breed is an XL Bully will not work. Vanessa Sleater, who herself owns an XL Bully, states that public safety from canines will not improve despite the ban. The first phase of the XL Bully...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Farmer’s approach to dealing with helicopter owner who landed in his field without permission goes viral
MANNERS cost nothing as the saying goes and a helicopter owner found out the hard way what happens when you plant your chopper into someone’s field without permission. Enniscrone farmer, Johnny Kilcullen, was making his way out to watch the sinking of...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
CULTURE NIGHT 2024 - YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO EVENTS ACROSS SLIGO Man jailed for six-anda-half years for child sex offences
A FORMER Sligo Tennis Club coach has been jailed for six-and-a-half years for child sex offences. Sean Francis McGranaghan, 33, of Kilmartin Avenue, Norbury, South London, was last month convicted by a jury at Bristol Crown Court in England after...
Read Full Story (Page 1)