Gardai at the scene of the fatal collision in St Johnston. (North West Newspix)
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25 Feb 2026
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25 Feb 2026
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The Mayor of Donegal has queried the actions of Gardai in east Donegal after dozens of people were put out of a pub at the weekend.
Councillor Paul Canning raised the matter during a meeting of the Donegal Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) on Wednesday afternoon in Lifford.
Councillor Canning said the issues of community, safety and rural areas came into play when pubs in the Newtowncunningham, Killea, Carrigans and St Johnston areas were raided after hours at the weekend.
He said that rural pubs don’t have access to as many taxis as urban pubs and this caused a huge problem. Councillor Canning pointed to the case of one pub where scores of people were on the street outside.
He said: “Rural pubs close the door at 12.30am and the problem here being the local Gardai land at 1.10am or so and there were still 60 people in the place.
“The bar was closed and all the people were removed to the street. They were on the street and the door was closed, and them all waiting on maybe two taxis.”
Councillor Canning said the “wrong message” was sent out by Gardai on the night in question and called for clarity in terms of their policing.
“We need to clarify things out in the rural areas,” he said. “We need some sort of time to allow for the people who are getting taxis.
“We had a situation here where people were waiting on taxis or people to collect them. They got into their owns cars for heat. What would happen then if the Gardai came and saw the person in the car park with the vehicle turned on, just so they could get heat.
Read next: 'Entire community in complete shock': Two teenagers killed in St Johnston crash
Donegal LCSP Chairperson Councillor Gerry McMonagle said this wasn’t the for such a matter.
“We are looking to develop a community safety plan and we don’t want to go down the road of individual issues.”
However, Councillor Canning replied: “If we are expecting the community to put the hand out, the hand needs to go both ways.”
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