The Wee Paper, Buncrana (2025)

29/09/2025

GHOSTED

We make no apology to anyone for confronting the difficult issues locally in Inishowen as the "Local Papers" continue with the "nice stuff".

One of these topics is the "Mica" DCB fiasco, which we have written about for years.

We clashed with the now-defunct organisation Mica Action Group (MAG) because they resisted our suggestions that they should become a membership representative group, like the IFA, democratic and transparent. We urged them that this would enhance their power when negotiating with government.

They avoided us like the plague, and look now where they are.

Likewise, the people who came to replace them are repeating the exact same performance.

100% Redress Party got people elected to DCC and the Dail, and not once did they engage with us on social media or through The Wee Paper; they are running scared of us because we push them to work harder and smarter.

Charles Ward has been working on roads, tourism and fisheries and has gone quiet on the issue that he was elected to work on.

Likewise, the 100% Redress councillors voted to increase the Local Property Tax to its maximum, this being an issue with people living in homes with defective blocks. Recently, Joy Beard has been working for other groups in Buncrana, while she is silent on the very issue that she was elected to solve.

I voted No 1 to support Joy and Charles to get them elected, and I am bitterly disappointed with their performance, because it appears to me that they are positioning themselves for re-election ( like the rest of them) instead of working with the victims to get the job done.

Tony Grant, September 2025

27/09/2025

www.theii.com

Gone are the days of the IDA Advance Factory, never to be seen again, as it has been replaced by the Digital Hub.
We have one right here on our doorstep, in Buncrana, in the form of Inishowen Innovation, which is open for business and waiting for you to visit them.
Many of us living here in the town and beyond can benefit from getting to know about what is going on within the walls of this building.
From school leavers to seasoned business people, sole traders and companies can use this place as their second home to survive and to thrive. The choice is yours.
I had occasion to visit it with a problem that I had with my website, and after half an hour, I rushed out the door to get home to make the changes to enhance my online presence, which is still making a difference today.
This place was built with taxpayers' money, for the benefit of taxpayers, so I don't understand why it is not being used by more people.
There was a comment made by a user of the place, on Facebook, recently, that the place was "at capacity". This could not be further from the truth. I expect this person wanted to keep it quiet that the place is open to all, and that he and his friends could have unhindered access for themselves.
My advice to the people of Buncrana is to "Use it and Make it your own" and not be put off by these online comments to the contrary.
It is here for us all to use, not for an exclusive few.
Tony Grant, September 2025

24/09/2025

BROKEN

EU Defective Blocks (made in Ireland)

Ireland is breaking the following EU Directives:

1. The Concrete Products Directive.

2. The Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Irish government has deliberately set out to deny the people of Ireland equal rights as other citizens living in the EU by denying their officials permission to measure pyrrhotite in concrete blocks. If they can’t measure it, they can deny its existence, and this means the EU Directive won’t apply to them and they won’t have to compensate the victims.
This is a mean-spirited, underhanded way of trying to wriggle out of their responsibility to undo a wrong that continues to bleed energy out of the people affected, the victims.

The EU has opened infringement proceedings against Ireland for its failure to implement the EU Concrete Products Directive.
That could take years to work it’s way through the bureaucracy of the EU, especially if the Irish government decides to fight it all the way.

The directive is very specific in allowing the limits of minerals such as mica, pyrite, and pyrrhotite in concrete blocks.

Away from the politics of Defective Blocks, what about the health of people living in these crumbling homes? The effects of the mould can not be understated. It affects the growth, learning ability and energy of the people living inside.
They are weakened and are less able to fight for their rights, so we must join in with our support whenever we can and be a voice for them.

Thanks to Ming Flanagan in the EU and Charles Ward in the Dail for keeping up the good fight.

Tony Grant, September 2025

20/09/2025

Report on Culture Night

Sometimes art is at the forefront of change in society; in this case, it was the spoken word or words in The Protestant Hall on Friday night that were ushering in a fresh new thinking into Buncrana, it was as if a new wind had blown up the Swilly and breezed into the Hall, but no it was nothing like that, that was happening, it was more real.

Vin was masterful in his understanding of his thinking and his own history as he read from his book of poems, which was published earlier this year. It was raw and honest.

I heard a young woman describe feminine energy in her poem as I have never heard it described before. It was revealing.

I heard a man describe in his poem the workman's hands of his father-in-law as he lay in the coffin, as a final tribute to his craftsmanship.

I heard an intelligent view of the town from a woman of razor-sharp observation in her poem.

It was all very cathartic and energetic; this was indeed a moment and a place where people felt free to express their deepest thoughts and aspirations. I believe this new openness and willingness to publicly express ourselves will usher in a better community.

All of the performers did us a great service in our journey of life.

(I have been given permission by the authors to reprint some of the poems here in The Wee Paper in the near future.)

Tony Grant, September 2025

19/09/2025

Parent

In the looking glass of life
you see your own reflection
Sometimes it is the essence that challenges you to question.
You have sold yourself to a destiny
that has stolen your dreams
Now you cry the tears of failure
Life is never what it seems

Standing at a crossroads
You are startled by indecision
Can you make the leap of faith
Or wallow in your emptiness
Screaming for salvation

You are the ship that does not sail
Your anchor is the hopelessness
that squanders you illusions

I am not here to make your dreams come through
I am here to witness

Nmar, September 2025

16/09/2025

Budding Artist

Here is budding artist that takes a challenging view of perceived norms.

Ben Kings has insight and uses his spectacular vision to create.

Noel King, September 2025

14/09/2025

1k Following Us

The Wee Paper is delighted to announce that 1k people are now following our stories on Facebook.

Congratulations to Margaret Mcguigan on becoming our one thousandth follower.

Thank you to ALL our followers for taking the time and interest to follow The Wee Paper.

We are encouraged by your support, and we would love to print some of your stories in return.

Contact us by email: theweepaper@gmail.com

Tony Grant, September 2025

13/09/2025

Go for it Garret

Garret Doherty from Carndonagh, now living in Buncrana, will attempt to run backwards on a treadmill on ITV tomorrow (Sunday 14th September) at 5.30 pm
Bets will be placed on the Show that he will NOT be able to run backwards at 25 kph.
It is a crazy task, most of us could not run at 25 kph in the FORWARD direction, never mind doing it BACKWARDS.
Retro running is a strange one; there is no doubt about it. It is difficult enough to run forward without running backwards.

What is all that about anyway?

Apparently, it is very helpful for your balance. Did you know that Mohammad Ali walked or ran backwards every day to help him stay on his feet in the ring? Don't be surprised if you see some people walking backwards around Buncrana, yes, they are already at it, and the reports back are that it really works.

Local boxing clubs should take note.

Tony Grant, September 2025

12/09/2025

Saturday 13th - Malin to Buncrana

The Long March from Malin Head to Buncrana, a distance of 25 miles, will start tomorrow morning at 7.30am and is expected in:

Malin Town at 12.00 Noon.

Carndonagh at 1.30pm for a brief stop for Lunch.

North Pole at 5.00pm

People like myself, who are unable to walk for long distances or for any other reason, can join the march at Cockhill Bridge from 6.30pm

Expected Time of Arrival in Swan Park is 7.30 pm

"May the road rise up to meet you all along the way"

A massive turnout is expected at this crucial time in our history.

"Our humanity unites us during dark events."

Tony Grant, September 2025

09/09/2025

NOT a Toilet

"Dig it up and throw more concrete at it, and sure that will keep them happy," and they are right because these local councillors keep getting elected again and again, with no awareness of the harm that they are doing to the local environment.

More and more unwilding is going on around Buncrana and in the rest of Donegal. They say it is to make the place look NICE, believing that is what will draw the tourists here, and we might make some money.

I believe they could not have got it more wrong. Surely tourists from Kerry would not come here to see another Tralee, or people would not travel from Mayo to see another Westport. They come here to see our unique, wild, and unspoiled beauty.

Our problem is that we have not yet managed to use that wildness and beauty to our advantage by developing attractions that are experiential and blend into the environment and "rock the socks off" our visitors so much that they will return again and again.

We could start with "Public Hygiene", gone are the days when dirty, filthy toilets are acceptable in our public spaces and in our pubs.

The scandal today is that there are several toilets at Ned's Point, but none of them are open to the public. If we are serious about providing basic services for our locals and visitors, DCC should negotiate with the owners of these toilets to support their opening to the public.

Instead of providing toilets, we are content to see more concrete thrown in the ground, and we call this progress.

Tony Grant, September 2025

05/09/2025

Our Community Garden

The Old Garda Station is now owned by Donegal County Council and is going to be developed for the benefit of the people of Buncrana.

We need to decide what that use is going to be.

For best use of public funds, we do not need to replicate any service that already exists in the town, that's for sure, but we still need to spend the money wisely.

We have the new "innovation inishowen" facility with all its wonderful ideas and potential uses down the road. However, it is still underutilised as a business and digital hub.

We do not need to replicate anything they are doing, so we don't need another business centre.

We need a Community Centre and a Community Garden in the town centre. We need to bring "footfall" to the lower end of the town, to bring that end of the town alive, which has been neglected for too long.

DCC should start a consultation with the people to examine the needs of the town and to make sure that we get the best return on our investment.

In The Wee Paper, we have made submissions in writing to councillors, and the response has been very positive.

Now we need the people to respond and to become engaged to see the project progress.

Tony Grant, September 2025

29/08/2025

Forgotten Creatures

The launch of a delightful book took place yesterday evening in Innovation Inishowen, Buncrana.

This was not just a book in the normal sense as we know it, this is a blueprint for something much bigger to happen here in Inishowen.

Imagine you purchased this book and you started to play the game that puts you at the centre of the story, with the use of a dice, you get to change the story as it evolves, then imagine that you can develop it into a board game and finally you can explore the areas around Inishowen that the book is based on.

No doubt there are creatures in there, some alive and some recently extinct. (I hasten to talk about that because it disturbs me)

As you can see, I absorbed this book last night when I brought it home.

I have no doubt that locals and tourists alike will be using this book in the years to come, to make adventures in Inishowen.

Tony Grant, August 2025

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