Derry Journal Review of the Year 2023: January

The woman was in her home in Kylemore Park when the explosion occurred and her neighbours rushed to her aid in the home. The woman was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where she was treated for her injuries.

BBC bosses announced that cuts may be implemented to Radio Foyle’s Breakfast Show and hourly news bulletins in an effort to reduce costs to the station. BBC Director General Tim Davies described the decision as ‘painful’. He said: “This is a painful saving but we believe we should be investing more in digital and doing more across the whole of NI in terms of developing the production sector and other things. So we think there are better ways of using the money.”

Former Mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Councillor Sandra Duffy, travelled to London with MP Colum Eastwood and MP Gregory Campbell to meet with BBC bosses.

Heavy snowfall in Derry caused chaos on the roads in January as a car crashed into a building on Spencer Road after sliding down Barnwall Place and another car crashed into a gas box on Creggan Road. Foyle MLA Mark H. Durkan raised concerns about what he characterised as a shrinking winter gritting budget. He said: “It is patently clear that budget pressures are severely limiting the department’s ability to respond to the demand for winter services. The potential consequences on road safety doesn’t bear thinking about,”

Meanwhile, a sectarian attack on a home in the Fountain estate was widely condemned after two children were left ‘showered in glass’ while sitting down for their dinner. The window of a living room where children were sitting was shattered and damage was caused to the window frames in the room of another property where children were playing when a gang of youths threw bricks at two properties.