Paula speaks to PADDY CULLIVAN about the Johnathan Swift inspired satire festival in Trim. They discuss the origins of the festival, who is on the line up and what is in store for the audience. Paddy tells Paula about some of the acts who are performing including Barry Murphy, Dara O’Brian and a host of other…
The Irish Red Cross and Typhoon Haiyan in The Philippines
ANNE MARIE O’CONNELL of the Irish Red Cross joins Noel McGuinness to talk of their work in The Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Anne says 11 million people are affected across 40 provinces with 500,000 people displaced. Thus far they have confirmed over 2,000 deaths, with that figure expected to increase. Anne says…
Eclipse Stage School Celebrates Fifth Birthday in 2012
Eclipse Stage School, based at Scoil Eoin Primary School in Kilbarrack, currently holds the title of Best Stage School in Ireland, and has become a leading school for young performers since it was established in 2007. Director and choreographer Kenneth Giles focuses on all aspects of performance and training. This not only helps the students…
What work is done by the North Dublin Chamber of Commerce?
MARK KELLET of the North Dublin Chamber of Commerce joins John Healy to discuss an upcoming Trade Expo taking place. Mark begins by telling how the chamber is set up to support businesses in the North Dublin catchment area. Mark tells of how they have helped both established companies as well as start ups as…

Communiversities Programme in Coolock Library
John speaks to PAUL HAYES from the Northside Partnership about the Communiversities Programme in Coolock Library. He talks about his role in the Northside Partnership, the locations in Ireland where the programme is taking place, the details and the idea of the programme, the various courses available as part of the programme and the requirements…
Festival of Curiosity 2013 Summary
Festival Of Curiosity organizer, VINCENT MCCARTHY talks to Eoin Drinan to review the events from this year’s festival. Vincent talks about the success of previous festivals, their focus on the science and culture aspects of the festival, the highlights of the festival including a carnival in Smock Alley Theatre and a Lego exhibition in Temple…
Sean FM O’Donoghue: Writer, poet and playwright
SEAN FM O’DONOGHUE, playwright and poet joins John Healy to speak about his life and work. He begins by telling how he became a diver and has had a multitude of jobs throughout his life. He speaks of being an actor, producer and director. He speaks of a large fire that he witnessed and the…
Raidió na Life Celebrates its 20th Birthday
MUIRIS O FIANNACHTA, Station Manager of Raidió na Life talks to Noel McGuinness about the station’s 20th Anniversary celebrations. Broadcasting in Dublin since 1993, Raidió na Life is a community-of-interest radio station set up to provide a community-oriented Irish language radio service to the Irish-speaking community of Dublin and surrounding areas on a non-profit basis…
The Gutter Bookshop
Noel Mc Guinness speaks to BOB JOHNSTON from the gutter bookshop in cows lane in Temple bar. BOB talks about the Easter trail which is taking place in the area & lots more as well including the design market which sell local Irish craft & their outdoor bookshop & lots more. The gutter bookshop was…
Dublintellectuals transition to The Culture Lab
MARISSA RONAN of Dublintellectual.ie, joins Eoin to speak about the work of the website promoting the arts and Humanities in a time of recession. We hear how the group began to meet at Shibeen Chic in Dublin City and how it grew and after 33 events UCD engaged with them on a collaboration to expand…
Live from the Right to Water charge march, Dublin city
Flavia Goretta reports from Dublin city, we hear extracts from speeches, and from individual people taking part in the protest have their say also…
Pensioners Receive Pension Tax Bills by Post
MAIREAD HAYES of the Senior Citizens’ parliament discusses the taxing of state pensions with NOEL McGuinness. Under new rules under Section 261, the Department of Social Protection has started taxing State Pensions regardless of the marital status or health status of those in receipt of the pensions. In some cases the sums are as low…
Introduction of “Free Wifi hotspots” in Dublin city centre
ANDREW SMYTH joins Pat Meehan to discuss “Free Wifi” spots being introduced to the main shopping thoroughfares in Dublin city centre and the positive implications of this. They talk of how sustainable keeping the hotspots as a “free service” might be and also discuss the benefits to wifi providers,through advertisement etc, being used to create…

Award winning play “Pondling” at Axis Ballymun
Noel McGuinness interviews GENEVIEVE HULME-BEAMAN, writer and solo perfomer of the play “Pondling”. She explains how she developed the idea for the play and feels encouraged to keep writing appart from har acting career. After succesfully acting in Galway she presents the play at Axis Ballymun. She considers it to be a family piece, with both…
2012: Another Year at Near – News Round-Up
Near Media Co-Op is a not-for-profit community media project. The project consists of Near FM and Near TV and works in platforms as diverse as computer training, drama production, assisting unsigned musicians and educational programming. Near FM broadcasts 24 hours a day over 365 days per year. We operate an open access policy and run…
