DAVID MOORE from Astronomy Ireland joins Noel to discuss some events that the group has coming up. David says that their regular classes act as an introduction to astronomy. David discusses the comet Ison which will come relatively close to earth in late 2013 and early 2014. David says Ison may have a very large…
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…
Dublin Port Wants A Bigger Slice of International Cruise Market
The Dublin Port Company wants to establish the capital as the main port of choice for cruises coming to Ireland, says PAT WARD head of corporate services at Dublin Port Company. Talking to Noel McGuinness, Pat said the firm, which reported freight levels in excess of the boom era last year, has launched Cruise Dublin…
Removal of Literacy Post in TARGET, Donaghmede
Noel speaks to Cllr. MICHAEL O’BRIEN from the Anti Austerity Alliance about the removal of a literacy post in TARGET, Donaghmede. He talks the situation where the Education and Training Board is not funding a replacement for TARGET, the disruption that it may cause to people taking adult education in the area and the lack of…
Winter Coats For The Homeless Campaign
SARAH KATE CONWAY and ROSIE OSBOURNE join John Healy in studio to discuss Sarah’s “Winter Coats For The Homeless” initiative. Sarah tells John where the idea came from and how it developed into a campaign. Rosie talks about the Peter McVerry Trust’s involvement with the campaign and some of the ways in which people can…

Bealtaine Fest’s 20th Birthday Celebrations
MICHAEL FOLEY, Head of Evaluation & Public Affairs, Age & Opportunity talks to Noel McGuinness about this year’s Bealtaine Festival events on Dublin’s north side. An estimated 120,000 people now take part in the Bealtaine festival, making it one of Ireland’s biggest arts festivals. From dance to cinema, painting to theatre, Bealtaine showcases the talents…

Traditional Music from the EU concerts in Dublin
Noel McGuinness is joined in studio by PAUL LOUGHRAN and a number of musicians from the EU. It begins with a performance from the Hartz Mountain Yodellers. The musicians are in Dublin to perform a series of concerts which Paul gives all of the details for including a live broadcast on Near FM and subsequent…

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…
Local Artist featured in Origin Gallery Exhibition
Barbara Jennings speaks to local painter, MARGO BANKS in her Clontarf studio about the Origin Gallery exhibition, which she was a part of in the Harcourt Street Gallery. Margo speaks of her particular interest in painting Animals especially Hares and Birds, and also talks about the research she does for her paintings, her proximity to the Bull…
Fire Station Artists’ Studios Celebrate 20 Years of Creativity
CLODAGH KENNY, director of the Fire Station Artists’ Studios joins Noel McGuinness to discuss the 20th anniversary of the organisation. Clodagh talks about the genesis of the studios and how the building has always been a place of work, being previously a fire station. Artists are given grants to live and work in the studio…
Dublin is Open for Exploration of the Universe
Professor LUKE DRURY, Director of the School of Cosmic Physics, commenced a three-year term as Chair of the European Space Agency’s Astronomy Working Group in 2014. He is currently President of the Royal Irish Academy. Here he talks to Mark Finnegan about forthcoming events at Dunsink Observatory. The European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental…
Vigil for Homelessness Outside the Dail
Flavia speaks to several people during the Vigil for Homelessness outside the Dail. She firstly speaks with DARREN BRADLEY from March for the Homeless. He talks about the idea behind the protest, why it’s important that something should be done to prevent homeless people from dying on the streets and his outrage about the government’s…
Belcamp Estate Steering Committee
PAT MEEHAN speaks with LIAM O’ BRIEN from the Belcamp Estate Steering Committee in Darndale to talk about the postponing of a Northside housing scheme in Belcamp…
Religious Freedom Also Means Freedom to Be Catholic
Ronnie O’Brien talks to DR. JOHN MURRAY of The Iona Institute about religious freedom. Tanaiste Eamonn Gilmore’s speech has worried the Iona Institute, who feel that separation of Church and State in Ireland has gone far enough. The Institute say that it is not wrong to have the Catholic ethos at the heart of Education and…
Crisis in International Refugee System
PAT GUERIN talks to SUE CONLON, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council, on the crisis in International Refugee System and the seminar they had in the Trinity College a few weeks earlier regarding problems and possible ways to address them in relation to this issue…
