JOHN CUMMINS has been writing for over 20 years and has been performing since early 2010. He has been Leinster Poetry Slam Champion for the past three years and the 2013/2014 All-Ireland Poetry Slam Champion. John is often a featured artist at showcase nights around his native Dublin as well as Galway and Cork. He…
Last Ballymun Towerblock Begins To Tumble
Almost 50 years since it was built, demolition has started on Joseph Plunkett Tower, the last of the notorious Ballymun flats. BRIAN MONGEY, senior community officer with DCC talks to Mark Finnegan about this momentous occasion. Joseph Plunkett tower, completed in 1967, was one of seven 15-storey blocks, along with 19 of eight storeys and…
Housing Emergency and Rights Conference
Flavia interviews several people from the Housing Emergency and Rights Conference that took place on Saturday 3rd October. She firstly chats with JOHN BISSETT from Housing Action. He talks about the reasons for the conference to be called, the problems with housing from all over the country and how the conference was a working progress…
Dumping At Sea Campaign
Barbara speaks to DONNA COONEY from the “Dumping at Sea” campaign in Dublin Bay. She talks about why the campaign was set up, the dangers that the dumped waste could do, what they plan to do during the campaign, why the government don’t realize the dangers and how many communities would be affected. She also…
Father Peter McVerry: Homelessness is Alive and Well in Ireland 2013
Father PETER McVERRY joins Yvette Reid to discuss the 30th anniversary of the Peter McVerry Trust. Father McVerry says it is tragic that the organisation is still needed as homelessness should have been eradicated many years ago. They discuss the “Opening Doors” appeal running in conjunction with the 30th anniversary. Fund raising activities include charity…
7th Annual Edenmore Festival
Noel speaks to DIARMUID MCHUGH about the 7th annual Edenmore festival He talks about the teams and people who contribute to the festival. how vital the teamwork is for making the festival a success and the funding for Edenmore Park from the Dublin City Council. He also talks about the civil services’ participation and the reason for the…
How To Fund The Trip Of Your Dreams.
Explorers Club member, JEFF BLUMMERFELD speaks with Eoin Drinan. The Explorers Club has around 3000 members, including most of the well known explorers of all time. They have 25 chapters around the world. Jeff talks about much of his own work such as organizing expeditions for field testing exploration equipment in harsh conditions, his book which aims to show…
Darndale Arts Fest Has Something For Everyone
Noel McGuinness is joined in studio by DARINA SHOULDICE. Darina is a member of the organising Committee for Darndale Arts Fest running from June 15th to 19th. Darina highlights a number of exciting and interesting events that will take place during the course of this year’s festival…

Howth Coast Guard report
PAUL COOPER, Deputy Officer with the Howth Coast Guard, warns against people lighting Chinese lanterns, as they are being mistaken for distress flares. Paul asks members of the public to call the Coast Guard if they are about to light Chinese lanterns. Presenter Pat Meehan also asks Paul about the Coast Guard units in Ireland. Paul…
Culture Shots: the Science of Design and Marketing
Noel McGuinness is talking to NEAR Coop Multicultural Coordinator GRACE WILENTZ and to trainers Katrina and Nalena and is live in the Near FM studios. The girls are learning to use Photoshop for graphic design. They say that as they become more proficient in their IT and marketing skills they are becoming more confident in…
Teachers’ Experience of the PAX Good Behavior Game
Noel speaks with BREDA TOMKINS, a teacher from St. Joseph’s National School, Bonnybrook & CLAIR MCNICHOLAS, a teacher from Scoil Ide, Kilmore West about their experiences of the PAX Good Behavior Game in the classroom. They talk about their backgrounds in teaching, their first impressions of the game, their training on the programme, the details…
Anti-Austerity Alliance petition against water charges
MICHAEL O’BRIEN and PRIONSIAS O’CONARAIN talk to Mark Finnegan about the on-going campaign against payment of water charges in Ireland…

Andrew Carson launches his new installation “Pathfinder”
Pat Meehan chats with ANDREW CARSON about his new exhibition Pathfinder in Talbot Gallery. Pathfinder is an installation of new work by Andrew Carson following on from his research into the use and effects of modern means of communication; Andrew’s work is an exploration of social structures, systems, possibility, and probability…
Fossetts Circus At 125 years Of Age
CHARLES O’BRIEN of Fossetts Circus speaks to Ger Leddin on the occasion of their 125th year in existence. Charles talks about the history of Fossetts Circus with the oldest official documentation of it reaching back to 1888, the new audience members attending the circus from outside of Ireland, the generations of families passing on memories…
England v Ireland: Cricket International 2015
The England v Ireland cricketing clash was held at Malahide on Friday May 8th, 2015. The picturesque Dublin ground was the setting for a record attendance of ten thousand on a memorable day for Irish cricket. FERGUS CARROLL reports live from Malahide, keeping Noel McGuinness up to date on happenings in the north County Dublin…
