The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is responsible for the functioning of the Council of the European Union, the upper house of the EU legislature. It rotates among the member states of the EU every six months. The presidency is not an individual, but rather the position is held by a national…

The Big Bang Festival 2013
BRIAN FLEMING, co-director of The Big Bang Festival of Rhythm joins Noel McGuinness on the phone to discuss the 2013 festival. Having started in 1994 they have ran it continuously since 2007. Brian tells all about what is in store for this years festival including group drumming and a workshop with world famous Djembe drummer:…
Men’s Shed Movement Has A Welcome For Everyone
FRANK SCALZO & ROB WALSH talk to Mark Finnegan about the Men’s Shed movement in Ballymun and Ireland as a whole. What is a Men’s Shed? A Men’s Shed is a dedicated, friendly and welcoming meeting place where men come together and undertake a variety of mutually agreed activities. Men’s Sheds are open to all…
Christmas Pop-up Shop for St Michaels House
John Healy interviews DEIRDRE WALSH from St Michaels House, about the Christmas Pop-up Shop to raise money for the two centre of Santry Centres, and how the service users decided to help out another good cause, and they chose the Children Hospital in Crumlin. She also wanted to thank the Near FM listeners for the response and all…
Special needs assistants cut backs
PAT MEEHAN speaks with PAMELA MEATES who is a parent of a special needs child in Holy trinity school in Donaghmeade. They are talking about losing a special needs assistant due to cut backs…
Amnesty International campaign on Mental Health
Noel interviews ROBERT MCCAFFERTY from Suaimhneas and Psychotherapist CAROLINE McGUIGAN about the Amnesty International campaign on Mental Health As A Human Rights Issue…

Irish Girl Guides book launch
Pat Meehan speaks to CATHERINE O’CONNOR, the support officer from the Irish Girl Guides about a new book that they have launched. The book is about disseminating the Millennium Development Goals to young people by making them young person friendly. Catherine also discusses the background of the Irish Girl Guides and what they do, including giving…
Situation at Priory Hall
Noel interviews ANDREW ROBINSON from New Beginning about the situation at Priory Hall, after the council tried to move all the neighbours/ residents out of their houses because there was no fire escape…
Ireland vs Scotland cricket at Malahide
FERGUS CARROLL reports live from the third day of three one-day international test matches at Malahide Cricket Club…
Against Jobsbridge and Gateway Schemes
John interviews PAUL MURPHY, Socialist Party MEP who speaks against the Jobsbridge and gateway schemes; he denounces the explotation this schemes are used for, using this people to replace actual workers. He also explains how even the scheme is supposed to be voluntary many young people feel pressured to accept this offers even if their…
Haven Doing Great Work in Haiti
ORLA DEMPSEY of Haven talks to Noel McGuinness about the voluntary work being done in the disaster-stricken island. Apart from the weather, says Orla, Haiti is very much like Ireland in the 1800s, an abandoned country with great poverty. George Hook is a well-known supporter of Haven’s work in Haiti and has travelled there on…
All Hallows Offers Adult BA Course for Personal & Personal Professional Development
COLM KILGALLON Assistant Director of Adult Learning at All Hallows College is live in the Near FM studios with Noel McGuinness. All Hallows held an Open Day recently to attract potential students to the Adult Learning BA course at All Hallows. This course is unique in Ireland. It is based on a US programme that…
Good news from Middle East
Baldoyle student SCOTT LEESON doing work experience at nearFM was tasked with finding some good news from the Middle East. He obliged with pieces about a Bridal Fashion designer going to international competition in Dubai, and a circus school in Palestine. And there’s more for good news junkies!…
Intercultural Media Project
PAT GUERIN talks to GRACE WILENTZ, Intercultural Dialogue through Community Media Coordinator at Near Media Co-op, on updates of the Intercultural Media project she is working on. In this segment, GRACE tells PAT how participants to the project are planning what they would be talking about within their programme and what feedback she is getting from…
Dublin Zoo The Changes Over The years
Pat Meehan speaks to LEO OOSTERWEGHEL who is director of Dublin zoo about the changes that have taken place over the past twenty years, how it has transformed in to a world class centre of learning about wild life & conservation & how they had over one million visitors to the Zoo in 2014 breaking…
