AMAY VAN WYLICK, Coordinator for Culture Night speaks to Noel McGuinness in the run up to the event. They discuss some of the major attractions of the festival including a live concert with the RTE Concert Orchestra in Meeting House Square with guest spots by Julie Feeney and Lúnasa. We hear that there will be…
Barrack closures
RONNIE O’ BRIEN speaks to GERRY ROONEY who is the general secretary of PD Forra about barrack closures in Cavan, Clonmel, Monaghan, & Donegal. Ronnie asks Gerry what he thinks of the closures…
EU Funding for Swords Castle
Pat Meehan is talking to PAT BOYLE Architect from Fingal City Council about EU Funding for Swords Castle. A total of €40 million in grant assistance is being provided for local authorities for designated gateway and hub towns across Ireland. Fingal County Council has welcomed the news that Swords is to be included in the…
Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Centre
Mark speaks to SHAYKH UMAR AL QADIR, head imam of the Blanchardstown Islamic Centre and chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Centre. He talks about the work he does for both the Blanchardstown Islamic Centre and the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Centre, his understanding of people’s perceptions of the Muslim community, his…
Voting to reform Seanad Eireann
ARTHUR GRIFFIN, vice president of Fianna Fail joins Ger Leddin to discuss the proposed abolition of Seanad Eireann. Arthur speaks of the parties support for the reform of the Seanad and suggests that the current government’s plan is an attempt at a “Power grab”. They discuss the prominence of a call for Dail reform. Arthur speaks of…
Legislation against FMG Required
GRACE WILENTZ, NEAR FM Cultural Coordinator, and PEG McMANUS from the Intercultural Group tell Pat Meehan what’s coming up on the Culture Shots programme. A major issue under the microscope is FGM (Female Genital Mutilation). It is estimated that some 3000 women in Ireland have undergone this ritual, many of them being abducted in order…
Enda Kenny: Budget 2013 and the Central Statistics Office
Taoiseach ENDA KENNY speaks to Ger Leddin about the CSO figures released the week before and whether the figures will have a bearing on the 2013 budget. The Taoiseach says that, while the figures are encouraging, they will have very little bearing on the budget. Mr Kenny also says that the country is “in the…
Anam Cara Helping Bereaved Parents
Noel McGuinness talks to SHARON VARD, CEO of Anam Cara, a support group for parents who have lost children. The loss of a child is every Mum and Dad’s worst nightmare, the pain goes deep. Family and friends try to understand, and indeed are going through their own grieving process, but the only person who…
iReport: How each individual can help by reporting racist incidents
SHANE O’CURRY joins Eoin Drinan beginning to explain how the iReport, available online, acts as a national system to report incidents of a racist nature. Shane says the information is not necessarily being reported to the Gardai but helps to paint a picture of demographic trends and rate of occurrence around the city. Monthly reports…
Upcoming events organized by the Improvised Music Company
Barbara Jennings interviews AOIFE CONCANNON from the Improvised Music Company, a non-profit resource for Jazz and Wold Music, and they organize two Jazz Festivals. One of them is coming soon, called Twelve Points, a festival for young European Jazz; it takes place in Dublin every second year and then in a random European in alternate years…
Design Week 2012 and the Malthouse Design Centre Distillery
Barbara Jennings speaks to ARTHUR DUFF at the Malthouse Design Centre Distillery. They discuss “Design Week” – a festival focused on design and the opportunity for all people involved in design to show off their wares. They discuss the festival and then move on to talking about the Malthouse itself and what it can offer…
Presidential Election Count at the RDS
Noel talks to GER DORGAN to get an update on the count for the Presidential Election from the RDS, in Ballsbridge, confirming that Michael D. Higgins was the most voted for in the majority of the districts of Dublin…
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…
Bordeaux Conference: Irish Claremorris Community Radio
Noel McGuinness interviews AIDAN LONG from the Irish community radio station, Claremorris Community Radio about the origin of radio and the chance of discovering the challenges of other rural radio stations all over Europe…
“Pearse House Flats: Village in the City” Photography Exhibition
Photographer JEANETTE LOWE joins Noel McGuinness to talk about the exhibition of work based on the Pearse House Flats. Jeanette talks about the renovation of the flats as part of the exhibition, how the exhibition has offered many people the chance to return to the area to visit, what Ireland was like during the 1930’s…