On today’s show Máire was joined by Stephen McMahon from the Irish Patients Association to discuss how a leaked letter from the chief executives of Tallaght Hospital, St James’ Hospital, the Mater and Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children have warned that cuts mean some cancer patients are facing delays in treatment due to overwhelming pressures on services. The hospitals have warned the HSE of the dangers to patient safety as a result and say they cannot continue to operate in such a manner. A report on the Primetime programme stated that the Taoiseach’s insisted that hospitals have been given increases of 3 per cent in budgets this year and that the coalition is cutting costs and not services. It’s after a letter to the H-S-E from four of the country’s biggest hospitals warning that cuts were leading to safety risks in the delivery of services. In the Dáil, Enda Kenny rejected a call from Sinn Féin for the resignation of Minister James Reilly. Mr Kenny says the Government is not ignoring the letter from the chief executives in the four hospitals.
Claire Jones also joined the show to talk about the Great Clare Bake Off, which takes place in Jones’s Super Valu, Miltown Malbay on Saturday November 9th between 2 and 4pm. Home bakers are asked to bring their cakes, scones, bread or anything they fancy for judging by independent professional judges to win the title of the Great Clare Bake Off Champion 2013. Judges will be looking at presentation, taste and quality of product. Contestants can only use natural ingredients and the products must be home baked. There will be a first prize of €200, 2nd 100 and third €50 so its well worth the time to enter. There are also prizes for secondary and national school pupils. Participants just have to make a donation to the Action Breast Cancer Fund on the day.
Aidan Courtney of The Ennis Book Shop reviewed GAAconomics: The Secret Life of Numbers in the GAA by Michael Moynihan and Heritage Trees of Ireland by Aubrey Fennell with photography from local photographer Carsten Krieger.
Johnny Crawford from Irish Wheelchair Association – Clare Branch was also in studio to talk about the 2013 Angel Campaign, which will take place on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th November. Angels is the Associations only national fundraiser and is a highly anticipated campaign on the IWA calendar. Plans for local launches and events, are already underway in Resource and Outreach Centres and IWA offices throughout Ireland, and it is hoped that with the support and generosity of the communities in which their 57 centres are based the Association will raise an estimated target of €500,000. The Clare branch is also relocating to Francis Street – and are opening a charity shop to help funding for local services.
Actors Clare Monelly, Sam McGovern and Stephen Jones were also guests of the show – the trio are part of the cast for Alone It Stands which comes to Glor for the next two nights. Alone It Stands is written & directed by John Breen. This now legendary story is set on 31st October in 1978 when Munster Rugby played the mighty All Blacks – in a David v Goliath scenario played out in Thomand Park – Munster Rugby served up one of the sporting stories of the century when they played like their lives depended on it and beat the All Blacks 12-0. With 6 actors recreating 62 roles in re-telling this story that inspires and perspires in the same evening! The match was never televised so you will have to take our word for what happened and come along and see for yourself what happens when Munster, the Kiwis, the crowd, the ball, the dog and the pregnant woman all push and shove to create one momentous day. Clare is an up and coming actor who graduated from the Gaiety School of Acting in 2011. Since then she has featured in the IFTA-winning series ‘Moone Boy’ series one and two, and has just completed filming on series three
To contact the show please email afternoon@clare.fm
