As a follow up on Monday’s show, we began with talking about a meeting tonight in Spanish Point on the topic of positive mental health. We were joined by former Cork hurler Conor Cusack – he’s one of those who’ll be there tonight – and he spoke eloquently about his own struggles with depression. Among the other high profile speakers will be Minister of State with Responsibility for Mental Health, Helen McEntee who joined Gavin on the line.
Gavin then took a look at the horrific images emerging this week from the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. Among these is video showing a five-year- old girl being pulled from a collapsed building in Aleppo. She’s among the estimated 233 injured over the last seven days. Still, she’s one of the lucky ones as the children’s charity UNICEF estimate that more than 90 children have been killed in the last week. They’re among the many agencies condemning the violence and calling for meaningful action to end it.
Gavin was joined by Peter Power, Director of UNICEF Ireland.
Gavin then spoke about blasphemy. Would you be surprised to hear that in Ireland you can be fined up to 25,000 euro for “publication or utterance of blasphemous matter”? My next guest disagrees with this law wholeheartedly, he’ll be on the streets of Limerick campaigning but right now he’s taking the time to talk to us, Mr. Peter O’Hara from the Mid-west Humanists group on World Blasphemy Day.
Gavin was joined on the phone by Peter O’Hara of Midwest Humanists.
Morning Focus then touched on the topic of road safety. With that subject in mind, a recent survey by Chill Insurance set out to identify Ireland’s most dangerous drives. It might surprise you to learn that those who responded judged the route to the Cliffs of Moher to be the most hazardous in the country. To discuss the findings, Gavin was joined by Fergal Lynch, Head of Marketing with Chill Insurance.
http://www.wheelsforwomen.ie/index.php/irelands-dangerous- drives/
We then had our Arts Round-Up
Music
*Friday – An Tara in Kilkishen
*Saturday – East Clare Comhaltas in Kilkishen
– Karen McInerney in Quilty
*Sunday – Singing Circle in Kilshanny
*Thursday – The Four of Us in Lahinch
Visual Arts
*Saturday – Health & Safety Training for Artists
Film
*Saturday – Atlantic in Killaloe
*Wednesday – Hail Caesar in Kilkee
*Thursday – First Citizens Speak in Kilnaboy
General
*Wednesday – Adult Education Classes in Ennis
Theatre
*Thursday – Wood, Stone. Spider in glór
Gavin was joined by Siobhán Mulcahy, Clare County Arts Officer.
Then Morning Focus had our round-up of weekly events.
Holy Island Mass
The East Clare Cluster of Parishes are holding their annual Mass on Holy Island on Sunday October 2nd at 2pm (weather permitting). Boats will leave Knochaphort from 1pm – cost of boat trip will be €3 per person. A shuttle bus service will operate from Mountshannon Church on the day.
Nigeria Independence Day celebrations
The Association of Nigerian Community in Clare (ANCC) has planned a series of activities in Ennis over today and tomorrow (Fri. Sept. 30 & Sat. Oct. 1) to mark Nigeria’s Independence Day. It’s 56 years since the first Independence Day and festivities today run from 12pm – 8pm with a fundraising drive in various Ennis locations with all proceeds going into a community project. On Saturday, a dinner party takes place at the Christian Brother School hall, Ennis from 12pm to 6pm. Gavin had Abi Ladigbolu, President of ANCC on the phone to discuss the events.
For The Friday Panel Gavin then had Mary Cashin, Solicitor, Cashin & Associates, Ennis; John Quinlivan, Former Shannon Development Regional manager and Michael Vaughan, Lahinch Hotelier & Former President of the Irish Hotels Federation on the show to talk about the following topics:
Rank and file Gardai set to strike
Preferential income tax rate for high-earning returned emigrants?
Further delay with opening of new regional ED at UHL
Should we give up meat for the sake of the environment?
Morning Focus then took to looking at live music for the album launch of Karen McInerney at the Quilty Tavern on Saturday October 1st at 9pm.
