Morning Focus opened with a look into the final banking inquiry report. The financial regulator, European Central Bank, politicians and the banks themselves are all to blame for Ireland’s banking and financial crisis.
The final report of the banking inquiry’s been published yesterday, saying that a key failure was politicians accepting there would be a soft-landing in the property market. Fiachra O Cionnaith, Political Reporter with the Irish Examiner spoke to Gavin this morning to discuss the report.
Gavin was also joined this morning by Councillor Ann Norton to discuss suicide provision services in Clare. Councillor Norton has slammed the HSE’s track record on suicide prevention, describing the current system of services as a ‘revolving door’. She says the HSE needs to assume a more direct role in the provision of mental health services to counteract the “epidemic” of suicide cases in Ireland. Among the issues she’s calling for are safety checks to be introduced to help identify people who are at risk and strategies to support them with urgent care.
The future of Moneypoint, one of Ireland’s largest coal-burning electricity plants, and its role in the economy will be highlighted at a public meeting in Kilrush tomorrow night. One of the speakers, Malcolm Brown of B-W Energy, joined Gavin on the phone this morning. Malcolm offered insights into possible alternative strategies for the plant in the emerging era of decarbonisation.
Clare 1916 Centenary Group will host a free lecture tonight (Jan. 28, 2016) in Room 9, Adult Education Centre, Clonroad Business Park. The talk is entitled ‘The Irish Revolution 1913-1923: a photographic overview.’ The lecturer, Dr. Padraig Og O Ruairc, and author of Blood on the Banner – The Republican Struggle in Clare spoke on the show this morning about the lecture. Using period photographs, many of them never previously seen outside of the archives and private collections, historian Padraig Og O Ruairc will explore the history of the 1916 Rising, War of Independence and Civil War. The lecture will focus on some of the lesser known and more controversial aspects of the Irish Revolution of 1913 to 1923 including sectarianism, the execution of spies, reprisal killings and the bitterness of the divisions caused by the split over the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The lecture will also examine the use of photography as a weapon of was, its role in British propaganda and will show how some people were literally “airbrushed” from Irish history.
Later on in the show Gavin spoke to Dolores Crowley from Financial Wellbeing in Cork about financial planning for parents of children with special needs.
A bid to set up a Burren Ukulele Group (BUG) gets underway tomorrow night at 8.30pm, at the X-PO (community centre) in Kilnaboy. Phil Gaston spoke to Gavin this morning about his pioneering of the initiative. Phil says the group will not be focused on teaching, but on ‘mutual learning’ and participation. All levels of ability, ‘from fumblers to budding Forbys’ are welcome.
Tulla Reaching Out is launching a publication Reflections from Home and Abroad tomorrow night (Friday, January 29) at 8pm in Tulla Courthouse. Fr. Harry Bohan will officially launch the publication which includes articles on folklore, local history as well as articles written by diaspora on ancestors who were from Tulla. Jane Halloran Ryan and Mick McMahon from Tulla Reaching Out spoke on the show about the volunteer organisation.
To celebrate the homecoming of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann to Clare this year, a special TradFest preview in Dublin’s City Hall will be staged on Saturday night (January 30) at 8pm. Several guests spoke to Gavin about event including Jack Talty, a concertina player from Lissycasey, Micheal O’Riabhaigh the Chairman of the Fleadh Executive Committee for Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann Inis 2016, and Noel Hill the renowned Clare-born concertina player. The concert will feature some of Clare’s most accomplished musicians and will be led by Noel Hill on concertina and Tony Linnane on fiddle. They will be supported by Jack Talty on concertina.
