On Wednesday’s Morning Focus John Cooke spoke with Fr. Tom Ryan, Shannon Parish Priest and Author about the changes to our funeral culture over the years. John also asked him if Eulogies should be allowed in Catholic Funerals? That’s been the big talking point around the country and also here on the show since the Bishop of Meath made headlines last week over a ban on allowing family members to speak at the funerals of loved ones in the church. Lots of you have been getting in touch with your thoughts on the subject and your suggestions of what is – or is not appropriate as we bid farewell to someone in religious ceremonies – but what’s the situation here in Clare and in the Diocese of Killaloe?
Pat Fitzgerald, Secretary of the Clare County Board and Alan Milton, GAA Press Officer at Croke Park also joined the show. As Clare hurling fans count the days to the All Ireland Final on September 8th – the hunt for tickets is now well underway. Pat & Alan will discuss the GAA ticket policy and how tickets are allocated. At the moment County boards are liaising with each other to swap tickets for the final with other counties, before allocations are made by GAA HQ, which is expected to happen next week.
Also on today’s show Mike Ryan, Back to Education Initiative Coordinator with the Adult Education Service and maths tutor Vinnie Byrne were in studio to discuss how 43 Adults in Co. Clare who sat their Leaving Certificate received their results on Wednesday. The students studied under the Back To Education Initiative or BTEI which is part of the Adult & Community Education Service of Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, formerly Co. Clare VEC. Sarah Mulvihill from Ennis and Paul Birchall from Shannon, two adults who returned to education also joined John in studio to talk about their results and the experience have returning to study. Sarah left school at 15 and is self employed as a hairdresser. She took Maths in 2012 and did English this year. Paul also left school at 15 with no exams and has been working all his life. He studied in Shannon this year and was very successful in English and maths. For further information on the Back to Education Initiative call 065 6843633 or email btei@clarevec.ie
Aoibhin Garrihy, otherwise known on screen as Neasa Dillon on Fair City was also a guest of Morning Focus today. Aoibhín graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Acting Studies from Trinity College, Dublin in 2009 and her Licentiate Teaching Diploma with the Leinster School of Music and Drama the same year. Since then Aoibhín has featured on Irish Stage and Screen in production’s such as RTE’s Fair City, Love/ Hate and Mattie and The Gate Theatre’s production of A Woman Of No Importance to name but a few. Aoibhín is now launching her own drama school, “Actors and Reactors” in Ennis. Actors and Reactors will provide a Speech and Drama class designed to introduce children to as many practical aspects of Speech and Drama as possible. The aim is to develop the students’ understanding of Poetry, Prose, Drama, Mime and Improvisation, to develop the voice and to introduce students to the theory of good speech while improving their confidence and ability to speak in public. For more details contact 086 064 5454 or email aoibhin.garrihy@rte.ie
Rita McInerney is the Director of Doonbeg Community Development Ltd and joined the show to let us know about a special event in the village this weekend. The Doonbeg Craft Fair has been organised by Doonbeg Community Development Ltd. in conjunction with Doonbeg Lodge & Golf Club to promote & support, locally produced Arts and Crafts. There will be up to thirty stalls with products including paintings, glassware, bog oak & driftwood sculptures, watercolours, crochet & quilting and handmade jewellery. It takes place on Sunday from 11 to 6pm.
To contact the show please email focus@clare.fm
