Joining Gavin Grace on The Afternoon Show today was Adi Roche, CEO of Chernobyl Children International. A group of Children from Belarus will arrive in Shannon airport this evening for their summer break in Ireland. It’s part of the annual holiday for the kids organised by Chernobyl Children International. It’s been almost 30 years since the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear power plant in the Ukraine. Children from impoverished backgrounds and state-run institutions in Belarus enjoy respite holidays every year with host families in Ireland.
They are the second generation to be affected by the fallout from the nuclear accident, and Adi says that the effects will be felt well into the future.
Joanne Holland is Careers Officer at Limerick Institute of Technology and joined Gavin in studio to talk about students options on completion of exams. She discussed making the right choice and the importance of following your interests. She also spoke about the areas where there are skills shortages and, therefore, strong graduate employment opportunities. She gave tips about filling in CAO form and talked about current trends at third level and tools and resources for students that can help them make their mind up, including some online career compatibility assessment tools. Students, who need help or advice on any aspect of their choice can contact the helpdesk via email (LITforMe@lit.ie) and they will be given information about any of the LIT. The helpdesk service will culminate with an advice day on campus on Wednesday the 26th of June. Leaving certificate students will be given an opportunity to come to the campus, view the facilities and meet the LIT staff relevant to their queries. The LIT Career Officer will be available for one-to-one sessions. Appointments are to be made through the helpdesk – please email LITforMe@lit.ie as spaces are limited.
Also on today’s show we heard from a member of the Ennis Phoenix Twinning Committee and Town Councillor Mary Howard, Ennis Youth Ambassadors from Colaiste Muire – Aoife Sheehan, Shauna Lyons and Darrelle Colleran and Phoenix Youth Ambassadors Kayla Casey, Brianna Quintero and Jessie Meilech. For 3 weeks the Phoenix Youth Ambassadors will live with their host families and experience the life of Irish teenagers in Clare. Kayla, Jessica and Brianna were selected from hundreds of applicants to travel to Ireland as Youth Ambassadors from Phoenix. The programme has been a very popular initiative of the twinning relationship between Ennis and Phoenix. Since 1988 over one hundred second level students have participated in annual exchange programmes.
Etain McCooey, Musician and Eleanor Feeley, Actor were also guests of the show to talk about the part they’re playing in this year’s Doolin Heritage Weekend. Doolin Heritage Weekend runs from 21st to 23rd June at the Russell Cultural Centre, Doolin. It’s a ‘Doolin Heritage’ initiative to benefit the Killilagh Church Restoration Project. On Saturday 22nd June, at 7pm at Hotel Doolin – Etain and Eleanor will perform ‘Wild Winds’ – a fusion of theatre, and music, inspired by the inner landscapes, travels and muses of Irish writers Yeats, Synge, O’Casey and Joyce.
Cyril Lyons is the Principal of Ruan National School and joined Gavin to let listeners know about the Ruan Ramble for Reading – a 6K Run, Race or Ramble, which takes place tonight, Thursday June 20th at 7pm, starting at Ruan School to raise money to fund school library books. Registration Cost €10.
Stephen McDermott, our Clare FM Movie Reviewer and Soprano’s fan Denise Woods from Mountshannon joined Gavin in studio to pay tribute to the late, great James Gandolfini. The Soprano’s star passed away yesterday at 51.
To contact the show please email afternoon@clare.fm
