Joining Gavin Grace on The Afternoon Show today was Eamon Timmons of Age Action Ireland, they discussed how those in receipt of the €20 a week winter fuel allowance are to get an extra payment. The Social Protection Minister has announced the payment – which was due to stop next week – will be extended for one more week because of the cold weather. The move will cost eight million euro – and Minister Joan Burton could have to cut a week off the allowance next winter as a result. Age Action, which represents elderly people has welcomed today’s announcement – but says it doesn’t go far enough.
John Donoghue is a Journalist with the Meath Chronicle newspaper and joined Gavin for an update on the Meath East By-Election, where voting is underway today. It’s to fill the seat vacated on the death of Minister Shane McEntee. His daughter Helen McEntee and Fianna Fáil’s Thomas Byrne look likely to battle it out for the seat.
Conor Goodman is the Features Editor at the Irish Times and let listeners know about how the paper is on a mission to find the best place to holiday in Ireland and is inviting people in Clare to nominate their area or favourite destination. It can be a town or city, village or remote beauty spot. Residents and visitors, alike, can nominate their favourite places by going to www.irishtimes.com/bestplace and writing a short pitch for the judges to consider. Entry is free and every week, The Irish Times will publish a selection of nominations in the newspaper. The closing date for entries is 20th April, and the winning holiday spot will be announced at the end of May.
Aidan Courtney of The Ennis Book Shop joined us for our weekly book review. Today Aidan reviewed John Grisham’s legal thriller “The Racketeer” and Patricia Scanlon’s latest book, “With All My Love”.
Peadar Casey was also a guest of the show. He joined Gavin in studio to discuss the Creative Country Initiative – a social enterprise initiative, which has a primary objective to assist in connecting: creativity, community and commerce. As part of the initiative “Creativity in our Communities” – a working conference will be held in Ogonelloe next week – it has been created to; introduce Creative Country as a concept and as an organisation, stimulate participants’ creativity and channel it towards sustainable business enterprise and provide an international platform from which to discuss and debate creativity. Facilitated by speakers with a range of skills and perspectives – creativity, entrepreneurship, community mindedness and good old common sense – the event will appeal to those with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit. For more details see http://workference.creativecountry.ie/
Donal Minihane from Hotel Doolin also spoke to Gavin following the announcement of a new folk festival to be held in the North Clare village. Luka Bloom, Martin Hayes, Donal Lunny, John Spillane, Steve Cooney and Hermitage Green are amongst the acts lined up to perform during the inaugural Doolin Folk Festival on June 14th to 16th 2013. Sponsored by Smithwick’s Pale Ale the three-day festival will take place on the grounds of Hotel Doolin, less than a mile from the site of the famous Lisdoonvarna Festival of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
To contact the show please email afternoon@clare.fm
