Lunchtime Live

Lunchtime Live's Reasons to be Happy looks at some of the news stories that you might have missed that will leave you feeling more optimistic.98FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…Image: Disney

From today, Ryanair switches to 100% digital boarding passes.They claim paperless boarding will be “faster, smarter and greener", but will it be “seamless”?And, has flying just become too much hassle?Andrea is joined by Eoghan Corry, Travel Journalist and Writer, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Prince William has opened up about telling his children about his wife Kate’s diagnosis. Just how hard is it to tell your kids about a cancer diagnosis, and how should you go about it?Andrea is joined by Amy Nolan, Director of Clinical Affairs with the Irish Cancer Society, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Have you ever gone absolutely bananas when your team scores that last-minute winner against an old rival? Or slouched on the couch for hours after a devastating defeat? Well, it’s not just you being dramatic, your brain is actually getting rewired in real time!A new scientific study has revealed that when football fans watch their favourite team win or lose, it’s not just their hearts racing, their brains are lighting up in very specific ways. Using MRI scans, researchers found that fans’ emotions and self-control can be dramatically affected by the result, especially when playing a rival…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Off The Ball’s Kathleen McNamee, as well as listeners.

A recent rental report released by Daft.ie shows that there will continue to be a shortage in the supply of rental properties across the country. The report shows that there has been a 21% drop in homes available to rent across Ireland this year…The demand for accommodation is so high that people who are fortunate to find a place are living in subpar housing and paying way over budget.This is very much the case for students, but what are some of the experiences and stories of those young people trying to find accommodation?Andrea is joined by Ronan Lyons, Professor in Economics in Trinity College and author of the Daft report, Newstalk’s Meghan O’Halloran, VP for Wellbeing in DCU, Lauren Joyce and listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Trichologist Carol Johnson to answer any of your hair-related questions!

Today is International Single’s Day!Are you celebrating? Or is it something that’s actually costing you?There are many joys to being single - getting to pick out your own furniture, never having to go for dinner with the in-laws, being totally in control of the TV…But then there are the obvious downsides; paying a mortgage on your own, going to events on your own, never getting to have dinner with the in-laws…Joining Andrea to discuss the ups and downs of the single life is Journalist Andrea Smith, Founder of Irish beauty brand BeautybyCED.com Claire Clarkson and more.

Canadian actress Shay Mitchells recently launched a product of Rini, face masks which are designed for kids.Her announcement has caused quite the stir and backlash online, with many saying that skin care products shouldn't be pushed towards young kids…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Professor Catriona Ryan, Consultant Dermatologist at the Institute of Dermatologists, Psychotherapist and author Iseult White, Siobhan O’Neill White of Mams.ie and more.

All this week, Lunchtime Live is focusing on renters, and the issues they face in this current housing market.Today, Andrea is joined by Lucie Cunnimngham, Founder and CEO of THE Homeshare, a not for profit enterprise, as well as listeners, to discuss the issues facing older generations who are renting…

It's How I live well time! Where someone joins to discuss what they do to improve their life...This week Andrea is joined by John Belton from No. 17 Personal Training to discuss the power of the squat!

Across the country, we’re beginning to see more and more Irish flags flying on flagpoles, roundabouts, homes, and buildings. For some, this display represents national pride and love for our country. For others, it’s being interpreted as a symbol of anti-immigration sentiment.When you see our tricolour, what does it mean to you? Should it stand for unity and pride in the Irish people, or does its use in this context take away from the spirit of Céad Míle Fáilte - a hundred thousand welcomes?

Dr Niall Breen from the Portmarnock GP Clinic joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries.

Today, after 14 years of serving as Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D. Higgins will step down as President. Outspoken, opinionated and even somewhat controversial in his time - he was a President who loved the arts, literature and the Irish language. But, how will he be remembered?Stuart Clark, Deputy editor of Hot Press, Avril Ryan, CEO of Gaisce - The President’s Award, Leonie Cornelius, Garden Designer and author and more join Andrea to discuss.

All this week Lunchtime Live is focusing on the renting situation around the country.How tough is it to find somewhere to live? And if you do find somewhere, how expensive is it?And, is there much competition for places?We want to highlight as many of your stories as we can, so please send them to us - we’ll be covering it all week.Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss their experiences of renting.

A video surfaced online of an alleged assault of a young boy by two others in Tuam, County Galway has caused a lot of concern and criticism from the local community, and raises questions as to why this alleged attack happened in the first place…Joining Andrea to discuss is Fine Gael TD Pete Roche and Kabbier, family friend of the boy who was attacked.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Today FM’s Cathal Minogue and Editor of DMG Media Sarah-Jayne Tobin join Andrea to review ‘My Dad Wrote a Porno’ on its tenth anniversary!

Traffic congestion. Those long lines of brake lights, the endless stop-and-go, the clock ticking past your morning meeting time… we’ve all been there.But, have you ever stopped to think about what all that gridlock is really costing us, not just in fuel or frustration, but in productivity, health, and even happiness?Joining Andrea to discuss is Mark Wall, Kildare South Labour TD, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Elizabeth Oakes, Founder of Pure Reflections, joins Andrea to answer any of your questions around water cremation.

We all have them, we all use them, and some of us would rather forget them: nicknames! From childhood tags that never seem to die, to the affectionate (or not-so-affectionate) labels we pick up at work or online, nicknames say a lot about who we are, and how others see us.So, the question is - why are we so obsessed with using them?Newstalk’s Henry McKean has been out asking the public, while Andrea is joined by Independent MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and listeners to discuss.

November is Remembrance Month in the UK. In honour of this, celebrities, football teams and people around the world wear a red poppy to remember soldiers that have fought for the British army in wars of years gone by.However, not everyone is comfortable wearing the poppy, given the British Army’s history, particularly in Ireland.But. would seeing an Irish person wearing the poppy offend you, or would you feel indifferent?Andrea is joined by Aontú Leader and Meath West TD, Peadar Tóibín, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Mick Kelly of Grow It Yourself shared a story on his instagram page of his local newsagent, following an impressive revamp. But, with the new and improved look and stylish new coffee machine, came a sight that Mick did not welcome: an aisle filled with ultra processed foods and sugar-laden snacks snaking up along by the registers with the stands at what he calls ‘pester-height’ for younger shoppers. Is this every parent’s nightmare, having successfully navigated the shop and avoided the aisles specifically containing all the biscuits, sweets, crisps and chocolate - only to be hit by another row of temptation upon reaching the checkout?How do you manage to keep your kids and yourself from grabbing a bar of chocolate or a bag of jellies – are you a label scrutinizer and do you avoid all ultra-processed foods or do you think that the old saying of ‘everything in moderation’ holds weight?Joining Andrea to discuss is Grow it Yourself’s Michael Kelly, Lecturer in retail management at Technological University Dublin Damien O’Reilly and listeners.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

Two MEPs have condemned the sale of childlike sex dolls on fast fashion retailer Shein. Both Barry Andrews and Regina Doherty are shocked with what they have come across and have called for a €5 levy on ultra-fast fashion purchases from China, as the sale of these dolls violates both our moral and legal obligations to protect children.What needs to be done to tackle the sale of these products and how can we prevent these platforms from advertising certain explicit and harrowing content?Joining Andrea to discuss Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews, Arts and Culture Journalist Ashley Chadomoyo Malone, Traitors Contestant Faye Louise Brennan as well as listeners.

This week, the Home Squad are in Cork to discuss wall finishes, and how you can get them just right!Joining Andrea to discuss is Ger Cooney from Ger Cooney Design and Kate Hobbins-Lockett from Interiors By Kate Hobbins-Lockett.

Black Friday is coming up this month, which for those online shoppers amongst you, could be a time to start burning up the debit card.But, there are unfortunately plenty of tricks and scams we need to watch out for when we’re shopping online...Joining Andrea to discuss this is Financial Planner with Castle Capital, Leah McMahon.

Endometriosis procedures in Ireland can have long waiting lists, which might make you want to look abroad for treatment…Sinead O’Neill did exactly that, and joins Andrea to discuss her experience of going to Greece for an endometriosis procedure. Keira O’Neill was also meant to discuss her hopes to get endometriosis treatment abroad, but was unable to join because of her condition, and sent in a statement read out by Producer Dee King.

We’ve decided to do a deep dive on some of our favourite albums to explore the stories behind them.What did the artists really think of each other? Where did the inspirations from the songs come from?Joining Andrea to discuss is Head Tour Guide at the Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum Experience, Alan Buckley, who’s going to talk through Bon Jovi’s album, ‘Slippery When Wet’!

This week, the internet’s buzzing after NFL legend Tom Brady revealed he’s cloned his dog. It’s sparked a big question: if you could bring your beloved pet back, would you do it?Is cloning the ultimate act of love, or are we crossing a line nature never intended?Joining Andrea to discuss is Pete Wedderburn, AKA Pete the Vet, Laoise Downes, owner of Outpaws and Wedding Woofs and Suzie Walsh, Dog Behaviourist & Trainer.

Lunchtime Live's Reasons to be Happy looks at some of the news stories that you might have missed that will leave you feeling more optimistic.98FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…Image: President of Ireland - Facebook

From CCTV to location services on the apps we use and even livestreaming cameras at self-service checkouts, we constantly have eyes on us.But, how safe are we in a world where we are constantly under surveillance?Joining Andrea to discuss is Caitríona Redmond, Consumer Columnist with The Irish Examiner, Ronan Murphy, Chief Executive for Smart Tech 24/7 and listeners.

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.Andrea will be joined by Professor Shane Higgins, Master of the National Maternity Hospital, to cover every area of trying to have a baby. From the very start of knowing how to prepare, right up to pregnancy – and all the bumps in the road in between.This week, Shane joins Andrea to discuss the importance surrounding the weight and age of a pregnant woman.

Today, we’re asking: what truly makes a gentleman? Is it about style, manners, or the way we treat others? How has the idea of a gentleman evolved, and what it means today?Joining Andrea to discuss is 98FM Presenter, Luke Thomas, Mark Fennell, Life Coach and Meghann Scully, Broadcaster.

In a bid to tackle the war against drugs in Ireland, The Labour Party will today call for a health-led drugs policy and decriminalization of people who use drugs.Labour’s Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD has said the Government has failed to deliver on its promise of a health-led approach, and that criminalising, shaming and stigmatising people in addiction has created a broken system that punishes rather than supports.Would you be in favour of decriminalising drugs?Joining Andrea to discuss is Addiction Therapist in Limerick, Michael Guerin, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Podiatrist Niall Donohoe to answer all of your podiatry-related questions!

Today, we’ve got the creator behind one of TikTok’s biggest trends: the Jet2Holiday craze. He’s taken social media by storm with his creativity and energy. Brad Bennett joins Andrea to discuss! Also joining to discuss the impact of this meme is Brand Strategist and Storyteller, Kerry Matzelle.

Nowadays, kids spend a lot of time consuming content online, one of the most popular platforms for this is YouTube, but they mostly watch American content due to the lack of dedicated Irish creators.This has resulted in some observing younger children developing Americanised accents and using American words.One person who is trying to change that is teacher Fergus Lacey with his channel RíRá Rhymes.Fergus, as well as Katie Makk, Presenter of the ‘Opinions Matter’ podcast and Peter Melrose, Primary School Teacher from Meath, join Andrea to discuss.

Ed Sheeran did a secret gig to Irish mega fans last night – were you there?Organised by Spotify, his highest Irish streamers were sent links to register for free tickets to the exclusive gig.Is this the best way to reward fans? Gigs exclusively for your biggest listeners?Or is it all too inaccessible?Joining Andrea to discuss is Aoife Rooney, Assistant Editor of Weekend Magazine at the Irish Independent, Dave Hanratty, Host of the ‘No Encore’ music podcast and Singer-Songwriter Tim McStay.

It's How I live well time! Where someone joins to discuss what they do to improve their life...This week Andrea is joined by Aoife Lacey, Hot Yoga Teacher and Head of Operations at Yoga Dublin to discuss the benefits of hot yoga!

We were contacted by one of our listeners, Cathy, who says the number 70 bus from Clonee didn’t show up on three occasions last week.She’s so fed up with the delays, she’s now thinking of ditching public transport altogether and buying a car to drive into Dublin City Centre.Cathay, as well as listeners, join Andrea to discuss.

Dr Nina Byrnes, GP at Generation Health Medical Clinic joined Andrea Gilligan to tackle your medical queries…

When you think of luxury cars, do you think of people like James Bond? Or Lewis Hamilton?Do you ever think of women?Well apparently, women are becoming one of the fastest-growing forces in Ireland’s supercar market! So, what’s stopping you?Joining Andrea to discuss this is Nadia Adan, owner of Ashford Motors and Motoring Journalist Geraldine Herbert.

Former Kilkenny hurler and nine-time All-Star Award winner DJ Carey has been sentenced to 5 years in jail for defrauding a number of people by falsely claiming he had cancer…Newstalk’s Court Correspondent Frank Graney is at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and joins Andrea to discuss.

Dublin firefighter Terence Crosbie has lodged an appeal against his conviction for raping a woman while in Boston for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations last year.Some 88 pages of character references for Crosbie were provided to the court, including testimonies from his wife, parents and many people who worked with him in Dublin.His uncle and his younger brother Kiefer Crosbie, a former UFC fighter, also submitted character references, as did a former primary school teacher, a school principal and a member of the Capuchin Order.But, should we allow character references similar to those submitted in this case to be read out in court?Joining Andrea to discuss is Barry Ward, Fine Gael TD and Criminal Barrister, Noeline Blackwell, Human Rights Lawyer, Consultant and Online Safety Coordinator with the Children’s Rights Alliance, Miriam Henry and Paula Doyle.

Do you expect a thank you from your boss? Or is your pay check enough?A fifth of workers surveyed say they’ve never been thanked and over half say they don’t feel valued…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Terry Prone, Chairman of the Communications Clinic, Patrick Scanlon, HR Business Consultant at The HR Buddy and Ian O’Doherty, Columnist with the Irish Independent.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to.Laura Mullet Journalist and Stylist and Tom Douglas from the Newstalk Newsroom join Andrea to review ‘Jane Austen Stories’!Image: Noiser

A new report from environmental law and policy group Opportunity Green has said that The Government should scrap Irish aviation’s “free pass” on climate by introducing an air travel tax. By doing this it will ensure the sector pays its fair share for pollution.Many people in Ireland only fly once a year, while others are frequent flyers. Should people be expected to pay this levy and how would it impact the price of our flight?Would you be less inclined to travel abroad if you had to pay a frequent flyer levy?Joining Andrea to discuss is Independent Climate and Environment Researcher and Contributor to the Irish times, Sadhbh O’Neill, as well as listeners.

For this week’s Ask Me Anything, former Meteorologist Evelyn Cusack joins Andrea to answer any of your weather-related questions!

By this time tomorrow, a €5 bottle of e-liquid will cost over €10 thanks to a tax that was introduced as part of last year's budget…A flat rate of 50c per millilitre of e-liquid will be applied, so for some, their vape fix will more than double. We’re told this is causing a rush to vape shops today so people can get in ahead of the increase.Do you have any sympathy, and is the price hike too much?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

You may have been listening to our piece about the Kildare Ladies Camogie and Football Finals on Wednesday.It got such a huge response, that we decided to come back to it today…Joining Andrea to discuss is Pat Mc Dowell, Manager and Chairman of Muckalee Ladies Gaelic Football Club in Kilkenny and Rachel Sheehan from Off The Ball.

Tourism Ireland has been marketing Ireland around the world as the ‘Home of Halloween’, and it seems like it’s been a pretty big success: it's generated €50 million!So, was it the right move?Joining Andrea to discuss is Tom Lawlor, Co-Director of Dublin City Council’s Bram Stoker Festival, Head of Culture for Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter and Historian and Journalist Rob Buachanan.