Lunchtime Live

It's Throwback Thursday! Where we look back on things that happened this week in history. 98fm’s Ciaran O’Connor is back after he joins Andrea Gilligan once more to rewind the clock…

The Galway Races have been on all week and today is undoubtedly the most famous and busiest day of the festival due to it being Ladies Day. But why are events like Ladies Day or best dressed competitions at races so popular and so enduring?  Andrea was joined by Laura Mullett, Stylist and Blogger, Carol Kennelly, from Carol Kennelly Millinrey Tralee,  and by  Bairbre Power, Fashion & Lifestyle journalist, Best Dressed judge at the Dublin Horse Show to discuss this.

Is it time we got rid of the school uniform?  Listeners joined Andrea on the show to have their say on the issue .

For this week's Ask the Expert slot, Andrea was joined now by Trevor Grant, Chairperson, Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors, to answer all your mortgage related questions.

There is so much incredibly impressive sport on the TV at the moment. One thing we don’t hear much about, is what it’s like to have your period when you’re a top performing athlete.Andrea was joined by English Professional golfer, Annabel Dimmock to discuss this.  

Is it ever ok to charge other parents for playdates and how do you manage difficult playdates Andrea was joined by listeners who gave their opinion to her.

David and his partner are facing homelessness and they joined Andrea on the show to share their experience.

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. Newstalk's Laura Donnelly joined Andrea on the show

We’ve been celebrating some great Olympic wins for Ireland, with hopefully a lot more to come. But have we the facilities to back it up? Andrea was joined by some listeners to discuss this.

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to.  This week, Andrea was joined by Newstalk’s Tom Douglas & Journalist and Podcast Enthusiast Laura Mullet to review the podcast he Problem with Erik

A phone number I often give out on this show is the Samaritans helpline. It’s available 24 / 7 and has volunteers ready to talk to you whenever you need. But who are the people behind this helpline? Andrea was joined on the show by Mary McMahon the Director of Dublin Samaritans and by a former Samaritans service user..

Who decides the start times for schools, and how do parents manage late start times when they can’t get childcare? Andrea was joined by some listeners who gave their view..

Mona McSharry took the first Irish medal of the Paris 2024 Olympics winning bronze in the 100 metre breaststroke.Her coach, Grace Meade, joined Andrea on the show today.

Yesterday, Andrea was challenged to go vegan for 2 weeks. On Day 2 of this challenge, Andrea was joined by Vegan Author and Lifestyle blogger, Holly White, who shared her tips on the show.

This year, Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become a bit healthier! Over the next few weeks, Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well.This week, Andrea was joined by Celina Stephenson, who told her about the benefits of slow running.

Do we need to do more about the smell of weed in Dublin and other cities and towns in Ireland?  Today FM DJ Shelly Gray told Newstalk earlier today that she was taken aback by the amount and unabashed nature of people smoking weed recently in the capital... Andrea was joined by listeners who gave their opinion on the show..

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

A new study out today shows that after going vegan the age of people’s heart, hormones, ­liver and metabolic systems were decreased. So, could going vegan make us all younger? Andrea was joined by Heather Leeson, Registered Nutritional Therapist with Glenville Nutrition to discuss this.

The Olympics kicked off at the weekend and with so many fantastic Irish Athletes taking part, we wanted to chat to some of the people who helped bring our Olympians to that world stageAndrea was joined on the show by some of the athletes current and past coaches today.

It has been revealed that Irish actress Saoirse Ronan has secretly married her Mary Queen of Scots co-star Jack Lowden. They tied the knot in an Edinburgh Registrar's Office in Scotland after 6 years together. So we wanted to know, have you ever eloped and if so, what was your experience? Andrea was joined on the show by some listeners who have had experience eloping.  

This is Lunchtime Live’s newest segment, Gilligan’s Island! Every Monday, we're going to explore this gorgeous island of ours and all that it has to offer.This week we are looking at all things hiking holidays. Andrea was joined by Kevin Penrose, who is better known as the Wild Atlantic Wanderer on Instagram, to chat about the benefits of hiking holidays.

Five road deaths occurred on our roads over the weekend, including a 14-year-old boy. So what can be done to reduce road deaths on roads here?Andrea was joined by some listeners who gave their opinions on the show .

Comments from the American Vice President hopeful JD Vance has surfaced from a few years ago where he refers to Kamala Harris and other Democrats as "a bunch of childless cat ladies... miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've madeCEO Of Goss.ie, Alexandra Ryan and Journalist Andrea Smith spoke to Andrea about this

Sinead O’Connor - lovers from around the world have descended on Bray in Co Wicklow for the ‘Thank You For Hearing Me’ memorial event. The mini-festival, near her seafront home, marks the first anniversary of the singer’s death. Organisers of the event joined Andrea on the show there

The incredible moment when a six-year-old boy came to his collapsed mum's rescue by flagging down a passing Amazon delivery driver has been captured on video. Liz Crooks, a mother-of-three, became unwell when she was home alone and passed out - prompting her son Aidan to spring into action and seek help from a friendly passerby who wasted no time in coming to her aid. Liz spoke to Andrea about the incident..

From toads in Kerry to the Freedom of Donegal being awarded to a county favourite. IN: Breakfast briefing Presenter Shane Beatty has a roundup of this week’s story from across the country  

Musician-turned- designer Pharrell Williams has said that we should reintroduce arts back into the Olympics So, Should the arts be included in the Olympics? Listeners got in touch with Andrea to share their views.   

The kitchen is often the hub of the home – but if you have a small space, how do you make the most of it? Our home squad are on hand to help! Irish Examiner columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year’ , Jenny Sheahan and Sarah from Sand and Deliver DIY joined Andrea on the show  

Roy Keane has admitted he moves wipers and wing mirrors as revenge to drivers who badly park their cars. Is his approach too much? Or do people get away too easily with bad parking? Andrea got listeners take on this.

Bell's palsy is a condition that causes sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face. Andrea spoke to listeners who suffered from this condition and shared their experience

It's Throwback Thursday! Where we look back on things that happened this week in history. 98fm’s Ciaran O’Connor is back and he joins Andrea Gilligan to rewind the clock…

We have some interesting insights from the latest Newstalk Amárach poll.  Figures show that 77% of people agree that it's too expensive to go to sports events as a family. Andrea was joined by listeners who gave their reaction

Andrea was live from Kilkenny and who better to show her around than our own Kilkenny local, Kieran Cuddihy

Kilkenny has a long history of elite athletes and with the Olympics kicking off in Paris this weekend, we wanted to chat to some of the former competitors that hail from  the Marble City. Andrea was joined by Boxer, Darren O’Neill,Eileen O’Keefe who competed in the hammer throw at the Beijing Olympics and by racewalker, Perri Williams

Kilkenny may not have, on the surface of things, seemed the most obvious place to become a hub for animation. But, the city hosts not one, but two multi award winning animations studio as well as a festival, Kilkenny Animated, that celebrates creativity and the craft of the visual image. Andrea was joined by Paul Young, Co- founder & Creative Director of Cartoon Saloon, Claire Finn, Managing Director at Lighthouse Studios to discuss this.

A new funding model for RTÉ is due to be signed off by Government later today . It will see the TV licence remain at its current rate of €160 per year, and will also see but  €725m of public money being pumped into the broadcaster over the next three years. Andrea was joined by John McGuinness, Fianna Fail TD for Carlow-Kilkenny to discuss the funding model

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.  Killian Ginnity from Newstalk's digital team joined Andrea on the show

Between the hurling and the cat laughs festival – Kilkenny is famous for many many things but what else makes it so great? Andrea was joined by a panel of old and new Kilkenny faces to tell her why Kilkenny is so great! She was joined by our own Bobby Kerry, Former Kilkenny camogie player Tracy Millea and presenter and podcaster James Kavanagh.

Emma got in touch to chat with Andrea about the waiting lists in Children's Health Service.

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to.  Andrea was joined by host of the ‘For Tech’s Sake’ podcast, Elaine Burke and by Broadcaster Padraig Wilson to review the Fur and Loathing podcast

With nearly 100 buses a day driving along the Wild Atlantic Way, there’s no doubt it has been a tourist success for the area, but that is coming at a cost to local farmers. Andrea was joined by locals living close to the area to give their view

Amazon’s smart speaker has been upgraded to help users understand the latest Gen Z slang. Customers can now ask Alexa for help with the latest buzz phrases used by the younger generation.  Andrea was joined by Ciara Treacy from Newstalk's Digital Team and Dr Ellen Howley, Assistant Professor at DCU’s School of English, to dissect the newly-added words.

This year Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become that bit healthier! Over the next few weeks, Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well.Dave Ayton is the Owner and Director of Awesome Walls and he joined Andrea on the Show.

Listeners got in touch with Andrea today to share their recent issues when flying with Ryanair

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

A private graveyard in Kildare is charging up to €12,000 for a plot. The price of the plot is dictated by it’s proximity to Father of Irish Republicanism Wolfe Tone’s grave. Aontu Leader, Peadar Tóibín and Owner of Wolfe Tone Private Cemetery Seamus McCarthy joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss.

We are at the height of summer and nearing August – which is the most popular month to tie the knot in Ireland.  But, it brings up the tricky question – how much should you give as a wedding present?  Andrea was joined by listeners to share their views on the topic.

On Friday, we were speaking  about the news that children with spinal issues will be sent abroad for surgery. They'll be sent to London and New York to get operations with long waiting lists here. When talking, Lynn got in touch with our show to tell us about her daughter. Lynn joined Andrea this afternoon on Lunchtime Live to tell us about her daughter

This is Lunchtime Live’s newest segment, Gilligan’s Island!Every Monday we're going to explore this gorgeous island of ours and all that it has to offer.Maybe you have a weekend unaccounted for this summer that needs inspiration, or you have no desire to get on a flight – whatever the reason, this will get you in the mood to travel.This week, Andrea Gilligan is joined by Peter Kavanaugh, Motor Homes Ireland to chat about Motor Home holidays around Ireland.

Would you like to see speeding or dangerous drivers sit retraining courses to be allowed back on the road?  It is one solution being considered by Junior Transport Minister James Lawless to reduce the number of drivers who repeatedly offend on the road.  Andrea was joined by Brenda Bolger from the Bolger School of Motoring in Kilkenny and by other listeners who gave her their opinion on the show today .