Lunchtime Live

Is it a good idea to have no photo rule at weddings? Or a bit miserable? More and more couples are opting to put a ban on guests taking pictures.Andrea is joined by Jenny McCarthy, Wedding Photographer and Lyndsey Moynagh, Wedding Planner, to discuss.

Around 30,000 football fans are descending on Dublin to watch the Europa League final between German side Bayer Leverkusen and Italy's Atalanta taking place in the Aviva Stadium tonight.  Thousands of Gardaí will police this evening's event, which is the second biggest European club football event after the Champions League. It will be watched by millions worldwide. Journalist Barbara McCarthy joins Andrea to discuss the event - and fans call in to share their excitement.

Ireland, alongside Norway and Spain will formally recognise the state of Palestine, it was confirmed this morning.Israel has recalled their ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich in response in a “strong message to Ireland”.What do you make of this historic decision? And, what does it mean for the future of Palestine?Andrea is joined by Declan Power, Security and Defence Analyst, Ibrahim Alagha, an Irish Palestinian who fled Gazam Bisan Abuaita, a member of the Palestinian Women’s Football team to discuss.

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.  Today FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…Image: Cruinniú na nÓg

Should we bring in price caps for certain food like bread and milk? That’s what People Before Profit are calling for. They’re saying that the price of potatoes has gone up by over 17%, and rice has gone up more than 10%. Should the government intervene?Andrea is joined by Michael Kelly, Founder of Grow it Yourself (GIY) and listeners to discuss.

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to.  Andrea was joined by Today FM Presenter Shelly Grey and Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill to review The Immortals - a podcast about people trying to live forever.

Doctors are claiming that Ireland has a two tier medical system – with public and private patients getting access to different drugs and help. To discuss, Andrea is joined by Prof Michaela Higgins, Consultant Oncologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital...

There was tragedy on the M50 on Friday when Derek Martin sadly lost his life following an accident. His sister Helen is with Andrea to remember her brother and make a plea to find the people who stopped to help Derek after the crash.

Listener of the show John got in touch to share how sick he is of political leaflets in the post, calling them unsolicited mail.It begs the question, are they too much? And should they be banned?John and other listeners join Andrea to discuss.

Apparently, us Irish are falling out of love with the cinema. We used to be Europe's most avid movie-goers, but we haven’t gotten back to those high heights since the pandemic. Are we losing the joy of the big screen experience?Andrea is joined by film reviewer Niall O’Brien, director Richard Waters, Managing Director of Retro Drive In Movies, Ryan O’Neill and more to discuss.

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.Andrea was joined by Ellen Shilling, Mindfulness Expert, to learn more about perfecting the act of mindfulness and meditation.

Children with autism are being refused places in summer camps, with some being told that they’d have to employ an SNA (Special Needs Assistant) in order to send their child to a summer camp.Have you experienced this?Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes.

Andrea Gilligan was joined on Lunchtime Live by Dr Niall Breen from Portmarnock GP Clinic to answer listeners' health queries and questions...

Having separate beds from your partner is becoming more and more common apparently. Couples say they sleep better and because of that, are nicer to each other, but can it affect your intimacy?Andrea is joined by Iseult White, Psychotherapist and author, to discuss.

Bruce Springsteen brought the curtain down on the Irish leg of his world tour last night in Dublin, but hundreds of concertgoers missed the start of his 80,000 Croke Park sellout in what's since been branded a “queuing disaster” outside the stadium.Andrea is joined by listeners who were at the concert to hear their experiences, including International Golf Broadcaster Shane O’Donoghue.

Have you heard of nicotine pouches? Well if you haven’t, your teenagers are sure to know about them. There have been calls for stricter regulation of nicotine pouches as apparently teenagers, alongside vapes are now using the pouches to get a nicotine hit. Joining Andrea to discuss is Paul Crone, Director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals and Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore, who brought this up in the Dáil.

This is Lunchtime Live’s Big Batch. Every Monday we’ll be learning new easy to cook batch recipes from Cook Book Author and Recipe writer Sarah Butler to keep you eating well. No more staring into an open fridge looking for inspiration! This week Andrea and Sarah looked at nibbles that will be perfect for any occasion, from a varied charcuterie board to what to pair with crackers.Follow the hashtag #LLBigBatch for all our recipes.

Employers group Ibec has called on Dublin City Council to pause their implementation of new city centre plans due to be introduced in August.  The new plans aim to remove traffic travelling through the city centre using a number of measures, including closing parts of the quays to cars. Ibec say that there are significant questions about how they will affect access to the city centre and businesses in the capital. Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes.

Every Friday, as part of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ series, we put your questions to people from interesting backgrounds or working in different careers.    Andrea Gilligan is joined by Paulo Nunes dos Santos to learn more about what it’s like to be a war photographer.

The Vatican is changing its guidance towards the supernatural. They’ll update things like how to determine if visions of the Virgin Mary are authentic, and how a divine apparition should be confirmed. It’s stepping in amid a boom in claims and concern that these prophecies are spreading online faster than ever before. Joining Andrea to discuss the history of the supernatural religious claims in Ireland is historian Rob Buchanan.

Previously the show covered birth trauma and the experience of women in this country that aren’t being looked after enough. As part of that we heard from a woman named Shannon, who got in touch about her experience.She joins Andrea alongside other listeners to share their stories.

Wendy Burke was just 1 year old when her life changed forever. Wendy and her heavily pregnant mother were on their way home after a hospital appointment, when the Dublin/Monaghan bombs went off, sadly killing Wendy’s mother and her unborn sibling. 50 years on from that day – Wendy joins Andrea on the show.

From crow attacks in Kildare to confusion over roads in Kerry: Breakfast briefing Presenter Shane Beatty has some of the stories from around the country that you may have missed this week.

Many countries around the world require you to pass a test on civic knowledge –  geography, laws, politics, history etc to gain citizenship. There is no such test in Ireland.  Do new Irish citizens need to know more about what it means to be Irish? Andrea is joined by Gina London, Leadership Communications expert and Sunday Independent Columnist as well as listeners to hear their takes.

From following trends to dodgy DIY – what are the worst ‘improvements’ we can make to our houses? Andrea is joined by DIY Expert Alan Grant along with Sarah Louise from Sarah Louise interiors to discuss what to avoid when improving your home.

Are you a culprit of picking the same pin numbers for everything? Apparently '1234' is still the most common PIN… Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent is with Andrea to discuss the best practices for picking a PIN and password.

A recent inquiry in the UK found that good maternity care in Britain was “the exception rather than the rule”. Women in Ireland are now calling for an inquiry into birth trauma to reflect the scale and impact of the crisis. Joining Andrea to discuss is Bairbre Brooke, a Birth Trauma Resolution Practitioner.

Almost a third of us buy travel insurance on the day they fly – which is apparently a big mistake. So, what other travel mishaps are we making? Andrea is joined by travel experts to give their tips and discuss some of the most common mistakes people make.

It's Throwback Thursday, where we look back on things that happened this week in history. 98fm’s Ciaran O’Connor joined Andrea Gilligan to rewind the clock.

The UK health service has found success in getting obese men to lose weight by paying them up to £400. A trial found men were more likely to slim down if motivated by a cash prize from the NHS. Experts hope the scheme would pay for itself through savings on treating weight-related illness further down the line. What do you think?  Andrea is joined by Professor Donal O’Shea, HSE Clinical Lead for Obesity, Paul Byrne, Director of Body Byrne Training and listeners to hear their takes.

From how much to put away to when to start for this week’s Ask the Expert, we’re putting your pension questions to Paul Kenny, Ireland’s former Pensions Ombudsman and Course Leader with the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland.

Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic are apparently being sold on the black market, causing huge concerns amongst the medical community. Pharmacist Kate O’Connell joins Andrea to discuss the drug - and why the illegal sales are an issue.Image: Novo Medlink

E-scooters are to be banned for people under the age of 16 soon. This comes alongside new regulations like a 20km speed limit, seats being banned and a ban for passengers on scooters.What do you think of these new rules? Do you agree with all of them?Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes.

Mairead Anderson, owner of Killybegs Seafood Shack, has been informed that she has to cease trading on the 22nd of May to make way for a new bus stop in town. She joins Andrea to discuss why this is happening.

Should there be stricter rules around dress codes in workplaces? Or, have we completely lost the run of ourselves in what we’re wearing to work? The Home Show’s Sinead Ryan certainly thinks so, and joins Andrea alongside Stylist and Fashion Journalist Laura Mullet to discuss.

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.  Today FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

Should the Leaving Cert exams be scrapped in favour of something different? Is there a better way for teenagers to learn? Labour Education & Justice Spokesperson Aodhan O’Riordan says that it should be abolished. He joins Andrea alongside listeners to discuss.

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 Dave Hanratty, host of the ‘No Encore’ podcast to review Richard Osman and Marina Hyde’s ‘The Rest is Entertainment’.Image: Goalhanger Podcasts

The founder of dating app Bumble Whitney Wolfe Herd has said that the future of dating is having your AI date other people's AI, and recommend the best matches for you to meet! Would you love this? Or loathe it?Andrea is joined by Irish Matchmaking and Dating Specialist, Mairead Loughman, to discuss.

It’s Lyme disease awareness month: Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. It's usually easier to treat if it's diagnosed early. There’s thought to be between 50 and 100 cases in Ireland every year – but how much do we really know about it? Andrea is joined by listeners as well as  Professor Jack Lambert, Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the Mater to learn more.

Fr Patsy Lynch has been a priest for over 50 years, and he spent 31 of those as a missionary in Ghana. However, when he applied for his pension, he was told that he was not entitled to a state pension.  Fr Patsy joins Andrea to discuss his situation.

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.Andrea was joined by Jessica Ahern from The Salt Rooms Ratoath to discuss the benefits of salt therapy.

Dublin City Council says it is working on “technical solutions” to address “inappropriate behaviour” by some on the newly installed Dublin-New York portal.  The two-way live-stream portal, which offers a real-time glimpse of New York City, was installed on North Earl Street, looking on to the Spire, last week.  It was temporarily closed after video clips surfaced on social media platforms showing individuals in Dublin holding up videos on their phones of the Twin Towers burning on 9/11, with other people flashing body parts or making offensive gestures. Are you surprised by this behaviour? Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes. 

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

Have you tried dipping your cheese in your morning coffee? Well, it might be the new foodie hit in 2024. Joining Andrea to discuss are Kevin Sheridan from Sheridan’s Cheese and Dee Laffan, freelance journalist and Editor-in-Chief at ScoopMagazine.

Following the success of Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, a spotlight has been put on stalking and how being a victim of it can affect you. Jarlath Rice is one of those victims, who was even physically assaulted by his stalker. He joins Andrea to share his story… If you find that you might be a victim of stalking, or want to learn more about the signs, visit https://www.stalkinginireland.ie

Lunchtime Live listener Aaron got in touch with the show to talk about an issue in his daughter’s school: the roof has been leaking for almost a year, leaving many of the rooms out of use due to the water running through them. Most of the students are in wheelchairs.Andrea is also joined by Antonia Maguire, Principal of Fermoy Educate Together National School, to discuss how they do not have the space for Special Needs classes, leaving them no choice but to teach in hallways.

This is Lunchtime Live’s Big Batch. Every Monday we’ll be learning new easy to cook batch recipes from Cook Book Author and Recipe writer Sarah Butler to keep you eating well. No more staring into an open fridge looking for inspiration! This week Andrea and Sarah looked at the perfect recipes for a Communion or Confirmation party - covering everything from nibbles, brownies and beef bourguignon.Follow the hashtag #LLBigBatch for all our recipes.

The minimum legal age for the sale of tobacco will be increased from 18 to 21 under plans due to be approved by Cabinet this week.  It comes amid concerns about a recent plateau in the decline of smoking rates in Ireland.  Do you agree with raising the smoking age? Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes.

Every Friday, as part of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ series, we put your questions to people from interesting backgrounds or working in different careers. Andrea Gilligan was joined by Niall Spelman who, until recently served as the second Governor of Wheatfield Prison, to answer all of your questions.