Lunchtime Live

'Two to put her down, two to put her out', those are the boasts on social media from Cathal Crotty after an unprovoked attack on Natasha O’Brien, which left her unconscious.Crotty has since walked free from court after being given a fully suspended sentence. Speaking outside Limerick circuit criminal court yesterday, Natasha said ‘This is not justice’.Joining Andrea to discuss are the victim, Natasha O’Brien, Noeline Blackwell, Women’s Rights and Human Rights lawyer and survivor of a violent attack, Ruth Maxwell.

From instant hot water traps to wine fridges - this week’s Home Squad is all about quirky fittings and trends, and if they’re worth it!Andrea Gilligan is joined by Sarah Louise from Sarah Louise Interiors and Colin Baker from Decwells Expert Hardware to discuss.

Listener of the show John got in touch to share his story about going to Greece for his holidays, and having to return early due to extreme temperature.He joins Andrea to discuss his experience.

Limburg an der Lahn in the western German state of Hesse has just voted to exterminate its population of 700 pigeons.Residents have voted to employ a falconer to trap the pigeons, bash them over the head and snap their necks in a major cull. Animal rights campaigners were outraged by the announcement.What do you think about this approach? Would you like this approach taken to nuisance birds in Ireland?Andrea is joined by Éanna Ní Lamhna, author and broadcaster and listeners to discuss.

How do you know you’re old? Well apparently, it’s when you have a ringtone on your phone or use the crying laughing emoji! Adrian Weckler has written the 10 tech signs that show you're part of the older generation in the Irish Independent.Joining Andrea to discuss the tech signs that makes us old are Ciara Treacy, Newstalk’s Digital Content Creator, Jen Hogan, Columnist with the Irish Times and mother of 7 and Noel Cunningham, TV personality and ambassador to Harvey’s Point Hotel Donegal.

It's Throwback Thursday, where we look back on things that happened this week in history. Rebecca Shekleton, Co-Presenter of 98FM’s Big Breakfast joined Andrea Gilligan to rewind the clock.Image: Los Angeles Times

Listener Pamela got in touch with Lunchtime Live to share her struggle of finding a new place to live after her landlord increased rent by 45%.She joins Andrea to explain the situation.

From shin splints to getting back to exercise after injury - Andrew Dunne, Senior Physiotherapist and Founder of Personal Health - Medical Exercise Clinic joins Andrea to answer your physio questions.

A church in Waterford has received a number of complaints about unwanted noises happening during funerals and mass.People attending the church said there were noises being played into the church over a speaker, some of which were pornographic.The church is in the village of Kilgobnet near Dungarvan and Andrea is joined by local councillor Conor D. McGuinness to discuss.

Pilots at Aer Lingus have served notice to the airline that they intend to go on an “indefinite” work to rule starting next week as they refuse to work overtime. Holiday makers are worried about the disruption this will cause now at the busiest time of the year.  What does it mean for your flight?Andrea is joined by Sinead Ryan, Consumer Expert and Presenter of the Home Show, Maura Fahy from Fahy Travel and those who might be affected by the strikes, to discuss.

When your kids leave home for the first time, people can suffer from empty nest syndrome. How would you deal with it? Well, journalist Jane Green has been tackling this issue in a unique way to say the least.She joins Andrea to talk about how mushrooms can help, and journalist Suzanne Harrington also joins to discuss the syndrome.

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…

A ‘tax on the sick’ that’s what the Irish cancer society have dubbed hospital parking charges, with some hospitals charging cancer patients €3.20 an hour in parking fees.Have you been affected by this?Andrea is joined by cancer survivors who had to pay a lot for parking, as well as Samantha Vaughan from the Irish Cancer Society, to discuss.

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to. This week Andrea is joined by Irish Times Business and Technology journalist Ciara O’Brien and Dave Hanratty, audio researcher for the Irish Independent, to review Will Smith’s Class of ‘88!Image: Wondery

Would you be willing to work out twice a day and drink 4 and a half litres of water every day? All for the perfect body?Well, a new fitness craze claims to be able to transform you in just 75 days, if you stick to their very strict rules. So, should you try ‘Hard 75’?Andrea is joined by the owner of No.17 Personal Training, John Belton, to discuss.

Andrea was recently on a trip to Zurich, where she saw many free outdoor events and facilities for residents. It left her thinking: why don’t we have a similar amount of facilities in our cities in Ireland?She is joined by Diarmuid from Alternative Dublin, Simon Heaslip from the Galway Westend Traders Association, Dr Miriam Haughton and WIllie White, Artistic Director of the Dublin THeatre Festival to discuss.

The amount of students doing J1 visas has more than halved in the last 10 years.The J1 has previously been thought of as a rite of passage for most young people, so what has changed?To discuss, Andrea is joined by Liam Schokman, who is on his J1 in Chicago, Kelda McManus, Vice-President for the southern region at the Union of Students in Ireland and more listeners to discuss.

This year Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become that bit healthier!Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well.This week, Helen Lawless, Mountaineering Ireland’s Access and Conservation Officer and Acting CEO, joined the show to talk all things mountaineering! (And how it’s different to hiking).

The number of learner drivers involved in fatal accidents has trebled in the space of just four years. Would stricter restrictions help reduce this number, and what’s the root of this issue?Andrea is joined by Brenda Bolger from the Bolger School of Motoring in Kilkenny, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Guest host Adrian Kennedy was joined on Lunchtime Live by Dr Siobhan Chidley from Watermills Family Practice to answer your health questions.

Rob O’Donnell, who had an unsuccessful bid with the Green Party in Limerick in the local elections has had more bad news as around 40 out of his 100 election posters have gone missing.He joins Adrian Kennedy to discuss why this might have happened, and what the cost is behind the ones stolen.

Half of Irish workers would refuse job offers with no option to work from home, new research has found.Around 47% of Irish jobseekers have revealed they would refuse a job offer if the company did not have hybrid or fully remote working policies in place, according to the study.So, should working from home be expected these days?Joining Adrian to discuss are Tracy Keevans, Director with Morgan McKinley Recruitment Agency, John Evoy, Grow Remote General Manager and listeners who like and dislike working from home.Plus, Newstalk Reporter Lauren Grey asked locals what they think about working from home.

Despite what you might think from the weather, the summer is here, and that means many people will be packing their bags for a trip abroad.But, there’s nothing worse than other, annoying tourists bringing the tone down and making us all look bad.So, how can we be better tourists?Joining Adrian to discuss are Amy Lynch, Destination Editor for the Lonely Planet and Anne de Jong, Co-Founder of the Good Tourism Institute.

The Irish Independent’s JJ Clarke was recently tricked out of €800 following an online scam.He joins Adrian Kennedy to discuss what exactly happened.

Many parents in Dublin 15 have seemingly found themselves unable to secure school places for their children for this September. Guest host Adrian Kennedy is joined by parents in the area whose children have been unable to find a place. They discuss why this might be the case.

Sarah Love, who runs the Girl Drinks Gunness page (@girl_drinks_guinness on Instagram) has been to 400 different pubs across Ireland, the UK and Europe, and has put the Railway Bar, Bundoran on the top of her list!She joins Andrea to discuss what makes the perfect pint of Guinness.

Our summer memories series is back!We chat to some well known faces and reminisce over those long summer days!Irish TV and radio personality Baz Ashmawy joins Andrea Gilligan to discuss.

As the school year is drawing to a close, the age old debate on whether or not you get the teacher a present rolls around. Joining Andrea to discuss is journalist Chrissie Russell.

An interesting piece in the Irish Times today where columnist Justine McCarthy is critical of people using the term ‘girls’ to refer to women. She says - calling grown women ‘girls’ is inherently belittling. What do you think?  To discuss, Andrea is joined by writer and broadcaster, Barbara Scully, Joe O’Shea, editor of CorkBeo and listeners.

The big Irish wedding seems to be back!Andrea Gilligian is joined by Eimear, who sat 340 guests at her wedding! They discuss what it was like, and the positives and negatives with it. Also joining are journalist Édaein O’Connell and wedding planner Lyndsey Moynagh.

From Leitrim mansions for sale to Marilin Monroe look-alikes in Wicklow, Breakfast Briefing presenter Shane Beaty joins Andrea Gilligan to go through some of the stories around the country you might have missed.

A new survey conducted ahead of the Euro 2024 kickoff has shown that almost three in 10 Irish people would like to see England win the tournament.At the same time - half of those surveyed would prefer to see the Three Lions get eliminated early doors.Will you be supporting England in the Euros?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

From the type of bulb to the perfect amount of lamps – what are the best ways to light up your home?Andrea Gilligan is joined by Sarah Louise from Sarah Louise Interiors and Colin Baker from Decwells Expert Hardware to discuss. 

Willie Wyse is a taxi driver in Cork, and refuses to take card payments.He is fighting NTA rules, in place since September 2022, that taxi drivers must accept card payments.Willie joins Andrea to discuss why he is doing this, and what the consequences are if he continues to break the rules.

Center Parcs has defended the major price differences between its offerings in the UK and Ireland by insisting the two areas are ‘very different markets’.So, why is it so much more expensive to holiday in Ireland?One person who’s been to Center Parcs Ireland is Kieran Cuddihy, host of The Hard Shoulder. He joins Andrea to discuss the price gap, and his experience. Also joining to discuss are Siobhan O’Neill White from mams.ie and Katie Makk from the Opinions Matter podcast.Image: Center Parcs Ireland

After lengthy counts, the last council seat in the country has been filled in County Kildare. Tom McDonnell, a builder from Newbridge says that his victory is a stepping stone to the Dáil where he wants to bring in incentives to get Irish women to "breed" more.He joins Andrea to discuss his reasoning.

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.Image: Amblin Entertainment

Members of the Irish Airline Pilots' Association at Aer Lingus have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action up to and including a strike.Last week, IALPA members voted overwhelmingly to reject a Labour Court recommendation that pilots should receive pay increases totalling just over 9% as part of an interim settlement. The figure was well below the 23.8% that the pilots had been seeking.How would a strike affect you? Andrea is joined by Angela Walsh, President of the Irish Travel Agents Association and CEO of FROSCH, Ciara Foley, Managing Director of Platinum Travel and listeners to discuss.

From rail line closures to the lack of tea trolleys - Barry Kenny, Communications Manager with Irish Rail joins Andrea Gilligan to answer all of your train-related questions.

Good news for Irish plane spotters after Dublin Airport has submitted plans for an observation facility!Andrea Gilligan is joined by Aviation Expert Simon to discuss.

This week is Men’s Mental Health Week, highlighting some of the mental health struggles men have that may get swept under the rug otherwise.Joining Andrea to discuss fatherhood’s impact on mental health is Health and Wellness consultant Fin McKenna.

Golfing legend Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll have called off their divorce, after supposedly resolving their differences.Is this something that actually happens? How rare is it to see a divorce get cancelled?Andrea is joined by Family Law Solicitor Keith Walsh and Clinical Psychotherapist Stephane Regan 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…

There is seemingly a lack of Deposit Return Scheme machines at certain festivals, despite thoughts that there would be reverse vending machines set up. With an option to donate your return to charity, how much money is left on the table? And how much plastic goes to waste?Joining Andrea to discuss are Mary Gamble, Director of Fundraising for Barnardos, JP McMahon, Chef and Restaurateur and listeners.

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to. This week Andrea is joined by host of Tech Talk on Newstalk Jess Kelly and 98fm producer and Food & Travel writer Russell Alford to review ‘Million Dollar Lover’!Image: BBC Podcasts

Phrases like ‘sure look, sure listen’ and ‘the black stuff’ are some of the most popular and commonly used Irish slang words.Dr Ellen Howley joins Andrea to discuss if Irish slang has influenced the English language, and Communications Expert Gina London joins to discuss the difference between American and Irish slang words.

Many people got in touch with the show with their own carer stories following the segment on Lunchtime Live.Marie is one of those who got in touch, and joins Andrea to share the situation her family is in.

More good news for the European Athletics Championships as last night Rhasidat Adeleke won silver for Ireland in the 400 metres. Her silver follows golds for Ciara Mageans and the 4 x 400m mixed relay team. So how do we kick on from here? How do we capitalise on this success? To discuss, Andrea is joined by the CEO of Athletics Ireland, Hamish Adams and WIll Dalton from Virgin Media Sport.

This year Andrea Gilligan is determined to make some changes and become that bit healthier!Andrea will be joined by a number of different people to find out how they live well.This week, James Farrell from Dublin Airport Tae Kwon Do joined the show to discuss his exercise ‘Keep Moving’ for people who sit at their desks all day. Listen and follow along to the exercise yourself!

According to Paul Murphy, People Before Profit TD for Dublin South West, the Leaving Cert should be scrapped in favour of open access to university.What do you think? Should we scrap the Leaving Cert? Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their opinions.