Lunchtime Live

With the Junior and Leaving Cert exams just a few weeks away, many students are turning to TikTok for study tips and advice. Has this trend changed how we learn? We speak to three Irish teachers who are making a big impact on #StudyTok to discuss their strategies and how social media is transforming exam prep.Stacy Stout has amassed over 12K followers on TikTok, becoming the go-to source for Leaving Cert history study tips and exciting topics like the first-ever moon landing @missstoutshistoryclassKatie Lenehan If you're looking for tips for international language exams, TikTok creator Katie, a French and Spanish teacher, is a must-follow @mslenslanguages1Tadgh O'Donovan, with over 300K followers, this secondary school science teacher is revitalising science for students in Ireland. He offers tips for both Leaving and Junior Cert exams @teachwithtadgh

Andrea was joined by guests to discuss France’s new approach to tackling a decade-long decline in its birth rate. President Emmanuel Macron has introduced a program offering free fertility testing to all 18 to 25-year-olds, including semen analysis and ovarian reserve checks. Is this a measure Ireland should consider adopting?

We've frequently discussed palliative care and elder care on this show, as they often involve challenging and emotional conversations. Simon Chambers, who has created a poignant documentary about his relationship with his elderly uncle, joined Andrea to delve into these topics and share his insights on the responsibilities and burdens of caregiving.

From a Netflix show filming in Ireland to a thatched pub hitting New York – Breakfast briefing Presenter Shane Beatty has some of the stories from around the country that you may have missed this week.

Andrea talks to Irish fans about the dramatic buildup to this year's Eurovision final in Malmö, Sweden. Ireland’s Bambie Thug has secured a spot in the final for the first time since 2018. However, protests in Malmö and outside RTE headquarters back home have overshadowed the event, primarily due to Israel's participation.

‘Dumbphones’ are making a comeback, but would you swap your iPhone for a Nokia 3210?Jess Kelly, Newstalk’s Tech Correspondent joins Andrea to explain why people are going old-school with this new trend.

New research from the ESRI reveals that many people are unaware of the environmental impact their diet can have on climate change. While most are concerned about packaging and imports, emissions from red meat are often overlooked. Andrea chats with listeners and asks the question, could you give up meat to help the environment?

May is melanoma awareness month. Paul Darby joins Andrea to share his experience of finding a small mark on his skin.

It's time for Throwback Thursday, where we look back on things that happened this week in history. Ciaran O’Connor from 98fm joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live…

Real-life Martha from Baby Reindeer has been interviewed by Piers Morgan to share her side of the story. The woman who has come forward as the inspiration behind the character, and sits down in a tell-all with Piers Morgan. Andrea is asking people whether it’s a good idea to air it or not. She is joined by Sinead Ryan -Presenter of the Home Show, Dr Caroline West - Sexual Violence &, Harassment Prevention and Response Manager with UCC and a number of callers.

From missing luggage to parking, for this week’s Ask the Expert, we’re putting your Dublin airport questions to Graeme McQueen, Media Relations with the DAA. 

Sea swimming spots around Dublin Bay are being lost due to poor water conditions. But what can be done to save our seas and swimming spots? Andrea is joined Green Party Councillor & Member of the Dollymount Dames Donna Cooney to ask are we neglecting our seas? Image credit: rollingnews.ie 

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to.  Andrea was joined by Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill  and Broadcaster Ciara King to review Ed Gamble and James Acaster's podcast.Image credit: Spotify

Over 80 tents are pitched along the inner-city canal in Dublin as asylum seekers having been moved from outside of the International Protection Office to Crooksling in southwest Dublin where capacity is limited.  Andrea went to speak to the people currently living in the tents along the canal and learn more about the situation.  Photo credit: rollingnews.ie 

Take outs over dine ins, watching Netflix rather than going to the cinema and even working from home – have we withdrawn ourselves from society? Journalist Suzanne Kane and Psychiatrist Brendan Kelly joined Andrea to discuss whether people have lost key social skills or if being home makes us happier. 

Politicians risked a €150 fine to secure optimal lamppost positions for their posters in the lead up to the European and Local Elections. Posters are only permitted in public places 30 days before polling and must be removed by June 14th. But do we still need election posters? Andrea was joined by Author and Journalist with the Wexford People, Simon Bourke, and Labour Councillor in Cork, John Maher, to discuss.  Image credit: rollingnews.ie 

Ballroom and Latin dancing schools in Ireland are seeing class numbers soar with more people eager to learn a step or two. Andrea is joined by the President of DanceSport Federation of Ireland, Tommy Shaughnessy and professional dancer Karen Byrne to ask why is there a sudden interest to break out the dancing shoes. 

Asylum seekers living in tents outside of the International Protection Office were moved to Crooksling in southwest Dublin however over 80 tents are now pitched along the capitals canal. To discuss what should be done about the tents in Dublin, Andrea is joined by Labour Party Councillor Dermot Lacey, Green Party Councillor Hazel Chu, local businesspeople and residents.

Ahead of the opening night of Eurovision 2024, excitement is high for the fans eager to see the production of this year's song contest in Malmö. Andrea is joined by Newstalk Reporter Henry McKean live from Malmo in Sweden and superfans of the competition to discuss what’s in store. Image credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU

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 Beekeeper Aoife Mac Giolla Coda, from Galtee Honey Farm to learn what the buzz is about.

Former Ireland and Ulster rugby player Paddy Jackson has expressed concern over the planned television dramatisation of the controversial ­Belfast rape trial. Jackson was found not guilty of rape in 2018 by a Belfast Court which was intensely covered by the media. But should television entertainment inspired by serious cases be made? Andrea is joined by Barrister and Journalist Aileen Hickie.

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 Charles Coyle, Managing Director of Emerald Park, to answer all of your questions.

We previously spoke to Trinity college students who were protesting at the Book of Kells over a proposal to increase some programme costs. In an update, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union have been issued a €214k fine by the College for financial losses incurred by disruptive protests by the union throughout the year. Andrea is joined by Ellen Kenny, Deputy Editor with Trinity News  and László Molnárfi, President of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union to hear their reactions.

Funeral notice website RIP.ie has been acquired by the Irish Times Group. RIP.ie generates 60 million page views a month as people visit the site for information on funeral arrangements, or just to keep up with who has died.     That makes it, pretty consistently, one of the most popular websites in the country.  Are Irish people obsessed with death? Why is the site so popular?Andrea is joined by Brid McGowan of McGowan’s Funeral Directors, Paul Claffey, Managing Director and Broadcaster with Midwest Radio and Iseult White, Psychotherapist and Author to hear their takes.

With, hopefully, good weather on the way it might finally be the time to crack out the BBQ!Andrea is joined by John Relihan, Head Pitmaster at PittBros BBQ with tips and tricks to get the best out of your barbeque.

From a Buddhist centre in Tipperary, to a no fly zone over Laois: Newstalk’s Eamonn Torsney has the stories from around the country that you might have missed this week.

Secondary schools are apparently completely reliant on parental contributions to stop going into deficit. The average cost of the ‘voluntary’ contributions are around €101 per year at primary level, and €140 at secondary level. Nationally, the Department of Education estimates that these contributions are worth about €30 million a year. So, should they be needed at all? Andrea is joined by INTO General Secretary John Boyle, Simon Lewis, principal and host of the ‘If I was Minister for Education’ podcast as well as listeners to hear their opinions. 

How should you get your patio area ready for the summer? Hardware Expert Alan Grant and Róisín Lafferty, founder and creative director of Kingston Lafferty Design join Andrea with their tips and tricks.

If you’re currently planning your summer holidays – how long are you thinking of going away for? Is it a long weekend? Or maybe a really rare full two week break? Well, both could be a waste of time! Apparently, the ideal holiday length is 8 days…To discuss, Andrea is joined by Sinéad Brady, Career Psychologist and author of ‘Total Reset’.

How often do you sit down as a family to eat a meal? This May, Childline by ISPCC is calling on families, schools, clubs and workplaces throughout the country to take time for breakfast – to sit, listen and enjoy each other’s company. But, has life become too busy to sit down as a family and have meal times together? What’s your experience?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

The debate about drinking in Croke Park is here again -  Should rugby fans be allowed to drink in Croke Park? Would it help the atmosphere or make it worse? Andrea is joined by Gerry Thornley, Rugby Correspondent with the Irish Times as well as listeners to hear their opinions.

It's time for Throwback Thursday, where we look back on things that happened this week in history. Ciaran O’Connor from 98fm joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live…Image: @F1 on Twitter / X

The ‘Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2024 are protesting outside RTÉ later on this evening.  They say that they don’t want “to be represented at an artwashing exercise for the genocidal apartheid state of Israel”. What do you think? Should Ireland boycott the Eurovision?Andrea is joined by singer and songwriter Mary Coughlan as well as listeners to discuss. Image: Alma Bengtsson / EBU

From overpaying your mortgage to how to switch; for this week’s Ask the Expert, we’re putting your mortgage questions to Trevor Grant, Chairperson, Association of Irish Mortgage Advisors.

Are the Irish unable to say ‘no’? That’s what the actor Brian Cox seems to think.Is he right? Do we avoid it? Andrea is joined by Freelance Writer Niamh O’Reilly and Life Coach Mark Fennel to discuss.

Listener Ben has gotten in touch with the show because he’s having an issue with getting his son into a secondary school.He speaks with Andrea about the issue.

Funerals are becoming more and more personal, with a lot more options on how we’d like our final goodbyes to go. And that isn’t just the funeral – you now have even more choices about what will happen to your body after you die. And the newest option is something called ‘water cremation’.Andrea is joined by Elizabeth Oakes, founder of Pure Reflections, to learn more. Colin McAteer from The Green Graveyard company also joins 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…

Students blockaded the entrance to the Book of Kells exhibition in Trinity College Dublin yesterday in protest against a proposal to increase some programme costs. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union warned that students will take actions that are 'seriously damaging to the reputation and finances of the university' if the increases go ahead. László Molnárfi, President of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union, joins Andrea to discuss what the protest is about. She is also joined by listeners to hear their takes.Image: Trinity News

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to. Andrea was joined by Newstalk's Tech Correspondent and host of 'Tech Talk' Jess Kelly and Elaine Burke, presenter of the 'For Tech’s Sake’  podcast to discuss series 4 of 'Serial'Image: New York Times

A Dublin-based surgeon has returned to Ireland after three weeks volunteering as a doctor in Gaza. Dr Mohammed Shaalan joins Andrea to talk about the experience.

Today marks 30 years since Michael Flatley, Jean Butler and the Riverdance Troop wowed audiences in the Point theatre and worldwide during Eurovision ‘94. What are your memories from the time? How did Riverdance transform Irish Dancing? Andrea is joined by multiple people to look back on Riverdance, including lead dancer Fergus Fitzpatrick, dance professional Ciara Sexton and Susan Ginnety, who was part of the 1994 performance.

A 14 year old boy was home alone yesterday when his house was attacked by a gang of armed raiders. It happened in a rural part of county Louth and local Councillor John Reilly joins Andrea to discuss…

Andrea posed the question of whether it’s okay or not to ask for a discount in a shop.Have you done it before? Or are you dead set against bartering or haggling?Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their opinions.

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 Elaine Fallon from Brookwood Pottery to learn all about the clay craft.

A majority of teenagers attending single-sex schools would prefer their school to be co-educational, a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found. The ESRI has described the findings as "eye-opening". Should all secondary schools be co-ed?  Andrea hears takes from listeners.

Andrea Gilligan was joined on Lunchtime Live by Dr Afif EL-Khuffash, Consultant Neonatologist & Paediatrician at the Rotunda Hospital to answer listeners' health queries and questions...

Castlebar has come out on top in a survey of the best places to live for the best work life balance, while Limerick came out at the bottom. But what makes somewhere a good town to live in? Andrea is joined by Today FM’s Ed Smith calling in from Castlebar, as well as Limerick local Celia Holman Lee to discuss.Image: Visit Castlebar

It is fair to say that immigration has become a hot button issue in the last number of weeks and months. It seems that people are more divided than ever on these issues.  Social media sites, such as X (formerly Twitter), are awash with hot take after hot take on Ireland’s immigration policies, but now these conversations are leaking out into real life – among family and friends.  Is it possible to maintain friendships and relationships with someone who might have very different views than you? How are we meant to navigate different opinions on immigration in friendship groups?Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes. 

US TV host Conan O’Brien is set to make his Ros Na Rún debut on TG4 this week!  Andrea is joined by some of those involved in the show to talk about the experience: series producer Marion Ní Loingsigh, production manager Mairead Campbell and Paul “Fred” McCloskey, who plays the role of Vince.Image: @RosnaRun on Twitter/X