Lunchtime Live

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 recipes for sweet & smokey pulled chicken and a chopped Asian salad with dressing.Follow the hashtag #LLBigBatch for all our recipes.

Apparently, the cost of summer camps is going to be even higher this year than normal. There’s a warning out today that the cost of summer camps and childcare combined could cost parents about €1,500. And this is before including the cost of a family holiday. So, are summer camps getting too expensive? Are they even easy to get into?Andrea is joined by listeners, including those who run camps, to get their takes.

This week, Newstalk has been partnering with Make-A-Wish Ireland for Wish Week. It’s World Wish Day! So, let's come together and show the power of our community. Go to www.makeawish.ie/donate. Every euro counts, and together, we can bring so much joy.  Andrea is joined by Orla Carolan, who has personal experience of the impact this charity can make, as her son, Quinn - who was able to become a train driver for a day! Imelda Noone, Head of Wishgranting at Make-A-Wish Ireland also joins to talk about the process and how important Wish Day is. 

AI Week on Lunchtime Live. Andrea takes a dive deep into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us.  We look at what the rise in AI means for the world of music, for the law, for truth and reporting and for the arts sector.

Every Friday, as part of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ series, we put your questions to people from interesting backgrounds or working in different jobs.  Today, Andrea Gilligan was joined by Niall Tier, who is an Advanced Paramedic / Firefighter in Dublin.

Electric Picnic celebrates its 20-year anniversary with a new date in August plus acts like Calvin Harris and Kylie Minogue announced to be headlining. Are you going? And what do you make of this year's headliners?Andrea is joined by 98fm’s Ciaran O’Connor to go through the announcement. She’s also joined by Brian Warfield of the Wolfe Tones, as they are part of the new line-up on the main stage.

Do you want to see Super Mario having a lightsaber fight with Joan of Arc? Maybe you would like to see what your friends and family would look like if they were cartoon characters?  The capabilities of AI, as we have been learning all this week, is already astounding and it is only improving over time. But, what does this mean for the arts sector? And how will creative people working in this area be affected?Joining Andrea to discuss is Dublin artist, poet & cartoonist Caoimhe Lavelle and Aisling Murray, Director and Founder of Beta Festival; a festival of art and technology critically engaging with the impact of emerging technologies on society.

Every day we scour the newspapers but often, many great stories from the regional papers don’t make the headlines.Newstalk's Breakfast Briefing presenter Shane Beatty has rounded up some of the best stories that you might have missed…

Violent scenes erupted in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow last night. Six people were arrested outside an area that had been earmarked to accommodate international protection applicants. Gardaí came under attack after workers were brought onto the site. Three Garda cars were damaged, Gardaí had rocks and other missiles thrown at them while fires were lit at the scene. An axe was also recovered.  Gardaí deployed shields and incapacitant spray, with some locals apparently saying Gardaí used excessive force…Andrea is joined by Newstalk Reporter Josh Crosbie, journalist Valerie Cox and listeners to give their takes on the protest as well as the Garda response.

How can you do your own tiling at home, and how easy is it? Hardware Expert Alan Grant and Róisín Lafferty, Founder and Creative Director of Kingston Lafferty Design join Andrea to give their top tips.

Irish scientist Rosemary Coogan has graduated from space training as a new European Space Agency astronaut. That means she’s eligible for spaceflight.She joins Andrea to discuss why she became an astronaut in the first place, and what the experience has been like. Image: European Space Agency

Geraldine Mullen lost 'absolutely everything' in 2020 when she was the sole survivor of a car accident that left her without her husband and two children. She recently made a post remembering her son, Tomás, who would have been 18 this month.She joins Andrea to reflect and discuss what life has been like for her since.

This week is ‘AI Week’ for Lunchtime Live. Every day we will take a deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us. What impact will artificial intelligence have on the workplace? Will it simply make work easier for most people? Or are we facing massive redundancies if AI takes over certain jobs?Andrea is joined by Mark Kelly, Founder of AI Ireland and Tracy Keevans, Director with Morgan McKinley Recruitment Agency to discuss.

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: Coca-Cola Company

With increased road deaths this year, calls have been made for tougher sanctions to bring back the “fear of penalty points”.What do you think? Do people fear getting penalty points? What more can be done?Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes.

From deciding what brand to get to installing a charger in your home, Derek Reilly, founder of electric car platform Nevo, is here to answer all of your EV-related questions.

From dream house to nightmare: a Donegal family have had to move out of their house because of the damage done by the defective mica blocks used to build it. Paddy Diver, one of the family members, joins Andrea to discuss his situation.

This week is ‘AI Week’ for Lunchtime Live. Every day we will take a deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us.  What problems is AI going to dig up in terms of truthfulness? With the ability to mimic peoples’ voices accurately and make them say things they never have before - what legal ramifications are there, and how could that interfere with things like elections?Andrea is joined by Newstalk anchor Eamonn Torsney and Brian McElligott, Partner with Irish business law firm Mason, Hayes & Curran, to discuss the legal slippery slope AI has introduced.

Have you ever had the misfortune of being on a plane with a crying baby or disruptive child? Well, Corendon Dutch Airlines has announced it will be launching adult-only areas on some of its flights later this year. Children will be kept out of the designated adult area by “means of walls and curtains,” which will “create a shielded environment that contributes to a calm and relaxed flight.” The seats do come with an extra charge though – you can add €45 to the price of your flight rising to €100 for the extra-large seats. Would you pay it? Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes. 

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…

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’s Shelly Gray and Newstalk’s Tom Douglas to discuss ‘Michael Jackson: Think Twice’. Image: Wondery

Apparently, we’re going to have another burst of sunshine for the May bank holiday weekend. Well, that’s what Carlow Weather’s Alan O’Reilly is teasing. He joins Andrea to discuss how far ahead we can really predict the weather. Also joining is engineer and science communicator Phil Smyth - @philofscience on Instagram.

For ‘Ask the GP’ yesterday Dr Nina Byrnes joined Andrea to answer all of your medical questions.We got an interesting text into the show that read:  ‘We just had a baby seven weeks ago.  We are actually finding it extremely tough going.  She cries a lot, she’s not colic, she eats very well, she is growing well but we are actually really struggling – particularly my wife.’  What was your experience of the realities of early parenthood?Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their stories. 

This week is ‘AI Week’ for Lunchtime Live. Every day we will take a deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us.   One of the most striking examples of the capabilities of artificial intelligence can be found in music; whether you want to hear pop stars covering songs. Like Britney Spears singing Michael Jackson - or a deceased star like Queen’s Freddie Mercury come back to sing Celine Dion. So, what does this all mean for musicians, songwriters and the music industry?  Joining Andrea are Angela Dorgan, CEO of First Music Contact, the development and resource organisation for the popular music sector in Ireland and Adam O’Regan, guitarist with Soda Blonde, as well as Grammy nominated musicia RuthAnne.

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 Alicia Christofi-Walshe, the founder of the group She Summits to learn all about trail running.

Families of the victims of the Creeslough tragedy feel they haven’t been listened to after plans to rebuild a service station on the site of the tragedy were revealed. Andrea is joined by affected people Donna Harper and Derek Martin for their takes.

Join Andrea as she embarked on an exciting weekend of camping for the very first time! She recorded the entire experience while also talking to the people who run the campsites. She went to both River Valley Holiday Park in Wicklow and Battlebridge Camping in Roscommon.Would you go on a similar trip?

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

A new survey carried out by the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland shows that the fear of physical and verbal abuse and their own safety were among the top reasons for not approaching somebody parked illegally in accessible parking bays.What has your experience been? Is enough done to stomp out illegal parking? Andrea is joined by Richard Ryder of the Disabled Drivers Association as well as callers to discuss.

It seems like every time you open a newspaper, switch on the radio or watch the news we are hearing about Artificial Intelligence. It is something which will increasingly shape our future and, with that in mind, we’re kicking off AI Week – here on Lunchtime Live.  Each day this week, at this time, we'll dive deep into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us.  Joining Andrea to demonstrate some of the things which AI is capable of at the moment is Newstalk’s Technology Correspondent, Jess Kelly.

This is Lunchtime Live’s Big Batch. Every Monday we’ll be learning new easy to cook batch recipes to keep you eating well. No more staring into an open fridge looking for inspiration! This week Andrea is joined by Chef Aoife Comerford from Glovers Alley to look at batch cooking desserts like chocolate chip cookies and pineapple upside down cake - the perfect thing to quickly heat up if you need a quick treat or want to impress a guest!Follow the hashtag #LLBigBatch for all our recipes.

Jason Poole has been on the show before and he’s told us about what his family has been through after the murder of his sister Jennie.The trauma doesn’t seem to end as her tragedy is now being used to scam the public. Jason joins Andrea to explain.

Every Friday, as part of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ series, we put your questions to people from interesting backgrounds or working in different jobs.  Today, Andrea Gilligan was joined by Cathy Tolan, who has been a train driver for the last three years with Iarnród Éireann.

This weekend Andrea will be hitting the road heading for Wicklow and Leitrim in her Volkswagen Campervan. To fill us in on all things camping, she's joined by Jason Carmody, Chairperson of the Irish Motorhome Working Group,  Aaron Birchill from theCharlieandMe YouTube Channel & Camping Crew Podcast and Mika Jansen, Manager at The Camping Hub Facility in Graiguenamanagh, Kilkenny. 

Anti-migration protestors turned up at the house of integration minister Roderic O’Gorman’s house last night. In footage shared on social media, protestors erected banners with anti-immigration slogans and masked men could also be seen appearing to stop a car from turning onto the street. Gardai were present at the scene but no arrests were made.  What should be done about abuse outside politicians' homes? Andrea is joined by Neasa Hourigan Green Party TD, Gary Gannon, Social Democrats TD and more to discuss.

How do you properly hang something on a wall? Hardware Expert Alan Grant and Sarah Louise of Sarah Louise Interiors join Andrea with their tips and tricks. 

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... 

GAA president Jarlath Burns has said a return to September All-Ireland finals is possible, but only if counties were willing to adopt uniformity in their own club championships.  Speaking to GAAGO's new 'Ratified' discussion forum he said the different formats in counties made it too great a challenge to develop a master fixtures plan that finished in September.  What do you think? Would you like to see the All-Ireland final return to September?  Joining Andrea to discuss is Off the Ball’s Eoin Sheehan. 

From intermittent fasting to how much coffee is too much, dietitian Orla Walsh is with Andrea to answer your questions.

We’ve all done it - flicked endlessly through the whole of Netflix, Apple TV and Disney for what feels like hours only to end up with absolutely nothing.Apparently we are wasting roughly half an hour every day deciding what to watch! That’s three and a half hours a week! Andrea is joined by Pop Culture and Entertainment expert Deirdre Molumby and journalist with The Irish Sun, Nicola Bardon to talk about why we’re spoilt for choice.

Do we place enough importance on our green spaces?  Are there enough facilities for children to play where you are living? Residents of Tullybrook, a housing development on the outskirts of Drogheda are concerned that there is nowhere for their children to play safely. For over 130 houses and units there is just one tiny playground which is only suitable for very young children.  Andrea speaks with listeners about the issue.

We’ve been talking a lot recently about the issues with hospitals, GPs and the HSE in general. A lot of people seem to be concerned about healthcare in this country. Donna Marie has gotten in touch to share her story with the system.

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...

What's your experience with public transport? Almost 75 percent of bus and train drivers in Ireland have witnessed drug use or abuse behaviour several times a month. Siptu officials, along with members of the union working with Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Luas services will be speaking to the joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications later today. Andrea is joined by multiple people working in the transport industry to share their stories.

Welcome to The Pod Squad!We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to. Andrea was joined by broadcaster Ciara King and Newstalk’s Laura Donnelly to discuss Charlotte Church’s ‘Kicking Back with the Cardiffians’. Image: BBC

Medical Experts say that bras are a basic necessity that should be exempt from VAT. But will they get the support? Andrea is joined by Sinead Sanderson, underwear expert and owner of Peaches & Cream to discuss.

John Gibbons, environmental journalist and commentator proposed an idea that flights should steadily get more expensive the more a person flies. He joins Andrea to discuss what impacts that may have. Listeners also give their thoughts.

Nike revealed their Olympic Uniform for Team USA and there has been lots of commentary on the women’s uniform, and in particular how small it is. Lots of people commenting that the female gear is one step forward and two steps backwards when it comes to equality. Irish Olympian Catherina McKiernan joins Andrea to discuss.Image: CITIUS MAG

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 Aidan Carroll, owner of the Hard Target Self Defence Academy and instructor Oriana Leong to discuss how important it is to know how to defend yourself.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said that people of his generation know Europe better than the North of Ireland. Needless to say, quite a few people weren’t happy about it. Andrea is joined by Newstalk Chief Reporter Barry Whyte as well as callers to give their takes.