Joining Clare FM’s John Cooke on today’s edition of Morning Focus was Phil Prendergast, MEP
for Ireland South. The MEP is the organiser of a Healthcare Conference titled “Building a Health Service for 21st Century Ireland”, which is taking place this evening at 7.30pm in Pery’s Best Western Hotel, Limerick city.
The backdrop to the event is the recent re-organisation of hospital groups through the Higgins Report, and under discussion will be how the new University of Limerick Hospitals Group will affect local residents in Clare and the other counties affected. Phil is a midwife originally so she will be discussing her background in this area and as well as using the event to establish her healthcare platform for the coming European elections.
Dr Allan Mee of the Golden Eagle Trust and the White tailed Eagle Project Manager also joined the show to talk about how on Tuesday both chicks were seen flying near the nest on Lough Derg, near Mountshannon.
They were the first two White-tailed Eagles to successfully fledge in Ireland for the first time in over 110 years. The single eaglet in Killarney died after the nest had collapsed before the chick had fledged.
John Harvey is the Chairperson of Mountshannon Community Council and discussed the White Tailed Eagles and also how Pride of Place judges visited Mountshannon on Tuesday afternoon. Mountshannon Community Council is participating in Category 1 for population centres of up to 200 people. The 2013 Pride of Place competition awards ceremony takes place in November.
Also on today’s show we heard from Ennis man Peader White. Peadar has been at the Height in Ennis peddling an exercise bike since noon yesterday to raise money for the Clare Samaritans. Yesterday was the 24th of the 7th – the annual Samaritans awareness day – and Peader organised the static cycle to coincide with this. Morning Focus Producer Niamh McNamara headed down to the Height yesterday afternoon to see how Peader and other participants were getting on and to speak to Clare Samaritans Spokesperson Kevin Phelan. Peader and company will be at the Height until 12 noon today if you wish to go down and support them or donate.
Ruairí McKiernan: is a social entrepreneur, campaigner and founder SpunOut.ie. He was in Clare for his ‘Hitching for Hope’ listening tour ahead of the final leg to the MacGill Summer School in Donegal this weekend.
Yesterday he was in Killaloe interviewing people on their vision for Ireland. He will be relying on people around the country to give him lifts, donate a meal, a place to camp overnight and so on. Ruairí is also a member of Ireland’s Council of State.
We also continued our Clans of Clare series. This is the third and final week of our ‘Tribe of Dal gCais’ series which examines 15 Clans whose origins are based in Co. Clare. Each Clan name descends from the Tribe of Dal gCais who were a powerful network of Families from the 10th Century that ruled the Kingdom of Thomond.
The series was produced by Denise Woods and we feature a different tribe each day on Morning Focus. Today we learned about the Kennedy Clan.
Mattie Shannon of Doolin Coast Guard and Kenneth Coonaghan from Limerick City’s ‘Mannequin Makeover’ joined John Cooke on the show for the latest on a public appeal for assistance. Last Thursday Mattie Shannon spoke with us appealing for the public’s help in tracking down a runaway mannequin – believed to be lost at sea after a major simulated water rescue off Blackhead a week ago. Unfortunately there is still no sign of it. This inspired Kenneth to contact the programme. Kevin is in business 4 years – repairing mannequins! Has kindly offered the rescue services a replacement mannequin.
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