On The Afternoon Show today Gavin Grace spoke with Janice Morrissey. Janice is a Dietician with the Irish Heart Foundation and they discussed how, according to a report in today’s Irish Independent, hospital patients are being fed a diet of chips, battered sausages and frozen pizzas – in direct contravention of the Department of Health’s own guidelines. The sick and elderly in more than 100 public hospitals and nursing homes are being offered highly processed foods such as potato waffles, pies with just 10% meat, chicken nuggets and cod goujons containing as little as 50% fish. Nutritionists said the high-fat, high-calorie menus "beggar belief", and one consultant said he had seen heart attack patients being fed rasher, egg and chips in a coronary care unit.
Clare FM’s Cul Chaint presenter and member of An Clar as Gaeilge – Donal O Loinsigh also spoke with Clare FM’s Máire Moynahan about today’s launch of Seachtain na Gaeilge. Almost two million of us on the Island of Ireland speak Irish and it’s hoped that number will rise. Today sees the launch of Seachtain na Gaeilge – the Irish language festival, which has been running since 1902. This year the festival is working with The Gathering Tourism Ireland initiative to attract visitors from abroad back to Ireland throughout the year. While Clare FM’s Doireann Wylde was also out and about meeting people on the street to ask them – An Bhfuil Gaeilge Agat?
Also on today’s show we heard from another Clare emigrant on our new “Calling Home” feature. Marie Ward is living in Melbourne since 2008 and is working as a nurse. Originally from Cratloe, she spoke to Gavin about what prompted her to leave Co. Clare, her life in Australia, the differences and similarities and her plans for the future. We want to hear your stories – if you or a loved one is abroad and would like to tell us how life is treating them in their new home please contact Clare FM by logging on to clare.fm or email [email protected]
Joining Gavin Grace in studio this afternoon was Brian Henry and Lauren Dunne, who are both members of Ennis Musical Society, talked about the society’s latest offering – Me and My Girl. The show has been described by the Ennis Musical Society as a cross between Only Fools and Horses and Downton Abbey! It starts its run tomorrow in Glor. It’s a classic comedy with plenty of lively choral numbers and many cameo roles which have been chosen to compliment the talented members of the musical society. The story revolves around the main character, Bill, played by Brian, a cockney gentleman who is torn between his title while his cockney girlfriend, Sally, played by Lauren. It’s set in the early 19th century in England. The show starts tomorrow night at 8pm and tickets are available from the Glor box office – see www.glor.ie for details.
To contact the show please email [email protected]
