On today’s edition of The Afternoon Show Gavin Grace spoke with John Lannon from Shannonwatch. They discussed how over 4 million euro has been spent by the Defence Forces in providing security at Shannon Airport in the last ten years. The Army has maintained a regular presence at Clare’s International Airport since a US military aircraft was damaged by anti-war protesters in 2003.Minister Alan Shatter says the Defence Forces’ role at Shannon is to assist, when requested, the Gardai. Their work there began on February 5th, 2003, two days after substantial damage was caused to a US Naval Plane and glass doors at Shannon Airport. Five anti-war protesters were subsequently found not guilty of criminal damage. Nearly half of four million euro total was spent in the first two years after Defence Forces were deployed at Shannon, with the annual costs falling to between two- and three-hundred thousand euro each year since 2007. This has risen for each of the last two years, and reached 275 thousand euro last year.
Avine McNally is the Director of the Small Firms Association and spoke to Gavin about how 65% of small firms will retain current employee numbers this year. That’s according to the findings of a jobs sentiment survey carried out by the Association. The results show that the level of lay offs and reduction in employee hours has slowed. However Avine McNally says companies still face challenges.
Aidan Courtney from the Ennis Book Shop was also in studio for our weekly book review. Today Aidan reviewed “Trespassers” by Julia O Faolain and “What in the World” from Peadar King, the book that accompanies the television series of the same name.
Also taking part in the show was David O’Leary, the organiser of a Comic Book Mart, which will be held in The Templegate Hotel, Ennis on the 24th of March. The event will run from 10am to 6pm. Award winning writer Mike Lynch and Nestor co-creator Martin Greene will be on hard on the day representing Abandoned Comics and the duo will be signing books. The event aims to let the comics’ community and fans in Clare and beyond revel in the delights of collecting and open the world of collecting to them. For the more discerning collector there will be a large selection of hard to get items. For more details see www.irishcomicnews.com
Former world number 1 cyclist Sean Kelly was also a guest of The Afternoon Show. The cycling great was in Ennis last evening where he participated in the launch of the Stage Routes for 2013 International Junior Tour of Ireland cycling race in County Clare, which will take place from July 2nd to 7th. The world’s longest junior (U18) stage event at 500 kilometres will once again attract strong international competition with some of the best junior cyclists in the world competing against Ireland’s most promising young cyclists.
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