Morning Focus began with the hot topic of the last few weeks. Gardaí will turn up for work as normal today, after calling off their strike overnight. 11th hour negotiations at the Labour Court came up with a potential deal for officers worth about 36-hundred Euro per person. Members of the AGSI and the GRA will decide in the coming days if they want to accept it. It's also thought to contain recommendations on annual leave and rent allowance to help with accommodation costs. Gavin was joined on the line by Dep Pat Breen, Minister for Employment and Small Business, and Dep Timmy Dooley, FF TD for Clare.
We then had an update from the Garda Union from Paul Crowley, GRA Representative in the Midwest.
At the age of just 14, Gavin’s next guest was moved so much by a shocking image of a skinned seal on the front of a national newspaper that he spent the last two decades campaigning for animal rights. John Carmody set up Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) who have lead the way in highlighting welfare issues from bloodsports to neutering. As well as waging an international campaign that saw him being arrested at a fashion show in Milan, John's also been to the fore in revealing some disturbing cases in this county. After 21 years, John's recently decided to wind the organisation down. He joined Gavin live in studio.
The next guest has been on something of an emotional rollercoaster over the last few months. A serious fire closed the famed Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna for a time last August but Birgitta Curtin's determination and the support of her family and the local community have kept the business going. Now, with things returning to normal for the Smokehouse, it's just been honoured as one of the country's top food producers. The business, which is more than three decades old, has been named Food Champion at the Good Food Ireland Best of the Decade Awards. While the Smokehouse is a multi-award winner, Birgitta says this particular accolade is very special in light of everything the company's gone through. She also joined Gavin live in studio.
Morning Focus’ next guest has admitted to having a problem that I’m sure many people have at some stage. He realised while travelling that he may have seen the Great Wall of China, swam in the Nile among other things but had never actually seen some of Ireland’s most famous sights like the Giant’s Causeway or Achill Island! So he decided to write a book – Irishography – encapsulating all of Ireland’s most famous bits for those who have the same problem. The author, Ronan Moore, joined Gavin on the line to talk about his book.
Now there’s been a call for help from a local charity effort, The Irish Wheelchair Association has launched its national fundraising campaign and is currently looking for volunteers for Thursday, November 10 and Friday, November 11. They’re looking to sell a selection of ‘Angel’ products, including pins, children’s fun packs and Angels car fresheners. Gavin was joined on the line by Johnny Crawford, the Angel coordinator.
A fund-raising campaign's being launched for an ambitious project in Sixmilebridge that could, eventually, see the town host a major concert venue. Planning permission was granted last month for the 'Sixmilebridge Indoor Arena' catering for hurling and other GAA-related activities. If efforts to raise funds are successful, construction could get underway as soon as next year. Gavin was joined on the line by Syl O’Connor, PRO of Sixmilebridge GAA Club.
We then had our Friday Panel. Topics discussed this week were Garda Industrial Action, the US Election, Calls for Ireland to take more refugees and Louise O’Neill’s Documentary on consent, ‘Asking for It’. Guests on the panel were Brian Meaney, Former (Green Party) member of Clare County Council, Clare Burke, Clare Women’s Network, and Will Cahir, Cahir and Company Solicitors.
Finally we had a rather uplifting story. Many listeners will already have heard of 'Rian's Army' – a group of people dedicated to supporting 14-year-old Rian Flanagan from Lisdoonvarna who's recently undergone a double lung transplant as a result of having Cystic Fibrosis. David Nagle is a 19 -year-old first year medical student from Doolin. He and his friend Ciaran Johnston will perform at The Storehouse, Lisdoonvarna tomorrow (Sat. Nov. 5) to raise funds and they're in studio now to chat about why they're part of Rian's Army. David and Ciaran both joined Gavin live in studio to play a song for Morning Focus.
