The show opened with Eric Trump. Two years after Donald Trump purchased his Doonbeg golf resort, a grand re-opening was carried out at the five-star facility last evening. Extensive repairs have been carried out on the storm-damaged golf course, and while this is being celebrated, the owners are also looking to protect it by building a much-scrutinised barrier of rock armour. Donald Trump's son Eric was in Doonbeg this weekend to oversee the grand re-opening, and while he was in Clare he met with Clare FM's Gavin Grace, who began by asking for his assessment of the property.
Gavin also spoke to Eric about his father's continued his campaign for the White House. Now all but certain to be the Republican Party's nominee, the billionaire is facing into a likely race against Hillary Clinton in just under six months time. But as Trump proposes a crackdown on illegal immigration, and plans to build a wall along the Mexican border, what would a Trump White House mean for Ireland, and for Irish people in the US, some living there illegally. In the second part of our interview with Eric Trump, Clare FM's Gavin Grace asked about this ,and also about the Donald's mood as the campaign continues.
If you're on holidays abroad and get sick or injured the last thing you want is a huge bill from the emergency department of a foreign hospital. Luckily, there's a simple solution: the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The card replaced the E111 forms in 2004 and if you get one it entitles you to healthcare in 30 countries at a reduced cost or even free. Anthony Kelly from the HSE EU Regulations Office spoke to Pat.
Sgt Joe Downey, Crime Prevention Officer at Ennis Garda Station, was in studio for the weekly Garda Focus item.
Next, Pat was joined in studio by James Kennedy, the Census Regional Supervisor. Work is continuing to collected completed Census forms, but enumerators are meeting difficulties in accessing some homes in Ennis. Strict rules mean that the Census must be hand delivered and must also be collected by hand by enumerators. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is urging householders to keep their forms safe until they are collected and to cooperate with enumerators in so far as possible.
Over 6000 people across the County have diabetes. Many of their family and friends are also affected by the condition. Tomorrow evening (Tuesday, May 17), the Clare Branch of Diabetes Ireland are hosting a free information meeting for those living with diabetes at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis at 8pm. The evening will focus on current dietary advice and more importantly, how to put it into practice. Anna Clarke, Head of Health Promotion & Research with Diabetes Ireland was on the line while Grainne Flynn who lives with Lives with Type 1 Diabetes was in studio.
On the 23rd of May, 2015, the people of Ireland made history by becoming the first nation in the world to introduce marriage equality by popular vote. Inspired by the extraordinary ‘Yes Equality’ campaign, veteran broadcaster Charlie Bird travelled across Ireland and met with some of the people most deeply affected by the referendum result. His book: A Day in May: Real Lives, True Stories chronicles their stories. Charlie Bird Veteran broadcaster and author spoke to Pat and told him about some of the people he encountered while researching the book.
On the weekly Sports Panel today were Derrick Lynch from Clare FM Sport, Eoin Brennan from The Clare People and Clare FM's Syl O'Connor.
Next, Cilian Murphy from Loophead Tourism gave us the latest update on Star Wars filming at Loophead.
We then had the weekly Fleadh News. As the annual Fleadh Nua gets underway in Ennis this Sunday, so we began with a word of explanation should all this talk of Fleadhs cause confusion. For several months now, the focus has been on Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann which will be held in Ennis from August 14 to 22 The Fleadh Nua is different, most obviously it is a festival of music and culture but smaller and more intimate than Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Fleadh Nua has been located in Ennis for several decades while Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann moves from town to town, as do the county and provincial Fleadhs. Since 1974 Fleadh Nua has developed from a 3-day event to a festival spanning 8 days, with more than 120 separate events. Rory Casey from the Fleadh Nua Organising Committee came into studio to tell Pat more.
Finally today we heard from Bunratty Search & Rescue. A vigorous fund-raising campaign has paid off for Bunratty Search & Rescue, who've just taken delibery of a new state-of-the-art RIB. The vessel (a rigid 20 ft. inflatable, an SRK 465 Hypalon aluminium hulled craft with 50HP Yamaha engine) was acquired through contributions from the J.P. McManus Benevolent Fund, the ESB for Generations Fund, E.I. Electronics local firms who contributed generously and the local community. Kevin O'Meara and Ger Browne are coxswains with Bunratty Search & Rescue and they were in studio.
