On Wednesdays Morning Focus; Marian began by speaking to Clare Labour TD Michael McNamara who questioned US whistleblower, Edward Snowden, about the European Court of Justice judgment which found in favour of an Irish advocacy group that a data retention directive was invalid. The exchange took place when McNamara chaired a hearing of the Legal Affairs & Human Rights Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Snowden was speaking from Moscow via a live video link-up.
Up Next Gerry O’Brien, Ogonnelloe Native and Manager of Churchill Arms in Kensington, London joined Marian by phone. Gerry has been running the Churchill Arms in Kensington for almost 30 years. Gerry says the place is electric with the Visit of President Michael D. Higgins. Gerry has embraced the festivities and put up an 8ft picture of the President outside the pub with tri colours for the occasion. He has taken pictures of the decorations and wrote a letter inviting Michael D. Higgins to the pub for a drink. The embassy in London assures him that the President will get the letter. Gerry says the pub is hosting a special party tonight for the historic occasion. President and Mrs Higgins will be guests of honour at a music event in the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday night and Gerry has tickets to go. Gerry shares the same birthday and the same middle name as the president.
A listener called Marian to discuss something that has caused her some stress over the past few days. Sarahann Kealy from Kilcolgan, Galway got in touch with the show and told us how she and her husband were in Ennis shopping on Monday afternoon. They parked their newly bought car in Dunne’s car park. Sarahanns son is making his confirmation on Thursday so after buying her outfit and her son’s clothes for the occasion they made their way back to the car. The bag was hanging on the trolley. When they reached the car they realised that someone had banged into it. In all the confusion her husband left the bag hanging on the trolley when he put it back in the trolley bay. When they realised that it was missing they headed back to Dunne’s the CCTV in the shopping centre shows a lady removing the bag and handing it to a man who put it in a car. The items in the bag are worth 175 euro and with Sarshann’s daughter making her communion in 3 weeks also it’s been an expensive couple of moths. She’s appealing for anyone that picked up the bag to drop it off somewhere for her.
Patrick Phillips is a Cooraclare native and he has received the accolade of “Student Culinarian of the Year" at the at the IFEX 2014 Culinary Competition. Patrick is in his first year of a Higher Certificate in Culinary Arts in GMIT’s Galway campus. He won the award for his starter of goats’ cheese parfait, main course of pan-fried monkfish and dessert of baked apple. Marian spoke to Patrick about his achievement and overcoming some obstacles that have stood in his way.
Clare Garden Festival will be held again on the last Sunday in April – 27th April 2014. The popular annual event will in 2014 feature the slogan 'My Beautiful & Edible Garden'. Clare Garden Festival will be led by celebrity speakers from the gardening world bringing exciting talks for ornamental and vegetable gardeners and it will feature a vast Garden & Food Fair of over 60 quality stalls from all over Ireland. The venue Ennis showground's featuring huge indoor arenas well as outdoor spaces and plenty of parking is conveniently located just off the M18 and in walking distance of the county town of Ennis. The organisers are planning some great free-of-charge events in the line-up to the festival. Marian spoke to Carmen Cronin, Clare Garden Festival Founder and Organiser and Peter Dowdall Cork Gardener and TV garden personality about the festival.
The national concertina convention takes place in the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis this Friday at 7.30. Festivities will kick off when Clare musical legend Chris Droney officially opens the Consairtín. Marian spoke to Aine Hensey, Director of Consairtín and Chris Droney, Musician about the event.
Finally, Paul Wolfe of the Clare Citizens' Information Service was in studio to answer listeners' social welfare, employment and consumer law queries. Contact Clare Citizens' Information Service on 076 1075260.
If you have a story, comment or query for Morning Focus email [email protected] or write to us – Morning Focus, Clare FM, Francis Street, Ennis, Co. Clare.
