Lunchtime Live

All this week we’ve been talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Today we’re talking about retiring as a single person. Andrea was joined by Paul Merriman Financial Adviser along with callers to discuss the financial and personal realities of retiring alone.

A controversial mural depicting Irish revolutionary Michael Collins on the front of a packet of Chickatees is dividing opinions online.   The striking artwork titled ‘Mickatees’ by Liam Robinson is located on Glasnevin Avenue.   Some have dubbed it the ‘misappropriation of an extremely important Irish historical figure’   Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Would you like to see more local Irish beers at festivals? Heineken seems to be the main beer in a lot of them, but would you prefer to see some craft Irish beers?    One brewery from Stradbally is calling for their local festival Electric Picnic to stock their beer. They say that if the festival claims to be sustainable, that supporting local should be an important element of that.&nbsp...

Yesterday Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that violent attacks in Dublin have not increased, despite the public narrative to the contrary, and Dublin city centre is safer than other European cities. However, with constant stories of people being attacked in the city centre and videos being shared on social media showcasing threatening behaviour in some of the cities key areas many would disagr...

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Today we’re talking about socialising alone. Andrea was joined by singletons to discuss the trials and tribulations of socialising alone...

Do Irish stereotypes bother you or are they just a bit of craic?  American football team Notre Dame, known as ‘The Fighting Irish’ are visiting Dublin this weekend, complete with their leprechaun mascot, to face Navy in the Aviva stadium.    Notre Dame insisted that the leprechaun was regarded with “respect, loyalty and affection”, and that he was supposed to represent “the det...

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Today we’re talking about parenting alone. Andrea was joined by solo parents to discuss the trials and tribulations of being a lone parent...

A new report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland has revealed there has been almost 2,000 pubs closures across Ireland since 2005.    108 pubs closed their doors in 2022 alone. Is this the end of the rural pub? Andrea was joined by publicans to discuss...

Newstalk Breakfast presenter Ciara Kelly was writing in the Irish Independent about the importance of saying no. Her piece reads: 'Just say ‘no’ to those weddings you can’t afford, nights out you don’t want or any unpaid work..' Do you find it hard to say 'no' to things? Andrea was joined by Newstalk's Sean Reidy, Life Coach Mark Fennell and author and blogger Natalie Lue to discuss...

This Friday over 60,000 students will receive their much-anticipated Leaving Certificate results. It’s a seminal moment in Irish life and one most of us remember with at least a tinge of stress or anxiety. Is the leaving cert cruel? Andrea was joined by listeners and teachers to discuss...

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Today we’re talking about Holidaying Alone! Have you every gone on holidays by yourself? According to a recent survey, over half of us consider travelling solo. If you haven’t tried it, would you? This could be your inspiration. Andrea was join...

An Irish mum is in the top 1% of earners on the site OnlyFans. OnlyFans is a site where people can pay for content like photos, videos and live streams through a monthly subscription. A lot of the content is porn but it can also be YouTubers or people like fitness trainers. Meghan O’Neill, also known as Skye Fox, is an Irish mum who only joined Only Fans in February but is already in the top 1% of...

The NCT has said goodbye to cash! NCT Ireland have announced that going forward payment must be made in advance of attending you appointment. They have said it’s a matter of ‘safety and convienience’. Is this the right move, is society becoming cashless? Andrea was joined by Paul Treyvaud, Owner of Treyvaud's Restaurant, Eric Nelligan, Aontú spokesperson and others to discuss...

All this week we’re going to be talking about the Cost of Being Single. We’re highlighting the things single people deal with, that those in couples don’t. Some are great – like the thrill of a solo holiday or the joy of getting a bed all to yourself, but others, like paying ever increasing electricity bills are a lot harder. The cost of living crisis hasn’t been getting any easier. Families, pare...

Queen’s 1978 hit ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ has been dropped from a greatest hits compilation targeted at younger listeners. The new greatest hits album has been made available on Yoto, an audio platform specifically aimed at children. This track praising women with more fuller figures has been left behind – and wokeness has been given the blame by the wider public. Andrea was joined by listeners to dis...

Geraldine Burke, who runs Letterkenny Community Childcare got in touch with Lunchtime Live about the problems her creche is facing due to mica. Geraldine Burke and Michelle Kavanagh joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

Tragedy unfolded at the Cork Ironman race yesterday as two men passed away during the race. Post-mortems are due to be carried out on the bodies. Many people have questioned whether the conditions were suitable for the race to go ahead and why it continued despite the tragedies. Andrea was joined by Michael Farrell from Farrells Pub in Youghal, Keith who participated in the competition yesterday a...

Our summer memories series returns where we chat with some well-known faces and reminisce over those long summer days!  Actress Mary McEvoy joined Andrea to discuss...

Yesterday on Lunchtime Live, we heard from a few of our callers about their experience of miscarriage and coping with life after it. There were also calls for paid leave for early miscarriage. As a result, many other listeners got in touch with their experiences and Andrea was joined by some of those on the show today...

Jamil Ghafoor, a Dublin taxi driver was assaulted while walking on O’Connell Street back in May. The attack has left him bedridden for months and unable to work. Jamil joined Andrea to discuss...

The Director General of RTE Kevin Backhurst announced last night that negotiations for Ryan Tubridy’s return to his Radio One show had ended as 'trust between the parties has broken down'. He insists that the presenter is not being scapegoated for the payments scandal at the broadcaster. Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Are we any closer to getting paid miscarriage leave in the workplace? Women who have suffered a miscarriage are still only entitled to sick leave, however it is hopefully going to change soon as  The Reproductive Health Bill is currently pending before the Seanad. Do work places do enough for women going through miscarriage? Andrea was joined by Sinead, Siobhan, Linda and Emma Walker is from the M...

Levi Amarillo, a Brazilian student was conned out of €6000 by someone renting out a property in Dublin. Levi and his partner woke one night to find a dozen people had moved in to their apartment. Levi joined Andrea on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

A Young Fine Gael justice document is calling on Government to introduce tougher sentencing for criminal offenders. The document titled ‘Building a Just Republic’ is calling for life sentences to mean life in prison. Andrea was joined by Eli Byrne, member of Young Fine Gael, John Lonergan, former Govenor of Mountjoy Prison, victim's advocate Ruth Maxwell and other listener to discuss...

More than 180 creches have closed in the last two years. The rate at which providers are shutting down has apparently slowed dramatically since the launch of the €287m “core funding scheme”. Core funding is a Government payment to providers to make it cheaper for parents. But with this many closing, it must still be having a massive impact on parents. Andrea was joined by childcare providers and p...