Panoramica (Highlights)

Hey Panoramica listeners, I'm back with a new podcast 'Memo to File'! Co-produced with Luke Fehily, we explore how significant public policy projects were delivered in Ireland. You can listen to 'Memo to File' wherever you get your podcasts!

A special report from Uganda on politics, refugees, religion and education in the country, which is also known as "The Pearl of Africa". Named 'Radio Documentary of the Year' at the National Student Media Awards (Ireland) in 2024. Archive clips: NTV Uganda, Uganda Today, British Pathé and Louis Jadwong. Independent, not-for-profit production presented and produced by Tom O'Connor for FlirtFM. Copy...

20 University of Galway students took part in the 'Sleep Out for Simon' in the Quadrangle on the night of October 6th. The fundraising initiative was in aid of the Simon Community, which is an Irish charity helping homeless people. Tom went to the Sleep Out where he spoke with Rory O'Flaherty, Dara Golden and Anna Sheehy. Music courtesy of trad group Fiántas Ceol. Copyright Tom O’Connor ©, 2024. A...

Kevin Boyle was a human rights lawyer, activist, and academic. A leading figure in the Northern Ireland civil rights movement, he was a founder of the People's Democracy and a key member of NICRA (the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association). Kevin Boyle also contributed to the peace process, which culminated in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. As a human rights lawyer, he did significant work...

The Cairde Ronáin project brought together residents in a nursing home and children in a local school on the Aran Island of Inis Mór off the coast of Galway. They would chat, dance, play music, and more. Noreen Watts is a staff nurse from Glenamaddy in County Galway who started the amazing Cáirde Rónáin initiative back in 2005. Noreen joined Tom to chat about the establishment of the programme, ho...

Galway band ‘New Dad’ is one of the greatest Irish bands at the moment. The group has played Glastonbury, supported Fontaines DC, and gained over one million listeners in 176 countries on Spotify in 2022. The band’s lead singer Julie Dawson and guitarist Sean O’Dowd chatted with Tom about the group’s history, its inspirations, gigging, their experiences of living together, plans for 'New Dad' in 2...

A round-up of the main political events in Ireland, Britain and Northern Ireland in the second half of 2022 with: - Mairéad Farrell, Sinn Féin TD for Galway West and party spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform, - Darragh Nolan, Deputy Editor at SIN ("Student Independent News"), and - Róisín Elizabeth Cowan, Editor-in-Chief at the University of Galway Law Review.  The panel discussed e...

Animal activists across the world have been advocating for animals to be recognised as sentient beings, including "Happy the elephant" in a New York zoo. Similarly, there have been developments regarding artificial intelligence being granted legal personhood, particularly in light of a robot named “Sophia” being given legal personhood in Saudi Arabia in 2017. Tom was joined by Séan McCallum and Cl...

Claire Holland and Tom O'Connor were joined by Róisín McGrath, vice auditor of the NUIG Feminist Society, to: - Discuss the do's and dont's for incoming NUIG students - Review the college year in general - Assess the impact of Covid-19 on learning

Tom O'Connor, Claire Holland and Joe O'Brien discuss the current state of play in Irish politics, which parties are gaining students' support, the performance of the current government and more.

Tom O'Connor and Claire Holland give some summer travel tips for Ireland and Europe this summer for everything from a weekend getaway with the car to using public transport all the time.

Now in its third and final series, Claire Holland and Tom O'Connor review the latest episodes of 'Derry Girls' and the show on a whole.

David McCullagh is the author of a two-volume biography on former Taoiseach and President of Ireland, Eamon DeValera. He joined Tom to talk about DeValera's life and legacy. David is also the presenter of the RTE Six One News and has also recently released 'The Great Irish Politics Book'.

Cows are walking polluting machines. One of the ways they pollute is by releasing nitrogen through their urine into the soil which cannot absorb it all. Climate researchers have now been able to toilet train peeing cows to stop this problem! Lindsay Matthews is an animal behaviour scientist who was part of this project to toilet-train cows. He joined Tom from New Zealand to talk about what inspire...

Captain of the NUIG women’s basketball team ‘The Mystics’, Courtney Cecere, was live in the studio to chat about the team’s recent success, including winning the National Cup and the National League. Courtney also chatted about how she got into basketball, coming from Pennsylvania in America, being a student ambassador and more!

Maria Nazarchuk and Maria Koslovska ("Masha") have both fled their homes in Eastern Ukraine in the past few weeks and were offered to stay in Ballindooley Castle by its owner, Barry Haughian. Tom spoke with Maria and Masha about the war in Ukraine, their journeys out of the country and how they are settling into the Irish community. Tom also asked Barry what inspired him to offer his castle to 11...

Deborah is the CEO of the Australia Koala Foundation for which she has worked since 1988. Deborah is sometimes referred to internationally as "the koala woman"! Tom spoke with Deborah about how she got involved with koalas, the climate crisis, older generations' resistance to climate action, how protecting koalas is necessary for stopping climate change, and much more besides.

Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said that he is considering either reducing or scrapping the €3,000 annual student contribution fee paid by third level students. Convenor of the School of Law, Business and Public Policy, Krys Bachan and Tom teased out the possibility of fees being reduced or gotten rid of altogether.

Last September, Galway City Councillors voted by 17 to 1 in favour of a temporary two-way cycle lane along the Salthill prom. After 4 hours of debate on Monday evening, the Councillors changed their minds and voted 13 to 4 to revoke plans for the temporary 3 km cycle route. Those who voted against the plan cited concerns of local businesses, schools, residents and emergency services.  Mayor a...

Fighting Words gives young people the opportunity to write and create in a number of ways.  Today, Tom learns about the organisation's playwriting course which gives young teenagers the chance to write one act plays for production in the Abbey Theatre. This year, 8 young playwrights gather opposite Croke Park on Sundays to work on their one act shows. Tom spoke with: - Una Kavanagh (one of th...

Colm Keena is a Dubliner who studied zoology at Trinity College but ended up going into journalism! He has been a journalist with The Irish Times for around 25 years and is currently a public affairs correspondent there. Colm has worked on a variety of stories mainly relating to business, law, and politics. In 2006, Colm's refusal to reveal the name of a source who gave him information about then-...

Geraldine O'Connell Cusack grew up in an Irish family the Bronx, New York. Her father was a trade union organiser in the docks there. Geraldine studied political science at university and went on to work with the Seminole tribe in Florida to help them develop an alphabet. After that, she did similar work for communities in rural Chile and Tanzania. Geraldine came on 'Panoramica' to discuss her upb...

Dominic MacSorley grew up in Belfast during a period often referred to as "The Troubles". Coming from a medical background, Dominic studied law and started working for Concern Worldwide in his 20s. He continued working for the non-governmental organisation all around the world for the past few decades. He became CEO of Concern Worldwide and is now approaching the end of his time in that role. Domi...

Mary Kennedy grew up in Dublin and became a teacher. One day, she answered an ad in a paper and became a continuity announcer in RTE. She became a household name after presenting many shows over the years, including 'Eurovision' (1995), 'Nationwide' and 'Open House'.  Mary came on 'Panoramica' to chat about her early life, family, career, faith and her new book 'Journey to the Well', which sh...

Patrick Desprez grew up in France and moved to Ireland a few decades ago where he went on to study linguistics and become a teacher. Patrick came on 'Panoramica' to chat about linguistics, education, the power of language and coming to Ireland. ***Updated episode with better audio***