The Big Breakfast Blaa

Amendments to the English syllabus for the Leaving Certificate are currently being discussed with 2026 in mind for change. Among the changes set to take place are the removal of the two paper approached, being replaced with one paper worth 60%. Additionally, an oral worth 20% will ask students to verbally analyse a text and articulate their points clearly. This will be accompanied by a creative wr...

Ground has finally broken on a long-awaited sensory garden in Tramore. This follows funding from Waterford City and County Council and public donations from local bikers. Located adjacent to the boating lake in Tramore, the garden is a full sensory experience. Annette McNeill from Tramore Tidy Towns was live on The Big Breakfast Blaa with all the details. Click on the image to listen in full.

Today marks National Social Prescribing Day, a significant event in Waterford in the Sacred Heart Family Resource Centre. The centre is the base for Waterford Social Prescribing Service. The service offers a prescription for symptoms of loneliness, isolation, and a desire for community and friendship. Waterford woman Theresa contacted the service at the height of Covid-19 and she told her powerful...

Coffee is set to rise significantly for green coffee beans, with increases of at least 100% forecasted. That's according to Mark Bergin from Coffee House Lane in Waterford City. This comes as a combination of poor crop, increased production costs and higher demand have driven up prices. For the average consumer, this will mean an increase in the price of a standard cup of coffee around the world....

St. Patrick's Day Massacre hit the small screens earlier this week, starring Tramore's own Ray Whelan. American tourists visit Ireland for St. Patrick's Day, they agree to spend the night in an abandoned tavern, where they are stalked by an undead killer in search of revenge for a tragedy that occurred centuries before. Ray Whelan plays the heart-throb in the film (every film needs one!) and he jo...

From 12pm on Monday, March 17th, the tri-colour bunting will be out en masse for St. Patrick''s Day in Clashmore. Returning for its third year, the parade will begin from the church and involve the entire community. Aidan O'Rourke joined Ollie and Dymphna on The Big Breakfast Blaa to chat about those all-important details. Click on the image to listen back in full.

A special appeal has been made for people to attend this year's St. Patrick's Day parade in Cappoquin. This follows the recent death of parade founder, Stephen Mooney. Local councillor John Pratt emphasised the importance of the parade and local traditions to the economy. He said this year will have a special resonance given the love Stephen had for the parade and the community. He joined Ollie an...

Last Saturday, local author and historian Lisa Kavanagh launched her new book 'Life's Branches- Local Men and Women of the 20th century.' Written in collaboration with the late Betty Cuddihy, the launch of the book was held in The Meeting Place. The concept of the book was born from a series of public talks given by both Lisa and Betty. These talks focused on the lives of those who impacted Tramor...

From Friday, the streets of Waterford will be transformed for a 4-day festival bonanza. Organiser John Grubb from EveryEvent joined Ollie and Dymphna live in studio to preview the highlights. The weekend concludes with the largest ever parade, with more than 65 entries already confirmed. All this week, The Big Breakfast Blaa will be previewing each parade taking place in the county. Click on the l...

Join us for a brand new slot with Grace Drohan Mullins on The Big Breakfast Blaa. Each Friday, Grace gives the rundown on her guilty pleasures, her top tips for what to watch, and some general mischief in between. All episodes are available to listen back on Spotify, WLRFM.com or wherever you get your podcasts! Any feedback for Grace, Whatsapp us on 083-3333975.

All this week on The Big Breakfast Blaa, there will be a preview of each St. Patrick's Day parade from around the county. Kicking things off is the one and only Johnny O'Grady from Tramore. Each year, Johnny keeps the show on the road, and he told Ollie and Dymphna about the wonderful new additions for this year. Click on the image to listen in full.

Docked in her berth at the Millenium Plaza is the Osprey Viking Cruise. At the helm is Andrew McDermott, who took a gamble some years ago on a belief that the waterways of Waterford held huge potential Since then, Osprey Viking Cruises have gone from strength to strength. Andrew spoke with Dymphna Nugent as part of the Waterford Rural Tourism Network. Click on the image to listen back in full.

Stíofán is, in his own words, a modern day Seanchaí who operates a tourism offering with a difference. 'Steps Back Thru Time' is a walking tour which incorporates local sights, folklore, nature, and much more. As part of the Waterford Rural Tourism Network, Stíofán spoke with Dymphna Nugent in the stunning surrounds of Gardenmorris Estate. Click on the image to listen back in full.

Waterford Gardaí have opened applications for this year's Waterford Garda Youth Awards. The annual event looks for stories of extraordinary young people, aged between 13 and 21. Last year's event saw accolades go to young people making a difference in their community through acts of kindness, bravery, and safety. Inspector Shay Keevans spoke with WLRs Dymphna Nugent at the Garda Station in Ballybr...

Last week, business owners were united in Gardenmorris Estate in their desire to boost tourism in rural Waterford. Miranda Corcoran from The Art Hand spoke with WLRs Dymphna Nugent, who facilitated a panel discussion titled 'Rural Waterford Unwrapped.' As part of the Waterford Rural Tourism Network, Miranda would like to see an increase in footfall, collaboration, and 'cottage industries.' Each da...

Coffee House Lane is lovingly created by hand here in the Northern Extension of the IDA by Mark Bergin and his staff. The coffee, which is poised to tackle the international market was a kernel of thought in the mind of Mark and his father for many years. A story which travels from Chapmans in Waterford to the UK, and back here to Waterford, is one of sacrifice, belief, and hope. Listen back to Ma...

11-year-old Tramore native Freya Marsh has just added the Gold Medal at the European MMA Championships to her list of international wins. The win also gives her the title of the ‘youngest Irish female’ to be awarded this gold medal. The latest win took place on Saturday (February 15th 2025) at The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation 2025 IMMAF European Championships in Belgrade, Serbia and...

Waterford's own Roller Hockey league saw 'Old Men and Novices' rolling through the Olympia Ballroom from 1910-1985. Each Wednesday, on the Big Breakfast Blaa, historian Cian Manning rolls back the pages of history for 'I Love Me County.' The highpoint of roller hockey was the Olympia (Roller) Hockey League from 1939 to 1957, which was hugely popular during the Lenten season and dominated by teams...

On February 26th and 27th, more than 100 students will take to the stage in this year's musical production of Ardscoil na Mara's OZ. The student-led production has been growing in momentum for weeks now, and Dymphna popped out to get a sneak preview. What's it all about? Reeling from her sister's death, Beth suddenly finds herself journeying through a world suspiciously resembling the film The Wiz...