The LoveLaois Podcast

Aaron Kelly from Graiguecullen is a first-time candidate, running for Sinn Féin, in the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District. He explains how he came to join the party, his involvement in various Sinn Féin events and how he made the decision to run on this occasion.  He outlines how housing and the cost of living are the two main issues as well as the lack of public services in the small...

Vivienne Phelan from Stradbally is running for Fine Gael in the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District and is hoping to make up for the disappointment of missing out on her first attempt in 2019.  A vet by profession, she chats about her introduction to politics, growing up in a family shop, the challenges facing the area and what she'd like to see done in the next term of Laois County Cou...

Having first been elected in 2009 in the old Luggacurren area, Ben Brennan is now contesting his fourth Local Election. The independent councillor from the Crettyard area first decided to run as an independent when he was overlooked by Fianna Fáil.  He chats about his background, his involvement in athletics, GAA, community employment scheme and the Credit Union and the main issues facing his loca...

Having grown up in Timahoe but lived in Stradbally for a lot of his adult life, Paschal McEvoy has had a strong based in the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District since he was first elected in 2014.  He discusses his working career in the Irish Prison Service and later in Portlaoise Hospital, his role as a councillor and a particularly big project he would like to see progress on in Strad...

Charlie Hackett from the Green Party is one of the youngest candidates in the country. A student in UL, he comes from a family immersed in politics currently as his mother Pippa is a Senator and Minister, while his dad Mark holds a seat on Offaly County Council.  Charlie chats about some of the main issues he has been detecting locally, why he put his name forward and what it's like to be a candid...

Having run as a candidate for the first time in 2019 and missed out on the last seat, Labour's Eoin Barry is back once again seeking to win a seat in the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District.  He chats about his background, his experience from five years ago and what he would like to see achieved across the next term of Laois County Council. 

From a family steeped in Fianna Fáil, locally and nationally, Padraig Fleming has been a Laois County Councillor since 2009 and is seeking a fourth term in the upcoming elections.  He chats about his early interest, his working career in Glanbia, how he sincerely enjoys working for people and small detail that makes up a councillor's work. 

PJ Kelly is a sitting Fine Gael councillor in the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District - but this is his first election to contest as he was co-opted to fill the vacancy following the retirement of Tom Mulhall.  From Belgrove, Ballybrittas, he talks about how he was campaign manager for Tom Mulhall's three elections, how he was interested in politics from a very young age and his various...

The Green Party are running three candidates in this year's Local Elections in Laois - and Fiona Dunne is the representative in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.  She works with parliamentary team for Minister Pippa Hackett as well as being a part-time teacher and a heritage specialist. She is currently the chairperson of the Abbeyleix Bog Project and a member of Abbeyleix Tidy...

Brian Phelan is a first-time candidate from Rathdowney, running for Fianna Fáil in the Borris-in-Ossory Municipal District.  An auctioneer, he discusses the challenges and opportunities facing a town like Rathdowney, the concerns for parents of young families and his political lineage, where his father Brendan, uncle Kieran and grandfather Pat were all elected representatives. 

James Kelly has been a Laois County Councillor since 2014 when he claimed the first seat in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.  Re-elected in 2019, he is now seeking a third term on Laois County Council. He chats about his family history of local representation, his experience in the role and what work he'd like to see done across the next five years. 

Helen Campion from Rathdowney is seeking to win a seat on Laois County Council in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.  A first time candidate, she chats about her background, why she has put her name forward and some of the changes she would like to see come about over the next couple of years. 

From the Camross/Coolrain area, Kevin Drennan is running as an Independent in this year's Local Elections in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.  Hugely passionate about farming and the challenges the industry faces, he also speaks about the issues concerning rural Ireland, particularly his own base around Camross and Coolrain. 

At the second time of asking, Lorna Holohan-Garry is hoping to win a seat on Laois County Council in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.  She was a first time candidate in 2019 when she polled respectably but missed out. From Mountmellick and living in Clonaslee, she talks about how her interest in politics - and Sinn Féin in particular - began as well as some of the primary issu...

Based in Castletown, Fintan Cuddy is running as Fianna Fáil candidate in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.  He chats about his tough upbringing and how events early in his life helped to shape him to be the person he is today. Roads and housing are the two key issues he touches on in a wide-ranging discussion. 

At 25, Fine Gael's Conor Bergin was one of the youngest elected councillors in the country in 2019.  From Borris-in-Ossory, he is looking for a second term in Laois County Council and chats, among other things, about his experiences to date, his year as Cathaoirleach and his General Election ambitions. 

Paddy Buggy is hoping it's a case of third time lucky in this year's Local Elections as he runs as a Fine Gael candidate in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.  He first ran in 2004 and then again in 2009, when he narrowly missed out in the old Portlaoise area after a marathon count. He chats about his upbringing, his interest in politics from a young age, his role as the MDA man...

There was no Labour candidate in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District in 2019 - so in Bryan Corrigan, the party are represented once again on this occasion on the ballot sheet.  Bryan gives his background as well as spelling out three key projects across the area that he would like to see prioritised across the next five years of Laois County Council. 

In the latest episode of the LaoisToday LoveLaois Podcast, we hear from Stephen Dowling, owner of Dunmasc Genetics.  Stephen will be representing Laois at the National Enterprise Awards next week and is a client of the Laois Local Enterprise Office.  He explains what his business is, how he's exporting across the world and the challenges he faces. 

What happens when those in positions of power and influence tell large groups of people that something they enjoy doing is 'wrong'? That was the topic of conversation on the latest episode of the LoveLaois Podcast.  The long awaited Electric Picnic line up was announced a few weeks ago so Steven Miller, Alan Hartnett and Liam Cunningham sat down to discuss it.  While going through the acts, the Wo...

After a break, the LoveLaois Podcast returns and this one looks ahead to the upcoming Local Elections.  Steven Miller has been very busy recently, attending the various party election launches.  Steven was present at the Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein launches recently and provides a review of each one.  He is joined by Alan Hartnett and there is also a Podcast debut for our newest recruit -...

Our latest LoveLaois Podcast is here where we look back on all the news that concerns Laois over the last week.  Steven Miller and Alan Hartnett are here and they begin by looking back on the two Referendums.  Laois and Ireland voted No to both the Family and Care Referendums and now the political blame game is in full swing.  The lads also discuss the expansion of a business in Durrow and the dec...

On the latest episode of the LoveLaois Podcast, we feature an interview with a Laois man who has an incredible story.  Mountmellick native Gary Colton is the author behind a brand new thrilling book called ' Dark Finds '. Set in Toronto in Canada, the book follows the story of a young detective called Eve Salah and her seasoned partner, Mitch, who are tracking a serial killer.  Known as 'The Poet'...

After a long and extended break, we have resurrected the LoveLaois Podcast and intend to make it a regular feature in 2024.  This Podcast will allow us to look back on the various news stories that have taken place over the past week.  Steven Miller, Alan Hartnett and Mark Comerford feature on this episode.  Following the closure of Lilly's, they look at the overall nighttime economy and ask is cu...

IFA presidential candidate Francie Gorman is the latest guest on our Love Laois podcast.  The Spink native is set to launch his presidential campaign this Friday night in the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel and ahead of that, he chatted with LaoisToday about his reasons for running, his passion for farming and how he really enjoys representing farmers at the highest level.  From environmental challenges to...