Lunchtime Live

It is fair to say that immigration has become a hot button issue in the last number of weeks and months. It seems that people are more divided than ever on these issues.   Social media sites, such as X (formerly Twitter), are awash with hot take after hot take on Ireland’s immigration policies, but now these conversations are leaking out into real life – among family and friends. &n...

US TV host Conan O’Brien is set to make his Ros Na Rún debut on TG4 this week!   Andrea is joined by some of those involved in the show to talk about the experience: series producer Marion Ní Loingsigh, production manager Mairead Campbell and Paul “Fred” McCloskey, who plays the role of Vince. Image: @RosnaRun on Twitter/X

This is Lunchtime Live’s Big Batch. Every Monday we’ll be learning new easy to cook batch recipes from Cook Book Author and Recipe writer Sarah Butler to keep you eating well. No more staring into an open fridge looking for inspiration! This week Andrea and Sarah looked at recipes for sweet & smokey pulled chicken and a chopped Asian salad with dressing. Follow the hashtag #LLBigBatch for all...

Apparently, the cost of summer camps is going to be even higher this year than normal.  There’s a warning out today that the cost of summer camps and childcare combined could cost parents about €1,500. And this is before including the cost of a family holiday.  So, are summer camps getting too expensive? Are they even easy to get into? Andrea is joined by listeners, including those who r...

This week, Newstalk has been partnering with Make-A-Wish Ireland for Wish Week.  It’s World Wish Day! So, let's come together and show the power of our community. Go to www.makeawish.ie/donate . Every euro counts, and together, we can bring so much joy.   Andrea is joined by Orla Carolan, who has personal experience of the impact this charity can make, as her son, Quinn - who was ab...

AI Week on Lunchtime Live. Andrea takes a dive deep into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us.   We look at what the rise in AI means for the world of music, for the law, for truth and reporting and for the arts sector.

Every Friday, as part of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ series, we put your questions to people from interesting backgrounds or working in different jobs.   Today, Andrea Gilligan was joined by Niall Tier, who is an Advanced Paramedic / Firefighter in Dublin.

Electric Picnic celebrates its 20-year anniversary with a new date in August plus acts like Calvin Harris and Kylie Minogue announced to be headlining. Are you going? And what do you make of this year's headliners? Andrea is joined by 98fm’s Ciaran O’Connor to go through the announcement. She’s also joined by Brian Warfield of the Wolfe Tones, as they are part of the new line-up on the main stage.

Do you want to see Super Mario having a lightsaber fight with Joan of Arc?  Maybe you would like to see what your friends and family would look like if they were cartoon characters?   The capabilities of AI, as we have been learning all this week, is already astounding and it is only improving over time. But, what does this mean for the arts sector? And how will creative people work...

Every day we scour the newspapers but often, many great stories from the regional papers don’t make the headlines. Newstalk's Breakfast Briefing presenter Shane Beatty has rounded up some of the best stories that you might have missed…

Violent scenes erupted in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow last night.  Six people were arrested outside an area that had been earmarked to accommodate international protection applicants.  Gardaí came under attack after workers were brought onto the site. Three Garda cars were damaged, Gardaí had rocks and other missiles thrown at them while fires were lit at the scene. An axe was a...

How can you do your own tiling at home, and how easy is it? Hardware Expert Alan Grant and Róisín Lafferty, Founder and Creative Director of Kingston Lafferty Design join Andrea to give their top tips.

Irish scientist Rosemary Coogan has graduated from space training as a new European Space Agency astronaut. That means she’s eligible for spaceflight. She joins Andrea to discuss why she became an astronaut in the first place, and what the experience has been like.  Image: European Space Agency

Geraldine Mullen lost 'absolutely everything' in 2020 when she was the sole survivor of a car accident that left her without her husband and two children. She recently made a post remembering her son, Tomás, who would have been 18 this month. She joins Andrea to reflect and discuss what life has been like for her since.

This week is ‘AI Week’ for Lunchtime Live. Every day we will take a deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us.  What impact will artificial intelligence have on the workplace? Will it simply make work easier for most people? Or are we facing massive redundanci...

It's time for Throwback Thursday, where we look back on things that happened this week in history. Ciaran O’Connor from 98fm joined Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live… Image: Coca-Cola Company

With increased road deaths this year, calls have been made for tougher sanctions to bring back the “fear of penalty points”. What do you think? Do people fear getting penalty points? What more can be done? Andrea is joined by listeners to hear their takes.

From deciding what brand to get to installing a charger in your home, Derek Reilly, founder of electric car platform Nevo, is here to answer all of your EV-related questions.

From dream house to nightmare: a Donegal family have had to move out of their house because of the damage done by the defective mica blocks used to build it.  Paddy Diver, one of the family members, joins Andrea to discuss his situation.

This week is ‘AI Week’ for Lunchtime Live. Every day we will take a deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is shaping our lives, from the apps on our phones to the way we work and interact with the world around us.   What problems is AI going to dig up in terms of truthfulness? With the ability to mimic peoples’ voices accurately and make them say things th...

Have you ever had the misfortune of being on a plane with a crying baby or disruptive child? Well, Corendon Dutch Airlines has announced it will be launching adult-only areas on some of its flights later this year.  Children will be kept out of the designated adult area by “means of walls and curtains,” which will “create a shielded environment that contributes to a calm and relaxed flight.”&...

Lunchtime Live's Reasons to be Happy looks at some of the news stories that you might have missed that will leave you feeling more optimistic.   Today FM’s Cathal O’Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We’ll review podcasts every Tuesday so you’ll have something new to listen to.  Andrea was joined by Today FM’s Shelly Gray and Newstalk’s Tom Douglas to discuss ‘Michael Jackson: Think Twice’.  Image: Wondery

Apparently, we’re going to have another burst of sunshine for the May bank holiday weekend. Well, that’s what Carlow Weather’s Alan O’Reilly is teasing. He joins Andrea to discuss how far ahead we can really predict the weather. Also joining is engineer and science communicator Phil Smyth - @philofscience on Instagram.

For ‘Ask the GP’ yesterday Dr Nina Byrnes joined Andrea to answer all of your medical questions. We got an interesting text into the show that read:   ‘We just had a baby seven weeks ago.   We are actually finding it extremely tough going.   She cries a lot, she’s not colic, she eats very well, she is growing well but we are actually really struggling – particularly m...