 Something else I forgot now. Do you remember you ever think you have to go to shop and I forgot something else? Every single time? Ah, there's something else I have to hit. I forget now already. I forget something every single time I go to a shop. But do you know when you get the feeling? Do you know when you leave the house that you think you forget something but you think I didn't? Well no, I think it's actually a problem. I keep thinking I've left the R and on. Oh no. Even when I know I've switched it off, I keep thinking I've left the R and on. But if you were that high tech, would you not have a button on your phone that switches off that plug that does that? You could do that, couldn't you? Just for peace of mind. It's completely irrational but I... Do you ever dream about that? No, it's just when I'm in the car I go to switch the R and off. Well you must, like Greg, you're joking. I swear to God. You never iron your top. You never come in with a... Every morning. You iron your shirt every morning? Every morning. You do. I swear to God. I do. No, don't you swear. You do it the... It's the truth, I swear. You don't? Did you iron that top this morning? Of course I did, yeah. Well, you're like me. See, if I'm wearing a shirt, right? I'm just ironing around the collar and the... Well, that's if I'm wearing a jumper, yeah. Yeah. It's deep in it. It's ironed, Leigh, I assure you. That looks good. All right, see you tomorrow morning, Leigh. Bright and early, of course. Thursday again already. Can you believe it? Okay, the 9 till noon show for this Wednesday just around the corner. After a news update now from Donna Marie Daugherty. Thanks, Greg. Good morning. A Donegal deputy is calling on government to sanction the facilitation of an ASD room at this school in Ruffaux. Deputy Pierce Daugherty told the doll yesterday that St. Union's National School has already seen one student needing to travel to a different catchment area due to staffing issues. This is despite their siblings remaining at the school. He added that a spare classroom as well as a sensory room and sensory garden are available. There are currently three children who would benefit from additional staff with a fourth to enrol next year. However, Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, Joseph O'Madigan, said for now extra staff will not be provided. I do understand that St. Union's did put in an application and I do appreciate the effort of management in relation to that. The NCSC are saying to me is that there is sufficient capacity in the near environments of that particular school. They say that the School of Reading Convoy has one place available. Dromore National School has five places available and St. Bahine National School and St. Johnson has two places available. So they're not saying no, but they're saying no right now. And I think that it's something in the future that will be welcomed. The new mills, corn and flax mill in letter Kenny will open to visitors from the first of next month. It will remain open for six days a week until the end of September. Confirmation of the plan was received from OPW Minister Patrick O'Donovan by Donegal County Council last evening. Councillor Jim McHaven has lobbied the minister while he was in Donegal a fortnight ago. He's welcomed the confirmation and is urging local people to visit the facility and a bid to secure it more investment. If we can start locally, maybe we can encourage local people to go out on local groups like, you know, environment groups and maybe groups from older people and so on and the schools. If we can get all that happening, but I do think it's important that they have facilities there that first of all that they have a full tour and that all that work in properly and just well that they have facilities there for tea and coffee and so on and I'm hoping that can be in place before the beginning of June. Guardate recruitment targets are falling short by more than 30%. According to figures in the Irish Times, 225 people were began to do training last week but just 154 turned up. Meanwhile, 200 trainees were due to start in Templemore in January but just 134 took up their place. The figures suggest that the government's target of recruiting 1,000 new officers this year is already falling behind schedule. And now for the weather out dry day to day with a mix of cloud and some hazy sunny spells. It has temperatures of 13 to 15 degrees with moderate west to south west winds. That's all for now. We'll be back with the news in full of the victory notices at 10 o'clock. Until then, good morning. Good morning. For you. Jules, my sis lives near you and the Pothelts are in nightmare. They just are. Why is it so hard to get a good deal on simple car home insurance? Well, getting a quote from On Pust Insurance is never this hard for car and home insurance that's a little more human call 0818222222 or visit OnPustInsurance.ie You're feeding me on the Pothelts, Jules, yeah? Acceptance criteria terms and conditions apply. One direct Ireland limited trading is On Pust Insurance is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. One direct Ireland limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of On Pust. Home insurance on the written by Aviv Insurance Ireland, Dak. Best prices online. The county's number one talk show. The 9 till noon show on Highland Radio. And now it's time for the talk of the North West. The 9 till noon show with Greg Hughes on Highland Radio. Hello and a very good morning to you this Wednesday the 17th of May. It's five past nine. You're very welcome along to the middle nine till noon show of the week and it's another busy one for you. We've got so much to talk about and we want you involved in that conversation as well. I'll tell you how to get in touch, won't I? Of course, 07491 25,000 is the telephone number. 07491 25,000 if you're outside the Republic of course 003537491 25,000 Caroline and me have taken your calls. So WhatsApp protects us. It's 086625,000 again from outside the Republic. 0035386625,000 any emails come in to us at comments at highlandradio.com. Let's take a look at what's making some of the front pages and inside the papers this morning. Let's start with the Innish Times. Family left petrified by attack on refugee centres their lead story. The owners of an emergency accommodation centre that houses 50 refugees say residents have been left petrified by what they have described as an attempt to set fire to the building. The owner of the sailor's best accommodation centre said a firework was thrown at the building close to the town shore front at around 11pm on Monday night Christopher and Sharon Flanagan who run the centre which was open to refugees at the end of March say CCTV footage shows there was a clear attempt to throw a firework through an open window on the roof of the building. The building was opened to Christopher Flanagan and it's in the first hour sorry the second hour of yesterday's programme if you wish to listen back to the podcast when we're finished live today of course. Onto the Donagall post after the emotional roller coaster of the last few months a contractor has been appointed for the new building at Gelsk on the Kahama Street. It's expected that work will begin before the end of the month. The school was one of 58 nationally for which funding was put on hold for building projects earlier this year. Approval was finally given last month after a committed and hard fought campaign by the school community and congratulations to them as well for keeping in such a well organised and dignified manner keeping that project into the forefront that it could not be ignored and those prefabs have perhaps served their purpose to some extent but if you ever see it you wouldn't imagine that that has been that school for a couple of decades you know long overdue that we're getting underway at the site there. The Finn Valley voice tells us that five new townhouses, a new bar and a new restaurant are set to change the business face of Navany Street by the buffet. John Quinn has applied for planning permission to convert the former Mulrines furniture store for residential use including Gallon of Gallon Group recently purchased. He needs you drop in and the paradise, a new Indian Bangladeshi restaurant and takeaways due to open at the former gallery restaurant premises. Sounds lovely. On to the nationals now, let's start with the Irish Times and the government has been warned that the protests against accommodation for asylum seekers could escalate amid tensions within the coalition over the response to the migration crisis in the United Kingdom. Minister for Intergration Roderickle Gorman said colleagues told colleagues that even with two to 300 new accommodation spaces expected this month there will still be a gap between what the state can provide and what is needed in addition to the new refugee accommodation centre in Inch County Claire which has faced strong local resistance. Another three are due to be announced in Dublin. One is said to be in the Dunleara area known. Minister for Justice Simon Harris is said to have told the meeting that he and the guard are very concerned about the situation that it could escalate telling colleagues that there have been 125 anti-immigration protests in Dublin in the four and a half months of this year. However, a number of sources with knowledge of discussions at cabinet level said Minister for Housing Dara O'Brien pushed back against Mr. O'Gorman when the Green Party TD repeated a request for assistance from other departments in accommodation in accommodating refugees and I did hear an interview with the Green Senator earlier today who effectively said her opinion that Roderick O'Gorman had been thrown under the boss and that it would require an all-of-government response but that he was being left pretty much to his own devices but they're going to have to do something because they can't keep bringing people into mistreat them either, can they? There has to be if there is not accommodation and no solution to it, well they can't be presumably, you can't be treating people like that. So they're going to have to come up with some sort of a plan one way or other. The Irish Independent this morning junior cycle students will not be shown pornography as part of the new social personal and health education program that's according to Education Minister Norman Foley. There will be no pornography material taught or shown in our schools and pornography will not be taught. What will be taught will be respect for yourself, respect for others she said. Ms Foley was commenting after the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment published the specification for the updated program which also includes relationship and sexuality education. Incoming first years in September will be the first to be taught the new syllabus which has been radically updated to take account of the realities and pressures of the modern world. Pornography, sexual consent, gender identity and risks associated with vaping and sharing images online are all part of the new course for 12 to 16 year olds. Ms Foley referenced a recent University of Galway study showing that a huge percentage of 10 to 13 year olds particularly boys were accessing pornography on their phones. She said children needed to be safeguarded and to be able to access information in a safe space with trained professionals who were doing all they can every single day to mentor to mind and to guide them. So that's starting in September. On to the Irish Daily Mail now and Rory Gallagher has stepped down as dairy senior football manager of the County Board confirmed last night and many people will be surprised that the County Board gave him the space to leave on his own terms but that's what happened. Former assistant manager Kieran Mina will assume the role for the rest of this season Mr Gallagher had stepped back from his role last Friday ahead of last Sunday's Ulster final following allegations of serious domestic violence from his estranged wife on social media last week. The allegations were previously reported to the authorities but prosecutors have said there was insufficient evidence to bring a case I believe that's the PS and I said that I'm not sure what the situation is with unguarded shiokana whether any complaints were made or whether any prosecution investigation took place. The Dairy GEA Board responded to reports that had been sent an email making it aware of Mr Gallagher's sorry Ms Gallagher's allegations saying it may have been sent to a defunct email address in a statement announcing Mr Gallagher's resignation the board said it would be making no further comment at this time in a statement on Friday night last Mr Gallagher said he would step aside from his role ahead of Dairy's Ulster final clash with our Ma. I have advised Dairy GEA that I am stepping back as Dairy's Senior Football Manager with immediate effect he said so the language there obviously was somewhat confusing on Friday because that's not stepping down or residing that was simply stepping back he went on to say that this decision is born out of a desire to protect my children from the ongoing turmoil they will always be my priority In a message posted to social media on Tuesday last Nicola Gallagher detailed a number of alleged instances of physical abuse over a lengthy period Mr Gallagher had said the allegations have been investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities so that's how he referenced those most serious of allegations that they had been dealt with by the relevant authorities On to this on this morning an Allari driver claimed he was not aware of offensive chanting about murder victim Michaela Maccarivi when he streamed a video that featured the six slur many of you out there may have seen that video at the time well Andrew Mcdale is challenging the decision by his former employer to dismiss him in the aftermath of a Facebook live broadcast last May he had been attending an event at Don Donald Orange Hall in County Down when he livestreamed singing which appears to mock tragic Michaela well it does, former Terrone GEA manager Mickey Hart's daughter was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius in 2011 the clip sparked widespread condemnation across Northern Ireland and beyond however Mr McDade contends he wasn't aware of the offensive chanting and had simply been streaming to show the atmosphere of the day at the event to mark the North's Centenary so that is a case which is ongoing we were talking yesterday to the AA about yes it's great to see fuel prices have come down somewhat but the taxes are going back on the fuel in increments over the next we while and Transport Minister Ayman Ryan's been commenting on this and he's not for turning excise and duty on petrol and diesel must rise in two weeks if Ireland is to have a stable revenue base that's according to Ayman Ryan the government cut the levy in March last year as fuel prices soared due to the war in Ukraine in February it was announced the cuts would be restored on a phased basis between June and September the first increase coming up on June the 1st will add 5 cent and 5 cent to a litre of petrol and diesel respectively when asked if he believed it was appropriate for fuel prices to rise while the country is in the middle of a cost of living crisis Mr Ryan said the costs must be phased out the Green Party leader added we set out clearly that's what we would do that will give us the capability if we were in another crisis the flexibility to use similar measures now when we talked about this yesterday I'm not going to lie the Germans did not light up with people saying oh you can't return that duty and excise to fuel but that doesn't mean that doesn't mean there's no opposition to it out there and finally in the Irish Daily Star if you're texting someone romantically an Irish emoji expert has set out the do's and don'ts in using the symbols while flirting Keith Brony says the red love heart that purple aubergine and a smiley face that is our best avoided the editor in chief of Emoji search engine Emojipedia believes they can be used to inject a sense of playfulness with flirtatious banter but using the aubergine peach and water droplets too early in a potential relationship may come across as too much as they have developed different types of connotations and the Dubliner claims people should also avoid using the fire emoji anything with red hearts and the disembodied tongue during initial stages of dating just a little tip for you there in case you're in the first throes of first throes of something alright that's a run through the papers good morning to Charlie and Annie amongst those who are watching us on our social media as we stream the show live every day on YouTube at Highland Radio Ireland please like and subscribe and hit the bell if you want to be notified when we go live we're also across the Facebook pages Radio News & Sport and simply Highland Radio or you can click watch live on our website so you can see what's going on as well as listening have you got the bike week feeling? bike week runs from Saturday the 13th of May to Sunday the 21st of May so whether you want to get back on the bike or try cycling for the first time bike week is for everyone enjoy a range of events including community and school cycles, fun bike festivals and more visit bikeweek.ie for a full list of events taking place in your county bike week is funded by the Department of Transport coordinated by TFI and brought to you by the Department of Transport with our authorities and sports partnerships if the medical experts get it wrong everything changes from misdiagnosis or delay diagnosis to surgical injury or even poor treatment all have physical, emotional and financial 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expressway bringing you the time us 19 minutes past 9 Councillor Michael McClafferty independent, Cahirlock of the Glentease municipal district firstly Michael I haven't spoken to you since you were appointed as Cahirlock a great honour for you congratulations in that appointment yes thank you very much Craig what's appreciated thank you right now we're talking about a scene you came across this morning I'm not going to share the pictures of it I'm not going to share them as we stream the show because they are really quite unsettling but describe what you came across yeah basically Greg come across this morning basically what it is I came here earlier this morning we take it early this morning or breakfast night had to be here at the Chrisland on the neonium 56 there so as a result you can see there from the photos and it's supposed to be well you'll be there there is a bit of graphic to be fair but so you have parts of the car for quite a distance then you have the deer then at the end of the distance then a few feet away from the deer then there Greg as you see there you have a baby calf then that was born as well either before the accident or after the accident is unclear you just give birth a couple of feet away from a state mother and the state of Kiev as well this is a terrible, terrible situation to come across this morning and I've been calling for some time as a councillor of the Glenfield area other people have been highlighting this as well as we call each other for example councillor me calling for the aspect if you want to go back over there in that area where there have been ambulances so obviously the ambulance was out of commission as well that day I'm not sure what the circumstances of the ambulance were were going to do a case or coming back from the case but either way the ambulance was put off the road then for a period of time there was another serious accident there but it's up to go into that then a couple of weeks afterwards then and that general catching barrier again over there where a colleague of mine was highlighted as well there was an adult patient there was a small child involved in that patient and the care but highly tolerated treatment as a result of that now they escaped injuries the voters would chill after the damage and the care and Greg it's at the stage now it's way beyond the stage we've all been calling I've seen for people there last week as well and the last week's Farmers' Journal and it used to copy the last week's Farmers' Journal but they're also calling for a call on it as well or a last year record amount of deers cold if I'm not mistaken I think it was 48,000 something like that there or maybe it was 55,000 but anyway be that as it may 1,900 deer were called in Donegal last year so how far do you want to go with this I mean maybe I'm being naive here but they seem like big numbers 1,900 deers cold I mean are we doing it correctly or maybe we need to be looking at better fencing or something I don't know but how many more than 1,900 deer do we need to be shooting every year well I don't know Greg exactly how many we need to be shooting every year but we need to be shooting enough anyway taking them out of the equation doing two things clearly after today anyway we need to be doing two things first of all we need to be getting a clear call out there a clear call out on getting the numbers well down secondly I long say back then or secondly long say run along say that preferably run along say when seriously they see about fencing around these hotspots seriously seriously they see about fencing because it is so dangerous you're right there what they said there a second ago as well 35,000 I saw it on the shelf in that article there last week was called all through the place but it's clearly it's clearly Greg shows God knows how many actual deer we have in this country alone live around the whole of Ireland that are running wild and it's at the stage now they're clearly out of control because that's quite a lot of character alone now that I can think of next year that I'm aware of by the way and we're only we're not even in June yet but that's quite a number of characters here in the Glentys area both on the shelf and as I said there a second ago my colleagues have covered my trace in the column I believe John Hemmings come across one there recently as well it's certainly not uncommon and just in relation to liability here I mean it's an awful site that poor deer being hit and it's clearly evident that it's a calf was born as you say either just before or just after because it's a brand new born a calf and that's completely evident but in terms of the motorist as well who perhaps couldn't avoid the deer I'm sure they couldn't avoid the deer extensive damage caused to their vehicle they're liable for the repair of that are they well of course they're liable for the repair we don't know what happens we don't know the struggles with the motors I don't know at this moment how the motors has hurt themselves or not or injured I don't know that all we know is just the debris of the gear that is there and I say the way the photo shows the devastation this is the problem as well at the moment nobody has taken liability of who is responsible for these two years and I would say go and be watch both yourself when you're saying there are so many I think I said this morning earlier on there regardless these deers are originating from the likes of Glen Bay or various other parks and wildlife parks like it throughout Ireland where the deers were introduced to some years ago, fences were broken down fences weren't maintained, the deer started to escape and as a result now we have these possibly hundreds of deers thousands of deers running away over rampant wilds and nobody is taking responsibility and as we speak this morning wildlife has still not addressed a letter sent by request of himself through the council and also on that situation as well we asked them as well to come into the Glen Bay to address themselves and other councillors and at the moment we have no reply either way at the moment the problem is what we do know is we know 55,000 deer were cold last year we know 1,890 were cold in Donegal but we don't know that as a percentage of the deer population because we don't know how many deer there are that being said Minister Charlie McConaug did recently did he not along with Dara O'Brien because his department have some responsibility in that they did launch a deer management strategy group to develop a national deer management strategy so clearly you would imagine the government recognises there is an issue here that needs to be fast tracked then because we need to know how many deer there are and what needs to be done to control the population so whatever the government is doing they need to crack on with it ASAP they need to crack on with ASAP of course Greg and clearly showing you right and that's fair Peter Charlie and what they've done that's all helpful and it'll be useful and hopefully they can fast track it as well but the thing is here as well as Parks and Wildlife don't engage with the likes of Michelle or engage with the council that have written to them that's really dragging the heels as far as I'm concerned because like I said this morning it's very simple for Parks and Wildlife all they have to do is acknowledge the letters that are going on to them and just put a reply to the letters and then people will know then where they're at and it will price from Parks and Wildlife to the correspondence sent to them because while they're not corresponding Greg to be fair they are still a branch and arm of the situation here alongside the government that are dragging the heels as far as I'm concerned they're not going to reply because the government's doing anyway and welcome to Charlie and the Associated doing and the government that's fair enough but alongside that Charlie needs to co-operation as well as Parks and Wildlife as do we in the council find it numbered and statistics and everything else and what's going on and we need to avoid situations like this morning because as I said in the video this morning something could happen something has happened this morning obviously somebody's car is badly damaged possibly Greg we don't know the situation of the driver of the OPA or otherwise or other people possibly in the car either well listen there is actually a majority of public there was a recent survey I think done in May of people and the majority of them 8 out of 10 I believe claimed that the National Dear Heard does need to be cold you're talking about road safety as well but also there is the whole biodiversity issue there as well that a lot of people have concerns with but just moving on also do the public know what to do if a deer is hit for the first instance you care for your own safety or the safety of those in the vehicle but let's just say it's material damage what does one do if you hit a deer because someone has to be notified presumably that this large animal and it's offspring are lying dead on the side of the road so is there a procedure in place do you know what one does in that situation what one should do at the time are those either to come along or do something about it first of all notify the YID for the first instance and they will let them know there's been an accident clearly that's the first part of the call I gave them this morning before contacting the shells check into that then contact the council to organize getting the situation dealt with handling the sport and so on through the proper channels those are the two things should be done first of all to be assured that they don't get into trouble for it because I would imagine if someone hits a deer they don't know you know could they get into trouble for reporting it you know what I mean there is actually quite a gap in information out there when you think about it well I don't see how anybody get in trouble for reporting it's quite honestly because actually now I would actually argue the other way now what is happening the underreporting now is causing a problem as well the YID is not reporting to the council if they're not lifting the phone or sending a text to your shells it's hiding in either a photo or whatever I reckon the YID is the one except we are not going to get the true story or the two facts of things because I can understand when somebody hits a YID the last thing in their mind obviously reporting it possibly look the YID is wrecked they're damaged they're possibly in a state of shock themselves maybe they're injured so taking that responsibility totally with the person as an accident but the responsibility lies there with everybody else then it comes along then okay finally a few people texting in here saying that we have to share effectively I'm paraphrasing a group of them which I'll read in detail a little later on but they're effectively saying that it's not the deer's fault you know we have to share this land with them and that motorists need to slow down and be more careful and to stop blaming the YID but Greg it's a main road it's a main road that these animals yes these animals of course we all want to live alongside them but to the point I'm making here somebody needs to take responsibility for them as my cow or my sheep or my dog or my pike or goat ran out in front of the road of you and Greg used to put them down wherever and you know the Kenny down Norgie Bracken one of my animals had a farm there ran in front of you and you hit it and the first thing you want to be looking for then Parker Greg is who owns that animal and you won't be able to go too far because there will be a tag number identification number on the animal as the farmer of the day let me show you how it doesn't go far sorry Greg that's my animal look we'll show you the damage in your car all you need to do then is run in the part of agriculture in a whole so look at that animal here I read it this week tag number to you in a year that'll identify immediately on their computer who owns that animal we don't have that situation with the deer no of course and also with the deer as well which doesn't be talked about so much either the deer as well the more than the badger and good hammers well can be caused as well of course in tobacco TV tobacco loaches along Kettle and so on that's another concern that farmers would have as well Greg yeah and of course that sort of falls into a whole biodiversity thing as well I get you okay well yeah alright well as I say you know a public consultation has been launched it needs to be fast right I don't know how we can even attempt to manage something that we don't know the number of so that's one thing they need to get their finger out on but for now councillor Michael McClaffery thanks for raising the issue with us visit lettercannycu.ie this year before you start to pack head to dfa.ie forward slash travel wise the site that's already packed with all you need to know before you go including up to date advice for almost 200 countries from visa requirements and security to local laws and customs if you're travelling in Europe apply for a passport card bring your European health insurance card and make sure your passport is in date dfa.ie travel wise an initiative of the government of Ireland are the signs of aging creeping up on you are you not happy with the way you look or feel at lettercanny medics private clinic we're here to help you offering botox antirinkle injections derma fillers skin bio injections botox treatment for grinding and clenching teeth hyper hydrosis that aids excessive sweating let our doctors help bring back your confidence and look after what is important to you and see what real results really look like book your immediate appointment with no waiting times at lettercannymedics.ie lettercanny medics we listen if you want to talk join me Marty Freelis and every Friday night from 8 for Rockin' Hits on Highland Radio in association with Arena 7 Lettercanny if you're celebrating a birthday or a work night out Arena 7 Entertainment Complex has it all check out arena7.ie alright some of your comments coming in this morning hi Greg what do you think of Steve and Nolan on BBC and I describing Donagall as awful like a car park said he turned around drove home I don't listen to him but seeing this on twitter last night I listened to it on BBC sands yesterday on the program 38 minutes in thankfully he was challenged by a caller then said he didn't know what part of Donagall but it was near Salt Hill so the tweeting question Nolan this morning interviewing Joanne Stuart about tourism investment she clearly knew what she was talking about Donagall recently and it was just a car park so he drove home again well I mean he's a shock jock isn't he and what was Ivan's name on news talk as well part of the whole publicity Ivan Yatesia part of his stick or a stick as it was described is to try and say things that are just antagonistic to get a reaction because then all of a sudden you have people from the north west of Ireland ringing in saying what our place is brilliant blah blah blah it's lazy, it's lazy journalism and I couldn't care less what he thinks but if it does us any harm it's not useful is it okay right I want to go now to Chrissy who joins us on the program now Chrissy thanks for taking the call today hi how are you good I know it's not easy Chrissy to speak out publicly on issues like this and I'm sure it's something that you didn't want to do but I presume you and your family and on behalf of Ruby feel that you have been kind of left with no alternative but to speak publicly on it yeah absolutely like I definitely did not want to take that social media last night but I just felt that I had no other choice as you can read, everybody can read from my post it's not first it's not even second time it's the third time that Ruby's been failed by her school it's just absolutely disgusting I felt I had no other options I just felt we were back into a corner once again alright well the first line if you posed, poor Ruby has been completely discriminated against basically because she's in a wheelchair so tell us the situation so Ruby's currently doing TY this year there was a TY end of year trip organised, no I don't have dates or anything but the trip has been that date has been organised for quite a while now they maybe didn't have the exact venue picked but anyways I was contacted last week her, I'm not even sure of dates but anyways before last week to see if Alan and myself would maybe go to the trip to Kate and Ruby they're going to Emerald Park and because Ruby had such a brilliant time in Paris and she enjoyed the ride obviously staff or FNAs aren't allowed to lift Ruby which I can understand from manual handling and that's fair enough so her dad Alan would lift her on off the ride while they didn't park so absolutely like we go to the end of the earth to do anything for and he said yeah he would go no problem and they also asked did Ruby want to go down in the bus or with her dad which you can imagine she's a 17 year old child young teenager, no she did not want to go with her dad she wanted to go in the bus like all her other friends so before we pick it up here up until very recently then all the arrangements were in place it was okay for Ruby to go on the trip she was going to be accommodated and it was okay for her dad to go as well to help her get on the rides Emerald that's formerly Tato Park isn't it yeah that's right up until very recently Ruby thought she was going everything was in place up until actually yesterday evening at 16 minutes past 3 when I got a phone call talk to us about that phone call I had just picked up my son from primary school and I had got a phone call pulled in alongside the road I was told that I'm sorry that there is no winter bus available for Ruby tomorrow I can imagine my tone of voice rose completely I was to say was I shocked am I shocked no I'm probably not shocked I just can't believe that they let it happen again especially after what we went through a Paris trip I just said I don't accept this discrimination it can't happen rearrange your trip like if you can't get a bus for all your other students you don't go you change your date for your trip like so change your trip like I would like whatever do you need to do so the person now speaking to us is right I'll go away and see what we can do and she spoke to me and other member staff and came back and just said I just basically was like yeah they know but there's no bus and do you know if this Chrissy do you know if this was an oversight in terms of what book was bussed or did the company that was providing the bus call it short notice and say that the wheelchair accessible bus isn't working or no I don't even know any of them tonight so that did they this trip was organized last minute yeah no I guess you say it's been going on for quite some time you have a child with a wheelchair so you're booking a company sorry I have 20 odd students going one in a wheelchair can you facilitate for this date yes or no if no you move off you keep moving on until you find another company and in that conversation did they say well we can't accommodate Ruby or did they say well she can drive down with her dad well basically yeah like she had no other option if she didn't go with her dad she wouldn't go and obviously Ruby was unaware of this and I had to break the news to her yesterday evening she was inconsolable and all she kept saying was mommy it's only Dublin it's only Dublin and I've been last week she had been with girls last week or the week before on a wheelchair bus and she says it's only Dublin can I ask just for people that don't maybe don't fully get it how important is it for for Ruby to be on the same bus as the students to have that level of inclusion you know particularly because she is in a wheelchair I presume the more equal she feels with everybody else the better it is for her yeah she just wants to retreat it like everybody else she just wants to be your regular 17 teenage her mum will care she's just she just wants to be the same it's just unbelievable it's not even once it's twice it's three times three times and they don't care they don't it was just like oh well don't go and Ruby has told me I'm not going back to school and if I get her back to school tomorrow that will be massive Ruby already struggles with mental health and they're here this is awful and when you say this is not the first time it's happened was this the same with the Paris trip that she had to travel separately or she had a trip to Craig and Country Park exactly the evening before I got a phone call from school to say that they didn't have toilet facilities because Ruby has to be hoisted and she also needs a changing bench for the staff to help her use the bathroom so they didn't have that which we could have got over that because again her dad would have went but then I got a phone call to say sorry in fact the wheelchair boat that Ruby was going to use is not working yes I'm not school's problem but I got this the night before so basically she couldn't go on that trip they go put on a bus for her send her to Dairy Shopper yeah but no wasn't brilliant Ruby was left isolated again away from her friends but all her other peers went on that trip to Craig and Country Park she had to go shopping to Dairy Paris trip had been organized, I spoke to the person in charge before the summer holidays I said we as a family know what we come against whenever Ruby goes to go somewhere it's not going to be easy we're more than happy to help we're willing, one parent if not two will go to help when she's on the other side and just whatever you need will help we work together and basically two weeks before the trip it was like sorry I've done everything that we can and the tour company can't source wheelchair accessible transport on the other side so basically we've done everything we can't go that was left to me and Ruby's that the source and the class trip yeah and it's clear that you and your husband will do anything to make sure Ruby is included even if you had it would have even if you had more notice you maybe could have tried to explain the situation in a different way to Ruby obviously it would still not be right don't get me wrong I get that but the fact that you would have to break the news to Ruby the night before the trip when you don't really know when they knew that this boss wasn't available it makes a very difficult situation even more difficult for you and primarily listen we're talking about Ruby and how she feels here because you also say and I think it's a very important line that Ruby she may be in a wheelchair but she still has the same feelings as every one of us and perhaps maybe even because what she's going through her feelings are even more you know even more delicate than others as well yeah that's right we got in touch with the principal of the Millville Community College and he says that he'll speak to you directly but not through the media which I respect that yeah which I can understand but it's now what time is it it's now quarter to ten and I have not heard from him and why we try to contact the school yesterday he had left so Ruby is away with dad now at the moment on the way to Emerald Park is that right yeah on the way to Emerald Park which like really you can imagine social media, Instagram Snapchat all her wee friends will be sending Snapchat which is what to do the boss is the part of the the big part of the practice yeah that's what that's just been taken away from her once again and it's just heartbreaking that someone thinks that it's okay to tell like Ruby because she has a disability and on the wheelchair that she can't go because sorry there's no bus like they said there yesterday saying hey sorry all you T-Y guys are going down to Emerald Park tomorrow here's some sweets but sorry Ruby you can't actually have any because they're not suitable for you and listen I think any parent or grandparent around to your uncle listening they can imagine if they're well it's my own young fellas away on a trip to somewhere today and I had to go in and say to him by the way you're not allowed to go with the rest of the students I know how upsetting it would be and the questions that would be asked and you know so we can it's not hard for us to put ourselves in your position Chrissie because you know what I mean we would not like to have that conversation was Ruby in decent spirits heading away this morning I suppose I mean you'll try and make the best of it for her of course they'll try and make the best okay but no not the same like the same as the power strip there's no excitement we don't talk about it too much then because it's raw it's just horrible it's just not right no it's okay but like that's not just that's Ruby's life anywhere we go to go like the town local towns businesses entertainment facilities they don't have facilities and you'd worry too Chrissie about the future too wouldn't you because you know this is a world that still is not very friendly to a person with a disability and you know you and your husband you've lived long and healthy lives but you know I'm sure there are times you think of you know that this world really needs to change for Ruby to you know to be able to have her own independence and you know that sort of way I've spoken to other parents before and I know that those are the emotions that you feel you just want your child we love them all equally you want your child to feel as accepted as everybody else it's not a massive leap you know we've signed up to international rules in relation to this to make that commitment all children are obliged to be treated equally it's in our constitution okay well listen I mean what can I say other than I hope she has a great day but you yourself are gonna have to talk about it differently on her return because she'll know it's been different and she'll have missed out on the bus trip and the crack on the bus and all that stuff as well but I hope she has a great day and I kind of get the sense Chrissy that you're concerned well what's next when's it gonna happen next what's the next hurdle yeah it might be the end of a school year but next years to come not even in school we plan a day truck we have to think about where we're going do they have toilet facilities is there a ramp is there a step can we get in like it's not just this is our lives it's absolutely awful if you get into a carrier family you just be like where we go today it's not like that we have to plan our truck now when I saw myself with someone an adult with good upper body strength you know toilets that I walked past and had a wheelchair symbol on and I thought well you know I would thought well there's wheelchair accessible toilets there and they weren't they weren't wheelchair accessible and I know people as well who if they have to go to if they want to go to Norco Dublin or what have you especially if you require a hoist that there are very very very few I think there might be one in Sligo you know what I mean you have to me and do your way to your location to to to yeah okay she really attended tripping Dublin last week with school and they attended three arena they actually had to go to the conventional centre to use the toilet soldier my word like that's three arena that's our cap huh yeah exactly and that's the outside of Croke Park it's the landmark it's probably the landmark when you'll be packed on Saturday night for Katie exactly and I shouldn't be here on the phone to you I should be supporting Ruby helping her through her appointments her social activities not fighting for her to get something that she desires and we shouldn't be fighting for the basics I get you and it is the base I think I think this is the basics that we should be be able to provide okay Chrissy well we've been heard and as I say you know I hope Ruby has a great time once she actually gets there and she obviously has fantastic support new in her dad as well which is she's blessed with but it's just difficult I can just imagine what it was like in the house last night and we appreciate you share I really can't I'm not just saying that I really can imagine what it was like so hopefully this is the last time you have to go through something like this but you know it's yeah you know it's not the world needs to change big time right okay Chrissy listen best wishes to you and all the family in Ruby and hopefully they have a safe journey and a good day and thanks for chatting to us okay thank you bye bye bye bye that's Chrissy McCandless there the nine tone in show with letter Kenny credit union simplify your debts with a debt consolidation loan from letter Kenny credit union call us on zero seven four nine one zero two one two six reply online via our app or in office today Milford tiles wood flooring and bath where Milford retail park now open large range of wall and floor tiles on display and in stock over seventy different laminate floors to suit every pocket Tyler's and wood footers available new open Milford tiles wood flooring and bath where zero eight three zero nine one zero seven zero seven at screw fix we've got low prices to make you go wow like the Triton and rich electric shower at just seventy three ninety five and the Irwin Jack would saw for only seven ninety five get trade essentials at well prices at screw fix dot IE or an over 30 stores screw fix the choice of champions what stocks last prices until the fourth of June is a screw fix daily for T's and C's delivery chargers restrictions new this week at home store and more all hotel collection duvet sets are all half price there's the double stitch five hundred thread count double duvet set at forty nine ninety nine and the enis gary jack are a champagne double duvet set at thirty four ninety nine and the stars four hundred thread count double duvet set at forty nine ninety nine because when all the half price hotel collection duvet sets are gone they're gone shopping store or online home store and more a happy home new store now open in Arcadia retail park at flown looking for a good night's sleep rest experts has you covered located at mountaintop letter Kenny they are the best in the northwest to get a quality bed or mattress come visit them today and wake up feeling rested and refreshed rest hex beds mountaintop letter Kenny miss the blue sky the lotto jackpot is an estimated eight point five million euro play responsibly in store in our breath love read out a the national lottery it could be you okay you welcome back to the program we're going to talk about the gender pensions gap the gender pay gap lewis McCormick joins us hi louise thanks for taking the call this morning hi no problem good to have you with us this is something obviously you feel passionately about you know where we were at that might have at some point led to you know gender pay gaps aren't as much the issue anymore is the the point I'm getting from your contribution yeah so I think there's a it's a great piece of legislation that was passed and it's really exciting to see all those figures come out from the various companies that what their their gender pay gap is disappointing I think in a lot of cases and then I think there's a lot of confusion about what the legislation is actually asking companies to report so it's essentially the mean hourly gap so it's hour by hour how much is a male and female getting paid different so this kind of is always incited then by having a really high paid senior male managers this kind of thing a lot of things people are saying online you know even since the companies have self-reported is that it doesn't exist and I'd like to talk about and I do understand why someone could think that because the largest gaps that exist are in sectors like finance insurance, legal so if you don't work in those sectors you might not see and also because the gap typically exists more predominantly at a manager level it's not always something that's visible to people yeah okay and what do you believe is the cause of the gender pay gap I think of one of the biggest things I mean there's a number of things but I think one of the biggest things is women not being promoted at the same level as men to management senior management, executive level and then when they are promoted to those kind of big salary jobs that will contribute to that figure that their salary aren't as high as the male salary so why do you think that is though if you know what I mean what do you think there's someone in HR or who's responsible for elevating people or choosing the right person for the candidate what's going on that leaves women so disadvantaged compared to men in your view there's a number of things that contribute to this. Historically in Ireland education would have been a big factor but now we see that that's not a problem anymore you know the time to report a couple of years ago women are graduating higher degrees higher completion rates and then as soon as these men enter the workforce they start to see that problem I think it's something that socialized into us from a very very young age that men are leaders and that women typically do certain jobs and men typically do certain jobs so it's occupational segregation it's women not putting themselves forward there's a lot of statistics LinkedIn published the statistics about women not putting themselves for jobs unless they have all of the qualifications and all of the desired outcomes and then just seeing that they might have maybe four out of ten and saying well I'm going to put myself forward for that so it's something that's really socialized from a very very young age isn't it I mean if we're talking about the gender roles for the most part obviously there's a broader conversation about gender at the moment but you know I think you point out in your comments too that from a very early age girls are sent down this road and boys are sent down that road and what society expects of them yeah for sure and Harvard Business Review published last year in our stuff about how men typically speak in more abstract way rather than concrete it's just the subtle thing socialized into genders and you know that then if you're a perceived as a leader you're more likely to become a leader we start teaching gender bias to girls and boys as soon as they are born like last year I was a volunteer in the toy field in Donegal and we are social workers and the people involved in those cases to recommend toys suitable for the 100 children that are volunteers bought for in some cases they made general recommendations just kind of general recommendations in those cases they came back that the boys are being recommended to get special toys science toys, duplo, lego when the girls are being recommended to be given dolls so why is a two year old girl matched with a pink doll and boys getting colorful duplo and that's the start of it it only gets worse you know how that could anyone say girls are given the same opportunities as boys we don't tell them that they can do anything we don't instill that in girls we don't encourage them to do science in a lot of cases they're valued first for their beauty and their minds kind of second so in the last minute or so we have and maybe might come on Louise and we can expand this conversation I think it's quite interesting and I'm sure you've come into it so in a minute or a minute and a half what would you like to see change then maybe rather than I mean obviously the outcome but you know the processes you're talking about these defined gender roles and what have you what do you think society needs to be doing I think just being aware you know just being aware is the first step we made a simple thing we included in our every military volunteers to make sure where possible to include special education toys for both genders and people were incredible they got the jubile for both the boys and the girls they got the science kids it was great so just being aware and kind of you know saying oh just make sure just to have that in your mind that really really helped and I think awareness is the first thing you know when people say oh there is no gender pay gap or those kinds of things or you know boys should be boys girls should be girls I think just just being aware always and you know not pretending that it's not true you know not getting too annoyed about the you know the changing gender roles but just just being aware of the you know the bias and discrimination that those exist I'd love to tease out with you but unfortunately it's just right against 10 Louise hopefully you'll chat to me again because there's a few things I'd love to speak to you about so thank you for your time this morning as I say we will set something up where we can have a longer conversation but we do have to take a break news break now for the news and obituary notices the 90 noon show is brought to you by letter Kenny credit union digital loans now available apply online or via our app today and get your loan transferred directly to your current account go full needle with big deals on xxl packs like 25% extra Irish board be approved xxl back bacon only 239 or 33% extra xxl frozen fruits pack just 279 or 2 plus 1 extra xxl pizza speciale for a small 299 on shop without compromise go full needle today hello there farmer tinny here it's summer and tinny's toys have loads of swings slides trampolines goalposts and many more outdoor toys and games we basketball stands swing ball sandpit diggers kids wheelbarrows and when the sun finally gets out we've loads of paddling pools of course we still have what we're famous for the largest range of ride on and small farm toys and models in Ireland shop 24 on tinny's toys.com or call into Lack Road Ladder County Dine by! Join the team at homeland Ladder County on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th of May for our in-store paint weekend enjoy exclusive offers in store on both dates and you can talk to our expert Julux color consultant from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. on both days meet special guest the Julux dog on Saturday 20th of May from 12 till 2 p.m. and speak with our experienced paint center team with a paint mixing service on store visit homeland.ie for more information for great value in suits visit Watson men's wear in Etter Kenney top labels like Remezumo, White Label Spectre and Daniel Grail for the finishing touch there's also a great choice of shirts, ties and fruit wear extra reductions for all wedding parties at Watson men's wear open seven days a week on Main Street at Etter Kenney see Watson men's wear.com live on air online and on island radio. This is Highland Radio News Good morning it's Donna Marie Doherty with the news at 10 o'clock the HSE does not hold the interest of families and residents of our Green New Court at the heart of their decisions that's according to Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle speaking at the doll yesterday during a special topic surrounding the implementation of the recommendations of the Brandon report Deputy Pringle asked the minister of State of the Department of Disability if government believe this was also the case it comes weeks after the news that residents would be relocated to the congregated settings and decision families were not consulted in Minister Rabbit responded telling Deputy Pringle that she was disappointed with the lack of communication and that a safeguarding assurance exercise is due to commence in June I would have met with family members in the last six weeks I ultimately with the whistleblower and it's unfortunate to see that the lack of communication which was there in 2018 is still there a safeguarding assurance exercise to be undertaken by an independent expert which would build on the improvements in safeguarding already underway in CH01 my hope is to ensure that the voice of residents and their families as well as those working in the area contribute to the ongoing effort to continue strengthening safeguarding policy and practice the aim which is the question you have asked me about the support the aim would be to have it set up and running by the end of June A Donegal deputy is calling on government to sanction the facilitation of an ASD room in a school in Ruffaux Deputy Pierce Doherty told the doll yesterday that St. Yuenin's National School has already seen one student needing to travel to a different catchment area due to staffing issues despite their siblings remaining at the school he added that a spare classroom as well as a sensory room and a sensory garden are available there are currently three children who would benefit from additional staff with a fourth due to enrol next year however Minister for Special Education and Inclusion Joseph the Madigan said for now extra staff will not be provided I do understand that St. Yuenin's did put in an application and I do appreciate the after the Board of Management in relation to that the NCSC are saying to me is that there is sufficient capacity in the near environments of that particular school they say that the School of Reading Convoy has one place available Dromore National School has five places available and St. Bahine's National School and St. Johnson has two places available so they're not saying no but they're saying no right now and I think that it's something in the future that will be welcomed more than nine in ten employees would opt for a shorter working week over a pay rise 1000 Irish workers were asked about their preference in a new survey published by recruiter Robert Walters more than eight in ten said they'd choose to work less days over a 10 to 15% pay rise or remote working options half of those said who they'd rather work a short week said they'd expect their pay to stay the same Donegal County Council says the active travel project which is under construction in Fentown has been expanded to include the installation of a new drainage network throughout the village it is to help alleviate flooding issues that both previously experienced the intention is to provide comfort to all road users while addressing local people's concerns about speeding Donald Kavanaugh has more In a report to members of the county's municipal district council officials said Fentown has an annual average daily traffic figure of 3,000 vehicles the speed limit is 60 km an hour and a traffic study was completed to quantify the speeding issues within the village the measured average speed was 56 km an hour but the 85th percentile speed was 69 km an hour with some vehicles reaching speeds of up to 126 km an hour within that speed limit zone the council says the works will improve safety for all road users within Fentown by improving the geometric alignment junction layout vision lines and through the introduction of traffic calming measures designed to reduce speed and overtaking within the village following representation from school children at the village school some of the budgets been reassigned to provide a cycle and scooter parking facility in support of the active travel element of the project and now looking to weather dry today with a mix of cloud and some hazy sunny spells mostly cloud 8 later in the afternoon that's with highest temperatures of 13 to 15 degrees and moderate west to south west winds that's all for now, we'll be back with the latest news headlines at 11 o'clock and until then, good morning the obituary notices this Wednesday morning May 17th the death has occurred of William John McLaughlin Dromedui Burn Foote reposing Atmurphy's funeral home today from 5pm until 9pm and tomorrow from 4pm until half five, followed by removal to St Murris church fawn arriving at 6pm to repose overnight Rayquiem mass on Friday at 12 noon followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery Rayquiem mass can be viewed on churchservices.tv Family flowers only please, donation in lieu to the Donnie Gall hospice care of any family member or Murphy funeral directors the death has taken place of Bridget Ellis Nicar Bangort Glen Column Kill County Donnie Gall Wake and her daughter Anne White's residence in Loughborough's Point are draw today and tomorrow from 11 until 10pm funeral from there on Friday via Glenget Straffin, Straboi, Sieve, Bangort to arrive at St Columbus church Castle Glen Column Kill for 1pm funeral mass with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. The funeral mass will be streamed on NCM media.tv The death has occurred at his late residence of Edward Eddie Callaghan Kinleter, Ballet Buffet funeral arriving from his late residence on Friday at 10.20am in St Mary's church at 11am interment in the adjoining churchyard rakeway and mass will be streamed live via the parish youtube channel donations in lieu of flowers if so desired directly to the Donnie Gall hospice or care of any family member house is strictly private to the family only please the death has occurred of Ella Doherty Eris, late of Tuna Leake Donnie, reposing at her home removal from there on Friday morning at 10.30am to the church of the sacred heart Count Donnie for rakeway and mass at 11am interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery the death has occurred of Mary O'Flanagan Neema Que Sensus Cully, Raphaux formerly of Tum Mary will be reposing at her late residence, Sensus Cully, Raphaux funeral leaving her late residence tomorrow morning at 10.20am going to St. Unan's church Raphaux for 11 o'clock rakeway and mass followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery the funeral mass can be viewed online via the parish webcam family flowers only please donations in lieu of desire to the Donnie Gall hospice or care of any family member or Kelly's funeral directors the death has taken place of Rosheen Wilson-Shallon New Park Gardens Mobile you are welcome to pay your respects at her home today from 2pm until 10pm Rosheen's funeral mass will take place tomorrow morning at 11am in St. Mary's church Bally Brack Mobile followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery family flowers only please donations if desired to the Donnie Gall hospice care of any family member the death has taken place of John Hamilton 20 Bally in the Coulteras letter Kenny and formerly of Trenta Boy Drum Keane he is reposing at one Bally Bow Glencourt letter Kenny funeral mass will take place at 11am this morning in St. Unan's Cathedral letter Kenny with permission to take place at a later date in Lakelands crematorium cavern funeral mass can be viewed live family time please before the funeral this morning for more details including any family health guidelines for wakes and funerals please go to Highlandradio.com it's the power of three home broadband the master of multitasking that lets man work from home Dadstream is favourite show and the kids play the latest games all at the same time get three home broadband free for the first three months and for only 39€ per month after that it's set up costs all in Ireland's fastest and most consistent 5G network visit and store or at 3.ie 24 month minimum term speed may vary based on analysis by Utlov speed test intelligence with all the stories that matter across the north west it's Greg Hughes on the 9 to noon show on Highland Radio good morning to you again 10 past 10 you're very welcome back to the program good morning if you're just tuning in on the phone lines in the text machine thank you for that we were talking about deer a caller says for God's sake a deer sensor should be made people need to slow down don't blame the wild deer another, deer destroy crops damage fences, spread lime disease and are a serious hazard to road traffic especially at night they are a beautiful animal and poaching is barbaric long term solutions would be generally introduced there by Landlord Gentry for gaming with a follow up planned round up program and some calling by Parks Monuments Department thank you for that another, will we call the bad drivers too that are crashing into innocent ditches or trees or other things take the bad drivers out of the equation hi Greg it's time there needs to be some shake up in this country with government they have to be wiped out next time around and that green party big time they say another here I am surprised that the uncanny similarity between the response of Derry GEA and from Anna GEA to the question as to why they took no action on the Rory Gallagher accusations both said the condemned domestic violence etc and both said that they had not seen the accusatory emails I wonder would the PSNI check if these emails were received avoid Balabuffet and all of the traffic is a total disgrace says a listener that come a little bit earlier on many things have eased on a matter of profound change there should be a referendum on mass immigration can Arlen say no we the Irish people should have a say I would wonder how that would go you know I mean obviously there is a group of people that are very anti-immigration for various reasons and then of course you will get groups in certain areas who don't believe accommodation is suitable or they have some concerns about services but I wonder it would be interesting if you pulled the entire country and the majority of people that don't say an awful lot which is the majority it would be very interesting to see how the people might vote on a referendum on immigration we want Paddy Dunn keep the Kilmer Crennan one says this text just a reminder that the special Vigil Friday to appeal to God to change the bishops mind there watching TD Timmy Dooley last night attempting to sidetrack people as to why the locals in Claire have taken to blocking refugees it's nothing to do with conditions as he kept saying it's 100% to do with the relocation of young and vetted males into a small community no women or children looking for shelter here it's about time on news outlets starting calling out what's really happening including yourself Greg it's not for me to call you mean we want me to just express your point of view that's not what my role is here we heard different views on the show yesterday what do you want me to call out I heard from local people in Claire and I went through some people's social media posts as well, public posts I wasn't snooping and they seem to be genuinely concerned that this accommodation is not suitable that there isn't suitable activities around for the people there because they can't work what are they going to do all day how will they occupy themselves they've got no information on the people and no details they weren't warned in advance and they're not being told what's to happen going forward those seem to be the main views that I heard from the people of Claire it wasn't anti this or anti that or using words like on vetted males and what have you but it's not for me to call out I'm just saying that's what I heard from the people that are speaking publicly in Claire I didn't hear Deputy Dooley's comments there at all hi Greg the huge number of deer around North Donegal is mainly due to the bad management of the population over the last decade by the National Parks and Wildlife Service poor fencing they say but I think with all the fencing in the world there's an awful lot of deer this caller says National Parks and Wildlife think they're above the public they don't respond to people only other state bodies the state is responsible for the deer population in Ireland but the state doesn't care about wildlife I wonder what would happen if someone took a case and it were successful might you ask Greg to ask the question I believe the figures are false I'm not an expert that comes in from Dave well Dave they're official figures so people are licensed and I think each licensee is responsible for about seven or eight or nine deers on average and they have to be declared but obviously that figure and you quite rightly point out I didn't this morning but I did point out in a previous conversation that doesn't account for poaching and the amount of deer that are killed but it's not reported or it's not done through official channels so you're perfectly right Dave I've mentioned it on the show before that is going to be a low figure compared to the actual figure but we don't know the extent of illegal calling or poaching so there's an information vacuum there now maybe if we had a census of the deer population we could start working that out a little a caller says I live in the north I don't like Stephen Nolan he goes out of his way to annoy people and the people that like him just like him are not worth listening to he's grossly overpaid shows like yours are much better, more informative and entertaining thanks to hear that only a recent listener to your programme really enjoy it that comes in from Gerard in Balti Kelly or Bali Kelly great to have you on board Gerard thanks very much for joining us again shocked people shocked jocks that description and I don't mean it to be offensive but where you bring on people with very strong views in the full knowledge that your content is going to come from the reaction to that right you do then get an audience that love you, want to listen to you but also feel they can't miss out because they'll miss the row and they love to hate you to some extent as well it's all part of the game I don't think though I would draw the line described in Donegal as a car park we go out of our way here when we're discussing various issues to not to not label a group of people or a particular area as responsible or in a negative light we go out of our way here to ensure that we don't do that but it seems to be when the shoes on the other foot it's okay and in a show and we're tortured excuse me I should have pulled the mic back pardon me for clearing my throat like that in a show and we're tortured with deers destroying farm fences a local farmer told me he had nine deer grazing and lying in his silage grass last week another worry is they do carry TB which can be and have severe consequences for our cattle herd I think I really do think the majority of people do understand that we do need to control the deer numbers that's the impression I'm getting but anyway thanks for keeping us so busy keep your comments coming and we love to hear your points of view if you're listening to us outside the republic 00353 749 125000 put it into your phone because it's a long old number and it's no harm having it there the whatsapp and text and you can whatsapp for free of course 0035386 6025000 we want to hear from you and your views wherever you're listening to us across the region and across the world today the county's number one talk show the 9 till noon show on Highland Radio NCBI bingo on Highland Radio it's Wednesday the 17th of May you're playing on the blue sheet the reference number is s18 it's game number 20 the numbers are 50 84 31 45 65 52 28 75 11 and finally 90 phone your claim to 9104833 before 8 tonight leaving your name, contact number and the name of the shop where you purchased your book and we'll call you back the next working day get all your NCBI bingo information at highlandradio.com if you know the beauty and skincare product that suits you best you'll find them at highlandradio.com there's fantastic value at homeland letter candy garden center this Saturday 20th of May with our garden super Saturday buy any two trees for 65 euro there's 10% of all fencing get 20% of ceramic pots and grazed garden beds only 139 euro plus get 12 packets of seeds free shop in store at homeland letter candy with expert advice from your experience team offers mentioned available this weekend only please or transaction charges letter candy credit union 9102127 and you're very welcome back to the program here on Highland Radio right the annual national famine commemoration for 2023 will take place on the site of the formal workhouse in Milford on Sunday the 21st of May President Michael D Higgins will be in attendance Neve Brennan is archivist with Donegal County Council and she joins us now good morning to you thanks very much for being on the program thank you Greg how are you I'm good I'm good right so what form does the annual national famine commemoration take okay well as you say it's annual and every year it's held in a different location or county we were actually supposed to hold it here in Donegal in 2020 but for obvious reasons it was didn't take place so we're delighted now that we have the opportunity to hold it here in Milford this year and it's basically a ceremonial event and it's a state organized so you have the Department of Arts and Culture who is in conjunction with Donegal County Council Culture Division and the OPW and some other organizations and basically it starts at about 2 o'clock if people want to attend there's an event bright link that they can buy tickets for, they're free obviously but they would need to be in place between 1 and 120 because obviously car space and that is limited and really it involves address by the president and some music and poetry by local community and it will be over by about 3 o'clock with some refreshments and it's an honor I think for us to be holding it yeah for sure and it's really hard to put ourselves I mean often we refer at the famine but if you try for a moment to put yourself into the position of our ancestors in relatively recent history albeit 175 years ago what life was like then I mean can you paint a picture for us as to what the country was like at the worst of the famine times well I suppose Ireland was as we know extremely rural community at that point and there was no such thing as land ownership really or the very poorest of the poor they lived in third or what we call third or fourth class cabins sometimes just mud cabins life before the famine even though it was hard and people were very impoverished but once the potato and oatmeal and that were plentiful these were nutritious food so people were able to live off that system you know the Rondale system but unfortunately then when the famine hit 1845 and then up to 1847 people were in desperate situations they could not if they could not pay their rent and then the landlords could not get the poor rate of people either so they were anxious to evict people off their properties and once they were evicted then they had very little choice other than to enter the workhouses or to die on the side of the roads we'll talk about the workhouses in a moment but I mean also too when we talk about the type of country it was 75 years ago so of a population of what we see around about 8.5 million pre famine and we're well short of that now still but 8.5 million how many were poor do you know what I mean when we talk about that we had the rich and we had the poor what was the breakdown there effectively like how many can we guess or do we know how we can class people who would have been able to sustain themselves versus those that were sort of almost living hand to mouth that were very wealthy and I imagine pulling the strings well I suppose it was like a tier so at the top of the tier were the landlords many of them absentee some of them living in larger states on their a vast amount of acres I mean then down the line you would have had the wealthier farmers you would have had the state agents who would have worked for the landlords they would have been fairly well off and then maybe you would have the smaller farmers who would have had a few acres and lived reasonably comfortably in the 1840s would have been basically labourers living on the land of landlords and basically subject to their whim and whether or not they wanted to keep them on the estate or not some of them would the classes of housing were generally between one and four so the first class would have been the landlord house but most people in the 1840s would have lived in either the third or the fourth class so you would have said that the vast majority were in a state of extreme poverty really these questions are a very obvious need but as again you know I want to try and bring us back to that point so someone might ask you know how could we find ourselves in a country an arable country you know with the knowledge of farming how could we find ourselves to the point where so many people could die on the side of the road for example well I suppose we're very dependent I mean particularly in certain parts of the country the west and the south the cork mayow around those areas other parts as well also parts of Dunnegall and Ulster very dependent I mean on the potato and one type of potato as well the lump what wasn't quite as severe in Ulster there was other types of potatoes there was also oatmeal and other crops but because the potato was so dominant and had become so dominant when it failed in 1845 partially failed in 1845 and failed again the following year there was there was you know that was the situation that became even worse and then food that was grown like the crops in Barley were sent abroad were stored in stores and shipped to England and other places so there was basically no food prices went up as well so it was one situation it spiraled out of control really so how did we find ourselves with the option of starving or working in work houses and there were eight work houses in Dunnegall is that correct to describe that environment for us and what their function was and who ran them okay well the Poor Law Relief Act came into place in 1838 it was a British Government Act modelled on an English similar one which for the first time I suppose made built officially built official work houses that were built and there was eight of them as you're saying Dunnegall 130 and the country was divided into what were called unions but they were just areas really administered of areas and boards of gardens there were the work houses of people then who were usually landlords or wealthier farmers they ran these committees they employed staff they built the work they found the land to build the work houses on often their own land should we say they built the work house and in fact just before the famine kind of began or took off if you like late 1845 most of the work house of the eight work houses in Dunnegall had started to actually admit people who were poor they were designed to be for the very destitute nobody had a right relief so they were designed also to be kind of not what you say comfortable places because people didn't think government didn't think people necessarily deserved relief without payment of some kind so it wasn't a right but it was but they knew that they had to have them in place and in fairness they were in place by the time the famine the worst years of the famine there were last refuge for people people did not want to enter the work house it was humiliating for them but if they had no other option if they were starving and their children were starving and there they had no other option and it was not I mean you talked about how one might feel having to to take up that work but also they were not easy places to work and particularly in the early years you know the type of food and what have you you'd be given was very poor so what how were people talked to us a little bit about how they were treated and also some of the work that would have been done in these work houses typically well the type of food of course during the famine years you can see in the work house records and we hold the archives county archives holds all the surviving archives of the eight work houses and you can see in their admission registers in the minutes of meetings in particular you can see how the diet changes and adapts as the famine gets worse and worse and food gets more and more scarce and the prices go up so one of the say for instance at the beginning there would have been tea and sugar and bread and more of a variety of food not what we'd call a variety nowadays but back then it was but by the middle of the famine years 1847 to 48 you had these diets where people were basically given two meals they weren't really meals so they might have a few ounces of oatmeal and a few so what was called stir about a mixture of porridge and milk so that was the kind of food that they were trying to that they were living on and then in the meantime they were working so the men might be out breaking stones in the yard and one work house in particular remember I think was in a show and actually bought spinning wheels for the women to work with they would also been cleaning and cooking and looking after children and the sick because there were a lot of people who were sick and another thing that happened as well that people would have been involved in the people who lived in the work houses would have been building fever wards during the famine years because there was the work houses some of them particularly like glenties and letter Kenny would have been usually overcrowded so they and then the work house to separate those were infectious from the rest of the population the work house so they were building frantically building these fever wards and I'm sure the men who were in the work house were involved in that and as horrendous as they sound they were a route to survival and not only for those that worked in there but also those that they cared for so many people listening today are only here effectively because of these work houses as horrendous as they sound well this is it was an early social care system it was certainly not perfect but then what social care system is perfect even nowadays you know I mean there was a lot you'll see what a minute examination of the minutes you know you'll see that there was various some landlords for instance obviously outside the work house system were more compassionate than others others just wanted to get the tenants off their land and in the work houses you had some people who ran them who were really really wanted to try who tried very hard for some of the people who were involved in the work houses died themselves from fever and other other conditions so yeah you're right Greg in one way we are the survivors I suppose and this generation of those who did survive the famine obviously an awful lot of people were forced into emigration that's the other thing we haven't discussed because there were the work house themselves had emigration schemes official schemes where for instance young girls who had been orphaned or kind of displaced by the work house system or by the famine and had ended up in the work house system ended up being sent officially to Australia and there's a whole so wonderful website called cinememorial.org I think it's called where you see the names of some of the Johnny Gull and other people young girls who ended up making their lives in Australia but obviously there was other schemes that weren't as successful and people died on the ships particularly to America and the coffinships to America and Canada now obviously in modern days we see a famine as a country maybe with a very hot environment where you can't grow food you can't source clean water and that's the famine this is only for your opinion and if you don't want to talk about it that's fine but we had food it was taken from us and it was sent to others we were denied food so that really would not be what I would call a famine are we settled on referring to this as a famine to the end of time do you think or in time will we come up with a better way a more accurate way to describe this because this just sounds like we were left to our own devices crops failed and that's not really you know we have a tendency in Ireland to airbrush history normally not to upset anyone because we don't want to upset anyone because we're good little boys and girls aren't we but do you see in time us reassessing what the famine actually was and maybe even reclassifying it or do you believe that would be justified and this to say if you're not comfortable and talk about any of this that's fine yeah and I suppose it is it definitely does divide opinion I mean all I would say is that definitely the more I've read myself and the more I've heard other people speak about it that yeah it's quite obvious that as you say there was food the food was plentiful as you said it was taken it was put into which it was shipped across to other countries for export and the British particularly after the weak government took over in 1846 and replaced Peel's government they had this laissez faire attitude which was basically at the landlords let them deal with it and of course the landlords couldn't deal with it because there was no money in the system they could not get the poor rates and they just wanted to end system where they were starving tenants on their land and anyway they could it's not good but this is the truth is that I'd say the famine will be called the famine for a long time because it's in our consciousness to call it that isn't it? It's the great famine of St. Gortemore but the research is ongoing Dr. Arlene Crampus gave a great presentation to the library in Lether Kenny recently about the geography of the famine and you know there are all different aspects and different sources been looked at and I do think that is important but I can never imagine it being called anything else but there are historians better maybe you can refer it to as that but put it into a context so we have workhouses Carndon and Don Fannahy Milford, Lether Kenny, Stronola, Glentys Donagotan and Bali Shannon we presume because it is relatively recent history we know their locations and you have records from them structurally how many of them in one form or another remain if you know we obviously we're going to the former workhouse in Milford on Sunday but beyond that what remains? The best the Bali Shannon workhouse is the one that is the workhouse that is nearly still there in its entirety if you like structurally though it is the roof is quite damaged we're trying to get funding to you know to improve it and to increase its use for modern usage it is a great it's an amazing building if you go up to it you'll see you can see nearly all of original plan and design and it was used for both the county council and the HSC in recent years so it's still there Lether Kenny obviously part of the old workhouse is used for the Our County Museum and Don Fannahy also has a museum there Milford as you know has gone all together the last to be destroyed there to be pulled down was the Fever Hospital and of Glentys of the rest of them there is no more really Donegal I think there's still a bit I think there might be one building there but unfortunately a lot of the records Donegal town workhouse were lost in a fire in 1914 but a lot but most of the other records are there there's a lot of for instance we're very lucky in Donegal we don't have a lot of the physical buildings but we do have both minutes and we have admission records for instance for in a shown workhouse we have all the two sets of admission records dating from the entire period of famine dating from about 1843 to 1859 and for Milford workhouse we have an outdoor relief register and this is where they begin to give people were destitute kind of relief outside the workhouse in forms of food or blankets and we have a register for Milford from 1847 so right from the middle of the workhouse so our middle of the famine right so the annual national famine commemoration takes place on the site of the former workhouse in Milford it's this coming Sunday begins at 2 and President Michael D. Higgins will be in attendance there and you heard Neve earlier on point out that there'll be a little bit of music and what have you as well and some refreshments when it concludes at around about three Neve thank you very much it's been really interesting and we of course will speak to you again but thank you for joining us this morning thank you very much okay that's Neve Brennan there archivist archivist archivist with Donagall County Council brought to you by letter Kenny credit union offering low rate holiday loans with fast approval apply online at letterkennycu.ie or in office today hello there farmer tinny here it's summer and tinny's toys have loads of swings slides trampolines goalposts and many more outdoor toys and games we've basketball stands swing ball sand pit diggers kids wheel barrels and when the sun finally gets out we've loads of paddling pools of course we still have what we're famous for the largest range of ride-on and small farm toys and models in Ireland shop 24 7 tinny's toys dot com or call into Lack Road letter Kenny thinking of changing your floors why not see what florid letter Kenny has to offer florid have a large selection of solid semi-solid and laminate click vinyl wood flooring together with a fantastic choice of parquet herringbone flooring all at incredible value don't delay call florid today 877-161-72008 preparing for a special occasion Sorento Shoes has the finishing touch shoes and bags in pastel shades bling or classic neutrals Sorento Shoes available in all leading shoe stores a reminder to passengers going on holiday take the power of on-pust money pay for things all over the world with foreign currency in cash and on the on-pust money currency card powered by Mastercard with 24 7 card support from real people and with the app you can set currency rate alerts and will tell you when your target rate is reached power your travel money with on-pust money search on-pust travel money or visit your local post office T's and C's apply on-pust money currency card is issued by PPSEUSA pursuant to license by Mastercard International PPSEUSA is authorised by the National Bank of Belgium and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules on-pust is authorised by the Minister for Finance to provide foreign currency cash I call it as hi I was at walking in the winter in the northwest and there was bullets going over my head I reported it to the ranger and he said he couldn't see anything wrong kids and dog walkers use the walk they were on I presume is that people out shooting deer or is that what you suspect drivers collide with deer deer don't run into cars speed is the reason why these accidents occurred roads in the area where deer are grazing are usually non-primary routes and speeds of up to 80 sorry 100 kilometres per hour are too fast and so on I'll get to more of those in a moment I want to welcome on to the programme now former County Councillor Ian McGarvey good morning Ian thanks for joining us good morning Greg to you and Henry and all your listeners as well how's life how are you keeping well sir Greg I can't complain I can't complain go on you can complain to Greg I'll listen well Greg I know and we would but you know yourself don't want to hear me okay come here you're highlighting for us a water scheme that was created in Remelton what's the background to this this has gone back quite some time Ian Greg has gone back to 182 from the start to promoting I started promoting it and so on and I have to compliment what the trustees that were involved at the time and as well as your care unfortunately William Osburn has passed away there's two other trustees there as well and I'll tell you there's quite a complicated operation but it was at the time because people had fears of all kind the piping being on the land and the kitchen flooding and all the stuff of the day there were so many things you go through all the personal ownership and so on to get where they've signed and so on and that I'll tell you one thing the reason this is a resin Greg for me is owned of the fact now there's a proposal there Darrell Brown and to just would say you tell the water scheme maybe no one as well as water now you're scared and they want to give them full control everything will stay within Ireland as far as I'm concerned right so just in relation to this water scheme there's still a hundred on it also isn't there there'll be over a hundred on Greg and the other thing too it's preserved their rights as well and they give guarantees that they had will stay prior to this and once this change takes over so just to be clear Irish water are taking this over this summer aren't they they're taking over this water supply well June has been handed over to them full authority apparently for it to be all water and wastewater right so what are your concerns specific to this this process my concerns are number one Greg and this is why it's important to all the members the members have the right of say of whether this has taken over or not I as a promoter does not have the authority or feel the right to I feel like engage and grant take over without their permission because it's necessary they have two service permissions barely before they can take it over anyway and therefore I do at the concerns Greg that I just can't wall in and they go off and hand over something that people paid money for they would pay seven hundred pound per house at the time Greg and I'll tell you in 1982 83 that was need to collect that kind of money and there's a meeting taking place tomorrow night in the Silver Tassi at 7 p.m. for anyone on this schema with an interest on it but what is because often Ian you would have known in the past people are saying you know we really want Irish water to take over this scheme or to take over this housing estate what are the potential problems with Ischka Aaron taking over this water scheme that might need to be teased out I wonder great yes fully on the one and I would welcome the fact that Christ and Christ have invited them to attend as well to give an outline to the members now Greg the members of the priority because look I can say to you Greg off the record that was say as far as I'm concerned these people signed over and good will their land and everything else where leaves towards the occupied land with this pipe and all the rest of it now that scheme belongs to the members as far as I'm concerned not to Irish water not to anybody else because the private schemes and I should mention it well Greg in my understanding there are about 600 and then I go and you take the remit nearly alone John Crawford promoted the scheme Dick Butler promoted the scheme and all this Barney Boyce and George Black and in the area that's there as well so Greg you can understand like I'll be taking authority to read and allow Irish water just welcome take over the rights of people and so on authority over their land and everything else like as well okay well listen people can have their say at a public meeting for those involved in the scheme tomorrow night in the Silver Tassie at 7pm there's a lot to be gone through a lot very specific to the individuals in that area but we've let people know it's happening now Ian and hopefully there's a good turnout thanks for joining us I want to thank you very much because you're self and that's been there promoting that will say that the members that this are the members to attend and that they should be there and not becoming along afterwards and saying somebody signed over the rights and all the rest of it so hopefully everyone's heard it okay take care great to chat to you again alright bye bye that's former independent Councillor Ian McGarvey Brendan Daveney presenter of the DL Debate for joining us I appreciate your time this morning I know you're busy as always right so last night's statement was released Derry GEA can today confirm that Rory Gallagher has stepped down as the County Senior Football Manager Kieran Mina will resume or assume the role for the rest of the 2023 season Derry GEA will be making no further comment at this time this is a difficult one isn't it Brendan in that is it a football story or is it a societal story I mean we can't really just approach this as a what does this mean for Derry GEA because it doesn't talk to I suppose all the events that led us to this point it's a difficult one Brendan Yeah I suppose it's overlapped the nature of the huge element that GEA plays in our life and you know it's very much a family a sporting organisation when you look at the aged kids there from Sunday mornings you know we went and said you know there's my two and a half you know right up to any age you want to be involved in a club or involved going supporting clubs or counties so you know it's massive part of our life but yeah you're right it's only sport Greg but it has such I suppose an involvement of people in Ireland it is our number one sport so when a subject like this comes up of course like it's completely outside of sport but the allegations were so serious that it raised so many questions about everybody in it that someone could be involved while this is a situation of course Rory Gallar releasing a very very short statement he initially said that he was stepping back and a lot of people at that point Greg thought he was stepping down that he was away and then there was loads of rumours about him doing a walkthrough with the guys pre-Oster final and there was different rumours in circling everywhere that he had still some part in the background which I don't know if it was Greg but yeah and I think the certainly was sorry Brendan there's a slight your signal is not great the slight delay and I think in fairness to some of that speculation to the weekend there was older video footage that potentially older video footage that accompanies some of that stuff as well but Derry GA did the act quick enough in your view or is this the appropriate move to say such a complex situation? Yeah it's complex Greg I guess yeah the footage you're talking about that was from last year was the rumour come out about the celebration that definitely was from last year that the video was being circled but yeah this and Greg because of the obviously was a court case in a custody battle and this there was other elements in the background I suppose when the GA a county board were trying to understand how to deal with this and I suppose trying to weigh up the situation they were caught in the middle of this but there was no doubting Greg then I mean the public outpouring around this but as it is Greg it was you know a Facebook allegation very very serious of course but I think this process has to I suppose be sorted by the law at the end of the day and you're talking about GA I mean they are at the mercy of really of seeing how the law interacts with this but certainly because of the situation and the seriousness of it there was no other option for Derry and for Rory Geller to step aside. Maybe now is not the time but do we have to have a broader conversation about how the GA operates obviously there are claims that both for Mana GA and Derry GA had been notified this that there was general knowledge of these allegations out there and then some claims that we didn't receive any complaints because a defunct email address was used you know there's a lot of explanations out there but in terms of some of the reaction to these allegations is there at some point do we need a broader conversation because as you say we are of the GA is our voice as well Well I think Greg the only thing you can say and this is fair play for having the courage to come out and highlight it and of course this subject constantly needs highlighting because there's a lot of people that are scared to come out and say what's happening and it's a massive thing I mean Greg I was just off a zoom there with Planet International around this trip to Togo and the reason I'm involved with them is because they mostly concentrate on young girls because as we know in the world girls and women in general are more a danger to many things and in the countries we go and work in it's things like early childhood marriage, lack of education and that but in any country in the world women are obviously much more danger and at risk so I think if anything Greg whatever those subjects are what happened to these emails is very good that it's out there and hopefully you know that that Nicola sees her justice and her story out there but Greg at the end of the day we live in a country where it's the law that decides these matters and I think whatever the GA do it's down really to the law and that is why we have to be very careful in this conversation we are bound by very strict rules and laws and I know that in the past but if me and you Brendan if I was sitting in that car beside you our conversation might be very very different but we are bound by due process and what have you and that's the reality of it and to some extent I think that's that is just something that we can't overcome. Well listen next time we'll speak about what this means I suppose from a sporting perspective but I suppose it's important we focus this initial reaction I suppose on the societal side of it too Brendan but as you say if the due process is there it has to be followed and we'll chat to you again really soon and I really appreciate your time this morning Brendan thank you very much indeed and Brendan is away there back with more after this break Charlie McLaughherty funeral directors serving letter Kenny in the surrounding areas for over 100 years Charlie McLaughherty funeral directors then our family take care of your family and guide you through a difficult time with more all electric cars on Irish roads than ever before now is the time to make your move now is the time to follow the leader and choose a Volkswagen ID Ireland's best-selling range of all electric cars and now is the time to choose a Volkswagen ID 3, ID 4 or ID 5 all available to order now for immediate delivery discover our latest offers at Volkswagen.ie Volkswagen best-selling claim based on latest published figures it's where you live it's where you relax it's where you make memories treat your home to a visit to Kenny's home interiors we have everything your home choose for an extensive range of suites tables beds mattresses and home furnishings for every room Kenny's home interiors letter Kenny style and perfection at incredible value this is Tommy Marin writer of It's the Real McCoy and 3 Hail Marys want to laugh my new show Celebration Ireland comes to on grain on letter Kenny Friday May 26th get time to try that new tablet it's called Via Grand Celebration Ireland letter Kenny Friday May 26th book online tickets from 24 euro Donegal County Council invite the public to participate in the first public consultation for the letter Kenny southern network project at the letter Kenny public service center on Thursday 18th of May from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. the project aims to develop the transport network south of letter Kenny town see the project website LSNP.ie for more details the the lotto jackpot is an estimated 8.5 million euro play responsibly in-store in-app at Loverie.ie the national lottery it could be you right Owen McCafferty so Owen McCafferty's classic play Mojo Mickey Bow is coming to on grain on theater in letter Kenny it's tomorrow night at 8 p.m. and I'm joined on the program now by Connor Quinn who plays Mickey Bow of the title John Travers may or may not join us I don't know I think he's having internet problems but Connor me and you will crack on how are you getting on good to have you on the show thank you for having me I'm good are you is he notoriously difficult to get in contact with or he's a nightmare he was on I don't know what just happened I just said he left right okay we'll listen we'll get him back in about this play it's about a friendship between two boys growing up in Belfast in 1970 yep so the play set during the backdrop of the Troubles there's John hey John always connecting to audio go ahead yeah so yeah the play set during the backdrop of the beginning of the Troubles 1970 Mojo and Mickey Bow are two nine-year-old boys one of them is Catholic Mojo and Mojo is a Protestant and the two boys become friends not really understanding the conflict that is happening around them and yeah regardless they become friends going adventures and we just kind of get to see the relationship build they're two very different people and they kind of help each other grow and learn and then eventually it all comes to a big dramatic finale until such time as maybe the realities of life start to kick in or events I'll tease it out with you how much we can say without spoiling the flow of the play but they're somewhat insulated in it aren't they it's like that seven seconds they have the innocence of the lack of knowledge they don't know what divides them you know in inverted commas exactly and we get to see a little bit of the reality through other characters so we're multi-rolling and playing quite a handful of characters and in particular the older characters and Mojo and Mick and both parents we get kind of a more realistic insight into what is actually happening around them with the two boys it's everything is kind of seen through rose tinted glasses and they don't really understand because they're children so it's the older characters that kind of give us a glimpse as the reality of what's happening yeah John Travers is Mojo John thanks so much for joining us does this to some extent to hold a mirror up to us you know to make a sort of challenge really what sectarianism is you know what you know the fact the reality is there's more that unites us than divides us but we focus on what divides us often is it that thoughtful in your view John yes I think very much so I mean the play has been it's the 20 year anniversary of the play from which wrote in when was it 1988 and the story very much so still resonates today but it's not only kind of set in stone in just Northern Ireland, North of Ireland whatever you want to call it it's also quite a universal story of divides that happen to happen between humans all over the world so there's very much of why once play has been done so many times in different countries only in our own back garden you know so I think that yes it very much holds up a mirror to everything because the play itself is seen through the eyes of two children and they you know they understand what's going on as nine year olds with the backdrop of the troubles but they persevere and develop this friendship over the bridge over the road being Catholic and Protestant up until obviously there is stuff that gets in the way of that as what happens within quote unquote war and you could replace the troubles with presumably many of the big societal topics that are raging at the moment 100% so how many how is this played out then because obviously this is the story of two young friends and you are still young but I mean you have to come up with ways to tell this story don't you on stage absolutely I mean I'm not that I mean I had a shave there you're not nine dude I was born in 1989 don't tell anyone yes it's not so much a fresh take it is a fresh take because we're doing it with a company called Bruiser Theatre Company and Connor will act over these sentiments it's a very fast paced electric style the Bruiser incorporates more action with the two BS characters Mojo and Mickey Ho and has them very grounded but I would say that if anybody would I think everyone should get a ticket and come see this show because it's a fresh take both Connor and I have built up such rapport during the rehearsal period and some of the sentiments have been echoed from different audience members through twitter and what have you have been saying that they can see that translate on stage so it's great that I have such a great dancing partner as Connor I will say so about me yeah and you have 70 minutes on to tell the story too so it's you know it's has to be fast paced Connor finally oh my god yeah it is very fast paced and it's just high energy obviously it's told to the eyes of children as we keep saying just really hammer that so yeah there's just that kind of playfulness that we're playing children in the 70s that just have to go outside and play there's no youtube and tablets and ipads whatever like it's just we have to play yep you have to hit the ball to one another because you can't you're not online gaming alright listen and you're playing to a really good audience here who get it as well too so I'm sure it's going to be a packed house tomorrow night gents thanks so much for your time I really appreciate it's been lovely having you on the program continued success with the play and it's great that you enjoy working together you're not like those two on there this morning over in Britain I've been reading that yeah you're still getting on alright listen it's been great having yous on have a great show that's tomorrow night in on green on theater and it is mojo it's about a friendship between two boys growing up in Belfast in the 70s you just heard from John Travers who's mojo Conor Quinn who's Mickey Bo and I think that's going to be a great show for yous tomorrow night some strong language in it by the way and tickets are just 12 or 15 euro the 90 noon show is brought to you by letterkenny credit union with monster loans available up to 60,000 euro for all occasions visit letterkennycu.ie shop LK at Brian McCormick Sports & Leisure Main Street Letterkenny new fresh colors in women's sportswear from Nike and Under Armour get that new look with some bright colors and it's going to be a great show for yous tomorrow night some strong language in it by the way and it is mojo Conor Quinn who's mojo Conor Quinn who's mojo Conor Quinn who's mojo Conor Quinn get that new look with some bright colors quarter zips with t-shirts and fitness bottoms match it up with some new arrivals in our footwear for women brooks, hoca and on running gives you a unique comfort sensation view our new arrivals click on BMC Sports.ie for your free delivery for great value in suits visit wantson menswear in letterkenny top labels like Remezumo, White Label Spectre and Daniel Grail finishing touch there's also a great choice of shirts, ties and fruitwear extra reductions for all wedding parties at wantson menswear open seven days a week on Main Street Letterkenny see wantsonmenswear.com imagine a device so innovative you're except cookies there is a device so forward thinking you're except cookies a device that is so modern you're except cookies now imagine a technology where cookies don't get in the way of your advertising welcome to radio advertising that's cookie free visit radiocenterarlin.ie to see what radio can do for your product or brand tunic all town hardware is having a massive fencing and paving two day sale event this weekend with huge discounts on paving and 15% of smart fans compost decking and timber decking also reduced plus savings of posts, t-reels and pickets will be in store on Friday 19th that's the massive fencing and paving sale event this Friday 19th and Saturday 20th of May at tunic all town hardware the county's number one talk show the 9 till noon show on Highland Radio alright another hour to go in the show Kieran's going to be joining us with business news shortly and so much more besides but at minute past 11 let's get a news update and welcome back on to the show Donna Marie Doherty thanks Greg good morning the HSC does not hold the interest of families and residents of arid greener court at the heart of their decisions that's according to Donagull deputy Thomas Pringle speaking in the doll yesterday during a special topic surrounding the implementation of the recommendations of the Brandon report deputy Pringle asked minister of the state of the department of disability and rabbit if government believed this was also the case in her response minister rabbit said a safeguarding decision was made in June a Donagull deputy is calling on the government to sanction the facilitation of an ASD room in a school in Raffaul deputy pierce Doherty told the doll yesterday that St. Union's national school has already seen one student needing to travel to a different catchment area due to staffing issues this is despite their siblings remaining at St. Union's he added that a spare classroom as well as a sensory room and garden sensory garden are located in the area of the Glenty's municipal district is again calling for the calling of deer it comes after yet another deer was found deceased on the end 56 this morning outside of Creysa car parts were also found along the road as well as a calf that is believed to have been birthed as a result of the collision three people were arrested in Sturban yesterday on suspicion of fraud related offenses it comes as a part of an investigation being conducted by 22 and 23 years old and a 23 year old man have since been released on police bail in order to allow further police inquiries to continue and finally Hickwa has found a Donnie Gaul nursing home fell short in referring residents to specialist health professionals when needed and unannounced inspection was carried out at Archview Lodge nursing home Dromany in Letterkenny in January the full report is available on our website highlandradio.com those are the latest headlines we'll be back with more at 12 o'clock and until then good morning Donna Marie thank you very much indeed we'll be back with more after a really short break experience the power of three home broadband the master of multitasking that lets man work from home dad streamers favorite show and the kids play the latest games all at the same time sweet get three home broadband free for the first three months and for only 39 euro per month after that plus no setup costs the fastest and most consistent 5G network visit and store or 3.ie 24 month minimum term speeds may vary based on analysis by speed test intelligence that a Q3 to Q4 2022 matters in association with the ATU Donnie Gaul faculty of business if you're a senior manager in the private sector looking to reinforce your leadership skills ATU are offering a level nine executive MBS in leadership and innovation call 6206 or email donald.hanigan.atu.ie OK Kieran O'Donnell joins us in studio Kieran how are you keeping thanks for calling him good Greg I'm doing very well indeed OK right Kieran O'Donnell of course is a presenter of Highland Radio's business matters podcast and we'll tell you what's coming up on it very shortly but as is the norm Kieran's going to run through some of the business stories for us and news of a Leo workshop local enterprise office workshop Kieran yeah Greg Donnie Gaul local enterprise office will hold this next business information session and grant aid workshop on Friday May the 19th at 10 a.m. as regarded as an ideal opportunity to get a sense of the enterprise supports that exist and to consider how they may help to develop a business more on full contact Leo office all right the Chamber of Presidents lunch is coming up next month yeah you flighted last week on your own show Greg the president of the Recony Chamber of Commerce will hold her president's lunch in the Reddison Blue Hotel in the Recony on Friday June the 9th the keynote speaker will be Sinn Féinleader Deputy Mary Lou McDonald and this will be followed by an investment in the Northwest panel discussion that will be moderated by a certain Greg Hughes Wow they must be paying the big bucks well here we go take a surprise 45 euro for chamber members and 55 euro for non-members yeah it's going to be interesting to get an insight from Sinn Féinleader Deputy Mary Lou McDonald who may well be the next t-shirt if not next time around into the future so it's a good opportunity for her to hear from people in the business community here right across the region and also for that to be a two-way conversation Kieran yeah very much it's an annual event held by the Chamber as you say it'll be interesting to see what Mary Lou McDonald's take as for the Northwest and as you say an election is on the horizon sooner or later yeah not so long ago I had the pleasure of my first stay at the Shandan hotel in Don Fanehi absolutely stunning not surprising then that its manager is on a shortlist for an award yeah Kieran Harrison who is general manager of the Shandan hotel in Don Fanehi has been shortlisted for the hotel manager of the year word Greg Kieran beat off a staff competition to make it through the stage of the prestigious Aries hospitality awards for 2023 and we wish her well in that yeah well done Kieran okay Donagoli TV funding yeah Donagoli TV has received 220,000 euro from the department of further and higher education research innovation and science for further education and training service and we do feature that section of the Donagoli TV event time on the podcast Greg the allocation is part of a 5.3 million euro allocation to support disadvantaged learners in accessing and participating in community education yeah we talked about people being in the running for an awards a really nice award for a bar in Falkara yeah the Stran bar and restaurant in Falkara has been named best traditional gastropub of the year at the yes chef awards only make on the Claflay Stran road opened in July 2021 I can see 100 people inside and another 100 in the beer garden so congratulations and well done to all involved sounds lovely let's focus then on what's coming up on this week's pod yeah Greg on this week's show I'm joined by the owner of Burger Jacks and Mulford Kieran Blaney and the head of innovation for the new alpha innovation center in the McKinney Kevin Sexton Kieran Blaney and nicely set up the business at lag service station in Mulford in July 2019 the takeaway outlet at Mulford retail park was opened in February 2022 and a few months later Burger Jacks 45 shared a restaurant opened next door and this club Greg Kieran talks about the difficulty in recruiting chefs and what he's offering to make the role at Burger Jacks more attractive staff has been an issue in fairness it was grand we're in the shop like we had a very small team it was me and my father and Hugh there and a sister and my brother would step in and give his hand big weekend stuff they get but since we moved here now it's grand getting staff for the rest once the biggest the hardest thing to get chefs I mean I don't know there's a lot of chefs in the street left it during Covid I think or their way on they're doing different things and stuff they get there so that's the one kind of hard thing to get and is there any way around that? Well what we've been kind of advertising at the moment is because I know hospitality I know it's very unsociable it's very unsociable hours and stuff they get so what we've kind of been thinking about is offering a four-day working week so I mean you'd have your full-time hours you'd have your 40 plus hours within them four days but you would still have your three days off and then we've even gone as far as offering one weekend off a month no that's off season that would be without June July August but you would have your week one weekend off a month you'd still have your full-time hours and you have a four-day working week. Alright there you have a decent advertisement there as well and he's not the first person I've heard from within that general industry that's happened to come up with different ways to attract the staff. So when I asked him the question he had a very good answer and I suppose he's looking for a solution to the problem but listen a young man is coming 25 this year he has ten people employed there five part-time, five full-time when they opened the takeaway and the new retail centre they had the option of taking over a second unit which they did they put a restaurant into it and things were going very well for them. Right your next guest on the show? Yeah the elevator is on the 35 Europe Festival last Thursday on Friday in Goudour and at the end of the final session on Friday afternoon in G-Tech I caught up with the head of innovation for the new alpha innovation centre in Lerakini, Kevin Sexton. Here Kevin talks about the new 20 million euro alpha innovation centre which is scheduled to open in Lerakini in May 2025. So the alpha innovation centre which will open its doors in May 2025 so about 24 months from now is about a 60,000 square feet development of two iconic buildings, a public realm just off Port Road where the old ESB centre would have been if anybody remembers that and then opening all the way down to the Pierce Road. So a really iconic sort of, I describe it as almost like a Google campus in the centre of Lerakini and the idea this centre is to bring businesses out of the weeds you know once a week, once a month bring them through a programme of innovation teaching them the basics about identifying problems, framing problems seeing opportunities, measuring opportunities whether they're investable, whether you should whether they're as I call them whether they're problems worth solving or it can be nice to have, whether the vitamin pill or the painkiller for businesses and so the centre will be about 60,000 square feet two buildings and the alpha building itself is about 20,000, just under 20,000 square feet. A massive development both physically and I suppose in terms of potential that will occur. Yeah, its story is 20 million euro massive investment by Donegal County Council Big Northwest Leo Enterprise Ireland are all involved as well so Kevin talked about the building being a process rather than a building and he said it's going to be something like a Google centre located in the middle of Lerakini so it's a massive game changer for businesses the approach is to get them in, get them up on a story as they're developing and progressing on the process of learning and innovating and adapting and they're keen to work with people who are hungry to innovate and the biggest challenge that Kevin believes lies ahead is actually caring for the demand. Yeah, okay well that's not a bad complaint either I suppose the full interviews with Kieran Blaney and Kevin Sexton are available to download right now at HighlandRadio.com we'll stream off the site or wherever you get your podcasts as long as it's Spotify, iTunes and the show's broadcast on air as well Kieran isn't it? Yeah, after the such-cluck news Greg on Sunday. And if anyone wants to get in contact with you? Yeah, drop me an email please businessmattersathighlandradio.com Alright Kieran O'Donnell, thank you very much for your great, that podcast as we mentioned live for you right now, we'll be back with more, Kieran actually will be back with us next Wednesday, we'll be back with more on this show today after we take a short break. The 9 till noon show with Letter Kenny Credit Union. Simplify your debts with a debt consolidation loan from Letter Kenny Credit Union. Call us on 074 910 2126 or apply online via our app or in office today. Connect hearing is open for free hearing tests our audiologist is available Monday to Friday for wax removal services at our Letter Kenny clinic in the Courtyard Shopping Centre. We also offer a home visit for those who aren't able to visit us our hearing is a social sense are you finding hearing more of a challenge call Ursula today on 07 491 13296 to make an appointment. Good hearing helps us to connect to our family friends and loved ones. Connect hearing connecting you to life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .