 Good morning, Greg. Thank you, Rory. Have a fantastic day. Yes, indeed. It is a nine-till-noon show, and at nine o'clock it's time for a news update, and it's over to Donald Kavanaugh. Thank you, Greg. Good morning. There's a growing sense of unease in the Ukrainian capital after new satellite pictures have revealed the scale of Russian military forces heading for Kyiv. A convoy of trucks, tanks, and other vehicles is 40 miles long. British intelligence suggests the Russian advance on Kyiv has made little progress in the past 24 hours, despite increasing artillery strikes. However, Tim Septunga from the London Independent, who's in Kyiv, says initial optimism that Ukrainian forces were holding the capital is now fading. The mood again is one of firm deep apprehension. I mean, there was a certain amount of optimism that after about six days of attacks, Kyiv is still standing. But of course, you know, this is just the very first phase of the war, the second phase, far deadlier one, is about to begin. A West Unigol councillor says if dog owners don't take control of their animals, farmers will have no option than to take matters into their own hands. Councillor Michael McClavery says the frequency of dogs chasing sheep in the area, particularly in the vicinity of Kreisland, is worrying. He raised the issue a number of weeks ago, but says since then, the situation has escalated further. He's urging all dog owners to be responsible. I would just appeal to all the dog owners, visitors alike, just please keep your dog under control, keep it high or see or whatever you have tied up, from your puddles to your alterations, keep them under control, keep them at home, know where they are at all times. If you're out with them out and about, the Greenway, the beach, through the forest, whatever, along a back country road, keep them on a leash, and if it's not on a leash, at least keep them under control. Gareth E. says they'll be conducting high visibility checks on routes right across the country today as part of National Slowdown Day, more than 1,300 speed enforcement zones will be monitored over the next 24 hours, with the operation due to end at seven tomorrow morning. The Road Safety Authority says almost a third of road debts in Ireland are caused by speed. And Irish Water is under pressure to fast-track upgrade plans for inch in south Anishoan. Since the weekend, there have been two more outages in the area, leaving hundreds of homes without water supplies for a time. Irish Water gave a previous commitment. It would carry out the necessary works in the first quarter of this year. And Donegal County Council co-healer, Jack Murray, says Irish Water must make good on that promise. Well, it could be described as an inconvenience at times. It can be much, much worse for people. People with children, elderly people, people who are sick, you just can't go without water. It's an essential service. So I would call Irish Water again when the funding is secured to please carry out these works ASAP and please prioritise it above anywhere else. Because I don't know of anywhere else in Coedde Donegal that goes so frequently without water. Annie Lingering, Frost and Ice will clear this morning, leaving a dry and mostly bright day with long spells of sunshine, some patchy clouded times through the morning and afternoon, highest day, eight or nine degrees Celsius in a light easterly breeze. And that's how the radio news we're back with news again at 10 o'clock. It's not just that Sammy has lost his home in the conflict. It's not just that everyone he's ever loved is gone and he's been forced to walk hundreds of miles alone to find safety. And most of all, it's not just that Sammy is only seven years old. Like thousands of children in regions torn apart by conflict, Sammy is living in fear and it's not just this lent your love can make all the difference. And now it's time for the talk of the Northwest, the Ninth and Noon Show with Greg Hughes on Highland Radio. Hello, a very good morning. You're very welcome along to the Ninth and Noon Show on this Tuesday, the 1st of March, 2022. It is the first day of spring as far as the meteorological side of things go, I think. So hopefully it's a bit warmer than it was overnight. I think it's a bit warmer than it was yesterday. I think. So hopefully it's a bit warmer than it was overnight today. The lines are open for you right now to get involved in the conversation to have your say, to raise your issues, to get your message across. Caroline's taking your calls on 07491 25000, 07491 25000. And you can watch up and text us into the show as well. It's the same number for both 08 660 25000. You can watch the program on social media. Go on to our website, HighlandRadio.com. You'll see the link to watch live there. You can watch it on YouTube in your browser. Or go straight to YouTube and comment there. Just be involved, of course. Right. Let's start with a look at the newspaper. And by the way, of course, a big thanks to Donald who stood in for me while I was off for the last couple of days. Onto the newspapers now, the Donegal People's Press. Flying from Dublin, Donegal to Dublin can be cheaper than by going by car. That's the added appeal of a service being operated by Ireland's newest airline. This, of course, because of a subvention. Emerald Airlines began its services on the Donegal Airport in Dublin route last Saturday. And it's possible to make a return trip for less than 60 euro with fuel prices for motorists soaring. The price of a litre of unleaded petrol is now hovering around the 180 mark with diesel about six cents less. The cost of driving has accelerated according to the AA mileage calculator. A car trip from West Donegal to the capital now typically costs in excess of 30 euro each way. The Dairy Journal this morning appealed as Ineshawn homes are burgled. Ineshawn got a superintendent, has urged communities to look out for each other and also their neighbours after a spate of burglaries on Saturday. Superintendent Gretty Sheridan was speaking to the journal after the opportunistic burglaries in Donegal in one day, four of which were in Ineshawn. The instances which occurred at various times on Saturday afternoon occurred in Ellakbeg in Burnfoot Main Street in Newtown Cunningham. Monet's and Spinoog in Byrd and Conny Byrd in Lifford and I'm sure we're mentioning those appeals as part of the community guard information slot coming up just after 10 o'clock. OK, on to the nationals now and as you can imagine the situation in Ukraine, never did you imagine, did you, that you would see a European city effectively being shelled indiscriminately as it is and God help anyone in Kiev with the level of Russian artillery and equipment and soldiers that's marching or making its way in convoy to that city. Still around three million civilians hold up in Kiev. But the Irish Times this morning, Ukraine accuses Russia of killing civilians in missile strike and anyone who's seen the footage will see it was indiscriminate. Ukrainian officials accused Moscow's military of killing at least nine civilians and injuring dozens in a missile strike on the fifth day of a Russian invasion that has caused more than 500,000 people to flee to the European Union and drawn sweeping sanctions from the west. Fierce fighting continues despite talks between delegates in Kiev and Moscow and a call from French President Emmanuel Macron in Russia to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin who met officials in the Kremlin to discuss the impact of Western measures that severely weakened the trouble and threatened to plunge Russia into deep economic isolation and the problem is that of course you know it's a unified response worldwide but it's painting Vladimir into a very very difficult corner you know particularly with stuff like access to YouTube and Twitter being banned football. The team is being chucked out now of course on the face of what's happening that seems like nothing but he can't hide that from the Russian people either. He probably thought he would go in and have Ukraine in his back pocket by now that's not how it's happening and of course Russian soldiers are going home in body bags so what does he do next? How does he get it out from this? And that's the worrying thing because he does seem unhinged. It's been a huge response to what's happening in the Ukraine of course not least from Ireland as reported in the Irish Independent. Ukrainian aid appeals across Ireland have been flooded with donations from people horrified by the Russian attack on the East European country. Social media has helped supercharge the aid campaign as organisers said the response of ordinary families to the shocking events in Ukraine have been unbelievable. The move came as some localised consumer boycotts began of Russian made goods including luxury food and drink products. A number of Irish holiday makers have also cancelled high-end breaks to Russian cities including St. Petersburg and of course you know what's happening now is there is some food in the likes of Kiev and the other major cities but that is running out and in a few short days you're going to have millions of people unable to feed themselves and that's a whole other level of crises. We're going to be speaking to people from Ukraine living here and hopefully in Ukraine as well throughout the course this morning so stay tuned for that. The Irish Daily Mail Aiman Ryan has thrown his conversation. He believes the best way the very best way for the EU to take on Vladimir Putin is to stop buying fossil fuels from Russia. The environment minister said the money the EU sends or spends on Russian oil, gas and coal goes towards funding Vladimir Putin's army the Green Party leader made the comments yesterday ahead of a meeting with EU energy ministries in Brussels. I had a meeting last night with some of our European Green colleagues he said in advance of the meeting today we're working in closer collaboration to try and address the underlying security risk here and of course that is maybe part of it I don't know but it just seems that we might need something a little bit more than that as well. The Irish Daily Star today the two Johnny's they're two guys that have been very successful, they're very popular and this kind of often happens whereby you know you put a lot of content out there say for instance in podcasts or on your own platforms likes of RTE, like what you're doing and they pick you up and then you know your previous podcasts or what you've said in the past can come back to haunt you. Well the two Johnny's said they are still in the dark about their fate on RTE after they were accused of airing sexist and insulting content on their podcast. Johnny Snacks and Johnny B were blasted last week after the aired material including tires like women no good unless they are squealing. It came in their Spotify podcast and in video clips used on social media to promote their new 2 FM show that launched last Monday week but was this two lads just having the crack or are we in 2022 and people in positions of responsibility you know two fellows making jokes about women and them being easy etc or they're squealing you know is that unacceptable some people might think it's censorship or you know others would think it's you know you can't be at this crack nowadays but anyway it came in their Spotify podcast as I mentioned following a public backlash RTE pulled the 2 FM show Drive it with the two Johnny's off the air last Thursday amid a review the comedy duo from Tipperary apologised for any upset caused over their comments and yesterday told how they have had an effing poop week as you can imagine alright I'm sure they'll allow a little bit of time a few more apologies and then they will be back on air and finally in the mirror for this morning the Irish Cancer Society accused mortgage and insurance companies of punishing survivors by making it harder for them to get cover it claims a person's medical history is used against them as an obstacle to accessing services the charities now calling for legislation that gives cancer survivors a right to be forgotten five years after treatment and this is something I'm sure affects hundreds of hundreds of people listening to this show this morning the Irish Cancer Society reports almost 50% of people affected by the disease have claimed insurers were difficult to deal with while 25% could not even get a quote its director of advocacy Rachel Morrow said people affected by cancer feel they're being punished for their past diagnoses it's time that we brought in legislation on the right to be forgotten beyond cancer okay that was a quick run through of the papers we've got lots to get through of course this morning we'll take a short break and then we will be right back with our first guests on the show the newspapers are courtesy of Kelly Sentra mountain top letter Kenny passengers boarding for the holiday of a lifetime please go Highland Radio wants to send you on the holiday of a lifetime plus five grand spending money get your ticket now at highlandradio.com answer the question and start packing draw takes place April 14th on the nine-toned show get your ticket early and enter a bonus draw for an extra week's holiday in Turkey two for the price of one start planning your ultimate getaway only on Highland Radio study at the college of agriculture food and rural enterprise this September Kaferi is Northern Ireland's specialist agri food and land based college campuses at Greenmount, Antrim, Loughre, Cookstown and Ennis-Gillen discover courses in agriculture food, horticulture, equine, forestry veterinary nursing, land based engineering and business join our virtual open week each evening on Discover Kaferi Facebook from Monday 7th of March for event information visit cafre.ac.uk Around the Northwest with John Breslin will launch ReDL 2022 with an outside broadcast at LyIT on World Book Day which is this Thursday March 3rd ReDL is an annual one book one community program so to hear all about this year's chosen book and to find out how you can get involved tune in to John Breslin on Around the Northwest this Thursday from noon live from LyIT for the launch of ReDL 2022 OK, we're joined on the program now by Oksana who is from Ukraine living in Lettrakenni thank you for joining us this morning Oksana how are you keeping? I'm doing great I'm doing great I'm doing great I'm doing great I'm doing great I'm doing great I'm doing great I'm doing great thanks for joining us this morning Oksana how are you keeping? Good morning How to say how I feel right now It's tough We'll talk about that I also want to welcome onto the program Maxime who is in Ukraine your brother in the area of Kremlin Duke Maxime good morning to you Good morning How are you keeping Maxime Where are you bombing and the other Russian activity that unfortunately we're seeing unfold. Are you close by? I am fine. I live in central part of Ukraine, in Kremlin-Chuk city, Poltava region, in the central part of Ukraine. Yes, and how worried are you with what's happening to your country? It's awful to see, isn't it? Repeat your question. It's very difficult, I'm sure, for everyone in your country to see what's happening. Nowadays, our country is not very good because people are scared, create the territorial battle, most of them go to the army, all people help them. There are cook, eat, buy products, transport and medicine helps. Many people create a lot of cocktails and help our army. Did you think this would ever happen? Repeat? Did you think this invasion would ever happen? Unfortunately, I don't know what happened because the attack in Ukraine. Yes, I understand. Well, Maxime, you stay safe. I know you haven't spoken English for some time. We appreciate your time this morning and the assistance that you're getting with the translation. I'm joined also by, as I said, Maxime's sister Oxana. I think he did quite well given the circumstances that he hasn't spoken English for some time. Oxana, what's it like hearing your family's voice on the other end of the line, knowing what's happening over there? Well, from the call, that's what I do in any half of the day, just to make sure that everyone's safe. I have a cousin, Parka, right now she's in Kiev and she's just praying every day to survive because what they hear, what they see, terrifying. There's real bombs, real rockets, and it's not a joke. People dying, people injured. Now there is, right now, Kiev, they have problems with the food, with necessities, you know, with three million people. So that terrible that just happened in the 21st century and other big cities like Kharkiv and Herson, that's also big cities. Kharkiv is one million people population, so they don't have access to basics because people trapped. And unfortunately, Russian side doesn't allow evacuees civilians. And this is, I think, the main problem. They basically shoot in houses, apartment blocks, city center, all infrastructure. At the moment, half of the city doesn't have warm, any heating, any electricity. So that's terrible. That's a war crime. And when you see how difficult it is now, and as you mentioned, you know, food supplies are running out, but also the amount of Russian soldiers, tanks, another equipment of war, that it's bearing down on Kiev, as you say, three million people in that city. One can't help but feel that the worst is to come. Honestly, I believe in our army. I believe in people's solidarity. They support them. Every Ukrainian now, like one, people doing things, volunteers. I know friends who used to be not so far from Kiev, they wanted to leave, they wanted to roam, but now they stayed, and they were thinking, no matter what happened, we're going to stay and we're going to fight. So they do, this is the story, a real story. My friend is cooking food, and her husband has delivered the food to volunteers, to everybody who participates right now, because it's very tough times, and every little help matters. So if we have, like, a nation such a feeling, no matter how many soldiers come, no matter maybe how many cities we lose, and maybe we destroy half of Ukraine, but people will still stand by, and I believe that we will win, because that's our right as Ukrainians, as a nation, to live on our own land, to be supported, to have our own voice, and to not be dictated, our choice by bombs, rockets. What, I mean, did you, I asked a question to your brother, and I appreciate him trying to converse with us, but obviously he hasn't spoke English for quite some time, but he did very well nonetheless. When we were talking about, you know, Russia building up on the border, and what might Putin do, did you ever think, or did you fear he would actually go to the point of a full-scale invasion, that he would start shelling a European city? Did you think that was ever going to happen? No one, no one believed in it. Till the last moment, everyone was thinking we live in the 31st century, that's impossible. That's impossible that you just come and vent as that shouldn't, but he just did it. And it's like, the shock first today is probably gone, and now reality, and everyone in the world see that, that's happening. And I think it's a big sign for European community and other countries to see that Ukraine is just, is just one country who will be next. If that's possible in the 21st century, one country can destroy another just because. So what world will we live in tomorrow? And if he is successful in Ukraine, who is to say that, you know, Poland or Finland or Sweden may be next? We don't know what his plan is. He's completely unpredictable. Is he trying to, you know, reassemble the USSR? What's he, you know, what is his end game? We simply don't know that because it's not really even clear what his end game is in Ukraine. Yes, no one knows. But I think for the people who now certain on the basement praying for and to go by and trying to to live the life in such a hard time. They don't care about his plans. They don't care who will come. They want to pee. They want to leave kids pregnant woman who's sitting on a basement, how they feel. And I think that's important to Russian people know about that. Unfortunately, they have very little access to information about going on a part of Russian media. Have you spoken to any Russian people, Xana, to sort of, I don't know if you have a relationship with any Russian people, but just to I wonder what your average Russian person thinks is what's happening or what they want to happen? We have a friend, Russian speaking friends. They live in Dublin now. They used to live here. So they have relatives. Of course, they have to talk about the situation. And all the stops are ending by fight because they see only Russian media and their point of view. And they don't want to accept the fact that situation is not just quite different as opposite. There is a war. And that's terrified, because they don't see, they don't know, they have no access. And I think they don't want to know because that law lived in life. It's hard to believe from one hand them for that because it's not their fault. From another hand, if they don't wake up and they don't at least start asking questions, they will never support Ukraine and will to be independent. They have to stop this war. Unfortunately, Ukraine have no military power to do so. No. And ironically, ironically, that nuclear power was was given up under the promise that Russia would protect it from aggressors. And here we are now Russia is is the aggressor. What do you think is on of the international response? I think in terms of, you know, doing things that could literally pitch NATO versus Russia in what effectively would be a third world war. Has the international community gone as far as it can? Or do you think more could be done? That question because I I believe they put a huge effort and what they do every country now help them every with different levels, but they do it. Unfortunately, it's not enough. And everyone, everyone understand that, especially for people who now dying right now, while we're talking, and it's kids dying and women dying, you know, it's hard to believe. So no matter what they do, all of this will work. But later, are you getting any comfort from, you know, you'll see locally, and we're going to be speaking to Paul Kern and shortly locally people. You see posts on social media, how can I help the people of Ukraine? Where can I donate? You know, that's happening in this country. It's happening in others as a Ukrainian. There's so much negativity going on. Are you getting any comfort from, you know, regular people's solidarity and wish to help you and your what particularly your fellow country people in Ukraine? After this conversation, I'm heading to Paul Kernel, because they organize an event to support Ukraine and donate money. And that's all help will go to my country. And I appreciate that. Since the first day, I got calls, messages from people I even don't know. They're trying to help. They try to say good wars prayers. And I'm touched that people even don't know me thinking about Ukraine, thinking about Ukraine. And for me, it's very important. I mean, it's hard to imagine that you've got family and friends, people you went to school with in a war, as we speak, like they're armed and they're in a war, and also regular people who aren't necessarily, you know, of army members being given weapons. I mean, that's what's happening. Xana, isn't it? I mean, you've got I don't know if your brother has been given weapons or perhaps he possessed them by the by the state. But I mean, it's just unimaginable. That's what's happening. Guns are being handed out to civilians. People are making Molotov cocktails and throwing them at tanks as they drive past at speed. You know, that every a lot of people who aren't involved in the military at all are part of this, of course, this defense. No one imagined that. But we all know history. We all know second world war. Every person was trying to help. I think just to defend not even politician point of view, their life, their houses, their homes, their towns, cities, villages, everything, everyone's trying to protect what they love, the family. Now there is no differences between people. We all like one family. And I it's hard for me to see that I'm not there. Okay. Oxan, listen, thank you very much indeed. I'm very sorry what's happening to your country and to your family and your friends. And of course, you as well, albeit, you're living in letter Kenny now. But thank you very much for joining us this morning. Thank you. Okay, thank you very much indeed. Right. Okay. So I said people are doing everything they can. Of course, today is pancake juices. So, you know, you use it to try and to gather up support and and help Paul Kern and coordinator of the Donagall Intercultural Platform. He joins us on the program now. Paul, tell us what is happening today, how people can help. Good morning, Greg. Yeah, well, we had just so many phone calls and emails and people calling into our office, saying, What can I do? How can I make a difference? How can I? How can I help? And we thought the simplest thing to do would be to open the office. We're in fact going to have the office open for the whole month of March, if anybody wishes to make a donation. And what our advice has been is the most important thing really right now is money. Because we're going to channel some resources through UNICEF, through the Children's Fund, and through a charity based on the Polish border. And that organization, Polska Actia Humanitaria, they do humanitarian work. And right now, they're focusing on supporting the Ukrainian families as they get off buses, trains and walk over the border. Today, from 11 to 1, we're, as you said, we're celebrating Pancake Tuesday. So we thought, well, let's have some pancakes for peace. And if people call in and make a donation, they can get a cuppa. Oxana, who spoke so well there a few minutes ago, she's going to join us. And we're asking people to call in in solidarity and have a cuppa and put some money in the bucket. And that's the very simple thing that we can do today. And in the days that go forward, I think it's shocking to think that even if some solution was found tomorrow, the tragedy and the humanitarian crisis will run for weeks, if not months. So it's really important that people who can do something and are able to maybe make donations can do so. All right. So it is, when did you just remind people when it's open? Sorry. The office is on Oliver Plunkett Road, it's the same side in Letterkenny as the library. And it's from 11 to 1. And the office will be open for donations if people want to put their head around the door and drop some money in for the whole month. But between 11 to 1, we'll have Oxana there, we'll have the Kettle will be on and Pancake will be open. In terms of logistics of getting stuff out there, I mean, there are avenues already in place, aren't there, that can be, that this can just filter into? There are. I'm aware that colleagues of mine in Falkara at Public Healer, they're actually organising a donation venue in the charity shop in that town, and others across the country are doing similar work. I'm aware that a truck is leaving today from Dublin. There's a Ukraine Ireland export business based in Dublin, and they're organising a truck of mainly medical and sleeping bags and similar goods today. And we are liaising with that group because we suspect that there will be a greater need for sleeping bags and medical equipment. I mean, it's sort of tragic to see, we asked them what do they need and they said, firstly, it kits sleeping bags and tourniquets, so it tells you the awfulness of the humanitarian crisis. So yeah, we will be liaising and we'll be putting word out to, through social media and with colleagues in other community organisations, just so people know where they can help and how they can help. As opposed to Greg, one other thing I would say, if there are any other people from Ukraine living in Letterkeny or living in Donegal, to maybe make contact with the intercultural platform, we may be able to offer support. We might maybe just go and visit family, reach out and really offer what assistance we can that people shouldn't feel alone. Yeah, okay. Listen, thanks for that, Paul. I appreciate it this morning. Thank you, Greg. Okay, take care of yourself. 08 660 25000, that's the WhatsApp and text number 0749 125000. Thanks again to Oksana and her brother Maxime, who's in Ukraine. He's in the Kremlin Duke area, very close to where the bombing is happening. We got some information from him, but as I mentioned, and we went into it with our eyes open, obviously, in terms of his English, he hasn't employed it for quite some time, but still did very well nonetheless. Okay, back with more after these. Brian McCormick, Sports and Leisure Main Street Letterkenny, New O'Neill's Donegal range in store and online. Home Jersey, available in many options for men, women and juniors. New Donegal goalkeeper Jersey out now. Donegal O'Neill's Harlem range with new jackets, hats and snoods to help you show your colors. Look the part, play the part. In store or online, click and collect on BMC Sports.ie. Hi, Dad. Just popping on to say hi, love. How did you manage to video call? I'm a bit of a computer whiz these days. I can see that. And it's not just video calls with high digital free online course. Paddy also learned to do the grocery shopping and you can too. So how are you, Dad? Hang on, I have a very funny gift to send you or is it GIF? Learn essential online skills today at highdigital.ie brought to you by Vodafone Ireland Foundation, Active Retirement Ireland and alone. Vodafone, together we can. It's exciting times at Hillside D-Max in Letterkenny because they've moved, but not too far. Their new kitchen design studio is now open at Corralese on the other side of the mountain top roundabout. This new studio showcases the latest kitchen wardrobe and slide robe designs with D-Max's renowned attention to detail and exceptional quality. Hillside D-Max in the heart of your home since 1994. Now at Corralese Mountain Top Letterkenny. And you are very welcome back to the 9 till noon show here on Highland Radio. I'm very pleased to welcome into studio now the Canadian Ambassador, Ambassador Nancy Smith. You're very welcome to the show. Thank you so much for joining us. Thanks very much, Greg. It's great to be here. Right, you arrived here yesterday and your last day I understand is today. What is the purpose of your visit? Thanks very much and thanks for welcoming here. Just before we turn to that, I just want to say I heard the listeners, the folks phoning in from the radio and just absolute solidarity with Ukraine and it's wonderful to hear the outpouring and the support. It's an awful situation, an awful global situation. It is not isolated to Ukraine but we shouldn't perhaps be naive to think it is. This is a very serious situation for potentially for the world. I know absolutely. I mean Canada, we've joined Ireland and European Union and other nations and strongly condemning the aggressive actions. It's as you say it's a great threat to not only the Ukrainians but to overall rule of law, to human rights, to democracy and there's a huge amount that is at stake and just as your listeners and those calling in have said just the scale of the humanitarian crisis is also just extremely frightening. So it's wonderful to be here in Donegal and I think all of us, no matter where we are, our hearts and our thoughts and our prayers are in Ukraine. And this is what you're here for, improving relations although they're excellent already of course between Canada and Ireland but commercial ties working together, that's how you help people isn't it? And it's almost a direct opposite of what we're seeing. So tell us about what you've been doing so far. I'd be happy to. I'll just say it's been a bit of a mix of personal and work so it has to be and you can't come to Donegal and it's my second time here so you can't do one without the other. So I've just been the last couple of days, a couple of things on the go one is I was invited to come as an observer to the International Fund for Ireland. So that's an organization that's been going for a very long time since 1986 in fact. Canada, as you may know, had played a role in supporting the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement through General Jasas Delayne amongst others and has been ongoing supporter of the International Fund for Ireland and so they're at a really important juncture right now as they are entering into a new strategy and they've invited some of the international partners who sit as observers on the board to hear about the deliberations and to hear some of the work that's underway in terms of programming including in areas like support for youth programs and some of the cross board of work that they're envisioning. So that's a part of it. But while I'm also here, it's been great to sit down and meet with some of the local leadership. So I had a chance to meet with the mayor yesterday with Jack Murray, but also to meet with some representatives from the Chamber of Commerce in Lettercanny who are doing great work as well as with the Denegal County Council with the Lettercanny Institute Technology and then also an interesting organization with Canadian ties including to Newfoundland called the Laurentic Forum which is looking at ways in which countries that share the coast can talk about sustainable approaches to coastal communities. So as you said, there is a lot that we have in common. We have a friendship. We have an economic relationship. We have a political relationship. So it's been great to come and do this outreach here. Yeah. Your visit here comes just a couple of weeks ahead of the local minister here. Well, he's local to here. He's a national minister, of course. Charlie McConnelog who's traveling to Canada. Obviously, I think most of us know people that are over in Canada. They're working over in Canada. I'm not sure how many Canadians actually live here. Is it a bit one-way traffic? Do we benefit a little bit better from our relationship with Canada? Are you here to sort of say, let's have a little bit more in the other direction to both of our benefits? That's great. One of the things I'll say is that Ireland does a fantastic job in terms of its tourism. And I certainly was contacted very early on when I arrived here and came to understand that Canada represents the ninth largest market for tourists. You're in the top 10. Yeah, we're in the top 10 to come to Ireland. And indeed, we'd love to see more Irish going to visit Canada. I think there has been a significant amount of interest in so that traffic has gone two ways. In terms of economic cooperation, in fact, Ireland's also done very well in terms of the trade agreement that we currently have provisionally applied. And of course, I mean, what we're really looking forward to is getting some of those direct flights with air carriers such as Air Canada and WestJet, but of course, also Air Ling is starting to get some of those direct flights coming to support that. Because that's almost like a light switch. You know, if the flights are made available, if they're direct, so it feels convenient, people will flop through them and then they'll come back with their stories of how amazing Canada is and so on and so forth. That's right. Yeah, and there is that two-way flow. And one of the things that I was really interested to hear about in my discussions is something called the Donegal diaspora. So I mean, there is, of course, a particularly close relationship between this part of Ireland and Canada where a number of Irish went to Canada. You asked how many Canadians are here. I don't know how many are here in Donegal, but I think we would understand that there is, there's over 5,000 Canadians spread across Ireland and a number of those would be also students, including studying at a number of the schools doing medical studies and other studies. So those people-to-people ties are really what the kind of the glue that binds us and is really the foundation for everything else. If people were looking to visit Canada and you know you can't say all of it, where would you suggest? Where would you, if someone says, where should I go? Where do you tell them to go? Well, I mean, I think... Now we're going to check your ambassador's case. I'm going to go, I'm going to say, you know, we go from coast to coast to coast, so it depends what you're looking for. You're going to see, you know, wonderful activities that are coastal and that will seem very familiar on the east coast of Canada. Toronto is a very popular destination. Ontario, there's a lot of routes and a lot of connections that are there. The prairies, we're talking about Ukraine, where a lot of Ukrainians, we have over a million Canadian Ukrainians actually in a number of them out in our beautiful prairies. We've got the north, which we shouldn't forget about and those Arctic connections. But, you know, certainly, I know that the west part of Canada has become increasingly popular for the Irish and if you want to put on some skis and enjoy our beautiful mountains, that would certainly be high on the list. And Vancouver, you know, has opened up a consulate recently, so the Irish are served out of Ottawa. There will be a Toronto office opening, but there's also an office opening in Vancouver because so many of the Irish have gone there to travel or to live and to work in companies there. It's been a tough time in Canada as it has for many countries, you know. The pandemic's been very divisive and I've seen a lot of people with certain views on the pandemic have seemed to also have certain views on what's happening in Ukraine as well. Are things beginning to calm down in Canada a little bit in that regard, or is there a lot of work to be done in terms of the division in society? Yeah, I think I would say where we Canadians have been very united, in fact, in terms of the COVID and the response to the COVID. So we would be very much like Ireland if you were to look at our numbers in terms of take up of vaccination rates all the way through to the third booster. I think we all want to live in robust democracies and we would want to see discussions around important issues, but certainly around issues that you've mentioned such as COVID or responses to Ukraine. We've just had a, you know, all party, a full parliamentary response to that in addition to the leadership of the Prime Minister. So I think on some of those issues that some countries might have struggled with in terms of getting, you know, more uptake. There's a high degree of confidence in the public health system and so that response has been very positive. Okay. One of the biggest connections finally, not one of the biggest, it's one of the biggest, is Gallagher's Bread. And Canada. Tell me about it. We export a lot of bread from here, there. Is that what you ate over there? You'll have to, now there you've left me with a good research project. Okay, right, sorry. It's just that it's the little connection. It's those little connections. Gallagher's Bread, it's manufactured here in the heart of Donegal and apparently an awful lot of it heads out to Canada. Oh, that's fantastic. You know, there's going to be a lot of Irish. So we have something like 14% of Canadians who claim Irish heritage. I can't leave without saying that March 1st is the start of Heritage Month in Canada, first time ever. And so that's being launched and really celebrating the contributions that Irish have made to Canada. I heard you saying earlier that it's also a pancake Tuesday. So I brought something for you here. Is that a pancake? Which is, you can tell by the shape it looks very pancake, like he's teasing, he's teasing. But it's, you know, this is some of the good stuff that you can use not only on pancakes, but also certainly on salmon or vegetables, lots of different recipes that can be used. Thank you. I appreciate it. Nancy, listen, I appreciate your time as well, because we're a big county and you've got lots of different places to be. And we really appreciate your time. We really appreciate your time this morning. It's been lovely having you in and hopefully we'll see you again in the not too distant future. Thank you. Next time when I come back, I'll talk to you about my Donegal-born grandmother. Do you have a minute or do you have to go? This is, no, I think it's great because I have been asked a lot about this since I was here. So I will just say very quickly that I did have a chance over the course of the weekend to visit a beautiful Ballantra where my grandma, there was born. This is right next to where I'm actually. I'm from that area as well. Is that right? Is that right? So we're piecing together the story, but she left at the age of 16. She was the first of her siblings. Oh, an emotional journey for me. Yeah, so Donegal has a very special place in my heart. And I think one of your speakers was talking just as I was coming in about family. And so those those family, family ties are very personal for me as well. And I, for that reason, I'll definitely be back to Donegal many times. Yeah, indeed. All right. Listen, thank you very much indeed. That's the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Nancy Smith. This is a notice for all tractor and agri-plant owners. Minimize your downtime when you need tyres and call Donegal Tires Donegal Tire. We can go to you and fit your tyres on site or repair your existing tyres if you have a puncture. Don't waste time and leave the hassle to us. So call Donegal Tires now on 074 9721 482 to organize your call out. As you start rediscovering Northern Ireland again, we want you to explore with confidence. That's why we've introduced the we're good to go industry standard for tourism and hospitality businesses. So you know, they've agreed to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines like social distancing, following the recommended cleaning processes and undergoing spot checks. So you can enjoy your break to the full. Look out for the safety symbol for businesses that are good to go Northern Ireland. We're good to go brought to you by tourism Northern Ireland in partnership with UK national tourism bodies. Save hundreds of euros on custom charges shopping online with space hub dairy. We provide a full virtual office address mailbox service for all your business and personal use. Save your business hundreds possibly thousands on custom charges with space hub dairy. Call 048 7187 8077 for more details. Okay, you're welcome back. I call us this Greg. I don't know if you heard the two Johnny's podcast that caused all the controversy. I listened to a bit of it yesterday to see what all the fuss was about. What got them in bother was the stuff about the dodgy car stickers. They were really just reading out what was sent into them. And they were saying it was dodgy. I thought some of the stuff they were on about before that was worse, but no one picked up on that at all. It didn't bother me. I wasn't shocked offended, stunned at raged or any other words that the internet loves to use on these occasions. All I was thinking to myself is this even funny. The conclusion I came to is maybe it is funny if you're somewhere in the mid teens to mid 20s age group, which seems to be the 2fm demographic these days. In fact, probably a bit younger. I think really it's probably more of a conversation of men's attitude towards women, particularly in the age groups that you talk of that, you know, if you think it's funny to talk about women squealing like car tires, well, you might think it funny to say that to the face or you might think it may be funny to grab their bum or shout out a window. I don't know. I presume that's where that conversation is going. I think. Hi, Greg. Would you know when the extra fuel allowance money is being paid out? We can try and find that out for you. Hi, Greg. I think it's a joke. My young daughter came home from school yesterday freezing windows all opened at the school and myself and my wife were out at the weekend and every bar packed only in Ireland, Greg. I don't know why the windows are open. They're not supposed to be or they don't have to be sorry. In terms of, you know, they're not wearing masks. They don't have to wear masks. So why have they got the windows open as well? Because one sort of somewhat goes hand in hand with the other. I would follow the principle and say, could you explain to me what the situation is and when might that change? Right. Carol Daherty joins us on the program now. Hi, Carol. Hi, Greg. How are you? I'm okay. You have family from Lithuania in Donegal and in solidarity. Is it Ukraine or Lithuania? Sorry, you have. They're Lithuanian. Okay. And in solidarity with the Ukrainian neighbors, there's a vigil taking place this week. Tell us about it. Yes, it's going to be on Thursday night at the market square at Ada Clark, Greg and Bunkrana. And we're getting together. We have the two leading churches are going to be represented and our first citizen, Nicholas Cross, will be there as well. And there'll be prayers and just a few reflections on peace. And the schools are getting involved. They're organizing Ukrainian flags and things like that this week. It should be lovely. And a lot of people to show up and just show because this is the first of his kind and certainly in Donegal. And it will be just nice because the media will be there. And it will be lovely to show the people that we do care, that we are standing with them. And we're also going to have a book of support. And everybody will ask to sign the book. And Nicholas Cross is going to find a way to get it to the Ukrainian ambassador. And it's interesting in that obviously Putin, one of Putin's remarks about why he's doing what he's doing was to get rid of Nazism in Ukraine. Ironically, the president of Ukraine is Jewish. I'm not sure if his religion will be represented at your vigil, but it's also incredibly multi-denominational. There are people of all religious backgrounds in Ukraine. So you're encouraging people to come out on Thursday evening at 8 p.m. at the Market Square in Bonkrana. And it's to show solidarity, to sign that book of solidarity. And you're hoping for a large turnout? Yes, I am. People have got involved in something more than generous with time and with an effort to try and make this, you know, a success. So I just feel that people don't know what to do to express themselves because everybody feels helpless, right? They can't do anything, you know, to stop this madness from happening. And, you know, this is one way we can stand up and say, we do not support this. Yeah, and it's confusing too, because, you know, there are wars raging in other parts of the world as well. There are awful occupation forces in there. I'm not awful. There are occupation forces in other countries in awful situations. There's shelling of other cities around the world. There is 12, 13 year old girls being dragged through the streets and being beaten by soldiers. And people didn't, a lot of people didn't take much notice of that and then maybe feel a little bit guilty because they are so consumed by what's happening in Ukraine. Is it because it's more relatable because it doesn't make it right or wrong because it's hard to figure out, but is it because it is a European, we're seeing European cities being shelled? Is that why it feels more closer to home or relatable for people? I feel that that's the case because it is a Europe we're talking about. And who's to say, you're not scaremongering, but who's to say we're not next? You just don't know where this is going to end, what his plans are, or what he wants, you know? So I just feel that people should stand up in the country, Greg. Okay, Carol, thanks for joining us. I appreciate it. Take care. I'll remind people that that vigil is on Thursday evening at 8pm. It's at the Market Square in Bonkranai. Bonkranai, I beg your pardon. And you're being invited to show solidarity to the Ukrainian people. 086625,000. That is the text line or the WhatsApp number. Need a new part for your Ford car or van? Why not call to OMS Auto Parts in Bonkranai? With a massive stock of Ford parts, you're sure to get the part you need. Free next day delivery on orders over 50 euro. Call 074-9361924 or shop online at omsautoparts.ie. New this week in homestore and more. All bath mats are half price. But better hurry, because when all our half price bath mats are gone, they're gone. Also, all our plant pots and garden planters and all our frying pans are still half price. But when all our half price plant pots and garden planters and all our half price frying pans are gone, they're definitely gone. Order online before 2pm for next day delivery. Or drop by your local homestore and more. Homestore and more. A happy home. Pollution is threatening water quality in Donegal's rivers, caused mainly by agriculture, forestry, urban wastewater and septic tanks. Urgent action is needed. A public consultation meeting for Donegal will take place on the 28th of February and the 2nd of March. Register today for your local online meeting at lawaters.ie. That's lawaters.ie. Mike Denver in concert with guests Ray Linham and Brandon Shine at the Enishong Gateway Hotel Boncranna on Sunday March 13. Tickets at hotelreceptionandticketmaster.ie. That's Mike Denver with guests Brandon Shine and Ray Linham at the Enishong Gateway Hotel Boncranna Sunday March 13. Okay the chairperson of the HSE West Regional Health Forum is Councillor Jerry Monagall and he joins us now. Good morning Councillor, thanks for taking the call. Right now I suppose it's worrying if positions aren't advertised or aren't funded. It's extra worrying maybe if they are and no one looks for the jobs and that's exactly what's happened with well-rewarded consultant jobs. What's going on here? What have we been able to find out? Well I mean it is a problem and it has been a problem for quite a while and in recruiting consultants it seems to the the Northwest. When we look at the various questions that we've been putting into the Regional Health Forum over this last number of years, the vacancies at both Letter, Kenny and Sligo University Hospitals there seems to be a problem and we have asked the HSE and SELTA and I know Letter, Kenny University Hospital in recent years have went to extreme lengths to bring out brochures and portray in the area and a positive light and positivity of working at Letter, Kenny University Hospital but to date we're still having serious difficulties in recruiting the consultants that we need. I wonder you know we can send them all the documentation that they like but if anyone was looking to go and live in an area or work in a particular facility probably the first thing they would do is google it and I just wonder if they look at what's going on there hear comments from you know whether it be consultants that were already there or have since left or whatever it might be they see the overcrowding and everything else that's going on are they saying to themselves you know I don't want to be a part of that I don't want I don't fancy that is my work. Yeah and we have to accept that Letter, Kenny as we know has been in the headlines over the over the last number of years for the wrong reasons at times especially with the overcrowding the long waits at emergency department the lack of beds. Consultants unable to do their work because of all the failings in the hospital so consultants doing and you remember the famous quotes sitting twiddling their thumbs. Yeah and the operating theatres not been there but also the specialist services and there's I mean that also adds to the problem we would have here in the northwest we have no settlers of excellence as such above the Galway Dublin line we've been hammering on about that there for a long number of years I believe that if we did have those excellence situated in the northwest whether it be Slago or Letter Kenny that that would help appeal and bring consultants up there because let's face it when people are training in any job they like to go where the specialist services somewhere where they can progress. Would it be worth actually you know engaging an agency and I would cost to actually ask people why they wouldn't come here you know I mean I don't know if you know what you're saying as a factory if you're supposing and I would suggest you're right but do we need to sort of you know try and ask some friendly consultants why would you not consider you know so that we can really have a targeted response to addressing what concerns they might have. Yeah well you know we can play consultants probably to tell us what we already know Greg but the thing about having consultants is that it's recognized and the report is recognized but we do know what the problems are and the problem we have is that the progression for their careers they don't see it to be in the northwest the under investment their hospitals over years assigned to that and then we have the training schools for doctors and consultants are based mainly in the Dublin area and you know yourself if you're training in a particular area then you have multiple hospitals with high specialist medicines being practiced all within walking distance and what we have here and well it's just fledgling now but I think what would help it is the McGee school in Derry that would maybe if it gets supported and gets off the ground and gets the investment it needs that we could be training doctors and specialist nurses and consultants in the northwest which then would probably lead to them staying in the northwest and they could service the the health needs and not only Albie Galvin but also letter Kenny Schlegel and indeed Aaron and then a Skelton. I mean the only thing is I'll say just the only thing I'll say just before the news is going to be a minute late private hospitals don't seem to have any problems attracting consultants even regardless of the way there are you know they'll say in adverts we've got hundreds of consultants ready to go to deal with your problems immediately you know it doesn't seem to be the lack of some of the stuff you're referencing there isn't a problem for private private practices seemingly. No it isn't because I mean the quality of life and the pay obviously is a lot better and the doctors and consultants have access to specialist equipment and specialist medicines and that's not the same within the public sector and as I say we in the northwest are suffering doubly due to the fact that there is no specialist services here in the northwest and secondly because most of the training skills for doctors and consultants is centered in the Dublin area whereas if we had the likes of McGee and we did develop that properly I even think we have a better access a more regular access to the consultants and specialist doctors that we need. Councillor Jerry Monagol I really appreciate your time this morning thank you very much indeed he is of course chairperson of the HSE western regional health forum we're heading to news now apologies it's a minute late we'll be back after the news and notice the community got information slot coming up for you live on air online and on the Highland radio app this is Highland Radio News good morning I'm Akhila Clark with the news at 10 o'clock there's a growing sense of unease in the Ukrainian capital after new satellite pictures have revealed the scale of Russian military forces heading for Kiev a convoy of trucks tanks and other vehicles is 40 miles long British intelligence suggests the Russian advance on Kiev has made little progress in the last 24 hours despite increasing artillery strikes however Kim saying Gopta from the London Independent who is in Kiev says initial optimism that Ukrainian forces were holding the capital city is now fading the mood again is one of firm deep apprehension I mean there was a certain amount of optimism that after what six days of attacks Kiev is still standing but but of course you know this is just the very first phase of the of the war the second phase far deadlier one is about to begin the Deningal intercultural platform meanwhile is coordinating a number of events to support Ukraine and is also gathering first aid and other essential materials to be shipped over there by a Dublin based company on today's 9 to noon show Paul Kernan of the intercultural platform urged any Ukrainian people in Deningal to make contact with them he said the materials being sought show the seriousness of the situation across Ukraine there's a Ukraine Ireland export business based in Dublin and they're organizing a truck of mainly medical and sleeping bags and similar goods today and we are liaising with that group because we suspect that there will be a greater need for sleeping bags and medical equipment I mean it's sort of tragic to see we asked them what do they need and they said firstly it kits sleeping bags and turn a case so it's sort of tell you the the the awfulness of the humanitarian crisis well a number of events are being held across Deningal this week in solidarity with the people of Ukraine videos will be held in latter Kenny over the coming days while the Ukraine solidarity mural is set to be unveiled to more evening on the Port Road in latter Kenny the Canadian ambassador to Ireland is in Deningal Nancy Smith has met with the Kiheerlock of Deningal County Council Councillor Jack Murray and representatives of latter Kenny Chamber of Commerce and letter Kenny Institute of Technology during her visit she's praised Ireland for its efforts in terms of tourism speaking on the 9 to noon show a short time ago miss Smith says she hopes to increase the existing links between Canada and Deningal what we're really looking forward to is getting some of those direct flights with air carriers such as Air Canada and WestJet but of course also airline is starting to get some of those direct flights coming one of the things that I was really interested to hear about in my discussions is something called the Deningal diaspora so I mean there is of course a particularly close relationship between this part of Ireland and Canada where where a number of of of Irish went to Canada Irish water is under pressure to fast-track upgrade plans for inch in southeastern shown since the weekend there have been two more outages in the area leaving hundreds of homes with outwater for a time Irish water gave a previous commitment that it would carry out the necessary works in the first quarter of this year Deningal County Council Kiheerlock Jack Murray says Irish water must make good on that promise well it could be described as an inconvenience at times it can be much much worse for people people with with children elderly people who are sick you just can't go with the water it's an essential service so I would call Irish water again when the funding is secured to please carry out these works ASAP and please prioritize it above anywhere else because I don't know of anywhere else included on a call that goes so frequently without water members of Derry City and Sturban District Council have posthumously granted the freedom of the city and district to NHS nurse and Sturban man Pat McManus who died of COVID-19 in 2020 the proposal to confer the freedom of the Derry City and Sturban District was prompted by a notice of motion brought before the council in June 2020 with plans being delayed due to COVID restrictions Catherine Gaffney has more the honour was granted following two special hybrid meetings held yesterday to admit Mr McManus as a free man of the city and district Mayor of Derry City and Sturban Alderman Graham Warke paid tribute to Pat McManus's selfless dedication to the well-being of others and said he hoped the freedom of the city and district honour would give some comfort to his family and friends there was widespread sadness across the area when news of Mr McManus's death broken his hometown of Sturban in 2020 the 60 year old had continued and his role as a frontline care worker in England despite suffering from multiple cirrhosis making him vulnerable to the virus although he had been offered a managerial role to limit his contact with patients he opted to continue in the caring role which had been his lifelong vocation representatives from Pat McManus's family were also in attendance weather like hold on frosty this morning but any frost and ice will clear to leave a dry and bright day with long spells of sunshine highest temperatures of eight or nine degrees that's all from Highland radio news for now we'll be back with an update again at 11 o'clock until then good morning the opportunity for this Tuesday morning the first of March the death has taken place of Philip Hurl St. Bodin's Kuldaf his remains are opposing at Collins funeral premises Kuldaf with viewing today from five to nine p.m. funeral from there tomorrow at half past 11 for 12 noon Requiem mass in St. Mary's Church Bokken Kuldaf followed by burial in the adjoining graveyard Phillips funeral mass can be viewed live at Kuldaf parish.com the death house taken place of David Mullins lighthouse road aronmore island house strictly private to family and close family friends please funeral mass on thursday in St. Crohn's church aronmore island at 12 noon with interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery the sudden death house taken place of Kevin Harper one column killed close Kerry Keele formerly of St. Mary's terrace remelton his remains will repose at his home in Kerry Keele from 12 noon today funeral mass on thursday at 12 noon in St. Columbus church mass mount with burial afterwards in St. Mary's cemetery remelton house private please on the morning of the funeral the death house taken place of mary McGee mary bella maharad kloher guidor her remains are opposing at her residence with rosary at 8 p.m. funeral mass in St. Mary's church Derry bag tomorrow afternoon at one followed by burial in maharad garland cemetery wake private to family close friends and neighbors please and strictly private from after the rosary tonight funeral mass can be viewed live on the Gillespie funeral director's facebook page and the chock publwarder webcam family flowers only please donations in louis if desired to auras quidor the death house taken place of molly macklehenny nae daherty 334 connie brood lyford formerly of glenn mcquinn letter kenny her remains will repose at her home from 12 noon to 10 p.m. today funeral from there tomorrow morning at 20 past 11 for requiem mass in st patrick's church merlock livered at 12 noon in term and afterwards in the adjoining cemetery the house's private please to family and close friends requiem mass can be viewed live via the parish webcam the death house taken place of donal galler her middletown Derry bag his remains will repose at roti's funeral home Derry bag from 4 to 6 30 p.m. today removal to st. mary's chapel Derry bag for seven o'clock this evening reposing overnight funeral mass in st. mary's chapel Derry bag tomorrow morning at 11 with burial afterwards in maharigalan cemetery the funeral mass can be viewed live on kiran roti funeral director's facebook page and on the chock publwarder webcam the death house taken place of william j mclockland casual glenn toher carndonna his remains are reposing at his home funeral from there tomorrow morning at quarter past 10 to the church of the sacred heart carndonna for requiem mass at 11 o'clock followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery the death has occurred of margaret harkin nay kameron gorth mccall millford removal from her home this morning at half past 10 to st peter's church for requiem mass at 11 o'clock with interment afterwards in millford cemetery requiem mass can be viewed at church services dot tv the death house taken place of billy brown kula tea lifford and formerly of carrick moore st johnson funeral leaving his home this morning at 25 past 11 for requiem mass in st patrick's church merlock at 12 noon donations in louis flores pleased to the oncology department letter kenny university hospital care of quickly funeral directors requiem mass can be viewed live via the parish webcam and the death house taken place of bernice mccallion nay doherty oct chore moth removal from her home this morning at quarter past 10 to st patrick's church ishkiheen for 11 o'clock requiem mass followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery requiem mass can be viewed on mcn media for more details including any family health guidelines for wakes and funerals please go to highland radio dot com it's not just a sewing machine for maya it's a chance to give her family a better life it's not just a way to make a living it's a chance to give her daughter an education like thousands of mothers maya lives in fear of what the future holds for her little girl and it's not just this lent your love can make all the difference visit trokrat or org or core 1800 408 408 trokrat until love conquers fear with all the stories that matter across the northwest it's greg hughes on the 90 noon show on highland radio and you're very welcome back to the program i do hope you're well and we're into the second hour very shortly we are going to be uh having our community got information slots so stay tuned for that um my husband and i did a three week trip through the canadian rocky six years ago this summer it really is beautiful i describe it like here in donagol only on a much much larger scale truly beautiful they say hi greg given the death and destruction happening in ukraine it's all for how come the same criticism and sanctions of russia were not applied to the u.s and the uk for their commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity in libya and iraq where hundreds of thousands of people were massacred what's source for the goose should be sourced for the gander our hypocrisy never ceases to amaze understand exactly where you're coming from i kind of did uh reference that as well of course um i just want to let you know by the way that there is a coffee morning in aid of ukraine it's on in the milford district resource centre on monday next from 10 p.m to 1 p.m all proceeds in aid of the red cross in ukraine hi greg i think it's terrible what's happening in kiv but at the same time it's very telling about us as a society that we get so whipped up mainly by the media and at the same time the poor people in palestine are being abused and murdered for generations and it's greeted with silence we really are sheep that are easily manipulated and so it goes on well firstly there's a couple of things going on here because there is an interesting conversation to be had uh i 99 percent of the information i'm receiving is from various sources on telegram channels people on the ground people posting videos uh and on twitter i've consumed very little of the rolling news channels um i just that's just the way it is so i i'm not sure mainstream media has the influence that people believes it once has now i'm going to contradict myself a little bit here too though that's for me that being said viewership for the likes of sky news bbc news they're very low the rolling news channels that the viewership is generally very low that's the facts but it's four to five times greater at the moment now um in this crisis so in other words people want to know what's going on and they choose for right or wrong people out there will agree or disagree they choose to go to uh bbc news or to uh sky news and i'm sure in terms of scheduled news here that rte six and nine o'clock news are enjoying uh greater viewership because people want to tune in and they trust that now you might not agree with them trusting that but that's what they do personally speaking myself i would gather my news more so from as i say some some telegram channels and twitter where you know it's not verified what can be but you gather in as much as you can and and then make up your own mind all i know is what's happening over there is absolutely brutal a petrol station put up their prices yesterday inside a few hours what justifies that is there a shortage of petrol in arland there's no shortage but listen you're going to be paying over two litre uh you're going to be paying over two litre a uh two litre uh for petrol very soon that's that's just the reality it's partly because what's happening in east europe obviously most of it goes to to the government in tax and of course the price of the reserve that's there the petrol that's there increases because down the line there could be shortages okay so that's why you'd have a more immediate effect on petrol presumably and also we have to remember that the petrol companies they don't lose any money they they maintain their profits of course and just pass it all on to us and you know if you still have to complete a passenger locator form on arrival to double an airport as i cannot see it mentioned anywhere in the new rules it's not in the new rules because it's an old rule that still applies so according to the official department of transport website you do still have to fill out a passenger locator for location form on arrival into arland okay it is the nine till noon show we will be joined in studio by uh and we'll be kicking off our community guard information slots with guests in studio after this break if you've got magic moments or great memories captured on your smartphone now is a great time to have them printed at magies.ie simply upload your favorite photos choose your size and finish and the geese will take care of the rest with the results delivered to your door prices are from just 12 cent and there's also creative options available preserve your memories today at magies.ie carsireland.ie presents when car buying becomes catfishing oh what's that smell i raise pigeons i bring them in the back the odd time they have a very particular scent it's horrible you'll get used to it cars Ireland isn't just fast and easy we only work with trusted dealerships so you can find the right car without the unwanted surprises carsireland.ie click click from from around the northwest with john Breslin will launch read dl 2022 with an outside broadcast at lyit on word book day which is this thursday march the third read dl is an annual one book one community program so to hear all about this year's chosen book and to find out how you can get involved tune in to john Breslin on around the northwest this thursday from noon live from lyit for the launch of read dl 2022. Mike Denver in concert with guests rey linem and brendan shine at the any show gateway hotel boncran on sunday march 13 tickets at hotel reception and ticket master.ie that's mike denver with guests brendan shine and rey linem at the any show gateway hotel boncran sunday march 13th it's time for ncbi bingo on highland radio it's tuesday the first of march you're playing on the brown sheet the reference number is s2 it's game number nine the numbers are 74 64 11 80 48 41 49 38 83 and finally 88 phone your claim to nine one zero four eight double three before eight 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 highland radio.com with all the stories that matter across the northwest it's greg hughes on the 90 noon show on highland radio the community garden information is brought to you in association with northwest alarm systems incorporating third eye fire and safety is now your one-stop shop for security fire alarm systems and fire training visit our website for more or call 07497 21687 okay you're very welcome back to the nine till noon show and we welcome into studio guard at nal maguire with the falcara guard of station good morning now thanks very much for joining us good morning greg good to have you with us and we'll also be speaking shortly to uh matthews friends a very good morning to you matthews thanks very much for joining us thank you very much greg nice to be here you're a relatively new member of ungodly chicana i am indeed yes how long has it since you graduated is that the right phrase it is uh yes i i got it tested on the 14th of january and i started work on the 25th and how's it going so far i'm loving it excellent okay well we'll be speaking to you as i say uh much more and on but first to garden on maguire and we'll start with a series of burglary so i'm not surprised to see the focus in this area at nile tell us how what's been happening and how people can protect themselves and help i suppose yeah quite worryingly greg we've had a lot of burglars this last couple of weeks um so i just want to make a few appeals here and be uh and raise awareness as well for maybe the general population and then they go in relation to what's going on so the first one i have is a burglary that occurred in lyford on the connoy borough road on friday the 25th of february between 4 40 p.m and 7 30 p.m the back door to the property was forced open and the house was ransacked um features quite a lot in these burglars greg and that a lot of the doors and windows have been forced as opposed to maybe chance burglars where the doors been unlocked or keys have been left out or something like that so people may ask what we can do about this but i have a few pointers afterwards so in this relation in relation to this one in connoy borough road a sum of cash was stolen during the course of the burglary and also a number of items of jewellery uh namely a gold locket containing a photo a gold signet ring with a stone a pear ring a gold bracelet with an engraving of peter a wedding ring an eternity ring and two gold charm bracelets one of which had two charms attached a red vey's charm and a horseshoe charm so anybody that may have seen anything suspicious on the connoy borough road on the friday the 25th of february between 4 40 p.m and 7 30 p.m please contact the guards in the rokenny 0 7 4 9 1 6 7 100 or indeed the guard at confidential line 1 800 travel 6 travel 1 any dash cam in the lyford area please on the friday evening the 25th in the lyford area please maybe make it available here local guardian lyford or letter kenny or if you come across any jewellery for sale in suspicious circumstances again would like to hear from you sounds like those homeowners had a list of what they possessed of course yeah that's a very very detailed description they're able to give you guys yeah yeah and and i spoke to groin this morning she's endeavoring to get the photographs from the investigating gara to put on the gara facebook page because there's quite a distinctive a couple of bits of a jewellery there greg and you know it's an easy target i suppose because some ladies supposed to keep all their jewellery in the one spot and if that's what's discovered it's all gone you know all right so obviously anyone who witnessed this crime or the events leading up to it or after it but of course you know they'll want to get rid of this stuff quickly listen maybe there's places they can just palm it off and it's melted down and it could be hard to track but maybe not so keep your eyes and your ears open right now drumanor in bunkrana is that what we're going next yeah yeah most of the bogies if not all of them i think are quite close to the border greg so i don't know if there's a tail to be told there but the guards in bunkrana where my test was based on investigating a border again on friday evening between 5 p.m and 6 a.m sorry between 5 p.m and friday and it was discovered then on the monday so over the weekend it's believed that entry was gained via a rear door a number of tools were stolen an angle grinder two boring steel rods which are a very expensive piece of equipment apparently a milwaukee battery and a milwaukee radio so this one happened friday past the 25th and was discovered yesterday morning at 6 a.m when the business is a business premises when they came back in they discovered they were broken into so if anybody has observed anything suspicious in the drumanor bunkrana area over the weekend please contact the guards in bunkrana on 0749320540 right burt next burt monest colleges have i got that right on saturday the 26th of february between 5 45 p.m and 6 40 p.m so that one hour window the resident of the residential property returned home from mass to discover that the front door of the house had been forced open again a search of the property had obviously taken place but nothing was stolen thank goodness so again uh this happened at monest colleges burt anybody please uh that noticed anything contact the guards in bunkrana again 0749320540 and in particular motorists who may have traveled through burt village on the main end 13 road between those times we had a dashcam to make the footage available to the guards in bunkrana yeah before we go on to the next one i suppose i mean if we're not doing already it is uh the time now to make sure that we're keeping our eyes peeled for anything suspicious that we have to try and assist the guardian be proactive you know if something doesn't seem right call the guardian exactly yeah and the very fact this is cross border i'm aware of a number of burglaries in derry city and straban as well i'm not going to make appeals in relation to them i don't have the details but i'm aware that there has been quite a substantial number of burglaries over the border as well so there is obviously um a lot of activity there is a lot of activity yeah elok beg next elok uh elok beg burn foot on saturday the 26th of february between the times of 6 50 p.m and 7 10 p.m so again you know anybody that's listening to me uh spend attention can see that you know this is the the hotspot is this kind of evening time after 5 p.m then in between 8 p.m the rear window of a house was forced open and entry was gained a pair of gucci sunglasses were stolen from the property that was the only thing taken thank goodness again the garrison bunk rana this happened at elok beg burn foot on saturday the 26th between 6 50 p.m and 7 10 p.m please contact the garrison bunk rana or again the confidential line mm-hmm and newton conningham right next main street newton conningham between saturday the 26th of february at 6 a.m this time and sunday the 27th of february at 4 20 p.m when it was discovered a window at the side of the house was forced open and entry gained damage was caused to some of the interior doors in the property during the course of the burglary and a small amount of cash was stolen so our appeal is to anybody who may have observed any sort of suspicious activity in the carona matty burt area during the time period mentioned again the garrison bunk rana are investigating right so in in terms of of security advice here i mean it seems these people aren't rattling door handles and stuff they want in and out so they're going you know straight for you know forced entry gets them in immediately and get their stuff and get away what what's your advice to the public well my own experience greg when we solve a lot of these as a result of neighbors calling us in relation to suspicious vehicles or persons you know they're the eyes and ears that usually solve these things for the guards you know okay we have other instances then where we have maybe people caught on the the road network with via traffic or whatever and they have stolen property in the car or maybe we have intelligence in relation to these people but you know a lot of the times it's vigilance by the neighbors that solve these crimes or indeed detects them when they're happening so a little bit of advice that may grow in you printed out here so whether you're at home or going out remember listen it's the old ones turn on some lights inside and out and ensure that the exterior of your property as well let to the front and rear and that's to give you also people that are passing by in your neighbors a chance maybe they might not even know they're doing it but they're glancing and to see somebody suspicious they'll maybe ring us or even maybe make a note of the car that's close by or something like that use timer switches on your lights lock all doors and windows use an alarm if possible store keys away from windows and another one that unfortunately we come across quite often is don't keep large amounts of cash in the house and if you have valuable jewelry you know make sure that it's photographed so that if it does go missing we have some way of maybe getting it back to you if it is found and you know somewhere safe and secure hidden you know just even a safe you know they're really quite affordable um yeah they are yeah yeah you screw them into anything that discourages them slows them down yeah it's gonna work in your favor yeah hidden in a drawer isn't hidden you know because they know exactly where it's when a house is burgled it's generally there's like four or five places that the first places they go to and they're usually successful and fine and what has been attempted to be hidden so it's very important to always report any suspicious activity in your area to the guardie immediately or just make notes yourself if you do see a car or a person you know just to refresh your memory again you know you've got so many private companies now that are selling like these ring doorbells and stuff like that they're very good you know and people have easy access to them on their phone and it's always useful to us if um if we're invested in another and they um motion capture uh which maybe a lot of people don't realize so say for instance you have in you might in your kitchen you might have a I think it's called a google home max you can set that up that it will catch capture an image or trigger any movement in your kitchen uh they're not incredibly expensive but they're not you know it depends I mean it's gonna cost an awful lot of money replace a lot of this stuff as you mentioned those doorbells they will capture images you know and which would help in in your situation I'm a big fan of this smart stuff too because if you do buy the smart bulbs you know rather than having timer switches you can set routines on them so the lights will come off and on and whatever it takes and alarms as well and make sure if you have one to have it switched on now I'm sure because that's gone to alert the neighbors isn't it big time Greg yeah yeah and in relation to the cameras unfortunately a lot of these companies like google and um ring and stuff they operate on a subscription service so it gets another monthly cost but you can buy you know from google doesn't but it has it but yeah you can sit it'll still monitor but anyway listen yeah so but if you want to recollect the data on your phone or whatever they may they may have a charge there but you know your the local security companies and even that are Kenny here you know they can install a hard drive in your own home that with cameras that'll record and there's no subscription fee and they're they're quite inexpensive to initially set up Greg you know you know when I say an expensive you know it could be four or five hundred we find the money after we've been robbed exactly yeah there's you know as many times as we're being to a house and then they put the camera and after they've been burgled unfortunately Greg yeah right okay anything else that we need to be I just really think you know community vigilance is is going to be a big factor in this as well that's the one that usually saw to Greg yeah okay because obviously the loss of property is a pain that the violation of your property to takes a bit of time to get over yeah I know we've got I've mentioned there that there was one or two houses at Notham was taken or another house only maybe a pair of sunglasses were taken albeit an expensive pair of sunglasses but you know it's as you say quite rightly it's the violation of your home is usually worse than the actual value the property that was taken okay and and do we know are they are they making sure people aren't in their homes I know you've been sending the information from different areas yeah generally people aren't at home right so if you give the impression this is to reinforce that point if you give the impression as people in the house as with the advice that you've given as it relates to lights and stuff you are less likely to be targeted than exactly yeah okay exactly yeah okay but as I say I'm not sure if this is one group of people or many groups of people but as I say everyone's going to have to come together on this one and keep their ears and eyes peeled and as you've said yourself and your demand of this investigation that's the way we can we can crack this right okay should we talk about the recruitment campaign first then we'll go back to the the other stuff because I want to bring into the conversation uh Mateus Forenz a new guard uh why did you decide to join the guard Mateus the guards was something that I always wanted to do you know deep down when I was young I always knew helping people and you know bad people were were something that I wanted to catch and it was always appealing to me you know and when I got the opportunity I grasped it and you uh have a Polish background is that correct I do yeah I was born in Poland um grew up in Poland moved here when I was um around seven years of age and was that in any way a barrier to you at any point I wonder because an old part of this uh this recruitment drive is to sort of you know have a more diverse uh force and a great emphasis is being put in in relation to that because we're a more diverse country and it's better to have as many people represented in your security in your guard of force as possible but did you sort of at any point go well you know I was born in Poland is this for me was that a problem for you at all no not at all in a sense I think it was a sort of a benefit for me you know because I had something that you know many other people don't have uh another language you know I can I'm an asset in the point that I can you know help um the Polish community if if they they're not fluent English speakers you know they can come and speak to me without having a third party translator you know and I have to imagine um that the Polish community might feel more inclined to not just to pull any community to engage with the guard if they believe they're represented within it that there's someone in it that truly understands you know their language as I say and their background of course yes yeah and um you know that's what I hope is going to happen you know it'll encourage people who are you know victims to let's say domestic abuse you know if come come forward and speak to somebody in their own language and they might feel comfortable you know more comfortable uh in my intake when I was doing the college you know there there was many different nationalities there was a guy in my class was French there was myself and another Polish fellow doing there um I think there was like 13 different nationalities so it's great to see it's great to see the guards and with this extra with this extra emphasis in this recruitment drive as well it you would hope it would become even even more diverse you're currently based in Bunkrana is that gonna be your permanent base do you know yet or yeah no that's my permanent base no yeah um when I was out for training I was stationed in Balbuffet and now I'm in Bunkrana full-time it's not a huge difference no not at all okay you know I'm grateful for that yes indeed indeed I mean from your perspective Niall um you know I mean you're well used to seeing new people coming through um what do you think of this this this new this renewed emphasis on sort of having a more diverse force absolutely Greg um this is the first time I met Mateus this morning I had a quick conversation before we came on air and uh you pointed out that um has actually has anti obviously Polish lady as well as a detective from Dublin and I just when we're talking they just discovered that I actually um worked with her maybe over 12 years ago in relation to him it's a worrying small world isn't it exactly yeah it's so tiny we had a murder investigation here in Lederkenny and she was actually liaising as a guard and a translator for us because the best we had at the time was using Google translate yeah and it just wasn't working but um Mateus's aunt was there and it was amazing to have and a huge asset for for other Gaudi in in the county as well to to have uh the likes of Mateus to call on if need be yeah yeah you'd hardly know from speaking to Mateus that you know we had the Polish background you know but I suppose he's been here since he's a kid you know and definitely an asset because we have such a Polish population now in the area and you know there are going to be victims of crime victims of domestic abuse as well the same as the rest of us you know and Mateus do you think you know the changes as it relates to maybe not having to have Irish or what have you is that going to help uh encourage more people from different backgrounds to join the force I wonder well the Irish isn't uh isn't the problem for myself I don't Irish in school you know so you've got English Polish and Irish yes and sickening young people bits of other languages here and there through you know but um like I said there was a guy in my class who was uh who was French he was 38 years of age um you know has broken English but but fluent um you know he he didn't have Irish but he had to do Irish and it's just a matter he he learned it off and got through it and anyone can do it you know and uh heard rumors of of it being taken away from the correct yeah that's that yes and do you hope that you might encourage others because I mean obviously it was a it was something that you didn't have to put a great deal of thought of obviously it's something that you wanted to do you didn't see any barriers to it but clearly there are others uh that do so do you hope like you sharing your story and not maybe not as much on this program but out and about and talking to people in the community that you might encourage others to to sign them oh no of course I would I would encourage everyone to you know give it a try sticking an application you know if they have any sort of interest and who knows you that's a huge asset nowadays you know to have another language you know because the community is becoming more and more diverse so it's just great to see you know all these foreign guards coming through you know yeah brilliant stuff um national slowdown day is ongoing um I saw the first issue uh I saw the first issuing of detections donna gold didn't feature in those it doesn't mean it's not happening here of course um it's a big drive uh between seven and seven of course already you're out there detecting in the speed vans all the time uh but it's just a reminder we know how big a contributory factor speed is in many of our road traffic collisions now yeah so today is national slowdown day march the first as always um high visibility speed checkpoints will take a place across the country during this period and our aims are basically not to detect and and perish the good people but it's aim to increase awareness in relation to the dangers of excesses and inappropriate speed and I heard from your piece earlier on the road safety authority announced that through their own stats that you know excesses speed is a contributory factor and a third of all fatal accidents in Ireland which is unfortunately a huge amount you know any fatal accidents in dunny gall you know speed can be a factor and has been a factor drink and drug driving and the non-awareness seat belts is the big three um national slowdown day it's not just about speed detections it's about saving legs so all drivers check your speed regularly and slow down every day not just on national slowdown day it's not about these crazy speeds that you may see on media in relation to maybe 140 150 kilometers per hour it's it's about speeding and built up areas outside schools you know if it's a 50 kilometer limit and you're doing 60 kilometer uh that's that's just as bad as doing 140 kilometers and if you pick a few people up from the airport and you're not used to that weight in the back of your car I know that sounds like a no specific example yeah that corner that used to going around at 60 even though you shouldn't be had your car handles very very differently and that type of awareness too isn't it absolutely great yeah absolutely it's a good point actually um not just in relation to um excessive weight in the passenger but you know you've all all different variables in relation to uh driving dunny gall the weather being a big one as well you know accidents do pick up when the roads are wet and slippy which unfortunately is a lot of the time yeah all right okay so that runs until 7 o'clock tomorrow morning but obviously the the message is you know it's about stopping people dying it's it's quite simple yeah sorry before you skip on Greg uh just in relation to the um the the uh the garter equipment campaign um you know prospective candidates may apply via publicjobs.ie um and there's um I think is that they're looking for there'll be 800 new garter recruits in 2022 so you know I'm aware that you know um there will be a large number of people applying as there has been you know consistently throughout the years but um it's definitely worth putting in an application and indeed if you've been applied before and you haven't been successful you're you're not disbarred from applying again you know okay go back at it right and um finally we are going to talk about the launch of the dunny gall garter youth awards for 2022 yeah so the nomination process is now open uh and the garter sheikana and dunny gall uh are now inviting the public to nominate a young person they may know who has committed to making a difference in their community during 2021 all nominees will receive recognition of their nomination following the closing date for receipt the garter will be distributing nomination forms to schools youth groups voluntary organizations right across county dunny gall from today um the nomination forms are also available on the garter website garter.ie the link to the download of forms will be available on the garter dunny gall facebook page from today uh and awards event will take place in April of May of 2022 winners and nominees will be notified of these details by the organizing committee following the adjudication process and the garter youth awards has featured quite heavily in dunny gall and last year the um three of last year's national winners came from dunny there are four separate categories an individual award which is a person making a positive contribution to their community making a better place to live the second one is a group award which is two or more young people making a positive contribution to their community making it a better place to live the third award is a special achievement award which is for someone overcoming difficult circumstances who who has defied all the odds and whose commitment deserves recognition and the fourth is a community safety award through a crime prevention or security initiative which have made their community a safer place to live all right Ronja is one of the lead guards looking after us so you can actually contact her and letter Kenny as well great and and everyone who is nominated is that nomination is recognized which i think would be a lovely thing if someone close to you has done something that you believe is recognized that they will everything will be recognized okay um your ambition i would say is through the roof Mateus in terms of probably want to emulate your your detective relation or are you just focusing on focusing on the the the the duties you have at the moment it needs to get a few of these borders off great yeah exactly we'll get there and that'll be on my portfolio to become a detective at the minute i'm taking it step by step you know take it as it is and um eventually we'll see how it goes i think i think you're gonna do it you know we wish you every success with your thank you very much and the best luck with everything and now thank you're in the middle of your career uh yeah you're being generous great i wanted to finish on a positive okay listen thank you as well as always uh Garda Nal Maguire uh Falkara Garda station and also uh Garda Mateus Forens to uh based out of Bunkrana both of you thank you very much indeed we'll be back with the community garden slot on the program next uh tuesday after the 10 o'clock news we'll be back on this show today after the break the community garden information is brought to you in association with northwest alarm systems protecting homes and businesses across the northwest for 40 years now servicing fire alarm systems visit our website or for more call 07 4 97 216 87 Nutrious milk replace a range which includes Nutri start and Nutri start plus offers the best start to your calves this spring season with 23 percent and 25 percent crude proteins ideal for calf to beef and heifer rearing systems give your calves the best possible start available at your local homeland store visit Nutrius.ie for full nutritional information the good times are back the highly acclaimed Joe Dolan show remembering Joe is back in letter Kenny for one night only and what a party it will be Saint Patrick's night thursday march 17th eve of the bank holiday at the Clanry hotel the spectacular show starring brother Ben Dolan nephews Edwin and Ray niece Sandra Karen Carroll plus the original Joe Dolan band will have you rocking and rolling in the aisles at the Clanry celebrate our national holiday and style tickets now available at the Clanry hotel 07 491 24 369 remember there's no show like a Joe show always a sellout book now local enterprise week is back to help your business get the wind in its sails running from saturday the fifth to friday the 11th of march local enterprise week is organized by local enterprise office dunny goll chart a clear path for your business by getting advice on marketing leadership and recruitment also on networking exporting finance and much more booking is essential to see the lineup of events and speakers and to book visit local enterprise.ie forward slash dunny goll or call 911 607 35 supported by enterprise Ireland dunny goll county council and the government of Ireland highland radio wants to send you on the holiday of a lifetime plus five grand spending money get your tickets now at highland radio.com answer the question and start packing start packing draw takes place April 14th on the show get your ticket early and enter a bonus draw for an extra week's holiday in turkey start planning your ultimate getaway only on highland radio dear daniel ever since you burst out of dunny goll and onto the music scene i've been your biggest fan and when you came to visit i could have died and when you offered to fix my boiler i could have died daniel because you're not a registered gas installer i'm returning all your albums and my rhinestone studded i love daniel jackett goodbye forever from mary yes daniel you can find your local registered gas installer at rgi.ie save up to 25 on your shopping at kelly centra in eddy kenney in store you'll find a huge range of great testing own brand products fresh produce including fresh meat and frozen foods along with all your day to day needs say yes to savings every day at kelly centra mountaintop letter kenney okay you're very welcome back to the nine till noon show if you want to see how to make the perfect perfect pancake get onto our website now highland radio.com you'll see a link for watch the nine till noon show live and you will be able to watch it being done because my guest right now is the author of a wonderful new book and it's kir mcgloughlin her new book is bread and butter cakes and bakes from granny stove thank you so much for joining us how are you keeping morning great how are you fantastic and congratulations on your new book it is exactly how i like it it's it's beautiful and it's simple a little bit like myself of course thank you very much it's very exciting and it doesn't quite feel real yet but it's slowly starting to sink in that it's actually in shots now as of yesterday so it's getting all very exciting yeah the pictures are great in it and the recipes are detailed all of it most of it seems i mean this different stuff for different skill levels but if you've got a sweet tooth and you like creating things this is the book for you isn't it definitely definitely there's lots of sweet treats there's some nice bread you know on the savoury kind of more cleaner root as well but lots of sweet treats in there too because it is all about baking lemon curd flatbread looks absolutely delicious tell us why you named the book cakes and bakes from granny stove is this drawing on your own family's experience or other people's more traditional recipes or why did you want to come with this approach kira well i think it started from my family's kind of approach in that my granny was a great baker and i never actually knew but i felt like she was kind of there in all these moments with my growing up because there was always one of her recipes used for whatever occasion it was and then there was a whole backstory of oh when when granny was alive she would have done this and that but then i feel like the more i've spoke to people about it they're the same you know everybody is like oh my granny makes great wheat and bread or my granny's great pancakes and everybody can relate to the whole kind of my granny's a great baker ethos so that's why i wanted to make it and kind of dedicate it to granny's who have this lovely baking tradition yeah and the thing too is you actually have weights and measures in your book uh granny's often in my experience don't employ that they seem to be able to make it perfectly by just chucking it in by iron and feel it's very much intuition for them and my mom is exactly the same her scones are incredible and she can just be like oh it's just a wee bit of that and a wee bit of this whereas for me it's very much i need a measurement and i think that's the skill that they have because they're doing it so much or we're doing it so much in those days when i was in necessity it just became like an intuition in a second nature almost yeah exactly and that comes from years and years of experience uh it doesn't surprise me to see uh that this book is published out of the same publishing houses uh brian mcdonald's donning all table because it has the same quality and and and feel to wikira yeah um it was one of the ones i had looked at for inspiration and i know that brian mcdonald's is very much about where he grew up and i was kind of trying to capture a bit of that myself because it was all about my growing up and how food kind of shaped my childhood when he's made that i got from it now it's particularly important to you is it that it tastes great but as best as possible looks great yes and i think that's maybe my art and design background so my undergrad degree was graphic design and illustration my dad's a great artist my mom's a great baker and i feel like i'm kind of a blend of the two so i try to bake the thing to make it look or make it taste lovely but also i focus on the visual aspect too so maybe add a nice decoration or some piping or something a bit quirky to make it look as good as it tastes yeah and you start off too with uh equipment because this this is like someone who you know i mean maybe people try and wing it or you try and google a recipe and and no harm to that right and i'm not sure if you do it too but apologies if you've got a nine line present but you look how to make a scone and there is a full essay before you can actually get to the ingredients and how to do it you know and and it's a thing and i'm sure people love that but you can't beat a book where you cut to the page and everything's there and all the you know you don't have to go through through those pages of why someone might want to make a scone that's where jump to recipes really handy on those websites i feel bad though because someone's gone to the bother of typing it all out and listen come here we better go on with making a pancake because it's pancake tuesday uh you have all your equipment there i don't know if we could have talked and done it at the same time but come here how do we start what are you going to do first well i'm going to start with the dry ingredients so that's my flour which i've sifted out already um and it's weighed out um so i'll just turn on my fan here to heat while i'm speaking yes um and i'm putting the flour in the bowl with the sugar which again is weighed out but you can see there's only a tiny bit of sugar in granny's recipes um or in this recipe and how much flour and how much sugar have you put in so far there so it's 125 grams of self-raising flour and that's important too just to give them that rise then it's 35 grams of sugar and how many pancakes can we hope to make from this from this batter well it serves about four so about eight pancakes into each excellent okay so people can half it or multiply it as as they see fit right so you're going to stir the sugar in with the flour now is that right yes i know in my house one time the next year wouldn't go anywhere so we have to multiply it by ten folds okay and i'm grabbing my butter here which i've melted i've melted it and then left it to cool i don't want it too hot because the next one we're going to put in is the egg and if this was roasted in there then we just cooked the egg and that's the breakfast all together so i'm putting in the butter just melt it and just um stirring it in roughly and is that for luxury is it because i haven't seen butter in them before is that to give it an extra richness or does it serve another function yeah the taste um it does make them richer i also find it helps with stopping it stick too because i have tried to use i'm quite health conscious i've tried to use kind of low fat spreads and stuff in replacement for it it doesn't work the same do you think that the wee bit of um grease or lubrication from the butter just to help them glide off right so we've got the flour the sugar and the butter in there what's next flour sugar butter so i'm moving on to the egg then and i'm cracking it into just a separate glass which i always do just in case there couldn't be any wee baddies in it so you're safer rather than spoiling and putting it straight in there and safer cracking into something different and give it away with this before so i'm putting that into there and i don't really need to do anything yet i'm going to measure out my milk into measuring jug so i've said in the recipe to measure out 300 millilitres of milk now there's big debate in my house whether it should be thin pancakes or thick pancakes i like thick and fluffy daddy likes thin there's always an argument we'll have that later tonight but 300 mils who wins sorry who wins the argument uh usually dad does it matter if it's uh uh low fat milk full fat milk no um it doesn't actually and i think granny used to use buttermilk maybe um my mum took the recipe and she was a hg teacher in um a skill in milk fast and she wanted to make it more accessible so she was just using your normal semi-skinned milk which is exactly what this is okay it's easy and it doesn't make a difference at all um and i'm measuring out 300 millilitres of that but what you don't want to do is chuck all this milk in straight away and if you add it gradually then you can build up the kind of consistency that you want to you're looking for maybe something like yogurt like that um unless you want the kind of correct style in which case go for more milk so i'm going to put in just kind of half and i'm doing it by eye because then i can add more as i need to put this out the way and there might be a bit of noise here Greg just as i put on my whisk that's okay oh you're going to use a whisk well that'll speed it up because we've about three minutes so uh the whisk is a good idea yeah so whisk you could use you know traditional half one but um i'm using like everyone just for speed okay so whisk in the batter half the milk is in uh now at this stage so presumably when that comes up to a nice uh constituent constituent nice uh consistent i can't say the word can you help me consistency yeah consistency then you took the rest of the milk uh in that so we get fixed so i'm gonna add a bit more all right mixing away here the pan's hot now at this stage so hopefully we get to see one before 11 there's no pressure but uh i was talking so much about your book i've left it tight on you so yeah something like this where it's like got a little bit of resistance with you and swivel the whisks through so not too watery not too thick not too watery not too thick somewhere kind of in the middle okay so then you're on to cooking and i'm using just a like drink riddle pan oh my god the news one of these nice rustic ones oh wow that's uh yeah that's beautiful for those that watch and they'll see it but if not it's like it's just like the base of a pan with a little strap over the top of it yeah that was on the stove presumably or wherever she would have put it on the stove and cleaned up with a turkey wing um apparently that but all the flour off it quite well and she would have put four pancakes out onto this um though she had eight cakes so i think she was in a similar situation in that she had to multiply the mixture quite a few times yeah for sure we're over it for quite a while probably right you're ladling this on now i am ladling this on so you want to take a scoop of it and just hope for the best that it goes into a nice circle shape and you don't worry if you get any drips they're little baby pancakes and you can have them straight off the griddle i kind of like the little little bits of chips you get aren't they sometimes those little the little escapees are the nice the nicest ones the wee crispy bits are better yeah yeah you've done quite well there they are quite circular looking now there's no doubt about that from a bird's eye view there's maybe a few squiggly edges when do you turn them then because this is the big temptation to turn them too quick and it falls to bits or yes i know um so what i look for is they'll start to bubble on the top and those bubbles will start to kind of pop and you can kind of see it looks a little bit more solid rather than drippy yeah so it's basically once the bubbles have started to pop you know they're kind of getting there and they're kind of going to be cooked through and then and it's just a matter of flipping them and then i've got some toppings here for after so i like fresh fruit oh my and we're not a bit of healthiness and you could also go for something like lemon i know that lemon and sugar is quite a popper yeah that's my favorite yeah lemon lemon and sugar yeah but i only ever used the lemon once a year so by the time it comes around to uh pancake tuesday again it's out of date and i have to decide whether i risk it or not um i don't know if you can see on the camera but these little bubbles are starting to pop so i'm just listening them at the sides here yeah this is all going too smoothly i was hoping they would break in half and stuff one click and there's a lovely color to that there's now would you not get the butter out again spread a load of butter over the top of that sprinkle loads of sugar on it as well no that that would be unhealthy i can tell you're very health conscious it's one day of the year i'm giving up pancakes for for lent what else do you want through and that is the tradition you know this was the feast before the famine and so i suppose you can talk up with whatever i might have chocolate and a deli you want today and then go back to being healthy tomorrow well listen they look absolutely delicious and i'm i'm salivating even looking at them as does your book your book is out right now isn't it it's bread and butter cakes and bakes from granny stove and i think it's nice that it's dedicated to sort of you know sweet and savory desserts which is uh which is handy to have it separate everything separate separated out so that's kind of what you're going for a nice little stack like this but yes that's exactly right it's dedicated to desserts and all those nice treats that you can enjoy as a family for special occasions so tada exactly well done congratulations on your book thank you so much for the wee demonstration there and we wish you all the success in the future great to have you on the program thank you all right take care of yourself bye bye that was excellent all right that was uh you can watch that back on our social media if you wish to a little later on that was uh kiera mcglachan who i'd suggest uh already has a great career but a particularly bright future ahead of her right i'm late for the news again it's a minute past 11 it's time for an update and it's good morning this time to uh mackayla clock okay we'll be crossing over to mackayla now just in a moment as soon as i get this desk in order right mackayla bear with me it is over to you now good morning thanks great good morning a ukrainian woman now living in latter kenny says shock has turned to reality oksana says she thought it was impossible in the 21st century that the events witnessed in ukraine over the past six days would ever occur she says given the actions of valadomir putin no one knows what the world will be like tomorrow ukrain's president valadomir zelensky has described missile attacks on karkiv as state terrorism by russia meanwhile a 40 mile long convoy of armoured russian vehicles is heading towards kiv the kremlin says sanctions imposed on russia by western nations won't change their position while also denying allegations of strikes on civilian targets meanwhile the dunigal intercultural platform is coordinating a number of events to support ukraine and is also gathering first aid and other essential materials to be shipped over by a dublin-based company on today's nine to noon show paul kernan of the intercultural platform urged any ukrainian people in dunigal to make contact with them a number of events are being held across dunigal this week in solidarity with the people of ukraine vigils will be held in latter kenny over the coming days while the ukrain's solidarity mural is said to be unveiled to more evening on the port road guardian dunigal are encouraging people to review their home security in light of an increase in burglaries over the weekend there were four break-ins and in is shown on one in lyford which gardy believe may have been linked on today's community guard a slot garden i am a choir said this reflects an increase in burglaries particularly in border areas and people should follow the lock up a light up motto at all times he also urged people to report any suspicious activity in their area to gardy the canadian ambassador to ireland is in dunigal nancy smith has met with the kehirlock of dunigal county council and representatives of latter kenny chamber of commerce and latter kenny institute of technology during her visit she's praised arnett for its efforts in terms of tourism 123 vehicles have been checked speeding in the first two hours of national slowdown day out of nearly 25 000 checked among them a motorist was caught driving 130 kilometers per hour on the m 50 in dublin gardy are appealing to drivers to comply with speed limits with the operation continuing until seven o'clock two more morning garden i am a choir says today isn't about slowing down it's about saving lives and members of dairy city and strudan district council have posthumously granted the freedom of the city and district the nhs nurse and strudan man pat mcmanus he died of covet 19 in 2020 the proposal to confer the freedom of the dairy city and strudan district was prompted by a motion brought before the council in june 2020 with plans being delayed due to covet restrictions those are the latest headlines we'll be back with an update again at 12 noon okay mikaela thank you very much indeed for that now stay right where you are because in the next hour amongst other things we're going to be talking about the hospitality industry is it something that you could see yourself having a career in if not why not we're going to be talking to two people heavily involved in it out of harvey's point or associated with harvey's point hotel as well and we're going to be discussing what we believe the summer has in store and of course as i mentioned maybe what needs to be done to address the recruitment challenges that many hotels right across the country i don't think it matters whether you're in rural arland or urban arland a lot of businesses are facing the same challenges the phase but hope the same challenges and the same problem but hopefully it's going to be a positive and bright 2022 that's what we're looking for isn't it okay they'll be joining us after these okay well we seem to be having a difficulty with the the commercial break there so uh we'll crack on with some of your comments here hi greg my son got money stole out of his car on friday evening him and his brothers were attending an anniversary mass in st johnson the money was taken from his wallet just to make people aware and to be vigilant as it relates to keeping valuables in sight in their cars indeed and it is a message that we relate regularly here on the program because we have to because unfortunately it happens uh all too often uh greg leave the house unlocked and the light on for these gangs because they're caught they don't get the sentences they deserve when it goes to court boil the kettles of these gangs can make tea while they're illegally in your home that comes in from patrick uh in don loan patrick i get the frustration i understand where you're coming from clearly that's not good security advice but i understand the frustration there can be with uh sentences uh i must agree with your last caller about palestine i'm so heartbroken about the situation there which has been going on for years why is no one going to help uh right okay and i understand that's a broadly held point of view what about the citizens of yemen under siege by the u.s backed south east no prayer or pancake day fundraisers for these poor people or for the genocide of christians in iraq the hypocrisy of the west is nauseating and last one for now greg a member of our family was to have an interview with hsc yesterday nothing uh to do with consultants job but within the hospital he tested positive for covid on sunday so he rang yesterday morning wonder if he could do the interview on zoom or reschedule the interview but was told they couldn't do that can they do that or should they at least try to accommodate people in these circumstances well i'm not sure of the answer to that i know what we perhaps feel should happen all right we didn't get to play music at half ten because it was a very busy first hour of the show so we are going to take a break for that music now and uh rejoin us we'll be joined by uh our guests noel cunningham and nile coffee after this hopefully from bob marley okay that was of course uh bob marley and uh could you be loved okay delighted to welcome to studio now noel cunningham hotel ambassador for half his point in donagol town and uh for the last seven or eight years now donagol person of the year it's uh it's good to have you on the program with us yes is your reign that long no no look um i've made history in different ways um my uncle was also donagol person of the year and it just so happened that covid decreed that i should wear the tiara for a few years longer than most and you know what that's all right if the tiara fits where it is absolutely the same uh noel coffee is general manager of harvest point two now it's great to have you on the program great to meet you thank you very much thank you um i suppose um the hospital and what are we what are we looking at for 2022 do we know uh in terms of is it going to be a bumper are we going to see a mixture of you know those staycationers that got the donagol buzz uh and i'll come back and then mix that in with the northern irish market which it seems is remaining uh strong and then maybe some international visitors i mean is that what we're looking at yeah it looks pretty good actually with a good start to the year uh very very positive i think certainly uh all the new people that came and discovered donagol they're returning they're really at a fantastic time um we're certainly seeing people wanting to go out enjoy themselves and so forth the international market hasn't come back just yet and we expect that to be slow but the staycations in donagol are fantastic and people are really enjoying it it's been very very positive and i think too and you know we don't want to labour it at the point because it's quite obvious though but with people traveling within ireland um you know we they realize that maybe it's more accessible uh it's great value for money um you know we've got a fantastic offering here no matter where you're based be it in letter kenny or at harvies or the inichon gateway hotel you've got great access if you use that as a base for example uh or there's brilliant hotels and i draw it down low as well the waterfront and nesbid arms you know what i mean we're you start listing them off until we've got some really really good hotels um but you can base yourself there and and and and there's so much that you probably haven't seen before even if you're from down the country that you can experience yeah total of 56 hotels in donagol all fantastic hotels really really good some fantastic b&b's air b&b's the selection is endless and you know to get people into county donagol that's what it's all about you know it's to discover it uh space is a big thing amazing size 14 blue blue flag beach is amazing just a fantastic place to come yeah and you're flat out telling people that and all aren't you know i mean that's one of your big passions isn't it to absolutely if anyone hasn't heard of it yeah because you know let's let them know it's only a few short years ago when people were calling us the forgotten county or the back of beyonds and one would have thought that if you got in a car in Dublin you were going to arrive in donagol about 24 hours later a lot of that we did that but it means to an end wasn't it it's a terrible balance to try and strike because absolutely you want to fight for your services and all but at the same time you don't want to discourage or seem like a pack of owners or you know absolutely and and we had some great people that promote our county and they do so without even thinking about it you know jason quickly daniel o'donnell packy boner shea given you know we have to keep the county name out there and nyle was mentioning all the lovely hotels we have in the county you can't be insular and talk about just harvey's point we are selling donnie gall as a as a destination and nyle rightly says we have to think of our city and town hotels that need the international traveller back dublin definitely needs both commercial corporate and and the tourist back and they will come back but donnie gall definitely on the cusp of greatness i think that one has a difficult task a more difficult task um and you're even seeing and i'm not sure if it was the motivation but new hotels being repurposed as i say maybe they're looking at what 2022 2023 is to offer but i think you know the secret's out that there are places outside of dublin so i think you know maybe dublin has big challenges ahead now yeah dublin is it's tough it depends so much on that international market that oversees business market is crucial for dublin like any major city and it's challenging but you know it's so important for arland to work to to follow on from what nyle said but yeah it has challenges people are you know they've realized now how easy as you said yourself to travel around arland but also to discover new places you know and the product in arland as a whole is fantastic you know um it's going to vary from from place to place but we're we're going to be in a situation where hopefully we have a really really busy summer and businesses are open restaurants bars hotels i think more so than b&b's and air b&b's they're reliant on employment of staff and i think we saw statistics that says we're about 44 000 staff short what do you think the problem is there why are have people used the uh used the lockdown to get into different you know maybe training different jobs or what do you think's happened now that we're seeing that shortfall now yeah it's listen it's a real challenge i think that is a couple of things people absolutely have changed career they've looked at it and said maybe they were in the industry and there were chefs and they fell out of love with it and they've looked at different careers they might have a little bit more home time and so forth and also there's a perception in the industry that uh out there that the hospitality industry is in a good career you know is that is that fair though i mean like let's say how young people would engage with working in the hospitality industry 17 18 or something like that 19 um they're maybe working in the summer or between college they will go in at the busiest time probably in the summer they will probably end up working to close uh you know and they probably won't come out of it with a great deal of money and if that were your only experience of the hospitality industry and i'm not saying that's what it is but that's the perception out there if that was your only experience of it why would you want to work in it and i just wonder if that's a huge disadvantage that the first contact workers have with it is like no but the thing about that is is that's the perception and that's not the case anymore i'm delighted to say you know the industry as a whole has really looked at it and when i started my career in hotel management what an exciting career and it's Fallscharland are very much involved in it we're working with ly it on a transitional year program and so forth but to come back to your point no longer is it a poorly paid industry no longer is it an industry that you go in and you finish it late into the night are you sure if you if you go looking for a summer job now in the hospitality industry are you saying the reality isn't as i portrayed it yes 100% any business that's uh following the guidelines and has an interest in their care for their team members and they'll be successful businesses because at harvey's the focus is all about the team and that's why harvey's point is so successful beautiful building amazing location looking over like esk blue stack mountains but it's all about the team if harvey's point didn't have that amazing welcome it wouldn't be as successful as it is and that's over the last 32 33 years it's all about the people and they keep the people you have to look after the people no do you believe that philosophy is as widespread as nile is portraying there no i 100% agree with nile it's the case the challenge we have well i don't know the people i'm speaking to working many different areas and what user saying is not the reality i hear from them that they happen to as i say worked till three or four o'clock in the morning uh they have to work every you know they're looking at they're gonna have to work the four days of of the st patrick's weekend uh you know that uh they don't feel that they're being paid enough so i mean like i feel like i'm speaking to to different people working in the industry in different areas of the county than the what you said talking about here my my response to that would very clearly be that the people in the industry the young people who are working in harvey's for the last few years or the last five years six years they come in sometimes that sort of pre-leaving cert and they remain until after university they would not agree with that and you know there's immigration to your own place there's another i always say some years ago i went to Saudi Arabia and the interesting sort of contradiction there was and the industry any industry there would tell you that gone from the camel to the Cadillac overnight and suddenly young people at this expectation that money would never dry up that they could swan through life and not work and plenty of dough well now it has changed now they have a real problem uh trying to sort of look at other areas to make the country prosperous away from oil we're a bit like that in Ireland when you have a period of really strong economic development and lots of spending power you know parents must still and still in young people to get anywhere you have to work hard and i sometimes get hurt that young people are talking about sort of our industry or any industry they they haven't experienced it and maybe there's no pressure put on them at home to realize that look apart from you know years ago everybody was going into technology technology technology we need the trades we need we need sort of the grassroots tourism is still one of our biggest biggest industry scenario in your mouth that we monocon monocon link our young people to the point that regular work say for instance in the hospitality sector they they uh they're not fit for it we have to be careful and and maybe the last but i'm just saying the last couple of years when there were supports going in where young people were perhaps getting money without having to go to work at all um you know all of those things side of it too by the way and i'm not being argumentative but i can't you know i have to say what's in my head there isn't that i think there's a strong argument to suggest that the government supports right you know uh highlighted the pay in in certain sectors in other words a rate was struck 350 euro for example was struck you'd have to a lot of people felt not just in hospitality but there is that they have to work an awful lot long hours to get that or if you're on social welfare it's much less than that so i think it it's sort of two purposes now in what you said but also i think it's it kind of held a mirror up to some within certain industries now yeah like look we were very lucky to have the government supports for a start it ensured that people stayed employed and so forth but to follow up in your your i suppose your your trade of thought in regard to highlight i i don't know if i agree with that because that subsidy that was given was a standard that was introduced because to support there's very few people working at harvey's point full-time there's absolutely none that are earned 350 euros for a week's work um the industry has woken up to there's no doubt about it that it was an industry that was low paid and so forth not anymore but starting off most people will be on minimum wage not want to be seen as a little bit yeah or slightly higher or slightly higher and most hotels are paying it slightly higher than and then there's an opportunity to grow your wages and so forth let's talk about that because i want to focus on the positives here and what is trying to be done but at the same time i just couldn't in all consciousness not highlight things that i hear and see now you understand that it just wouldn't be the type of me that i couldn't just brush over that so how do you get the message across then that this is a career that there is a career progression that maybe have to start the bottom wrong like in all jobs it could be wherever you're at building side tech company wherever it is uh you know how do we get the message to people to say look this is actually a career this is not a summer job or this is not a fill in this is something you can actually do for the rest of your life yeah like i suppose without a doubt forge ireland are going to be a big part in 2002 and 2003 and beyond about pushing out the career and traveling the world and so forth another opportunity that we saw in last summer we worked with ly it and forge ireland that i mentioned earlier on you're a founding member of this initiative aren't you yeah that's right yeah yeah and Irish hotels federation have been involved in it as well where we welcome transitional year students into the hotels all hotels were involved in well a lot of hotels and donnie gall were involved in it where they came in they had an experience in the hotel we had a total of 18 employees working over the summer and so forth earning some money whether that be working two three days or five days and then they have an opportunity to work for the summertime so the positives out of that out of the 18 there's two now interested in the industry which doesn't sound like a lot but there's so many industries out there and it's a slow burner to get the word out there you still have some magnificent colleges not only ly it but Shannon and gmit where the opportunities are endless i suppose it's about because there's a lot of competition there's a lot of great careers out there and i suppose it suits people who maybe are into the arts follow a career in cheffing and i'd love to give that came meal of fault you're working as a bartender and also the great thing about hospitality is it's it's moved to the errors that suit so it might be a parent at home that want to drop their kids off in the morning can come in now and work three four hours and you know and not only a bit out of money but also that social skill of meeting people enjoying it come in have a lovely break you're always well looked after and and to come back to your point then absolutely there's so many people that maybe are not looked after in the industry but that's the same as any industry yeah okay now and i'll but but it's this industry the perception seems much stronger i think it's same maybe to some extent with retail um and and listen there will always be opportunities for for younger people hopefully in in in hospitality you know to get a few quid together for whatever and that's fine but it's very much in your business uh the interest know and in in any uh retention of staff that familiarity work with the team build a team and everyone knows what they're doing and all that kind of stuff so that's where the incentive comes for uh employers to look after their employees absolutely and at the end of the day in any industry you're only you're only as strong as the weakest member of your team and that would be a philosophy that uh ingrained respect for the people who are on the shop floor and to follow on from what was nile was saying later on this month we will have um the entire transition group from uh the secondary school in kili begs and catherns we will take half of them in the morning half of them in the afternoon we will do a little workshop with them at their request they will meet some fellow uh sort of peers a better way of putting it who work with us part time during the winter and full time in the summer and in doing that we will be telling them this is the industry not maybe the perception you have because it's a little bit off kilter now greg you know me i'm fairly direct as well there is no doubt about it some of what you alluded to has been has been the image and maybe justifiably so going back some years but nile hit it on the head there'll always be operators within any industry that just don't do it right and we had national and international headlines some years ago about sort of service tips and all that that were being misappropriated our industry does not follow that kind of philosophy we are in a situation where we have a great industry we want to promote it and i say to parents out there and and those in career driven jobs or advice careers advice in schools tell our young people that under one roof you can have several careers but not being fair enough i suppose to you know with with uh if people aren't staying uh in the industry um there are then the progression roles maybe head of something or manager of that or duty this that and the other that then you struggle to fill those positions because uh not you don't i'm on about the industry might if you're not retaining the staff so in other words the 44 000 vacancies at the there may not all be entry level vacancies as well presumably there's a lot of senior positions out there there's a lot of really important roles that without a doubt are hard to fill but every career every um operation are finding a hard to fill but there's an opportunity there for people to pivot you know i mean absolutely in other industries they might go you know i need a career change here you know but they might have skills that are very easily adaptable with some training switch into hospitality i mean and the great thing about it is is that you can move quickly in the hospitality industry if you're hard working dedicated uh willing to go that extra mile you can move very very quickly and all of a sudden coming in at an entry level or coming in at middle management all of a sudden you can be in charge of a department uh and and leading a team yeah it must be exciting for for you and for know as well to be involved with sort of you know uh like being in the guardianship of the future of the industry likes like encouraging that young person to go right actually maybe that is an option for you and who's to say that you might not bump with them bump into them in 10 years time when they're a hotel manager themselves uh it must be nice to be there at the the start through LYT few and with Folch Ireland it must be personally nice to be involved it really is Greg yeah it's I loved the industry I think so many people uh that that I know that are involved in industry really do love it we work with a management company called Winward Management and they have an ethos of looking after the people and creating this very positive environment for them to work in and so forth but absolutely there's nothing more enjoyable to see a young person develop or even not even develop but come out of their shell there's so many young kids that come in they're quiet and next thing all of a sudden you see them going over to a guest what did you enjoy your meal great development oh it's fantastic to be able to actually converse I think I could get an all-starter than that one he might have 10 minutes I won't today but I just suspect he warned me he said for once let me get a word in entries absolutely um already people texting in and there's this perception or maybe it's a reality that hotels are too expensive right that if you want to go now there's all different hotels with different offering but someone says I wanted to get away I tried to book a hotel this weekend of course weekend is always problematic it was 300 euro for two nights bed and breakfast it's just not logical for a couple right so I mean is 150 per night at the weekend depending where you are of course is that how much it costs or a hotel's price in the mad themselves out of it as I say you know different hotels might have a boutique offering or more luxurious offering and others might just you know it might be location that's the key but as I say I know texts are going to come in on that one now talk to me a little bit about that about the pricing and oh well you know if it were 75 quarter nights I'd go yeah it's look it's it really is and there's certainly so many different options of different properties that you can go and experience and so forth for everyone's price range whether you're being dunny gollard and carry wherever you want to go to go and experience but absolutely there is a price point and there's no doubt about it there's there's that demand aspect the weekend is when it's really busy we also have that wedding market has so many other hotels have and that does bump up the price but it's all about value and it's all about experience and I presume you know you have to look at occupancy maybe over the course of 365 days and Hannah how you do on your weekends means that you can continue to employ people and have a premises open say Monday through Thursday when the occupancy generally speaking not in your place generally speaking might be lower absolutely I mean is that just basic business that's that's absolutely right you're 100 right and there is so much value out there in midweek to go away and explore and experience midweek but there is no doubt about it it is going to be more expensive at the weekend if you go and try and book a Ryan air flight on St Patrick's Day or the day before it you know but it's not gouging no not at all it's it's well it's basic business and as you rightly said it's about keeping people employed and so forth we do everything in our parent always to give value it's all about always giving value all right no look at the end of the day and the only message I try to impart our industry is about lights camera action that marvelous stage a lovely place where else can I go into work wearing a bow tie and a silk hanky cascading out of the pocket six o'clock in the morning the development says jesus where your man going if that's our is more donal in the newsroom so he relates this he still hasn't got over the fact that he had to stay in half his point and the last thing he expected with in all his splendor was no calling him there for breakfast in a bow tie yeah and he loved it by the way but and the other thing is they held you in high regard already but kind of went went even and the reality is it's all about it's now said it's value for money I can tell you that the majority of people walking out of hotels all over Ireland not just at Harvey's Point if they perceive they might have thought that was a bit pricey but let's go for it it's on my wishlist when they leave the hotel and are able to say that was terrific value for money you are providing what we say we're saying this is Harvey's Point this is the Nespot Arms this is Rathamallan House that's what we charge but we feel justified in doing so because we are giving you an experience and there's no gouging and this idea that we load I mean our rates are set well in advance they go across a period of time most good operators will do the same so that you know no no Helen you say I know right I know what you're saying but on the mere speculation say for instance of Gareth Brooks concerts oh yes prices go through the roof over that and this is what you use a battling against because you know as you said right from the get-go in Ireland you emphasised it Noel um you know what can happen in a small part of the industry can end up then tarnishing the whole industry oh absolutely but the secret there is is that if Gareth Brooks is going to be possibly in Dublin next year you get in there early and get it sorted kind of thing that's the reality that's supply and demand and thankfully of the football pitch in Donegal Towns too small for guys so that's why we don't we don't have to gouge or put up our rates football fans you know they will look at the the Champions League and what might happen and they'll speculate and they'll but you know and they'll say right this could happen and we'll chance it there it's about getting people into the industry isn't it finally that that are passionate about it and that's a proud to to work and it's like everything it's like here you know if people don't want to come in here and they're you know you need a career change if that's how you feel yeah absolutely and i think look the hospitality industry is a fantastic place to be very enjoyable lots of opportunities you know and a great lifestyle very very enjoyable yeah all right listen and furthermore we're now in that lovely happy position that we're looking for staff for our lovely summer wedding season ahead and that is so suited to young people who are at college pre-leaving sir after leaving sir it's just great come and see what we really like and also look you see me i mean these things are so important when you have finished your college no matter what you're going through people look at see well what did you do yeah yeah you know the gaps yeah that you managed a bit of volunteering you know absolutely a bit of you managed to hold down a job in a very busy hotel for four or five years for every summer and working weekends as a student sure that's going to stand you in great stead no matter where you go in life all right listen it's all been very interesting and uh as i say you know had to touch on the top for stuff as well but you've had all the answers and it's i think it's important um Greg tell noel and nald keep doing the sunday sleepover is there so enjoyable i don't know oh it's the absolute way you have to stay with you sir do you and and if garth brooks is around it'll still be the same good value where do you be doing the fabulous wednesday night shows again and if so when are they starting yes your cabaret is it absolutely and we are currently planning the cabaret and you know one has to say and be quite honest about it because there was so many weddings that were booked with us and had to be postponed or pushed back that we've had to claim back a few wednesdays in order absolutely but the cabaret a man is busily putting uh the the the artists uh and getting them lined up and that's going to be on definitely september october and who knows we'll see what demand is like we might even extend it not right now that's correct yeah so we have 88 penciled in for september and october so exciting times they had aim and gillespie working hard at getting some fantastic acts yes and um in terms of it's it's attempts are on now to push the season to lengthen the season generally speaking i think i mean that happened i think last year organically but obviously those in the industry tried hard to do so but to push it out if you can link it to the halloween break for example and maybe even beyond that's that's absolutely and it comes back to giving that real value yeah and if we learned anything during covet be good to ourselves i learned i learned nothing you know be good to ourselves and look at i come out of this thicker than i went into it no not it we're all changed we're all changed and be good to ourselves and look don't wait till the week before to book a nice halloween break at a lovely hotel that you've always wanted to go to do it today sort it you know and and that's you know what we are in an industry that just provides fun enjoyment laughter we're going to continue with that and we love that industry and we will convince our young people that that's the industry to be in for sure knoll cunningham hotel ambassador vavis point in donagall tan donagall part donagall person of the year two uh for nine years now i think it's an extra year since we started the interview yes you've had a birthday while we've been here okay i take your point it's fantastic i think i honestly i mean this genuinely i don't think if you had to extend it because the covet you could have left it in anyone's more capable hands and all because you've used it to you know to do all the stuff that you've done and to get the word out there on many issues not just hospitality but mental health our youth so i think it stewardship was in very safe hands for the prolonged period so uh so i take the hand but that's my genuine thank you very much and also uh nile coffee general manager of uh harvey's point we'll be back with more on the program after the break win with low prices from super value with a great range in store and online like super value green pesto only 125 epic super value spaghetti bolognese meal for one 400 gram only 350 super and super value non-bio powder 30 wash only 281 winning win with low prices to compete with anyone win with super value study at the college of agriculture food and rural enterprise this september kafri is northern ornans specialist agri food and land based college with campuses at greenmont antrim lochri cookstown and ennis gillin discover courses in agriculture food horticulture equine floristry veterinary nursing land-based engineering and business join our virtual open week each evening on discover kafri facebook from monday 7th of march prevent information visit cafre.ac.uk when it comes to herding up the latest news views and reviews on farming in ireland nobody does it like the farming independent chasing down key stories trends and topics from the ever-changing world of farming and agri in ireland so pick up the farming independent every tuesday and get the lay of the land up close and independent save hundreds of euros on custom charges shopping online with space hub dairy we provide a full virtual office address mailbox service for all your business and personal use save your business hundreds possibly thousands on custom charges with space hub dairy call 04871878077 for more details i used to play football here when i was a school girl now i'm here coaching the next generation being a guarda means thinking quickly being active and loving the excitement of not knowing what's around the corner what it also means working as part of a team guiding young people and helping keep people safe you'll have plenty of skills that could help you be a guarda you might not know what they are yet but they're applied to join as a guarda trainee by the 16th of march at publicjobs.au on guarda sheikana the difference is you there was a monster who lived in the trees in the house that would rattle and shake in the breeze it was cold and small with a terrible leak that would drip on her head and her hands and her beak she needed it fixed and all in one batch because she had an egg that was ready to hatch so she went to the credit union for a renovation loan and got new windows insulation and extended her home monster loans from the credit union imagine more loans are subject to approval terms of conditions apply if you do not meet the repayments on your loan your account will go into arrears this may affect your credit rating which may limit your ability to access credit in the future credit unions in the republic of ireland are regulated by the central bank of ireland mic denver in concert with guests ray linem and brendan shine at the any show gateway hotel bomb crana on sunday march 13 tickets at hotel reception and ticketmaster dot ie that's mic denver with guests brendan shine and ray linem at the any show gateway hotel bomb crana sunday march 13th okay now we're joined on the program by elaine good morning elaine good morning greg how are you i'm okay i'm okay right now um tell us your situation you're in a bit of a a bit a bit stuck well you know we're sort of and we have stayed on approved for our house and um we're hoping to demolish and rebuild in the next year so i suppose we're at the stage where we're trying to sort of pack up everything and i suppose we're lucky enough that we've a property and secured in letter candy that we can move to during the summer and we live out in rye so part of the process for that i had to apply for um a bus ticket for my kids and and you know sort of it's usually quite straightforward and i'm eligible for a bus ticket and helps me then i have to plan i have to save my 350 euros to pay for the bus ticket which is grand but i suppose it came back that i were ineligible for a bus ticket because we're out of the area and they're supposed to start us me just spiraling into the worry and the anxiety of how you know the kids get to school and if it's not clear already by the way um you talked stage one there you're living in a mica affected house and that is why you're having to move that's why you're going through the stress and anxiety of a demolish and rebuild the last thing really at this point you need to be worrying about as well our children are immune from our problems unfortunately there's some things you just can't protect them from is this added stress it's it's it seems to me unnecessary do you know what and i suppose like what i decided to then was that i'd i'd i'd write to all of the dunnigol td and the ministers and then saying look at what would make so much easier for me is that if i put in for my bus ticket that mica families would you know if you're eligible for bus transport and you have to move out of area because of your accommodation it would be just take all that pressure off and saying that well your eligible ticket will go with the child rather than you've been into the situation of you having to look for whether it's private transport or a more expensive bus ticket or whether you have to drive your child to school that is it's just one small thing that would really really help make things a little bit easier and not spiralism to you know it's sort of have you been able to engage with a human being elaine on on this like i'm on about someone involved in decision making with the school transport system i mean it just seems to be no human face human interaction or human responsibility here i don't want to do anyone a disservice but i've covered so many of these stories that all it seems is that someone goes wow okay you're so going through it here leave it with me i'll get back to you and they call you back in an hour and say right that's sorted for you you know and that would just that would be wonderful you know it's actually overwhelming if that if you could have that support but you know i already feel like this is going to be a battle because i know i've heard other parents whose children travel from that or Kenny to milford it always seems to be a nightmare trying to get a bus ticket or to get school transport or it's expensive so it seems like you know you're gearing up for another battle there on that one and and you're absolutely right i mean i sort of like you know i was to and fro the and school transport office and you know sort of what i ended up doing was canceling my ticket by mistake and then i had to reapply for it so it there's nobody that i can talk to and say look at this is the situation you know have a really consideration can you do something because when bosses went to 50 occupancy everyone got to school i don't did they doubled up the bosses bigger bosses i don't know but when there was a problem that needed fixing all of a sudden it's it wasn't a case of accommodating one student or two students they were able to put on a string of accommodation to to have 50 occupancy in a bus um so so that we're clear on it you are moving to letter Kenny your your children are in school in milford and you're trying to get a school boss that they can just hop on with the rest of the students out of letter Kenny and go to school in milford that's the problem we're trying to resolve here today isn't it i think so i mean sort of like when i put into the bus air and application you know it's a little application was ineligible because it says well since unions is the school there it the locals good and it you know it just pushes your button it says well look us we have enough going on i'm not taking my children out of school and not it's bad enough having to take them out of their community take them out of their home take them away from everything that they know to you know to to a new area and having to try and relocate even though it's only 20 my 20 kilometers down the road you know it is a big change for us all that's huge that casual casual meeting up that sort of you know i'm going to nip across here that's gone everything becomes an not an ordeal but you know what i mean but something that requires planning or may not be easily doable listen they might go well we we we've heard stories like this before once you start making exceptions blah blah blah all that kind of stuff maybe the whole system needs to be looked at because it doesn't seem to have any human as i said i don't want to do anyone at a service but in my conversations it doesn't feel that it has there should be a case manager someone that takes your information has a chat with you and tries to come up with a solution there's big money swelling around here you know it should be doable it would be amazing it would be amazing to have somebody and you can say look at these are all the things that they need a little bit of help with rather than you sort of going to happen to go online and and try and negotiate that little part and i know sort of you know parents and letter kenny sort of like might feel well look we're all in the same boat we all have to do this but i kind of just feel so unfair because you know we don't want to move we don't want to move out of our area that that is our home you know we're being forced to move out of our house i mean ideally we would stay in our area we did look at either whether we could get mobile homes but i suppose for us as a family we just thought that wasn't going to be doable and i've got three teenage children and three teenagers and two adults in one mobile home just wouldn't work for us and we also looked at whether we could live in our house and maybe sort of be able to rebuild in in the garden and that's but the house is just deteriorated so much over the last year it just got to the stage because we need to get out and we need to get out now even though it's not the the idea time for us as a family to have to do that and disrupt school and everything of course but when i mean this is you can't control it the weather does the the blocks do your desire to your control when do you need the track when do you actually move to letter can is it for is it post summer or pre-summer as well elaine summer with kind of what there is a house available in july so okay so really you're talking from september onwards then is that right okay yeah this is we'll make inquiries it can be very slow it can be very frustrating i think our politicians have a serious role to play in this one as well i think thomas pringle so far has replied to you he says he'll raise the issue with the minister for education we're going to make our inquiries as well but there has to be someone that can as i say very quickly we were able to have enough space for twice as many children in the drop of a hat that's what we did effectively we made space for twice as many children and we can't accommodate it seems there's probably about 20 or 30 children affected by this a year you know we should be able to resolve this yours is a particularly unique situation we're going to make representations on your behalf elaine i'd like to say i'm optimistic but sure we'll see who's to say i mean particularly given the circumstances maybe someone will say right i'll take this on and i'll fix it we can only hope but we'll try our better lane and i'm sure the politician is doing his as well and we'll see what comes from it okay that's right all right that's all we can do i wish i could do more elaine i wish you could click my fingers but we'll see what we can do all right take care elaine right right okay hopefully that gets sorted you don't need layers of anxiety and that is another layer on top of the anxiety that is already there lots of you texting in by the way as it relates to hospitality industry and and what have you stay with us uh we'll get to some of those comments and maybe we can squeeze another guest in after these messages are you involved in a digital project in your town or community would you like to share in a 100 000 euro prize fund the dot i e digital town awards shine a light on the achievements of local towns for digital projects in health education tourism and community to enter the dot i e digital town awards visit we are dot i e terms and conditions apply local enterprise week is back to help your business get the wind in its sails running from saturday the fifth to friday the 11th of march local enterprise week is organized by local enterprise office dunny gall chart a clear path for your business by getting advice on marketing leadership and recruitment also on networking exporting finance and much more booking is essential to see the lineup of events and speakers and to book visit local enterprise dot i e forward slash dunny gall or call 911 60735 supported by enterprise ireland dunny gall county council and the government of ireland with spring nearly here it's time to get organized it's time to spring clean and here at home store and more we have everything you need to make it as easy as can be from storage solutions to help you get organized to mops and buckets to make your floors sparkle and whether it's a deep clean or just a touch up we have the cloths and cleaning detergents that will make everything clean order online before 2 p.m. for next day delivery or drop by your local home store and more home store and more a happy home june 2022 august 2022 january 2023 is that what you're hearing when inquiring about the delivery of a new vehicle guess what that's not the case at iMotors call in today and choose your new car with immediate delivery available across our full range of nissan and key models drive away in your new 2022 car call iMotors and letter kenny and malin on 0749134567 okay so i think people generally accept that what's happening in ukraine is going to have a knock on effect on fuel prices that seems inevitable but russia's invasion of ukraine may also impact other areas of life not directly affected by it of course animals health rep for donald gollia fey and technical sales manager with the inich own co-op is james strain he joins us now hi james how are you greg i'm okay i'm all right so what what impact do you believe what we're seeing in eastern europe will have on i suppose the cost of produce here well before we get into that discussion that was the the conflict is going to to create financial pay in for everybody in ireland and some shape or form it's nothing to compare to the pay in people are experienced at the minute so it's important to mention that first but a lot from a farming point of view a lot of the the main inputs that a farmer would need so we talk about the the three f's when feed fuel and fertilizer a lot of those products would be coming out of either ukraine or russia so ukraine would be a massive exporter of the likes of wheat and maize which we need to make animal feed over here probably maybe a third of the maize that comes into this country would be coming out of out of ukraine and we'd love to continue to support their economy but unfortunately those supplying chains for now and let's hope it reverses soon are simply closed so you have to at least in the as an interim seek alternative sources are there alternative sources out there that it's there is to the extent as it was like there's there would be a bit of french maize coming on here like but like any supply chain if you take one of the if you take one of the links out of it you put an awful lot of pressure on the rest of it so like the way it would normally work would be from january to march april you'd be you'd be dependent on you'd be dependent on maize from that area and then when you would get into april may it would switch to canadian maize but it's a long time to it's a long time to me like if you're if you're trying to feed animals so it's it's a huge worry now it's a huge worry and at this point in time um we don't really know how it's going to pan out like as you said their supply chains are from the from that area are just it's not happening so you know we just we don't know i mean if it can be sourced because that's not guaranteed yet if it can be sourced it's going to be more expensive we already had the conversation last week as it relates to you know how much of a cut farmers who make the stuff uh or rare the stuff how much they get like you know i don't believe farmers can be squeezed anymore are uh those that buy off farmers and sell to consumers are they going to have to increase their prices and pass that on to farmers they will yeah there's there's just no choice and that's like we're a co-op on a shown co-op and we were set up to try and help farmers and obviously that's exactly what we're trying to do and from the fertilizer side of things before um before we even got into the the russian-ukrainian conflict there was huge issues with fertilizer and i'm sure anybody that doesn't involve an agriculture would know like the price of fertilizer has at least doubled and in some cases almost trebled uh in the last 68 months due to the price of gas due to the price of shipping uh due to the price due to due to raw materials been you know russia would have had uh quotas on and exports china would have stopped exporting raw materials so there's huge problems there with fertilizer to begin with and this is just gonna exacerbate the problem uh so then the raw petrol and diesel in terms of just you know uh i mean that is another cost that farmers are hit with um as we all are but you know you add that on so what i mean as i say you know our first thoughts are with the the people of ukraine and even you know russian people they're probably have no choice to get involved in what they're yeah it's impacting everyone is what i'm saying at you know i mean obviously there are innocents and there are people that aren't innocent i'm talking about the innocence um or the compelled um that's our key concern but what does the future hold for irish farmers for 2022 then i mean how do you how do we work around this in the last minute that we have for james well i suppose that's the 50 million dollar question greg as i suppose it's a case for this year to you know talk to your advisor talk to like to myself or talk to everybody do this in chagos and try and find some sort of way of getting through which will which will involve you know management practice changes you know trying to like i suppose from it say for me i'm a farmer as well from the own point of view without what i've done i would have been using a product called 18612 for for a number of years and i've switched to a different product that will have a higher nitrogen content but lower p and k so that will i'll be able to get on the same level of nitrogen or close to the same level of nitrogen with a smaller tonnage but then that has a that has a knock on effect whether you're affecting your p and k's and your soil fertility so i to be honest with you greg i don't have the answer to that question it has to be worked out yeah you know i suppose what i would advise farmers to do is don't do the same as you always did yeah and you know you know try and we're going to have to make cuts where we can but i suppose this is all going to thread back into where farmers in this country and farmers in other countries they're going to try and cut and put costs so at the end of the day the amount of part produce that is produced is going to be lowered which is going to have a knock on effect worldwide uh and the amount of you know the amount of feed there feed out of no feed or or going on to the future and so that is a huge problem i mean i'm not not that this is any good for farmers but imports aren't going to get any cheaper either listen uh james we'll talk again i think when when the picture is a bit clearer we appreciate you outlining as much as we can because there's so much uncertainty at the moment thanks for joining me this morning i appreciate your time all right greg all right take care of yourself james strained there that is where we have to leave it on