Morning Focus – Friday April 10th

On today’s programme, we heard from Killaloe teenager Jade Needham.

The 18 year old has cystic fibrosis, and told us how she has been cocooning for the best part of a month, so that she doesn’t catch COVID-19. She appealed to all of us to follow social distancing guidelines, and also issued a fundraising appeal on behalf of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, who should have been holding their annual 65 Roses Day fundraiser today.

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Andrew Dundas, former Clare IFA Chair and current Chairman of Sixmilebridge mart, talked about the issues facing farming at the moment, and the new ways in which marts are doing business, before we heard about the ‘Sew Scrubs for Ireland’ campaign. The brainchild of costume designer Sinéad Lawlor, it will see members (and friends of members) of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association come on board and sew scrubs that will be donated to healthcare facilities throughout the country. Gavin spoke with Sinead, and also the Clare Federation ICA President Mary O’Halloran, and the Association’s National President Josephine Helly. An online fundraiser for the campaign is available and those in Clare who wish to sew can contact [email protected]

After the news, Mayor of Clare Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy joined us and expressed hope that people will continue to follow the COVID-19 restrictions, and then Curate in Ennistymon and Lahinch, Fr. Des Forde, joined us as his online masses are attended by thousands of people across the world. He’s been saying mass in his home for the past four weeks, and Holy Thursday night saw an audience of 12,000 tune-in. Masses are available on the Ennistymon Parish Centre Facebook page

The programme finished by hearing from Professor Brian O’Neill of Dublin’s Technological University, who outlined how and why WhatsApp are tackling false information, and then the Easter Address of President Michael D. Higgins.