Morning Focus Thursday May 31

Ennis native Fr Bernárd Lynch is author If It Wasn’t Love: Sex, Death and God
He was born the eldest of six in 1947, joined the Society of African Missions in 1965 and was ordained in 1971
He is best known for his work with Aids victims in New York and for coming out as a gay priest
He was married to husband Billy Desmond in 1998 by a Cistercian priest in London and had a civil ceremony in 2007
Happy to speak about his childhood in Ennis; what drew him to the Priesthood; and what it was like coming out to his family
Fr Bernard spoke with John Cooke on Thursday’s Morning Focus about his childhood in Ennis, coming out to his family and his thoughts on the Catholic Church

Fr Bernard thanked the people of Clare for the good wishes he and Billy received after their car accident which prevented them from being our guests on this programme last week.

Mid Western Regional Hospital Group is becoming a smoke free campus today 

CONTINUE READING BELOW

Ennis General along with the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, St. John’s Hospital, Regional Maternity, Nenagh General and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital is introducing a smoke free campus policy to coincide with World No Tobacco Day
From today it is no longer be possible to smoke anywhere on the hospital grounds, for example entrances, doorways, walkways, internal roads, bus shelters, car parks, cars, bicycle shelters etc

Consultant Physician Mr. Aidan O’Brien saying the introduction of this new policy is in line with Mid-Western Regional Hospital status as a Smoke-Free Hospital and its designation as one of the eight regional cancer centres in Ireland
The policy will apply to all staff, patients, visitors, contractors and anyone who enters the hospital buildings or grounds and will ensure a healthier, safer and cleaner environment for all and better health outcomes for patients and staff

Clare FM’s Cliona Wilmott visited Ennis General this week to get the reaction of people outside the hospital

John Mallon- spokesperson for Forest Eireann, the Smokers Lobby group reacted to the new rules
He wished to know what the justification for this move is- he said he thinks this move indicates a move out of health care concern and into politics
Feels it is perverse to expect a sick person to go onto the road to smoke if they are in hospital and going through a stressful time.

Galway Arts Festival together with Clare FM are offering listeners the chance to win tickets to see James Vincent McMorrow, Lisa Hannigan and Elaine Mai perform at the Festival Big Top on Thursday July 26th
We’re giving away a pair of tickets every morning this week. 

John Underhill of Burren Vets was in studio to answer listeners’ pet and livestock queries.

If you have a story, comment or query for the Morning Focus team email [email protected]