Morning Focus – Tuesday 20/06/17

Tuesday’s Morning Focus brought listeners a very special report from Parteen National School where pupils have been studying the life and times of Edward Lunch, who died in World War 1.

This week, pupils reunited members of his family with his ‘death plaque’ which had been up for sale on EBay and was purchased by Cathal Crowe, a teacher at the school. Clare FM’s James Mulhall produced a special package on the event. Listen back below:

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The show also heard about political rumblings and the fall-out of the controversial appointment of former AG Máire Whelan to the Court of Appeal. That was the topic that opened the show when Gavin spoke to FF TD for Clare, Timmy Dooley. Listen back below:

On World Refugee Day, Orla Ní Eilí of Clare Immigrant Support, spoke to Gavin about work in this county to support newcomers.

MEP Deirdre Clune was Gavin’s next guest and she outlined concerns that radical jihadists returning from Syria and Iraq could fuel a domestic terror threat affecting security at Shannon Airport and other locations.

Money Doctor John Lowe joined Gavin with a range of money-management tips. Listen back below:

There was a special edition of Garda Focus today as Sergeant Joe Downey, Crime Prevention Officer, was joined in studio by two Clare trainees from the Templemore Garda College – Rachel Grogan from Tuamgraney and James Conneely from Ennistymon.

The show then turned its attention to the issue of clothing collections for charities. Patricia got in touch after she became suspicious that a leaflet dropped through her letter box wasn’t from a bona fide source. Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry looked into the issue and gave some advice from the Irish Charity Shops Association (ICSA) and the Charities Regulator on avoiding bogus collections. Listen back below:

There are tips for checking if a charity is genuine on the ICSA website.

You can also check whether a charity is genuine or not by logging on to the website of the Charities Regulator.

If you suspect that a charity is not genuine, you can contact the Charities Regulator in confidence at

Concerns About Charities
Charities Regulator
3 Georges Dock
IFSC
Dublin 1

You can also phone their special ‘concerns line’ at 01 633 1550.

With the weather getting warmer, people getting out in the garden are being asked to spare a thought for hedgehogs. Gavin was joined, for advice and tips, by Bev Truss of Hogsprickle Wildlife Rescue.

Things are going to get lively in Lissycasey in the coming days and Morning Focus heard all about the Lissycasey Festival (from June 22 to 25). Gavin was joined in studio by Deborah Coughlan and on the line by PJ Murrihy, who’s joining Dave Culligan and Séamus Shannon to reform ‘The Banner Men’.