On today’s Morning Focus we heard from Mary McAleese – who has carried out her last official duty as President of Ireland. She visited the Back Lane Homeless Hostel in Christchurch in Dublin – where she paid tribute to the residents of the centre. She said she had shed a lot of tears in saying goodbye to her role – and wished incoming President Michael D the very best. While John Higgins, Michael D Higgins’ brother from Ballycar in Newmarket on Fergus spoke to Clare FM’s John Cooke about today’s inauguration. Michael D Higgins will be inaugurated as the ninth President of Ireland at a ceremony in Dublin. His brother John and other members of his family will be guests at the inauguration.
Tom Tiernan, Senior Engineer with Clare County Council, Inspector John Galvin
of Ennis Garda Station and Laura Ward, Manager of Clare Accessible Transport joined John Cooke in studio to discuss Winter Ready Week and how people can plan ahead in case of another severe winter. They discussed salt supplies for the county‘s roads, rural transport and how to ensure vehicles are winter ready amongst others issues. For further details please see www.clarecoco.ie
Also on today’s show;
Claire Keane, a Miltown Malbay native and this year’s Galway Rose has been invited to the Presidential Inauguration, she spoke with Morning Focus about the honour of receiving an invitation. While the ten 5th and 6th class pupils and the Principal of Ennis Educate Together – Sean O Confhaola also spoke about there expectations of the inauguration. Pupils from the Ennis school will have the honour of getting a birds-eye view of the Presidential Inauguration. They will arrive at The Castle under Garda escort from Royal Hospital Kilmainham, and after watching the formal proceedings on a TV link, they will then greet the president in the courtyard before he departs for the Aras.
John Quinn, Broadcaster and Writer spoke with John Cooke as today is Remembrance Day. Remembrance Day is observed on 11th November to recall the official end of World War I in 1918. John will launch an exhibition for the Fallen Dead in Clare County Museum at 2.30pm this afternoon– the exhibition includes list of names of Clare soldiers who fought in WW1 with photos and cuttings from local press. He will also give the keynote address at Ennis Cathedral for the Clare War Dead – it’s 4th year Commemoration – “Longing for Home” which will focus on the Meath soldier poet Francis Ledwidge’s work.
Rollo Gwyn-Jones whose family owns Lough Cutra Castle in Gort spoke about today’s launch of the Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon which puts the West of Ireland on the map as a venue on the Castle Triathlon series. Rollo has competed at Olympic distance triathlon himself before and will be diving into the lake. The castle owners, the Gwyn-Jones’ are taking part in the triathlon, which will take place on June 3rd 2012, as a family relay for charity
Aidan Courtney from Ennis Bookshop joined us for our weekly Book Focus
Today’s titles included; ‘National Geographic: The Answer Book’, ‘Ireland’s Wildlife Year’ edited by Eric Dempsey and ‘The Other Ireland: Changing Times 1870-1920’ by Mary Jones.
If you have a comment or question for Morning Focus you can email the show at [email protected] or text Clare FM followed by you comment and name to 53030
