On Friday’s Morning Focus we looked back on memories of 9/11 as we approach the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks when almost 3,000 people lost their lives, and many were injured in the terrorist attacks that struck America and shook the world
Preparations are continuing across the US for memorial services
The alert level has been raised at US military bases, however officials say it’s a precautionary move, as no credible allegation or threat has been received
Almost 3 thousand people lost their lives in the attacks, when planes crashed at the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania
We heard Irish American New York fire fighter Bill Whelan speaking about his experience of the rescue effort. Bill, a former President of the Emerald Society, was speaking to Clare FM with his sister in law Christina Whelan from Ennis about his involvement in the rescue effort on 9-11 during a visit to Clare in 2004
John Cooke spoke with New York Times columnist Clyde Haberman who has been meeting with families of those lost in 9/11 and local representatives who are preparing for commemoration ceremonies on Sunday
Eileen Breen from Kilnamona and Katrina Morrison who lives in Cross are both New Yorkers
Eileen’s sister Annie’s husband Danny Melia is a Fire Chief at the Brooklyn Yard Navy- he took 9-11 off to play golf
Katrina was living in Pennsylvania on Sept 11, 2001 when the attack on the World Trade Centre took place
Her close friend’s husband was a fire-fighter in NY- she had urged him to stay home that morning because of illness- his entire battalion of eleven were killed
She and other members of her community cooked and transported food the two hours to ground zero in the days after the attack for rescue workers- they presented her with a foot high cross made of steel from the Twin Towers afterwards to thank her
Katrina is a photogprapher and is opening an exhibition in Ennistymon this Saturday – churches and ruins from Clare entitled Lonely Places of Faith
The findings of www.clare.fm poll
How do you think the government can help struggling mortgage holders?
• Debt Forgiveness for some? 21%
• Higher Mortgage Interest Relief? 28%
• Shared Equity Schemes 11%
• Rent Back Schemes 30%
• Other 10%
Clare FM’s Voxpop
Collette Sexton asked the people of Ennis for their thoughts on this week’s Clare FM’s online poll
Economist Dr Micheal Collins of Trinity College, Dublin discussed the findings with John.
Renowned balladeer PJ Murrihy has penned a song to commemorate Sinead O’Connor’s visit to the county for the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival
We had a listen to ‘Sinead’s Hairy Man’ and John Cooke spoke with Mark Flannigan, PRO of the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival about how it is going so far and any sightings of the rock singer.
Marie Cloonan, Chairperson of the Clarenbridge Oyster Festival had a word about the festival that runs from today until Sunday
Aidan Courtney of the Ennis Bookshop joined John in studio for his weekly look at newly released books
Today Aidan discussed Philip O’Connor’s A Parish Far from Home about setting up a GAA club in Stockholm, Simon Carswell’s Anglo Republic and Short stories for the Inter Cert
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