The LoveLaois Podcast

Ballyfin woman Claire Scott has a bird's eye view of General Election 2024 on a national level. We chatted to her on Tuesday afternoon from her office in Leinster House, where she is based as a political correspondent with the Sunday Times. She chats about her career to date from Ballyfin College to UCD, DCU and her work with Dublin Live, the Mail on Sunday and more recently the Sunday Times. In the past couple of weeks she has been on the national campaign trail, travelling around the country observing Simon Harris, Micheal Martin, Mary Lou McDonald and Roderick O'Gorman. She chats about that, the role of a Sunday newspaper correspondent and the type of coverage she likes to consume herself. 

The latest guest on our LoveLaois General Election Podcast is Gary Murphy, the Professor of Politics in DCU who is a regular contributor on various national radio and TV programmes. Though he is living and working in Dublin for the best part of 30 years now, his distinctive Cork accent is a staple on the airwaves. On top of that he has lectured a remarkable and wide variety of students over the years, including current Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, Oliver Callan and Catriona Perry. In this episode he gets into the nitty-gritty of the Laois constituency in this General Election as well as a potted history on TV debates and his view on the role posters play in election campaigns. 

Apologies for the quality of the audio - and thanks to Paul Dargan for his help in even rescuing this file - but this is our chat with Ivan Yates, recorded last Monday, November 18

The General Election is in full swing now as we are now 11 days from polling day. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett to look back on the last week. The pair have been 'On the Canvass' with several candidates across the county. They tell of their experiences so far and look ahead to what is to come. 

By this day two weeks, all of the talking will be over and the people will be exercising their vote.But we have another two weeks of the campaign to go and have assembled a panel to discuss all that has gone on to date.Steven Miller is in the presenters chair and is joined by a number of political personalities.Fine Gael Councillor for the Graigueculllen-Portarlington area, Vivienne Phelan, is here.While Brian Phelan, who ran for Fianna Fail in the Borris-Mountmellick area in the Local Elections in June, also features.Helen Campion who ran for Sinn Fein in the same area during the summer also contributes.While the panel is completed by Labour's Eoin Barry who ran for the party in the Graiguecullen-Portarlington district in June.In what is at times a robust discussion, all four get their views across.

The second episode in our Transition Year series where we hear from Portlaoise CBS student Andrew Whelan.Our Transition Year series is brought to you in association with People First Credit Union.  People First Credit Union support young minds in shaping their future.People First believe in the power of community and the potential of youth. People First Credit Union – building a future of opportunity, one saver at a time.

We had a bit of a mishap recording this week.On Monday afternoon we chatted with broadcaster Ivan Yates, the former Fine Gael Government minister turned pundit. Unfortunately we ran into trouble with the file, which is now being examined to see can it be retrieved.In any case, Steven and Alan sat down for a midweek General Election chat.What has Alan’s favourite viral moment been? Steven looks back at the last time a General Election was held in November, in 1992, and what it’s like going on the campaign trail with the candidates.We chat about our interview with Brian Stanley this week, our podcast plans and a variety of other topics along the way.

The date has been confirmed and the countdown to General Election 2024 is well an truly underway. Here at LaoisToday, we plan to produce three Podcasts a week in the run up to November 29. This is the first one and Alan Hartnett is joined by Steven Miller to review what has happened to date. From Brian Stanley v Sinn Fein to various election launches, the lads cover it all. 

Moving school at any age can never be easy but it's something that Megan Kavanagh did when she and her family moved to Ireland, having lived previously in London. Megan had done all her primary school education in London before moving to Portlaoise ahead of her starting second year in Scoil Chríost Rí. Now in Transition Year and on work experience in LaoisToday, she is the first guest on our new Podcast series. "I moved over from England so I missed out on first year," she explains. "Transition Year was definitely a good chance to catch up on anything I missed. A lot to catch up on myself. "I was told it was a good break year - you get a lot of opportunities like musicals and trips and obviously work experience and you don't get that in England. "There are some teachers and students that still call it a doss year," she jokes. (But) I am definitely enjoying it. So much stuff has happened, so many opportunities have opened ... it's great fun."In a good-humoured chat, she goes through some of the differences between growing up in Ireland and England, trying to explain to her English friends about the GAA and not having to do Irish in school. "Mainly the curriculum is a lot different - Irish history and English history are two very different things!"I don't know if this is just me but the teachers are so much calmer here. In England I feel they were very serious about school. Obviously they are here too but just more friendly and easier to talk to."And she describes how nervous an experience it was moving to a new school - and how she remembers how warm a welcome she was give.  "I was shaking walking in ... I was terrified," she recalls now. "I was only shown around the day before in. I didn't have a clue what I was doing."But it didn't take long to settle in. "It didn't take too long because I met a great group of girls. They welcomed me, they showed me around, they just hung out with me."They were great fun, still friends with them now. It was easy enough settling in because of them and the teachers as well once they understood I had never been here."

The clue is in the name: People First Credit Union. "We are very heavily involved in the community," says Carol Murphy, their Marketing Manager, speaking on this week's LoveLaois Podcast as People First Credit Union have come on board to sponsor our new Transition Year Podcast series. "We like to think we are member first, they are our people they are what make our credit unions."Formed in 1969 as Portlaoise Credit Union, but more recently taking in branches in Abbeyleix, Stradbally and Athy to form People First Credit Union, it's an organisation that has helped countless people over the years. Whether it's for a student loan, a holiday loan or, in more recent times, a farm loan or a mortgage, People First Credit Union can be with you right throughout your life. Many savings accounts start with the Communion or Confirmation moment. "You see so many people that come back again and again and again because they might have been refused in other places or didn't meet certain criteria or whatever it might be," explains Carol. "You have had your loan and then maybe your daughter or son will come to them because you will start to process in the family. It is so rewarding for us to see, there is 'Tommy', he took his first car loan with us and now he is there with 'Nicola' and they're taking out a mortgage. Then they're coming in with their first child and it is lovely to see that progression."And she says that people dealing with their local Credit Union has the circular effect of helping someone else. "They are helping us by taking loans. You are helping other people in the community by trusting us with your finances."And they are quick to give back to the community too in other ways - their annual Community Champion award gives €10,000 to a local group; last year they gave €42,000 in supports through their Community Fund; they give a €1,000 scholarship to one student in each of the seven secondary schools in their Common Bond area; they have quizzes and art competitions for the primary schools and organise a massive careers night every second year for Leaving Cert students. You can listen to the interview in full with Carol in this week's Love Laois podcast as she discusses the range of services offered by People First, memories of her own first job and teaching her own children about saving.

The Laois County Council monthly meeting returned this week and with it came another episode of screaming, shouting, finger-pointing and name-calling. A lot of it was concerned with the proposed streaming of these actual meetings. Mark Comerford was reporting on the latest bouts of drama while we also discuss the appointment of a new Council CEO, a prison story - and Steven is joined by Stradbally parish priest Fr David Vard as both of them are jumping out of a plane this weekend. 

We missed a week of the Love Laois Podcast last week because of the Ploughing - and that's where we start, chatting about last week's event in Ratheniska.The glorious weather helped make for a wonderful event and LaoisToday were proud to record a live episode at the Briggs Equipment stand for Laois Hire, the official sponsors of Laois GAA.Steven and Alan chat about the occasion, the seemingly improved food offerings, the phenomenon that is the popularity of GAA jerseys - and the large presence of politicians.From eating Green Party apples to questionable Sinn Féin coffee, Fianna Fáil tea and a brief encounter with Taoiseach Simon Harris, there is no doubt they all have a General Election in their minds.We also ponder the struggles of the Hippie Chippie, whose prospective customers may not necessarily be Ploughing clientele.And we chat to Steven Reilly from Abbeyleix, who is fundraising for Childhood Cancer Ireland in the wake of his son Jude's leukemia over the past year.Anyone wishing to donate can do so by clicking here

The incredible drama at last week's Fine Gael General Election selection convention gets priority treatment on this week's LoveLaois Podcast. The long-serving Portlaoise-based councillor Willie Aird will be the party's candidate in the next election, whenever that may be, after his council colleague Conor Bergin withdrew his name at the last minute. What brought about the change? What does it mean for the future and why the LaoisToday team hopes the General Election isn't until early 2025!We also discuss our interview with retiring Portlaoise publican Seamus Donoghue as well as our chat last week with Crettyard author Lorna Sixsmith and the publication of her first novel. Plus we chat about the return of the Laois County Council monthly meetings and some of the musings from this week's Municipal District offerings. 

Our latest LoveLaois Podcast is a real mixed bag of topics - with everything from politics to school to agriculture and a potted history of the Rathdowney Outlet Centre. It's a big week on the local political scene with the Fine Gael party in Laois set to select their candidate to contest the next General Election. The retirement of Charlie Flanagan means there is a wide open contest to see who replaces him and it should make for a fascinating contest in the Killeshin Hotel on Thursday night. It has also been a big week for Sinn Féin, with the decision of long-serving Portarlington councillor Aidan Mullins to leave the party. Plus we talk about the Independents and if more candidates will enter the race. Away from politics we talk about Dan Donoher's first day at school, our interview with Sean Smyth, the new principal in Scoil Chríost Rí, the heartwarming story of Ballyfin woman Cathy Clear who returned to education in her 70s. Plus we discuss the launch of this year's Ploughing, which is in Ratheniska from September 17-19, and the Clonaslee Show, which has it's 70th event on this Sunday, September 8. 

A Portarlington business-owner will run as an Independent candidate in the upcoming General Election.Elaine Mullally, who owns Clown Around play centre in Portarlington, officially announced her candidacy recently.She joined us on the LoveLaois Podcast and outlined why she has decided to contest the election.Elaine said: "In the last four years, I became completely disillusioned with the whole political system and politicians."It was complete frustration. I was writing to TDs and emailing them about different issues and getting no response."It is like for the last couple of years that they (elected TDs) are not listening to the people who voted for them."It is like we don't exist to a lot of them - not all, as there are good people - but the majority."And especially the parties. Again, they probably have good people involved, but they are just closed off to listening to people."I still am disillusioned. I can't understand how the main parties seem to think they are separate from the people in their towns and villages."18 months ago, Elaine founded Independent Ireland - a then new political party.It started out with three TDs and following the European and Local Elections in the summer, had 23 Councillors and one MEP.However, shortly after, Mullally announced that she had left the party. While Ciaran Mullooly's decision to join Renew in the European Parliament upset many in Independent Ireland, Mullally says this wasn't the only factor in her choice to depart. She said: "I got on very well with everyone in the party but I just felt my voice wasn't being heard. "For me, I felt I was the voice of the people. I wasn't elected and I was on the ground, talking to people. "For the Referendums, I was hearing directly from people that they were voting 'No' 'No' - I was a complete advocate for that and I got it very hard to convince party members to come around to that."Elaine has set out eight 'priorities' on which she will fight her General Election campaign - housing, cost of living, immigration, mental health, small business, farmers, education and crime. As she embarks on her campaign, Elaine will be hosting a series of public meetings across Laois.She says that these meetings are designed not just for her to speak, but to listen to the concerns of her constituents."My public meetings are less about me talking and more about hearing the deep-held concerns of the people of Laois."I want to ensure that I am truly representing their interests on the ground."The first meeting is scheduled for September 3 at 8PM in the Portlaoise Parish Centre.Further meetings will be held in Portarlington Community Centre (Sept 4), Morrisey's Pub in Abbeyleix (Sept 10), Clonaslee Heritage Centre (Sept 12), Mountmellick MDA (Sept 18), Bloom HQ in Mountrath (Sept 19) and Killeshin Hall (Sept 25) - all scheduled for 8pm.

We chatted with Zach Tuohy, who recently announced his retirement from his Australian Rules career. Zach chatted about why he chose to retire now, his career in general and what comes next. He's committed to playing with Portlaoise and Laois, if possible, in the coming seasons. He also discusses his upcoming book The Irish Experiment which will be published before Christmas. 

Our latest LoveLaois Podcast is here and this one is all about the 2024 Electric Picnic Arts and Music Festival. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett and Liam Cunningham to look back at a memorable few days in Stradbally. The lads pick out their top three acts and reflect on the success of the first ever LaoisToday QuizCast. The episode also hears from people who were part of the massive amount of Laois talent who performed.Damien Bowe is on hand to talk about the success of the Timahoe Choir while Roisin Barrett of the Mary Wallopers also speaks about her experience on the Main Stage. We also hear from Alice Laffan who opened the Croí stage as Just Alice. The episode ends with her song 'Wait'.

John Maye is returning to Knockbeg College as principal of the school for the forthcoming academic year.After leaving in 2018, he became the deputy principal in St Conleth's Community College in Newbridge before taking up the role of principal in Duiske College in Graiguenamanagh.Now, after Michael Carew’s retirement, John is set to return and before hand, he spoke to Alan Hartnett on the LaoisToday Podcast.

The Local Elections are behind us now and this final Podcast on the subject wraps it all up. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett to pick out the main talking points from the election. After inadvertently leaving it out of the Portlaoise Podcast, we also hear from Tommy Mulligan. While the lads then return to give out some 'awards' from the election itself.  

The most impressive breakthrough performance in this Local Election campaign in Laois was that of Independent candidate Tommy Mulligan.He took the third seat in Portlaoise, with outgoing Fine Gael candidate Thomasina Connell the one to lose out.Marie Tuohy was also a considerable success story as she held on to the seat she was co-opted into, impressively picking up a raft of transfers from across the board. Naeem Iqbal had polled strongly initially to be only eight votes behind Tuohy on the first count.We look back at the count in detail as well as hearing from Tommy Mulligan (Independent), Naeem Iqbal (Fianna Fail), Catherine Fitzgerald (Fianna Fail), John Joe Fennelly (Fianna Fail), Marie Tuohy (Labour) and Barry Walsh (Fine Gael).Plus, this episode plays out with an airing of the Skies oer Ballyroan, the famous Ballyroan song which gets an airing on big moments for that community as it did on this occasion when their man Barry Walsh was elected.