Down To Business

For this week's Industry Review, Bobby goes goes beyond the headlines and takes a closer look at the job of being a columnist. ● Tanya Sweeney, features writer and columnist for the Irish Independent ● Mick Clifford, Special Correspondent for The Irish Examiner ● Brenda Power, columnist with the Sunday Independent & Irish Daily Mail

Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Peter Hyland, CEO of Carroll's Irish Gifts.

Ice cubes used to be quite functional, but Richie French, the founder of the LXRY Ice Collection, thinks it is just an important feature in any luxury setting. He joins Bobby to discuss.

Starting a business can be terrifying. It is estimated that 90% will crash and burn. That means heartache and pain, both emotionally and financially, both for the entrepreneur who came up with the idea and the investors who backed it. It doesn't have to be that way. Why Startups Fail' has just been launched. It's written by a man who has worked in venture capital for 21 years & has also been part of that 90%, but he dusted himself down and went again. Dr Bernard J Bulkin joins Bobby to discuss.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Breda Browne of Unique Media & Ciaran Hancock, Business Editor of the Irish Times.

With the midterm elections in sight, the strength or weakness of the US economy will resonate more with US voters than ‘that' AI image of Donald the Messiah. US economics commentator and columnist for The Times, Irwin Stelzer joins Bobby to chat about it all.

The Irish bridal sector is a significant and competitive market, built on reputation, precision, and trust. For this week's Industry Review, Bobby is joined by three business owners operating at the sharp end of that industry: Marina Hogan, owner of Stylicious Hair & MakeupYvonne Maher, of Makeup by YvonneMairéad Kennedy from MK Bridal Ltd

Founded by three friends, Sisterly is the smarter, simpler way to supplement that was developed for women by a team of doctors, female health experts and nutritionists. Bobby was out & about in Brown Thomas to find out a little bit more about the company.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Linda Daly, Business reporter with the Sunday Times & Stephen O'Leary, founder of Olytico.

NASA's Artemis II mission has safely returned to Earth after a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first time in more than 50 years that humans have travelled to lunar distance and back. The four-person crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean following a high-speed re-entry that tested the Orion spacecraft under extreme conditions - a crucial step as NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the lunar surface later this decade. Joining Bobby to dissect the mission is Space Commentator Leo Enright.

Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Louise Whelan, MD of Pioneer Homecare.

We all know AI might do some of the day-to-day ‘heavy lifting' for some tasks, but we still need leaders engaging with their teams. Claire Brumby thinks the human connection that all good leaders should possess will be key to business success. She is also the author of ‘Forget Normal, I Want Magic: The 5 Rules of Leadership' and joins Bobby to discuss.

There has been a lot of coverage all week about the ongoing fuel crisis. Joining Bobby to look at the cost analysis and whether the protests could actually achieve anything is economist Cormac Lucey.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Gina London from the Language of Leadership & Robert Whelan of Rockwell Finance.

Ireland's housing market remains one of the most pressing issues facing the country, with prices stabilising in some areas, still rising in others, and supply continuing to lag behind demand. For first-time buyers, it's a question of access; for developers and agents, it's a question of viability. So, where exactly are we now and what happens next? Joining Bobby to discuss is:Clement Herron of Clement Herron Real Estate, Portlaoise Brendan McGee, Managing Director of Franklins Estate Agents in DonegalMichael Broderick, CEO of the First Home Scheme

Bobby is joined in the Executive Chair this week by Rory O'Hanlon, CEO of NetZero Group.

Bobby is joined by EY Ireland Head of Assurance & EY Entrepreneur of the Year Partner Lead, Roger Wallace, to talk about this year's EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

Cross-border working is a feature of many European Cities - think of Malmö's relationship to Copenhagen or Bratislava's relationship with Vienna. People live in one and work in the other, commuting daily. Paschal Taggart has a proposal to have Newry create something similar, where people would live there but commute to and work in Dublin. He joins Bobby to discuss.

Ciarán Casey has over three decades of senior leadership experience. His new book, ‘Leadership in Tune', looks at the idea that leadership is more about what he calls the ‘space between people' rather than control. He joins Bobby to discuss.

During the week, Bobby was at an event all about food trends called ‘Table to Tech', organised by the Irish Food Service Alliance. There, he chatted to Simon Stenning, Food Futurist and Doug McMaster of ‘Silo', which is a zero-waste business.

For this week's Industry Review, we're taking a closer look at Ireland's coffee sector through the lens of engineering and operations. These are the men and women who keep the country caffeinated day in and day out, 365 days a year. From how coffee is delivered and scaled across national networks, to the know-how that powers machines, this is the side of the coffee business most customers never see, but one that's critical to every cup. Joining me now to discuss are: ● Ronan McCullough, Insomnia Coffee National Account Manager ● Anthony Buggy, Director of PVI Engineering ● Paul Flanagan, of P.F. Coffee Services

Art Evolve is Ireland's newest contemporary art fair, set for its 2nd year in Dublin at the RDS from March 27th to 29th. Bobby went out and about to find out what the dos and don'ts are when it comes to buying art.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers are Kathleen Gallagher, Markets Correspondent with the Business Post & Lorcan Allen of Keating and Associates.

One of the consequences of the Middle East war is the way Dubai and the wider Emirates region have fallen off an economic cliff. From its status as the premium airline hub to trying to attract world-class sporting events, the war has disrupted the Emirati economy at lightning speed. We also know that many Irish people have decided to make the Gulf region their home while building their careers. So what is it like for them as the war enters its fourth week? Paul Kearns is an Irish journalist based in the region, and he joins Bobby to discuss.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Maurice Pratt, Chairman at Uniphar Group.

Now in its 30th year, Rugs.ie has gone from strength to strength, expanding its horizons to include an extensive website filled with a variety of high-quality products. Phoebe Holland, MD of Rugs.ie joins Bobby to discuss.

We all know life is all about choices. Those sliding door moments when we find our lives changing direction for any number of reasons, explained or not. Johan Depraetere thinks these moments can be deeply enriching and that life isn't like a box of chocolates but more like a bag of gummy bears. He joins Bobby to chat about his new book, Pick Your Gummy Bear: Lessons from my biggest life choices.

We have a long and proud history of furniture making in Ireland - much of it defined by a balance of heritage and contemporary design. With craftspeople across the country shaping this distinctive identity, Bobby thought for this week's Industry Review, he'd look to find out more about this fascinating line of work. Joining Bobby to discuss is: ● Dave Pettigrew of Irish Woodcraft in Meath ● Tricia Harris of Studio Harris from Killarney ● Paul O'Brien, Furniture Designer and Maker at Modet

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Rory King, Founder of Rory's Travel Club.

JP Wright is an award-winning voice actor with over 15 years of experience across TV, radio, gaming and advertising, working with global brands like Netflix, Nintendo and Sky Sports but he's recently captured Irish audiences online with his viral GTA-inspired character, Longford Larry. He joins Bobby to chat about his career.

This week saw a report that was looking at the future of Irish industrial policy and its reliance on FDI. Bobby is joined by John Fitzgerald, Adjunct Professor of Economics at TCD, to discuss.

Sean Blair is the author of the new book ‘Systems Synergy: Developing Human Intelligence That AI Cannot Replace'. He joins Bobby to tell him all about it.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers are Ciara McDonagh of Healy Communications and Declan Ralph of BWG Foods.

O'Flaherty Stone has been shaping, carving & creating stone for generations. Bobby took a trip out to their Wicklow workshop to find out all about the business.

It's Super Saturday in the 2026 Guinness Six Nations, and the championship race is down to the wire. Ireland's campaign has swung from challenge to opportunity, with a win against the Scots needed to give us a glimmer of hope to clinch the title. Joining Bobby to break it all down is former international front‑row legend Shane Byrne.

Dublin has recently been ranked among the most congested cities in the world by the TomTom Traffic Index, which is a surprising statistic for a capital city the size of Dublin. But the real question for business is not just traffic but what that congestion means for the economy of the city. Joining Bobby with some interesting suggestions is Planning Expert, Conor Skehan.

Joining Bobby to chat about what the oil crisis means for Irish consumers is the Deputy Business Editor at The Sunday Times Ireland.

Glamping and outdoor experiences have become big business in recent years, as more people look for ways to disconnect from busy lives and reconnect with nature. From luxury tents and unique outdoor accommodation to premium outdoor gear and equipment, the “great outdoors” economy continues to grow. To discuss, Bobby is joined by: ● Wendy Riordan, Owner of Pitched Perfect ● John Brennan, Managing Director of Dromquinna Manor ● Ken Costigan, Co-Owner / Co-Director of Great Outdoors & Columbia Store Dublin

We all know we need to buy and use sustainable products, but our wallets also guide us. Bobby speaks to the co-author of a new book that says sustainability programmes often fail because of this. Goutam Challagalla, co-author of ‘Clean Winners: Sustainability Strategy That Puts Customers First', joins Bobby to discuss.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Richard Tierney, CEO of the St Patrick's Festival.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers are Joan Mulvihill, Digitisation Expert and artist & Bob Hoffman of Vista Executive Search.

For this week's Industry Review, we're stepping into the world of craftsmanship and the precise, hands-on art of shoemaking and repair. Bobby is joined by two skilled shoemakers and one experienced cobbler to talk about what it really takes to build and rebuild quality footwear in Ireland. ● Michael Walsh, Marketing Director with Dubarry of Ireland● Michael Tutty of Tuttys Shoemakers, Naas, Co. Kildare ● Isaac Jackman, of ‘Isaac Jackman Shoe Repairs'