Highlights from Lunchtime Live

We continue a county-by-county journey across Ireland, exploring all 32 counties that make up this remarkable island. Have you been to some of these places and hidden gems? Today, Andrea is joined by Travel Content Creator Kevin Penrose to find out what the best things to see and do are in County Armagh. Image: Discover Northern Ireland

A new survey revealed one in three gen zers now text or call when they arrive at someone's door because they think it's less awkward. Among Gen Z who text or call, 39 per cent say it feels less intrusive, while nearly 19 per cent say ringing the doorbell simply feels too formal.  So, are doorbells on the way out? Andrea spoke to listeners to hear their take.

With the opening of the new Popeyes food chain, it begs the question, have we followed in America's footsteps and prioritising convenience? Andrea spoke to listeners to hear their opinions

Author and meteorologist Joanna Donnelly was out cycling when she became the target of one bus drivers road rage. She had joined Andrea to talk about it.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joined Andrea with a roundup of some of the stories from across the country this week.

Sligo Councillor Donal Gilroy has called for an increase in the number of dog wardens in the county due to ongoing serious issues. This comes after the Minister for Agriculture confirmed that his department will continue funding the service in 2026, with an additional €2 million being made available to local authorities to support the employment of dog wardens. Andrea spoke to Fine Fail Cllr Donal Gilroy, Chair of Sligo Tidy Towns, Finbarr Filan, Founder and leader of the Rural Ireland Organization and farmer Gerry Loftus and listeners to hear their take on this.

Looking to spruce up the outside of your house with a lick of paint? The Home squad are here with their dos and don'ts. Jenny Sheehan, Workers Cottage on Instagram and Co-Host of Rip it up: The Renovations Podcast and Jenny Butler, Interior Architect & designer Director of Jennifer Anne Interior joined Andrea to discuss.

Love Island's Tom Clare and Molly Smith were blown away on their ‘Nearly weds' podcast when they were told about how much Irish people give as wedding presents. Andrea heard from Ciara Elliott, Editor One Fab Day, Stylist Laura Mullet and listeners to hear ow much they give at a wedding.

Footballer Shane Long has spoken candidly about the guilt he felt after having to leave his wife just three hours after the birth of their first child to fulfil his football commitments. Reflecting on his experience, Long has thrown his support behind Movember's campaign urging the Irish Government to improve paternity leave provisions for fathers. A new report reveals that fathers in Ireland lose around three-quarters of their weekly income while on paternity leave and are entitled to just two weeks of leave. Andrea spoke to Newstalk's political correspondent Sean DeFoe and other fathers to hear their thoughts on this topic.

In January 2023, writer Bethany Joy Dawson told her husband “I cannot do our life anymore”. She joined Andrea to talk about recovering from burnout and moving to Sligo.

We've decided to do a deep dive on some of our favourite albums to explore the stories behind them. What did the artists really think of each other? Where did the inspirations from the songs come from? Joining Andrea to discuss is Alan Buckley from the Irish Rock ‘N' Roll Museum Experience.

The Government is considering a range of measures to target the misuse of electric scooters following an increase in incidents involving the vehicles.Currently, you must be over 16 and remain at a speed limit under 20km an hour to drive them, but there are concerns that these rules are not being follow. Andrea spoke to listeners to hear their views.

Lunchtime Live were contacted a few days ago by a concerned uncle who shared the deeply personal story of his nephew Barry, who has a rare genetic condition called Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, which causes tumours to grow uncontrollably in his body. To make matters worse, a new drug used to treat the condition called belzutifan isn't available in Ireland, despite being allowed in the UK and Northern Ireland. Barry joined Andrea to discuss the impact his condition has on his life and what access to the Drug would mean for him.

Lunchtime Live's Reasons to be Happy looks at some of the news stories that you might have missed that will leave you feeling more optimistic.98FM's Cathal O'Sullivan joined Andrea in the studio to put a smile on your faces…

Tallaght driving test center has been forced to cancel 160 tests due to a delay in the completion of tests. The wait in Tallaght is up to 12 weeks, but the longest wait has been revealed in Raheny at a staggering 25 weeks. Anyone in Raheny applying for a test now must wait until November 30th before being “invited” to select an appointment time in the following three to five weeks, which could bring their test date into 2027. Ger Herbert, Motoring editor and Columnist with the Sunday Independent, Nadia Adan, Ashford Motors owner, Meghan O'Halloran and Newstalk's own joined Andrea as she is currently on the waiting list for a driving test aswell as listeners who have been effected by the wait times.

Professor Shane Higgins, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital, joined Andrea to discuss the 4th Trimester – something that probably isn't discussed enough. What it is ? And how to manage it.

Are you counting macros, hitting your 10k step goal and getting 8 hours sleep every night? Well, while many of us are trying to be healthier... are we actually losing community in the process...Stephen Flynn from The Happy Pear and Newstalk Claire McKenna joined Andrea to discuss how we can find the right balance when trying to achieve wellness goals.

We've received an email from a listener who says they were shocked and upset after receiving a letter from their child's school.The letter informed parents that any student who commits to playing a school sport will be required to pay €360 for one sport, or €420 if they participate in more than one. Is it reasonable for schools to ask parents to contribute these amounts, or does it place an unfair financial burden on families?Joining Andrea to discuss this further was Michael Ryder is the Chairman of Underage Clubs Galway, Lisa O'Sullivan Shaw from Modern Irish Mum, and Siobhan O'Neill Whyte from Mams.ie, Lorcan Mcloughin, Former Cork hurler, Eric Nelligan, Assistant principal in a Secondary School in Limerick as well as parents and listeners with their views.

For this week's Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Pat Keville from Plant Store.ie, to discuss all your questions about indoor houseplants!

Irish Mirror's Head of Sport Brian Flanagan recently thought he'd nabbed some bargain GAA gear, but all was not as it seemed. Brian joined Andrea to tell all about the scam.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) warns that dirty dishcloths, floor cloths or tea towels can cause microbiological contamination AS they are often used for multiple tasks, including wiping surfaces, drying hands, cleaning spills and drying dishes. Joining Andrea to spill all the tea towel life hacks is The Irish Examiner's Digital Features Editor, Denise O'Donoghue.

New EU proposals could spell the end of airline charges for cabin luggage, but Ryanair's Michael O'Leary is fighting back!Andrea was joined by travel blogger Tara Povey as well as listeners to share their views.

At the start of the week, Andrea spoke to women whose stories were mentioned in ‘Making the Impossible Choice' a book about abortion experiences. Today she was joined by Jennifer Ryan a member of LMC Bereavement Support to share her story.

Katie Gallagher, Spin News Anchor, has her finger on the pulse for what's happening and she joins Andrea with the things you don't want to miss this week!

Tuam has become the first town in County Galway to establish a €75 fine for drinking alcohol in public. Galway County Councillor Sean Cunniffe first brought the proposal in October 2024. Following public consultation, the Community Safety Partnership drafted the by-law and presented its report to councillors at a recent district meeting. The fine, which can be enforced by a community warden or An Garda Síochána, starts at €75 and must be paid within 21 days. Failure to do so will see the penalty increase to €150. If it remains unpaid, a person could ultimately be liable for a fine of up to €1,900.

It's time for Ask the Medic! Where an expert joins to answer any of your health-related questions.This week, Andrea is joined by Dr Matthew Barrett Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Governance Lead for Heart Health Check to discuss ‘Hearth Health Check', a new comprehensive heart health check-up, and answer your questions.

Would you still organise a Sunday roast with your family? Or has that tradition fallen to the side?Plus, what does your ideal roast look like?Joining Andrea to discuss is Sinead Ryan, Presenter of the Home Show on Newstalk and Russell Alford of Gastro Gays.

Roberto Lopes will be one of the few Irish people playing in the World Cup this summer, as he represents Cape Verde. The footballer, originally from Crumlin, will play his first World Cup game later this evening as they take on Spain.The excitement around this player is second-to-none, as he was a former footballer with Lourdes Celtic and Shamrock Rovers.Joining Andrea to discuss this is Pat Holmes, who was Lopes' coach for a number of seasons with Lourdes Celtic.Image: @LeagueOfIreland on X

Women who had to travel to the UK to terminate pregnancies due to medical reasons have appealed for more support and changes in Irish law.A new book, created with support from the LMC Bereavement Support charity, shares some of these women's stories.Two of the women whose stories feature in the book join Andrea to discuss.

Three years after being purchased, wheelchair accessible beach mats are still in storage in Leisure land. This result of these mats in storage means that wheelchair users cannot access the water in an easy, accessible manner.At Galway City Council's June meeting, Councillor Eddie Hoare put forward a motion seeking a commitment from the Chief Executive and parks and recreation staff to officially roll out the beach wheelchair mats for the bathing season.Eddie joins Andrea to discuss.

Did you need to choose between getting married and buying a home?Bishop Denis Nulty has said that the decline in marriages is linked to the housing crisis, with couples being forced to prioritise between one or the other...Do you agree? And is this your experience?Joining Andrea to discuss is Finance Analyst Karl Deeter, Broadcaster Fionnuala Moran, Ray Cooke, CEO of Ray Cooke Auctioneers, Journalist Saoirse Hanley and Newstalk's Laura Hannon.

Starting today, we begin a county-by-county journey across Ireland, exploring all 32 counties that make up this remarkable island. Have you been to some of these places and hidden gems?Today, Andrea is joined by Travel Content Creator Kevin Penrose to find out what the best things to see and do are in County Antrim.

Do you remember the days of running in to hit record on the VHS player to record Coronation Street for your mam? Or using a pencil to rewind a cassette to listen from the start again?Apparently, long-abandoned formats such as cassettes and VHS tapes are making a comeback!Elaine Power, co-host of the ‘What's Trending in F1?' podcast and listeners join Andrea to discuss.

Are school summer holidays too long? An article in today's Irish Examiner by Stephanie Parks says that Ireland's long school holidays don't suit the modern family. Do you agree?Joining Andrea to discuss is Jennifer Horgan, teacher and Irish Examiner Columnist, Lisa O'Sullivan Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram) and listeners.

8-year-old Theo Hughes is a champion golfer, but he is now having to play with damaged gear after his kit was broken coming off a flight...His dad Danny joins Andrea to discuss.

Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joined Andrea with a roundup of some of the stories from across the country this week.

A “technical issue” with ESB solar panels means that 200,000 households fear missing payments for the sunniest weeks of the year.It comes as homeowners have discovered the electricity they are exporting to the grid has not been displayed by ESB Networks (ESBN) since May 25th…Joining Andrea to discuss this is Finance Editor with Irish Independent, Charlie Weston, Peter Finn AKA Pete the Builder and listeners.

From choices to solutions - what are your options if you want to bring some light into your home?This week, the Home Squad are here to discuss lighting solutions!Joining Andrea to discuss is Jenny Sheehan, Co-Host of ‘Rip it up: The Renovations Podcast' (@workerscottage on Instagram) and Interior Stylist Sarah Doyle of Retwiggd.

While Ireland might have missed out on the World Cup dream, the tournament starts tonight, but what do you actually need to know to bluff our way through and sound like a football expert?Joining Andrea to discuss is Tanya Sweeney, Columnist for the Irish Independent and Off the Ball's Phil Egan.

A recent campaign set up in Castlebar in Mayo is calling for the introduction of an All-Irish speaking secondary school to cater for primary school students seeking to further their education as Gaeilge.Four towns in Mayo have primary schools as Gaeilge, yet nowhere to continue their secondary level education in Irish. This means that students are at risk of losing their love and interest in the Irish language…Is this a regular problem across the country as a whole, and do we need more Irish speaking secondary schools?Joining Andrea to discuss is Frainc Ó Clochartaigh, a member of this campaign, Claire Spanaic Services Manager with Gaeloideachas, Director of Aonad Loch Gile, Debrah Ni Cheallaigh and Principal of Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, Liz Nic Searraigh.

This month marks the start of National Fostering Awareness month.Tusla released a statement saying “National Fostering Awareness Month is about opening the conversation, challenging myths and helping people understand that they may already have the qualities needed to make a life-changing difference for a child”.To discuss their experience being foster carers, Andrea is joined by Maureen Gannon and Eileen Harkin.

We've decided to do a deep dive on some of our favourite albums and artists to explore the stories behind them.What did artists really think of each other? Where did the inspirations from the songs come from?Joining Andrea to discuss is DJ and Pop Critic Cian Sullivan, who's going to talk through the life and work of Olivia Rodrigo!