Local Voices

#57: From pronouns and coming out to navigating institutional frameworks, facing barriers and discrimination, three people from the LGBT+ community discuss it all this Pride Month.

#56: Bridie Sweeney was born and bred in Tallaght and grew up in a cottage on the Old Bawn Road in the 1930s.Set to turn 90 this year, the former Tallaght Person of the Year and last Mayor of Tallaght sits down with host Hayden Moore to reflect on what Tallaght was like through the years.

#55: On this discussion show, councillors David McManus, Laura Donaghy and Dermot Richardson debate raising the minimum wage to meet the living wage in Ireland, hot school meals for schools in disadvantaged areas, and Cycle South Dublin.To watch this episode of Local Voices on YouTube, click here:https://youtu.be/EZ5N-ETBMik

#54: Nine-time Leinster winner, four time All-Ireland champion, National League medalist and 2019 Players Player of the Year awardee Siobhán McGrath joins The Echo Sports Editor Stephen Leonard to recount her years with Dublin to date, enjoying club success with Thomas Davis and pushing the envelope of Ladies Gaelic football.

#53: Two-thirds of young people were unemployed in April and a recent study has showed that Ireland had the highest educated workforce in Europe. So what is going wrong?Three young people involved in politics have their say about the issues of unemployment, education and housing they are facing and discuss what can be done to support them.Listen in as John Kerr, Social Democrats Dublin South West Chairperson, Vanessa Mulhall, Tallaght South representative and Dublin South Green Party Chairperson, and Adam Smyth, Chairperson of Dublin South West Ógra Fianna Fail join host Hayden Moore.Want to watch the debate? This episode of Local Voices is available on The Echo Newspaper's YouTube channel.

#52: Creator of the A Ramble About Tallaght history blog and author of Since Adam Was A Boy: An Oral Folk History of Tallaght, Albert Perris joins host Hayden Moore to talk about the cultural significance of history, reminiscence work, and share some of Tallaght's whacky and wonderful tales.

#51: On this discussion show, councillors Charlie O'Connor, Madeleine Johansson and Liam Sinclair debate the proposed rezoning of greenbelt land from agriculture to residential in Tallaght, period poverty and issues of anti-social behaviour across South Dublin County.

Former Neilstown boxer Kenneth Egan joins The Echo Sports Editor Stephen Leonard to discuss his long road to Olympic glory in Beijing 2008, his internal battles with self-doubt and alcohol outside the ring.

#49: Considering the housing crisis in Ireland, is the build to rent housing model fit for purpose? Across 10 proposed development sites in Tallaght which are made up of 3,055 apartment units, 1,700 are build to rent. On this discussion show, Councillors Alan Edge, Emma Murphy and William Carey debate if the supply is meeting the specified housing demand, how one-in-four people are cutting back on food and heating due to financial constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and if teachers should be higher up the coronavirus vaccine priority list.

#48: Right in the heart of the greenbelt which stretches from Tallaght to Clondalkin, is the former home of literary great Katharine Tynan. Whitehall, which is known locally as Katharine Tynan House, once hosted WB Yeats and AE Russell and holds massive historical value for it's role in a period of literary enlightenment in the late 1800s.Over the years, the 200-year-old farmhouse which nurtured Katharine's poetry and playwriting ability ability grew has fallen into disrepair.Now, owner of the land, Hibernia REIT, has plans to develop 3,500 residential units on the 144-acre land and Whitehall has been mooted for restoration.Tallaght Historical Society's Ken Harrington brings host Hayden Moore on an exclusive tour of the lands and shares some of the history about Katharine Tynan.

#47: From the barriers women face in politics to a recent study that showed 80 percent of the respondents experienced some form of sexual harrassment in an area of South Dublin, councillors Carly Bailey, Teresa Costello and Joanna Tuffy discuss some of the biggest issues from the past month.

#46: Despite undergoing two leg amputations as a young boy, David Malone never shied away in the face of adversity.Malone was born with a rare condition called arthrogryposis, which is a bone disorder that affects limbs.When he was seven, both of his legs were amputated within the space of 18-months.He was still driven to keep pace with his friends to stay involved and it was that very tenacity which would see him become one of the greatest Paralympic athletes Ireland has ever produced.Joining The Echo Sports Editor Stephen Leonard, the Ballinteer man recounts his incredible journey that saw him contest no less than four consecutive Paralympic Games, with his crowning moment coming in Sydney 2000 in the S8 100-metre backstroke.

#45: Donie Anderson is of old stock, he grew up on his family farm in Glenasmole and has dedicated years of his life to the traditions and crafts of farming.Methods of training sheepdogs have been passed down through his family for generations and Donie, has perfected it.Alongside his trusty sheepdog Jess, Donie is a familiar face at local events across the community where they heard geese, sheep and even hens with great precision.Donie's unassuming manor went viral when he took a video of himself cutting his hair with a traditional sheep shears last year – something he'd do the odd time – and uploaded it online.

#44: From the dangers around the dissemination of misinformation to ongoing troubles with drugs, housing and the importance of biodiversity in South Dublin, councillors Mick Duff, Louise Dunne and David McManus discuss some of the biggest issues from the past month.

#43: 10 years have elapsed since Esra Uyrun left her Clondalkin home to pick up milk for her son and husband, and vanished. The mysterious disappearance of Esra has devastated her family. Berna Fidan, Esra's sister, has travelled back and forth between her home in London and Ireland since that faithful day. Berna believes that somebody knows what happened to her sister and has never stopped searching for answers.Anyone with information can email: missingesra@gmail.com Or contact:National Missing Persons on 1800 911 999 Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111 Ronanstown Garda Station on (01) 666 7700 

#42: From  honing his footballing talent with his cousin Robbie Keane on the streets of Glenshane as a young boy to playing in the great Shelbourne side that enjoyed some great European nights in the Champions League qualifiers and chasing the League of Ireland all-time top scorer record, Jason Byrne details it all as he chats with The Echo's Sports Editor Stephen Leonard.

#41: Special schools returned at 50 percent capacity, while special classes in mainstream schools are set to open. The key concerns among staff of these schools was around the safety of the children amid uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 variant. Fórsa representative and SNA in St Joseph's Special School, Aisling Lohan, Principal Graeme Crombie and Newcastle mother of two autistic boys, Eleanor Bermingham join host Hayden Moore to shed some light on the reopening.

#40: On International Epilepsy Day, Lucan native Megan Finlay, who was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was just 12-years-old talks about raising awareness and breaking down the stigma surrounding the neurological disorder. Paddy McGeoghegan also speaks to host Hayden Moore about some of the myths commonly associated with epilepsy and how to get involved with International Epilepsy Day.

#39: Now that the EU-UK Free Trade Agreement has been finalised, how will this impact local businesses here in South Dublin? Brexit has finally kicked into high gear and as the finer details are being ironed out, CEO of South Dublin Chamber Peter Byrne shares some insight and offers advice to help ease the transition for businesses.

#38: What is the technology behind the COVID-19 vaccine? Consultant Microbiologist in Tallaght University Hospital, Anna-Rose Prior, shares some of the science behind the pioneering mRNA vaccine that is being used to curb the spread of coronavirus. Val Joy, Director of Nursing in Lisheen Nursing Home, tells host Hayden Moore about the how they suffered an outbreak of COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic and recently, had 255 residents and staff vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

#37: First Fortnight Mental Health, Art and Culture Festival was born out of the crash to help tackle the stigma and start a conversation around mental health. In it's 10th festival, First Fortnight was staged for the first time online in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Festival Programme Coordinator Edel Doran and co-founder JP Swaine join host Hayden Moore to talk all things First Fortnight, from it's foundations in 2009 to current day. 

Glen Lally has become a successful businessman working out of Silicon Valley for more than 10 years. On this episode of Local Voices, we discuss the importance of goal setting, the growth mindset and how adopting a process will help you fulfill your New Year's Resolutions in the long run..

#35: 2020 is a year that will be remembered for a very long time. On this retrospective episode of Local Voices, Hayden Moore picks out seven key moments from the first year the podcast was in production.

#34: Host Hayden Moore is joined by founder and editor of The Echo, David Kennedy and journalist Maurice Garvey to reflect on 2020 and review the biggest moments of the whirlwind year.

#33: To travel or not to travel? That is the big question that Irish people all over the world have asked themselves as they zero in on Christmas.Ever year there is this mass temporary remigration over the Christmas period and we see those tear-jerking scenes of families welcoming their loved ones home at the airports around the country.But this year is different because of the COVID-19 pandemic.Host Hayden Moore talks to California-based Clondalkin native Glen Lally about not getting home for the festive season and New York resident Dee Ennis, who travelled home to Saggart to spend Christmas with her loved ones.

#32: The number of people accessing the St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Food Bank in Ballyfermot quadrupled this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and families living in poverty are facing a challenging time this Christmas.  Marie Cronin, East Regional President of SVP, speaks about their Annual Appeal.

#31: Over 600 children entered foster care for the first time in Ireland in 2019 and the enormous work that foster carers do to support those children has a profound impact. Bernadette Coventry, along with her husband Robert, fostered 50 children over a 38-year period and she joins host Hayden Moore along with Catherine Coventry, who they began fostering when she was just six-weeks-old. Sandra O'Neill also speaks about what fostering is, the misconceptions around fostering and the work she does with Tusla - the only organisation that provides a fostering service to the public.

#30: We take a trip back through Irish political history through the lense of ephemera such as election flyers, posters, pins and badges. Since 1982, when he was just 12-years-old, Alan Kinsella has collected approximately 50,000 items of Irish political paraphernalia. Alan speaks to Hayden Moore about his collection and his podcast, The Others.

#29: In the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 521 families were supported by the outreach department of Saoirse Women's Refuge - triple the figure of that in years previous. Evidence also suggests that the number of domestic violence cases has increased since the onset of COVID-19 worldwide.Outreach and prevention manager with Saoirse, Nadine O'Brien, speaks to Hayden Moore about domestic violence, the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, and more.

#28: As you get older, you start to lose the people who you were closest to and making friends becomes more difficult. Through ExWell, three men aged in their 70s and 80s formed a friendship like no other and they have been nicknamed The Three Amigos because of their relationship. Dr Emmett Byrne also joins host Hayden Moore to speak about the exercise and social intervention programme that is ExWell Medical.

#27: Founder and editor of The Echo Newspaper, David Kennedy speaks about  newspapers, journalism, business, Tallaght and more with Peter Leonard on Southside Players, a show on Dublin South FM.Thank you to Dublin South FM for sharing this interview with The Echo. Tune in to Dublin South FM now on 93.9FM or listen online at www.dublinsouthfm.ie

The loss of a loved one is something that, even in normal times, can be incredibly difficult and strenuous on your mental health. Funerals and wakes can be essential to the grieving process, but they have to be done differently to adhere to guidelines around close contact due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brian McElroy of Brian McElroy Funeral Directors talks about how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted funerals.

In this clip from 'Local Voices 024: Are You Winter Ready?', Dr Aisling Ní Shúilleabhain talks about the reluctance of patients visiting the GP, the flu vaccine and why it's all important.

In this clip from 'Local Voices 024: Are You Winter Ready?',  Dr John Cullen, a Respiratory Consultant in Tallaght University Hospital, speaks about the the  prevalence of respiratory illness, the importance of nutrition and exercise in winter and how anxiety can cause breathing complications.

In this clip from 'Local Voices 024: Are You Winter Ready?',  Dr Ciara Martin from Children's Health Ireland in Tallaght University Hospital speaks about common complaints among children during the winter and managing that.

Podcasting is an ever-expanding medium, seeing massive growth in the last few years, but making a podcast during a pandemic creates a whole new host of challenges. Co-host of the Motherfoclóir podcast Peter Kavanagh speaks about the power of the spoken word, gives some tips for people starting a podcast for the first time and how the COVID-19 pandemic effected their production. Emma Kennedy, Managing Director of The Echo Newspaper, speaks about the challenges over the past few months and how through the Local Voices podcast, a new way of informing Echo readers was found.

#24: Every winter when the temperatures drop, there is an increase in the number of respiratory illnesses. With the added impacts of COVID-19 this winter, several healthcare professionals speak to host Hayden Moore about minding ourselves over the winter months.

#23: One in 14 people have a hidden condition called Developmental Language Disorder, which causes significant issues with speaking and understanding. What is DLD and what impact does it have on those diagnosed? Dr Aoife Gallagher from the School of Allied Health in University Limerick and Brenda Mockler from The Echo Newspaper join host Hayden Moore to talk all things DLD ahead of DLD Awareness Day. #DLDSeeMe

#21: Recently a teenager suffered life changing injuries after a firework exploded in his hand and for several weeks, they have been causing issues all across Dublin. Gardai have launched Operation Tombola, which targets the distribution of fireworks, earlier this year. A member of Dublin Fire Brigade, a South Dublin County Councillor and the DSPCA talk about the dangers of fireworks and challenges over the Halloween period.

#20: Professor Brendan Kelly, Consultant Psychiatrist in Tallaght University Hospital, shares some tips about how to mind our mental health during a pandemic following the release of his book Coping with Coronavirus. With no Tallaght Health Fair this year, Catherine Mooney from South Dublin County Partnership details what services are available in and around Tallaght. Catherine Heaney of Fettercairn Community Health Project talks about how they have co-ordinated the event each year and more.

#19: Former Thomas Davis and Dublin football legend Paul Curran joins host Hayden Moore to take a step back 25 years in time, to when The Boys in Blue finally won their long-overdue All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title.

#18: Someone is diagnosed with cancer in Ireland every three-minutes. Just over five-years-ago Sean Crowe TD was one of those people. He was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, the most common form of cancer in men in Ireland. With September being #BlueSeptember, Sean Crowe shares his story of living with the prostate cancer with host Hayden Moore while Consultant Urologist in Tallaght University Hospital, Mr Robert Flynn, details the complexity of the prostate, how the disease can be treated and more.

#17: Terri Harrison gave birth to her son Niall at St Patrick's Mother and Child Institution in 1973, there he was taken from her and adopted without her consent. David Kinsella was born in St Patrick's and adopted, but his longing to meet his biological mother never disappeared. They share their stories with host Hayden Moore while journalist Alison O'Reilly, who has covered Mother and Baby Homes extensively, gives some background.

#16: While COVID-19 still exists, is it possible for us to live the lives we want? With a recent surge in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, Consultant Clinical Microbiologist in Tallaght University Hospital Anna-Rose Prior and Clinical Nurse Manager in TUH's Intensive Care Unit Lisa Dunne discuss the disease. Also, a man who contracted the novel coronavirus while working as a bus driver shares his story.

#15: With the news that Green Party Cllr William Priestley was to resign from his position because of the low salary, we take a closer look. Is the €17,060 a year and expenses enough considering the work load? William Priestley speaks about why he left while Fianna Fáil Cllr Deirdre O'Donovan speaks about the role of the councillor, the lack of maternity leave for elected representatives and more.

#14: As of June 2020, there are 557 people on South Dublin County Council's homeless register. With the homeless emergency continuing in Ireland along with the COVID-19 pandemic, host Hayden Moore speaks to somebody who has been sleeping on the streets of Tallaght in recent months. Also, Karen McEvoy from homeless service, VISIT, talks about what they do and the challenges they have faced.

#13: Following months of restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and phased reopenings, schools are set to reopen with children expected to return to classrooms at the end of August. But what exactly does that mean in a world where COVID-19 exists? Host Hayden Moore talks to local principals and a teacher about the challenges that lie ahead.

#12: Some 1500 people woke up on the morning of April 9 having suddenly lost their jobs. Debenhams Retail Ireland announced that it was closing all 11 of its stores in the Republic of Ireland, notifying their staff via email. June 18 was a significant day for the workers as it marked 100 days since they found out they were being made redundant. To mark the occasion, they held a nationwide rally as part of their protest for what they believe to be a fair redundancy. Host Hayden Moore met some of the people on the picket line in Tallaght to hear their stories.

#11: Ireland's first ever team to qualify for the Winter Olympics was the Irish Bobsleigh Team, at Calgary '88. But 10 days before they were set to take centre stage, their entry to the games was withdrawn. Clondalkin filmmaker Jason Branagan charts their spectacular journey in the feature length documentary Breaking Ice. Jason joins host Hayden Moore alongside Garry Power, two-time Olympic bobsledder with Ireland.

#10: Fact and fiction is very much woven together when it comes to the Hellfire Club atop Montpelier Hill. It is the mystery surrounding the hunting lodge and the surrounding scenery of Massy's Wood that has visitors return to the landmark countless times. Plans to construct a €15m Dublin Mountains Visitor Centre at the site were recently passed by An Bord Pleanála. Host Hayden Moore speaks to Elizabeth Davidson of Save the Hellfire, Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr Ed O'Brien, Cllr Madeleine Johansson, David Power from South Dublin Libraries Local Studies, and Frank Nevin, Director of Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development in the council, about the contentious tourism project.

#9: What impact has the COVID-19 pandemic had on Irish businesses? There is no doubting that the Irish economy has taken a hit, but as businesses re-open, host Hayden Moore talks to them about the challenges they have faced and what lies ahead. John Kilbride from the Jobstown House and The Vintage Room restaurant, Tracey Moran from the Red Cow Moran Hotel, David Fullam from Dave's Academy Barbers, Niamh Honer from The Civic Theatre and CEO of South Dublin Chamber, Peter Byrne, all feature.