Podcasts about offaly

John Halloran from Offaly discusses his platelet donation.

As part of our end-of-year Taking Care of Business special, Ronan Berry speaks with industry and political leaders about the highs, challenges, and opportunities shaping the Midlands economy. John Condron of Condron Concrete shares insights on infrastructure delivery, what 2026 could bring for construction—and rising motorsport star Alex Dunne. Denise Buckley of Sugar Plum Sweetery reflects on a whirlwind year of viral growth and sweet retail success. Minister Peter Burke TD talks enterprise supports, competitiveness and tourism, while Tony McCormack TD highlights key Offaly infrastructure projects and the SME outlook for 2026.

Darren from Offaly is having a busy time in his courier job at the minute this time of year, but he still managed to give Rhyme It a solid shot this morning

The funeral of Tadgh Farrell, the boy who was killed alongside his grand aunt, Mary Holt, in an arson attack on a house in Edenderry, took place today. Meanwhile, gardai have been carrying out searches of houses in Kildare and Offaly. For the latest, Rachel was joined by RTÉ Correspondent Laura Hogan and RTÉ Midlands Correspondent Sinead Hussey.

John Clendennen, FG TD for Offaly, Conor Sheehan, Labour TD for Limerick City – and Housing Spokesperson, Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit TD for Dun Laoghaire and Tabitha Monahan, Political Reporter with the Irish Independent.

John Clendennen, FG TD for Offaly, Conor Sheehan, Labour TD for Limerick City – and Housing Spokesperson, Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit TD for Dun Laoghaire and Tabitha Monahan, Political Reporter with the Irish Independent.

Sinead Hussey, RTÉ Midlands Correspondent, outlines the latest developments following a fire at a house in Offaly, which claimed the lives of a woman and young child.

Fergus McDonnell, Independent Ireland Councillor for Edenderry, speaking to RTE reporter Barry Gallagher, from the scene of a house fire in which a woman and young child were killed.

Gardaí have issued a nationwide alert for a getaway vehicle used by the gang suspected of firebombing a family home in Offaly on Saturday evening. The attack resulted in the deaths of four-year-old Tadhg Farrell and his 60-year-old grandaunt Mary Holt. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has condemned the “savage and callous” incident as “an attack on society”. On this Extra episode of The Indo Daily, Irish Independent senior journalist Robin Schiller details everything we know so far. Host: Tabitha Monahan Guest: Robin SchillerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The community in count Offaly are coming to terms with the deaths of four-year-old, Tadgh Farrell and his grandaunt 60-year-old Mary Holt. Our reporter Barry Gallagher has being talking to people there. We also hear from local Fianna Fail councillor Claire Murray.

Gardaí have launched a murder investigation into the deaths of Tadhg Farrell and his 60-year-old grandaunt, Mary Holt in a fire at a house in Co Offaly on Saturday evening. A second woman was seriously injured and is receiving treatment at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. We get the latest on this with Newstalk reporter Kyle Butler and Fergus McDonell, Independent Ireland Cllr for Edenderry.

Gardaí have launched a murder investigation into the deaths of Tadhg Farrell and his 60-year-old grandaunt, Mary Holt in a fire at a house in Co Offaly on Saturday evening. A second woman was seriously injured and is receiving treatment at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. Shane spoke to the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan and started by asking him for his reaction to what Gardai are calling a murderous attack.

A fire at a house in Co Offaly in which two people died was “designed to kill inhabitants” - this is according to the Justice Minister, Jim O'Callaghan.A murder investigation has been launched after the deaths of a woman and a child at a house on Castleview Park in Edenderry at around 7:45pm on Saturday.Joining Jonathan Healy to give the latest updates is Dublin Reporter from the Press Association, Grainne Ni Aodh, and to discuss gang violence, Paul Williams, Crime Journalist with the Irish Independent.

We were speaking to our own reporter Kyle Butler a little earlier on the show of the tragic events that took place in Offaly over the weekend. After a petrol bomb aimed at a house in Castleview park, Edenderry tragically claimed the innocent lives of two, four-year-old Tadhg Farrelly and his 60-year-old great aunt Mary Holt. We get reaction from John Clendennen, Fine Gael TD for Offaly

Gardaí have launched a murder investigation into the deaths of Tadhg Farrell and his 60-year-old grandaunt, Mary Holt in a fire at a house in Co Offaly on Saturday evening. A second woman was seriously injured and is receiving treatment at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. Shane spoke to the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan and started by asking him for his reaction to what Gardai are calling a murderous attack.

Gardaí have launched a murder investigation into the deaths of Tadhg Farrell and his 60-year-old grandaunt, Mary Holt in a fire at a house in Co Offaly on Saturday evening. A second woman was seriously injured and is receiving treatment at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. We get the latest on this with Newstalk reporter Kyle Butler and Fergus McDonell, Independent Ireland Cllr for Edenderry.

A murder investigation is under way after a four-year-old boy and a 60-year-old woman were killed in a house fire in Edenderry, Co Offaly yesterday evening. Sinéad Hussey, Midlands Correspondent, reports.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD has announced details of an €18 million investment in 40 projects across Ireland under the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme, designed to strengthen regional enterprise, drive innovation and support sustainable economic growth. Co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Southern, Eastern & Midland and Northern & Western Regional Programmes 2021-2027, the Smart Regions scheme supports the different regions of the country in harnessing cutting-edge technologies and world-class expertise. Aligned with the regional priorities set out in the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Innovation and the nine Regional Enterprise Plans, Smart Regions drives high-impact projects in priority sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), agritech and food, sustainability, insurance technology, and advanced manufacturing. Funding Overview This announcement sets out the approved funding allocation so far under the Smart Regions Scheme, with projects approved across the country, including: Northern and Western Regional Programme area: €3.485,882for 17 projects Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme area: €14,571,766 for 23 projects The Northern and Western Regional Programme area includes counties Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal, Monaghan, Mayo and Cavan. The Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme area includes counties Carlow, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Longford, Westmeath, Offaly, Laois, Louth, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow, and Dublin. Minister Burke made this announcement following a visit to the site of Catalyst HQ, a new €8.1m Enterprise Centre in Carlow town, which has been approved for regional infrastructure funding from the Smart Regions scheme through Enterprise Ireland, to support businesses and enterprises in Carlow and the South-East. Minister Peter Burke TD said: "I am very pleased to announce this group of 40 innovative projects that have been funded under the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme, which is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund. These projects, spread across the entire country, will make vital contributions to strengthening innovation in all sectors, regional ecosystems and the Irish economy." "These 40 projects will provide enterprise infrastructure, cluster development and business animation services that will benefit entrepreneurs and enterprise growth in a variety of sectors. The scheme will see physical facilities and training opportunities made available to businesses throughout the country through an existing network of enterprise centres and hubs that have been supported by Enterprise Ireland." Minister of State for Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon said: "The Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund. The projects announced today are reflective of the collaborative approach at the heart of this scheme. Smart Regions aims to address specific issues in each region, building on regional strengths in line with the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Innovation." "The 40 projects that have been launched will see growing collaboration among regional stakeholders under the triple helix model of industry, academia and the public sector." Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth said: "This Government is committed to growing our economy and fostering regional enterprise growth; the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme reflects this and the approved projects are also well aligned to the priorities set out in the Regional Enterprise Plans, which provide a clear set of objectives and actions to support enterprise development in each region. "The Catalyst project announced for C...

Marty Morissey, Gaelic Games Correspondent, reports on the difficulties facing GAA clubs in Offaly and Dublin.

We hear from Emma Muldoon Ryan, Amlé and our panel of Tony McCormack, Fianna Fáil TD for Offaly, Gary Gannon, Social Democrat TD for Dublin Central, Donnchadh Ó'Laoghaire, Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central and Claire Scott, Political Correspondent with the Sunday Times.

Our panel of Tony McCormack, Fianna Fáil TD for Offaly, Gary Gannon, Social Democrat TD for Dublin Central, Donnchadh Ó'Laoghaire, Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central and Claire Scott, Political Correspondent with the Sunday Times discuss Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Ireland.

Ireland has no shortage of stately manors, but as Irish Stew hosts Martin Nutty and John Lee learned, no other historic property has a legacy like Co. Offaly's Birr Castle Demesne, which for generations has been an incubator of breakthroughs in engineering and science.With local historian and educator Brian Kennedy as their guide, the podcasters share the story of the Victorian-era, steampunk-style construction of timber, iron, and stonework that was the world's largest telescope from 1845 to 1917. Built by William Parsons, the 3rd Earl of Rosse, “The Leviathan of Parsonstown” as it became known is a 20-foot-tall engineering marvel that enabled the Earl to map light-years distant nebulae with stunning accuracy that rivals modern Hubble telescope images.Brian points out that the Parsons family's 400-year legacy includes what's thought to be one of the world's earliest surviving suspension bridges on the grounds, Charles Parsons' invention of the steam turbine, and the work of photography pioneer Mary Wilmer Field, the 3rd Countess of Rosse.Her 1850s glass plate photographs are preserved in Ireland's Historic Science Centre at Birr, which not only tells the Birr science story in historical artifacts and interactive displays, but that of Ireland as well.And Birr is still writing that science story today as it hosts the Irish station of the Europe-wide LOFAR radio telescope network, which in 2018 observed for the first time a billion-year-old red-dwarf, flare star.Add botany and horticulture to the science mix with multi-generational botanical treasures on display across the expansive grounds including 17th-century box hedges (among the world's tallest), specimens from China and South America, and Victorian glasshouses under restoration.“There's something in bloom every day of the year, throughout the whole year of plants from right throughout the world.” Brian says.The conversation wraps with a discussion of the town's transformation from "Parsonstown" back to its original Irish name, its connection to St. Brendan's monastery, the charming town's rich Georgian heritage, and things to see and do “off the beaten craic” in Birr's environs.But for Brian, it all starts with the Birr Castle Demesne, “Come early in the morning because one day is just not enough to take in all that the castle has to offer,” he advises.Next week Irish Stew makes one more stop in Co. Offaly at the River Shannon town of Banagher where John and Martin record their first (but not their last) episode in a church!LinksBirr Castle DemesneWebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInXYouTubeTikTokHidden Heartlands Travel ResourcesIreland.comDiscover Ireland's Hidden HeartlandsIrish Stew LinksWebsiteEpisode Page: Brian KennedyInstagramLinkedInXFacebookEpisode Details: Season 7, Episode 35; Total Episode Count: 138

Kathy was on to play Rhyme It this morning. She didn't have the best run all things considered, but we did have a good bit of fun with her

A band of Cork, Limerick, and Offaly men living in the Netherlands become the most unlikely Leinster provincial champions in the history of the GAA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tipperary vs Offaly - NFL Division 3 2023 by Tipp FM Radio

The poet Seamus Heaney once said, "I think of the bog as a feminine goddess-ridden ground, rather like the territory of Ireland itself."And that territory is 14- to- 21 percent bog.So, on their fourth day “Off the Beaten Craic in the Hidden Heartlands,” Irish Stew cohosts John Lee and Martin Nutty head to Shinrone in Offaly near the Tipperary border to the farm of Donie Regan, a demonstration site for Peatlands for Prosperity, the brainchild of Douglas McMillan and his Green Restoration Ireland Cooperative team.Doug explains how centuries of peat extraction left expanses of degraded bogland, often dismissed as wastelands. But they're fields of dreams for Doug who outlines how rewetting bogs halts carbon loss, restores biodiversity, and opens the opportunity to the wet farming techniques known as paludiculture.Using Donie's farm as a showroom for how paludiculture can restore economic value to bog land, Peatlands for Prosperity is testing potential hydrophilic cash crops such as bog berries, cranberries, even lettuce and celery, as well as common wetland plants like bullrushes and common reeds which can be renewable sources of building and packaging materials. Both believe wetland agriculture can offer farmers meaningful new income streams from both these kinds of crops and from earning carbon credits for maintaining carbon-sequestering bogs.The conversation probes the challenges of farmer hesitancy, policy confusion, cultural ties to turf cutting, and how the demonstration site helps other farmers see the program's potential.Donie speaks passionately about witnessing wildlife return to his land, and the team discusses educational outreach, including bringing schoolchildren onto the bog to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, the ecotourism possibilities of restored boglands, and how transforming Ireland's peatlands could be a win-win for climate, biodiversity, farmers, and rural communities alike.But let's give Seamus Heaney the last word from his poem Bogland:Our unfenced country Is bog that keeps crusting Between the sights of the sunNext week Irish Stew reports from Birr Castle with a focus on the groundbreaking science done there, exemplified by the world's largest telescope for 72 years, the mighty Leviathan of Parsonstown.LinksGreen Restoration Ireland WebsitePeatlands for ProsperityFacebookYouTubeLinkedInInstagramBlueskyXDouglas McMillanLinkedInHidden Heartlands Travel ResourcesIreland.comDiscover Ireland's Hidden HeartlandsIrish Stew LinksWebsiteEpisode Page: Peatlands for ProsperityInstagramLinkedInXFacebook

How did Ireland become a food destination? Thanks go to chefs like John Coffey of Athlone's Thyme Restaurant and Belfast's Niall McKenna of the Waterman House, both past Irish Stew guests.But ask those chefs that question and they'll thank their lucky stars for the local producers who supply the fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, seafood, and dairy that make their cooking soar.So Irish Stew went Off the Beaten Craic to Daingean, Co. Offaly, to talk with two farmers on the vanguard of Ireland's organic agriculture boom in an historic Georgian farmhouse at the heart of Mount Briscoe Organic Farm.Margaret Edgill set aside her marketing and event planning career in Dublin to take over Mount Briscoe, which her family has farmed for seven generations. Joining her for the conversation was her Geashill, Co. Offaly neighbor Pippa Hackett, also an organic farmer and Ireland's former Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.Margaret describes the privilege of stewarding Mount Briscoe and the many ways she's infusing renewed life and new ideas into the land with a mix of organic beef production, upscale B&B accommodations, a shade more rustic “glamping” experiences, artisan food production, memorable farm-to-fork experiences, and public programs designed to celebrate the traditions and vitality of rural life.Pippa draws on her background in science and public service to champion greener, more sustainable farming practices, sharing insights shaped by her years on the farm and in government. “If you have a healthy environment and a healthy farm, you're going to have healthy animals and produce healthy foods,” she says, adding that with organic farming, “There's a great sort of magic in it--you actually have to do less work to get more."The pair delve into Ireland's “Origin Green” brand, the ongoing debate between organic and conventional farming methods, the lopsided economics that farmers juggle, the benefits of Irish people consuming Irish produce, and how hands-on rural experiences can counteract the growing urban disconnect with what's on their plates.Margaret offers her “wellies-on-the-ground” perspectives as both a farmer and owner of an agritourism business adding to the Hidden Heartlands tourism mix, talking up Ireland's potential as a green island destination, sharing how North Americans come to Mount Briscoe seeking heritage, tranquility, and authentic farm experiences, how guests look to disconnect with a digital detox, and how as climate change is making traditionally hot destinations less appealing, she's seeing first-hand the growing appeal “cool-cationing” in Ireland…even with its rainy days.And it was a rainy day indeed when Irish Stew visited Mount Briscoe Farm, but to cohosts John and Martin, the lush fields looked all the greener for it.Next week Irish Stew visits another Offlay farm and slogs through a bog to explore the innovative Peatlands for Prosperity initiative.LinksMargaret EdgillLinkedInInstagramFacebookMount Briscoe FarmWebsiteInstagramFacebookPippa HackettWebsiteLinkedInInstagram

Fiona waffled her way to 1k, Shauna found herself in an awkward situation in Center Parcs, and Catherine Connolly already has her own teacosy! Hit play now to hear the episode in full. Subscribe to The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show wherever you get your podcasts.

Despite the “Off the Beaten Craic” theme to the current Irish Stew podcast series, on this episode hosts Martin Nutty and John Lee follow the well-worn track of history that flows through Athlone like the broad River Shannon.Their guide is the affable Vincent Harney of Athlone Guided Tours, a well-researched, perceptive storyteller who peels back the layers of the Athlone story from atop Athlone Castle, while crossing the Shannon, and as they trod the ancient streets back into the very heart of Irish history.Along with local history, Vincent shares his story of growing up in a big farm family in nearby Cornafulla, the post office his parents operated, his own time as postmaster, and lessons learned working the family farm.“In the post office, I loved hearing the old people's stories and hearing about their history. And we would know the history of the fields around us, like the one field given away for a loaf of bread during the famine,” Vincent recalls.Inspired by those stories, Vincent started a new career leading historical walking tours to share how Athlone's origins as a river ford placed it at the crossroads of Irish history, how Norman and Cromwellian armies both marched over its first timber bridge, about the accommodation built into the stone bridge for the gentry's sail boats, and why the railway bridge was considered an engineering marvel of its day.  Vincent reveals Athlone's surprising connections to the Titanic disaster with the sad tale of the ill-fated passenger Margaret Rice, whose body could only be identified by the shoes she wore, purchased from the venerable Parsons of Athlone in the red brick building that still stands today at the corner of Custume Place and Northgate Street.Vincent spins a happier tale about Athlone native John McCormack, tracing the singer's unlikely rise from a working-class family to global fame as one of the greatest tenors of all time.The episode wraps with Vincent making a compelling case for visiting Ireland and coming to Athlone when you do, reminding us, “the history of Ireland is here in Athlone.”Next week, Irish Stew talks organic farming and agritourism in Offaly with Margaret Edgill of Mt. Briscoe Farm and Pippa Hackett, former Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.LinksAthlone Guided ToursWebsiteInstagramFacebookTripadvisorHidden Heartlands Travel ResourcesIreland.comDiscover Ireland's Hidden HeartlandsIrish Stew LinksWebsiteEpisode Page: Vincent HarneyInstagramLinkedInXFacebookTikTokEpisode Details: Season 7, Episode 32; Total Episode Count: 135

John Clendennen Fine Gael TD for Offaly and Gary Gannon, Social Democrats TD and Spokesperson for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration

The Government has been accused in the Dáil of using rhetoric that is fueling anti-immigrant sentiment. This follows claims from Tánaiste Simon Harris that opponents are trying to ‘shut down' debate on immigration For more on this, we heard from Gary Gannon, Social Democrats TD and Spokesperson for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration & John Clendennen, Fine Gael TD for Offaly.

This week, Offaly's county board called for the termination of commercial ties between the GAA and Allianz due to the company's ties with Israel. Former footballer, manager, and pundit Colm O'Rourke speaks to the programme.

Happy Halloween to all my favourite boys & ghouls. Hope you enjoy your present!40 years after his initial rampage through suburban Haddonfield, Illinois, Michael Myers returns to wreak havoc once again. But is it worth watching? Listen to find out. Paired with 2 cans of "Colourway King", a tasty 7.1% Double IPA from Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.Follow the show: @onemansmeatpod on Twitter, and any reviews would be much appreciated.

Marty Morrissey, Gaelic Games Correspondent, highlights Offaly County Board's passing of a motion asking the GAA to “begin the process of ending all commercial involvement" with Allianz Insurance.

"The Meat Macabre" parks up in the Scottish Highlands this time to stretch his legs and hunt some werewolves, as he reviews Neil Marshall's 2002 directorial debut: Dog Soldiers. Low budget? Yes. Low quality? No!Recording aided with both delicious "28 Years Later" themed IPAs by our latest brewery buddies; Newport's Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Follow the show and join the discussion @onemansmeatpod on Twitter, and a review in your provider of choice is always much appreciated, please & thank you.

An independent councillor for the Killarney Municcipal District, Brendan Cronin, brought a motion at Monday’s monthly Kerry county Council meeting. Cllr Cronin claimed delays opening the new Killarney Community Nursing Unit nursing unit are causing anguish to patients and their families alike. Speaking to Treasa, he alleged people are being sent out of Kerry for long term residential care to places like Cork, Limerick and Offaly. In a statement to Radio Kerry, HSE South West said they offer residential placements as close to home as possible, but that they can only offer placements in facilities with available capacity | Kerry Today with Treasa Murphy

Your cohosts are back from an eight-day road trip through Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, where instead of profiling a person, they went “Off the Beaten Craic” to explore a place - the Irish Midlands.Some tourists might view it as "drive-through country,” as they motor west from Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way, but John and Martin found just a fraction of what they're missing in Offaly, Westmeath, Longford, and Leitrim. And by traveling at a leisurely “slow tourism” pace during the quieter fall “shoulder season,” they found little traffic, uncrowded restaurants, more of a local vibe to the pubs, and had legendary historic sites almost to themselves.The peripatetic podcasters conversed with almost two dozen Midlands guests, capturing stories about local history, organic farming, biodiversity, greenways, Shannon river cruising, farm-to-table dining, slow adventure travel, hospitality, archaeology, astronomy, entrepreneurship, and civic pride, while at times going knee-deep into the distinctive bogs that shape the Midlands landscape.Your hosts also brandished their selfie sticks to add sights to their sounds on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok.The “Off the Beaten Craic in the Hidden Heartlands” series was made possible through the support of Tourism Ireland, which markets the island of Ireland overseas as a compelling holiday destination, and the guidance of Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, with a tip of the hat to the Leitrim County Council for their warmest of welcomes.Join us “Off the Beaten Craic in the Hidden Heartlands!”Links:Hidden Heartlands Travel ResourcesIreland.comDiscover Ireland's Hidden HeartlandsIrish Stew Social MediaInstagramLinkedInXFacebookTikTokEpisode Details: Season 7, Episode 29; Total Episode Count: 132

John Clendennen - Fine Gael TD for Offaly, Jen Cummins - Social Democrats TD for Dublin South Central, Martin Kenny - Sinn Féin TD for Sligo Leitrim and Cuan Ó Seireadáin - Political Correspondent for Raidio na Gaeltachta.

Amy from Offaly names 4 towns or cities in England, starting the week off on a high note!

As Mark wants to honour women and the paranormal with this Conceptual… as he calls it, he insisted that only female voices should be featured.If you listen you'll be enlightened and hopefully intrigued by the paranormal experiences of a mix of eight Irish and English women.From the wilds of Ireland's county Mayo to eerie happenings in Clapham's flatland over to the faded glory of Wexford's Loftus Hall  and across to Offaly's Charleville Castle … even Gwen Johnson widow of sadly missed British medium and TV personality Derek Acorah has a tale to tell…and more.Get in touch with your paranormal stories or viewsEmail:paranormalireland@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/paranormal-uk-radio-network--4541473/support.

RTÉ's Gary Moran was in Bethpage and caught up with two Offaly men and a Kerryman who followed Shane Lowry all day.

Shane Lowry secured the Ryder Cup for team Europe yesterday, and it's safe to say that many celebrations have happened, with more to come.Newstalk's Henry McKean has made the trip to Lowry's home golf club in Offaly to get reactions from the locals, including Shane Lowry's own granny! He joins guest host Ciara Doherty to share what he's heard.

Newstalk reporter Henry McKean was in Offaly to bring us all the reaction as Shane Lowry holes the decisive putt which saw Europe win the Ryder Cup.

Over 1.6 billion contactless point of sale (POS) payments, valued at €28.3 billion, were made in shops, restaurants and other retail outlets in the 12 months to June 2025, according to the latest payments analysis published today in Banking & Payments Federation Ireland's (BPFI) Payments Monitor. The report reveals that contactless payments accounted for 87.9% of all POS card payments in H1 2025, with more than half of all contactless payments now made using mobile wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, rather than cards. Speaking on the publication of the latest Payments Monitor, Gillian Byrne, Head of Payments, BPFI, stated: "Looking at the payments trends in today's report, we can see that contactless payments continue to be very popular with Irish consumers, accounting for almost nine out of ten point of sale (POS) card payments made in shops, restaurants and other retail outlets in Ireland in the first half of 2025. The use of smartphones and watches is growing in popularity and is the preferred payment device over physical cards for many consumers. Some 58.2% of contactless payments were made using mobile wallets rather than cards in the first half of 2025 (58.8% in Q2 2025), up from 52% in the same period of 2024. Overall, there were almost 454 million mobile wallet payments in Ireland on Irish cards in H1 2025, up 19.7% on the same period in 2024." Adoption of mobile wallet payments varies by region Looking at regional variations, Ms Byrne added: "Dublin had the highest number of contactless and mobile wallet payments per capita in Ireland at 392 and 238, respectively, in the twelve months ending June 2025, accounting for 39.1% of all contactless payments and 41.8% of mobile wallet payments. Carlow had the second-highest number of contactless payments per capita at 339, followed by Limerick with 299 and Waterford with 289. By contrast, Roscommon had the lowest contactless per capita at 139, behind Offaly with 148 and Monaghan at 157." As cash usage declines, digital euro plans will be key Ms Byrne continued: "As the popularity of contactless payments has grown, cash usage has fallen in recent years, with less than half of POS payments in Ireland made in cash in 2024, according to European Central Bank (ECB) survey data, down from about 54% two years earlier. While cash remains of vital importance to many people, a recent consumer survey commissioned by BPFI shows that 7% of consumers say they don't use cash, while most use it for small payments, with 54% holding less than €50 cash on hand. The ECB has noted the limitations of physical cash in an increasingly digital world and is seeking to complement it with a digital form of cash - the digital euro." "However, there is still some uncertainty as to how a digital euro will work, reflected in the fact that almost one in four (23%) said that they did not plan to use the digital euro, and 14% of consumers said they didn't know how much digital euro they expected to hold. When asked how they would use the digital euro, just under half of respondents stated they would be likely or very likely to use a digital euro for online purchases, sending money to friends or family or for POS payments. The ECB is expected to announce the next steps for the digital euro shortly, although it is likely we will see the rollout of digital euro wallets by banks in the years to come. However, the results of today's research points to the need for raising greater consumer awareness of the digital euro and how consumers could benefit from using it in the future." Efficiency and consumer experience must remain priorities for digital euro rollout She concluded: "Meanwhile, a recent PwC study commissioned by the European Credit Sector Associations estimates that implementing the digital euro could cost euro area banks about €18 billion - before ongoing running costs and enhancements are factored in. The focus must be on efficiency and long-term viability, giving banks and payment providers the...

On this week's episode, sporting legends Tommy Durnin, Lizzie Murphy, Stephen Coen and Daire Cregg join Sarah McIntosh live from the Ploughing in Tullamore to talk all things sport and farming.We have a special Young Stock Podcast this week as we record live at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co. Offaly. Sarah McIntosh is joined by four sporting legends who have a strong tie to agriculture and the land. Louth footballer Tommy Durnin, who also owns a suckler farm, discusses the recent success of the team winning the Leinster Senior Football Championship for the first time in 68 years. Along with this he gives some advice to young players.Irish Hockey goalkeeper Lizzie Murphy, who studied agriculture in UCD, is now working as a tax associate for PwC Ireland. She discusses what it was like travelling to the Tokyo Olympics during COVID-19 and the importance of encouraging women in sport.Stephen Coen, the general manager of Senus and a senior footballer for Mayo, also joins us to discuss dealing with disappointment and encouraging the next generation of players into the squad.Finally, the newest edition to the Irish Farmers Journal dairy team, Daire Cregg, who is also playing on the Roscommon football team joins us to discuss the opportunities for Irish athletes abroad and his own experience studying agriculture in UCD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Presidential Election was in the Offaly air at the Ploughing Championships along with the mud and the craic. It's Day two in Screggan and over the 3 days 300,000 are expected. Henry McKean sent this report from a muddy field...

Aengus Cox, Agriculture Correspondent, reports from the first day of this year's National Ploughing Championships.

The 2025 National Ploughing Championships got underway in Screggan, Co. Offaly on Tuesday with up to 300,000 people expected to attend over the coming days.Macra has called for “immediate action” to tackle the drop in numbers of young farmers in Ireland, with just 4% now under the age of 35.Catriona Morrissey, News Editor at the Irish Farmers Journal, and Sean Kelly from Macra spoke to Matt on The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the conversation.

Hear from Offaly manager David Sullivan as well as losing Kerry boss John Madden as Rachel Sheehan brings you all of the reaction from Croke Park where Offaly were crowned All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Champions, defeating Armagh 0-14 to 0-11 at Croke Park.SUBSCRIBE at OffTheBall.com/join

Welcome to the Final Whistle on Off The Ball.Here is your one-stop shop for all the weekend's biggest GAA voices in one podcast.David Wilson brings you through the entirety of the biggest day in the camogie calendar, as we get reaction to Galway's win in the Glen Dimplex Senior All-Ireland Final, plus reaction to Offaly's win in the Intermediate decider and Laois' win in the Premier Junior showpiece.Become a member at offtheball.com/subscribe