Highlights From Lunchtime Live

Dr. Nina Byrnes, GP at Generation Health Medical Clinic joined Andrea to answer listener questions. 

Former Irish dancers and parents of Irish dancers have criticised the industry's focus on appearance and the expense involved for those participating. This has led many to question whether Irish dancing is more of a beauty pageant with some dance sprinkled in. Joining Andrea to discuss is Riverdance Director Padraic Moyles, Irish dancing teacher and adjudicator Kevin Lyster, Former Sports Director of the Irish Dance Board Federation and Member of the International Olympic Committee Tommy Shaughnessy and listener Antoinette. 

A Dublin family are facing homelessness because the house they’ve been living in for seven years is being sold.  The Kavanaghs and their three young daughters are facing eviction from their three-bedroom house on September 6. Evan Kavanagh joined Andrea to explain his family’s situation. 

From puppuccino to doggy daycare, many people cherish their furry friends so much that they are considered family – and what is a wedding without family.But is taking your dog to a wedding party a step too far? Broadcaster and Sustainability Influencer Fionnuala Moran, Owner of PetSitters Ireland Kate McQuillan, One Fab Day’s Rebecca Dore and listener James Fagan, who had his dog at his wedding, joined Andrea to discuss. 

Welcome to The Pod Squad! We review podcasts every week so you always have something new to listen to. Off the Ball’s Cameron Hill and Newstalk Newsroom’s Laura Donnelly join Andrea to review ‘How to Fail’.   

The HSE’s BreastCheck national screening service has missed its screening targets yet again.  Figures revealed that the service target last year aimed for 195,000 screenings, but only 137,134 were performed. Aontú Leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín, Fine Gael Senator and founder of Breast Friends Senator Teresa Costello, and listeners joined Andrea to discuss. 

It’s time for some summer memories!We chat to some well known names and faces and reminisce over those long summer days.Presenter Katja Mia joins Andrea to reminisce!

Did you know AI can write books?Not very good ones, mind you, but you wouldn’t know that before you bought them.But, what happens when they start writing them in the name of a well known author? And what happens if that author is you?Author Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, whose pen name is Sam Blake, joins Andrea to discuss what happened.

A recent discussion on smartphone use for children and adolescence has sparked criticism against beauty influencers. It is believed that social media is the root cause for eating disorders as well as the increase in steroid use.Should beauty influencers be blamed for these issues, or do we simply need to clamp down on children’s access to social media?Andrea is joined by Consultant Dermatologist with the Institute of Dermatologists Professor Catriona Ryan, Program Director of PR and Media in SETU Carlow, Greg Murphy and Mrs Make Up AKA Michelle Ragazzoli to discuss.

This weekend sees Ireland welcome back the Aer Lingus College Football Classic for the first U.S College Football game of the 2025 season.The highly anticipated match between Kansas State University’s ‘Wildcats’ and Iowa State University’s ‘Cyclones’ - the game will be broadcast live on ESPN to an estimated U.S. audience of 4.5 million people.Up to 22,000 American tourists are set to travel to Ireland for this game.Will you be watching?Joining Andrea to discuss is Off the Ball’s Cian Fahey, Kevin Ryan, Head of Sales and Business Development for EI Travel and more.

From a Meath church being converted into a nightclub to a ‘nose’ of Tralee winner, Breakfast Briefing Presenter Shane Beatty joins Andrea Gilligan with plenty of stories from around the country this week!

An English tourist is in critical condition following an assault in Dublin City Centre yesterday morning.With this most recent attack it brought up a lot of questions about our capital city.Has Dublin gotten too rough? Do you feel safe in Dublin?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

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…

Every Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be talking Making Babies.Andrea will be joined by Professor Shane Higgins, Master of the National Maternity Hospital to cover every area of trying to have a baby. From the very start of knowing how to prepare, right up to pregnancy – and all the bumps in the road in between.This week, Shane joins Andrea to discuss a baby’s movement in the womb.

Children who vape are three times more likely to become smokers, that’s according to new research from the University of York and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.With this in mind, do we need to fast track the ban of disposable vapes?Andrea is joined by listeners to discuss.

Listener Seán got in touch with the show due to a frustrating experience with the Gardaí - where an apparent glitch on their end led to his car getting impounded…He joins Andrea, along with Motoring Journalist Dave Humphries, to discuss what happened.

Kneecap’s Mo Chara is back before Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning, accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London gig last November.The case has sparked a major show of support. Fans and campaigners have gathered outside the court, filling the streets with music, chants, and live performances in solidarity with the Belfast rapper.Andrea is joined by some of the voices who will be outside the court today to discuss.

For this week’s Ask the Expert, Andrea is joined by Dr. Mary O’ Kane, Lecturer in Psychology and author of ’Perfectly Imperfect Parenting: Connection Not Perfection’ to answer all of your parenting questions!

Do disposable BBQs pose a danger to the environment?Listener Declan got in touch with the show after finding some left on the beach and joins Andrea, along with Dave O’Reilly, Chair of Tidy Towns, to discuss.

A London bar has come under fire for adding an automatic 4% service charge to all drinks ordered at the bar.This adds around 30 pence to all pints ordered at the Well & Boot in Waterloo station.As the cost of living continues to spiral, is tipping culture out of control?Joining Andrea to discuss is Caolán Barron, owner of the Sky and The Ground Pub, Oliver from Wall & Keogh Teas and more.