Sport, identity and teen stories on screen — Olympian Jordan Conroy joins the show to share the message behind United FC, RTÉ’s new teen docuseries where 15 young players from diverse backgrounds come together through football to explore belonging, resilience and growing up in modern Ireland.
Local voices on work, cost-of-living and community — Mullingar businessman Mark Brady discusses building skilled teams post-Covid; Offaly shoppers warn energy costs are biting harder as new FOI documents reveal officials urged Government to restore energy credits; and PATH highlights bogus collectors falsely using the homelessness charity’s name.
Support, opportunity and standout moments — Tullamore pension experts explain major changes to topping up UK state pensions; the Offaly Volunteer Centre launches its Professional Exchange Bank; young Cormac Brady prepares for his big moment on the Late Late Toy Show; and Camross celebrates the Poet’s Cottage Café revitalising village life
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Week 49 - Monday
David Hollywood brings the latest happenings from around the Midlands and further afield
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Week 48 - Friday
STEM, creativity and community pride — Will Faulkner and Peter Dunne broadcast live from Tyrellspass and Rochfortbridge as students showcase their renewable-energy inventions for the Bright Sparks competition. Lumcloon Energy and Midlands Science celebrate hands-on learning, innovation and the engineers of tomorrow.
Crime, farming and rural life — Four men plead guilty to a violent Athlone street attack; IFA President Francie Gorman urges workable conditions in Ireland’s new nitrates derogation; and Camross Heritage marks the opening of the Poet’s Cottage Café — a community hub transforming social life in the village.
Consumer rights and seasonal pressures — Proposed telecom reforms could let customers escape CPI-linked contract hikes; Turn2Me warns of the emotional toll behind Black Friday spending; and the Friday Panel tackles everything from heating-oil costs to parent-teacher gripes, ‘stylish’ tobacco warnings and minors using delivery-app loopholes.
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Week 48 - Thursday
Online danger and digital responsibility — TU Dublin’s Hugh McAtamney reacts to damning Garda warnings that children are being groomed and exploited on gaming platforms like Roblox, where sexual content, predators and zero age-verification were uncovered in an RTÉ investigation. Parents are urged to stay present, set boundaries and use controls.
Property, prices and rural pressures — Laois photographer Fra Lucchesi goes viral after filming a mouse crashing a Westmeath wedding; estate agent Clement Herron cautions against bridging loans as BoI pilots a “Trade Down” scheme for older homeowners; and heating oil users get a reprieve as proposed telecoms-contract reforms could allow customers flee price hikes.
Farming, mental health and the Midlands future — Irish beef traceability concerns deepen amid revelations from Brazil; Turn2Me warns of the emotional fallout of Black Friday overspending; regional leaders preview next week’s Midlands Showcase; and Offaly TD Tony McCormack confirms the N52 Tullamore–Kilbeggan link is finally advancing under the National Development Plan.
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Week 48 - Wednesday
Crime patterns and community concern — New CSO data shows over 80% of theft, fraud and public-order offences involve repeat offenders, with one in five reoffending within a month. Former Portlaoise Prison governor Ciaran Reilly breaks down what the surge in recidivism means for justice and safety in the Midlands.
Local pressures, local resilience — Durrow residents demand safer N52 junctions after disruptive works fail to improve conditions; avian flu hits a turkey flock in Laois as housing orders and restriction zones intensify; and Moate pushes for its first accessible ATM in four years as new laws require nationwide ATM access within 10km.
Support, services and accountability — Peadar Tóibín reveals disability allowance refusals are being overturned on appeal at “savage” levels; the Midlands Showcase highlights innovation, skills and regional growth; and Enoch Burke is returned to prison for a fourth time for breaching court orders.
“When people in the midlands want to talk, they talk to Will Faulkner.” Enjoy a blend of local, national and international stories and features. Show sponsored by O'Briens Motor Group & Bus Éireann.
Ireland