When adults pursue their own selfish ends it’s often the children that suffer, even if the excess of individualism comes nicely wrapped and rationalised. Last Thursday I was listening to an interesting discussion on cribs (the Christmas kind) on Liveline (RTÉ Radio One). It was quite positive – the live animals were being restored to…
With very little publicity, significant in itself, the ‘Safe Access Zones’ Bill passed in the Dáil last week. The only coverage I came across was on Newstalk Breakfast (Wednesday). It was unfortunately a short item, though the coverage was welcome and I thought presenter Shane Coleman (pictured right) was even-handed – increasingly Newstalk is the…
In the last few weeks, I’ve been welcoming new religious programmes on RTÉ – this week I’m lamenting the departure of one of them. Life and Soul (RTÉ One, Sunday) had a very short run but it ended well with a particularly uplifting episode. ‘Unbroken’ told the inspiring story of Tiglin. Fiachna Ó Braonáin (of…
Several drama series have been catching my attention of late – there are so many good ones it’s hard to keep track of them all. Time (BBC One, Sunday) is the second series of the prison drama by Jimmy McGovern, this time joined by Helen Black on writing credits. This series sees a change to…
You know the old story of waiting ages for a bus and then a few come along together. I felt like that last week, with three new religious programmes on RTÉ.
It’s always worth taking notice when there’s a new religious programme, and the latest nearly flew under my highly sensitive radar! Witness (RTÉ Radio 1, Friday) is a new religious affairs programme presented by Siobhán Garrigan, and is a successor to the long running Leap of Faith, though I’m not sure of the logic behind…
In such fractious times it’s reassuring to find a programme that accentuates the positive, and you’ll frequently find that on TG4. Tarrthálaithe na hÉireann (TG4, Thursdays) is a new series highlighting the work of the rescue services. Last week’s episode featured the work of mountain rescue teams, with a particular focus on Reek Sunday in…
Media bias can be subtle sometimes, other times it can be laughably blatant. I got what I think is a case of the latter last week.
Further discussions on suicide last week were prompted by a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying. The debate is riddled with euphemism – maybe killing would be a better description, and intentional killing at that. As is often the case, when Newstalk deals with the issue you get a variety of voices.…
Judging by the video footage, those protests outside Leinster House last week were intimidating and offensive. Yet sneering at the protestors only increases the alienation that gives fuel to these activities. The matter was debated widely, but an item on the Hard Shoulder (Newstalk, Thursday) captured the essence of it. Presenter Kieran Cuddihy’s opening comments…
Brendan O’Regan