Highlights From Lunchtime Live

Summer is here and everyone is heading on holidays. But would you go away just for one day and would it be worth the price? Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by travel writer Joan Scales, Matthew, Michaela and Katie to discuss...

Noel Anderson, Managing Director at The Bridge 1859 in Ballsbridge joined Andrea GiIlligan on Lunchtime Live after Hollywood Legend Morgan Freeman paid a visit to the pub over the weekend... Image: @NoelAnderson_ on Twitter

A new bike rack has been installed in the outdoor seating area of Dublin’s Street 66 bar. The bar's application for renewal of outdoor seating was rejected last Friday evening. With just days to go until Dublin Pride, the bike rack was erected over the weekend causing outrage online. Andrea was joined by Siobhan Comny, Owner of Street 66 Bar, Liam De Brún, Journalist with Extra.ie, Paul Keville, Owner of Stoned Pizza Takeaway on Parliament Street, Cllr Claire Byrne, Green Party Councillor in Dublin and many more to discuss... Image: @st66dublin on Twitter

Gone Girl actress Rosamund Pike has said the wellness industry is a 'con'. Has the wellness industry gone too far? Does it put unnecessary pressure on people to look and behave a certain way? Andrea Gilligan was joined by David Robert Grimes, Scientist, Broadcaster and Author of the Irrational Ape, Newstalk’s wellness guru and Presenter of Alive and Kicking, Clare McKenna, Gillian Hynes from BodyProject and many more to discuss...

‘Dublin is a dirty, smelly, sticky old town once again’, so says Una Mullally in today’s Irish Times. She argues that during the summer months, in particular, Dublin suffers from a lack of waste management and that the council seem to include ‘rainfall’ as part of their clean up plans. Andrea was joined by listeners on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

Would you bare all for charity? Tomorrow, for the 10th year in a row, over one thousand ladies are braving the elements for the annual Strip and Dip in aid of Aoibheann’s Pink Tie - Ireland’s National Children’s Cancer Charity. Andrea was joined by Anne Howard, Siobhan Gleeson, Catherine Farrell Finan and Siobhan Gregg to discuss… Image: Strip and Dip

Wicklow has become a hub for TV and movie production in Ireland – both for domestic projects and huge international hits. Most recently including the likes of Cocaine Bear, Disenchanted and popular TV series Vikings. But what makes Wicklow the Hollywood of Ireland? Andrea was joined by Elaine Geraghty, Managing Director of Ardmore Studios and Eoin Naughton from Claremont Screenhub...

As part of Newstalks Summer Tour, Lunchtime Live was LIVE from the picturesque village of Enniskerry, nestled in the Wicklow mountains. Famous for Powerscourt house and gardens, but what else has the village got to offer? Lana Condron from the School House for Art in Enniskerry gave Andrea a guided tour. Andrea also met with Peter Norton, the owner of Poppies in Enniskerry...

As Newstalk's Summer Tour continues, Lunchtime Live was LIVE from the Powerscourt Hotel & Gardens in Wicklow. While there, Andrea Gilligan got the chance to sit down and chat with 'Lady in Red' singer and local, Chris de Burgh...

The booze industry is huge in Wicklow – adding to the tourism in the area and taking full advantage of the picturesque surroundings. Wicklow has become known for it’s spirits, beers and even wines as discovered last year on Lunchtime Live. Andrea was joined in the Powerscourt Hotel by Simon Lynch, Co-Founder of Wicklow Wolf, John Cashman, Head of Brand at Powerscourt Distillery and Brett Stephenson, Co-Founder and Winemaker at Wicklow Way Wines...

Lunchtime Live kicks off Newstalk's Summer Tour in Powerscourt Hotel in the Garden County - but what makes Wicklow so special? Andrea Gilligan was joined by gardener, Diarmuid Gavin, journalist, Valerie Cox and broadcaster and author, Emer O’Neill to chat...

Living with psychosis is something very few of us will understand. Psychosis refers to a collection of mental health conditions that affect the brain’s “ability to process information”. During psychosis, people experience a loss of touch with reality. Which could mean things like hallucinations – hearing voices or phones, believing you’re being watched, followed or even attacked. Andrea was joined by Lisa, Karen and Conor to discuss...

Ireland has highest levels of loneliness in Europe. That is according to the first ever EU-wide survey on loneliness which found that over 20% of respondents in Ireland responded reported feeling lonely. How hard is it to maintain friendships once you get to a certain age? Is it difficult to make new friends in midlife? Andrea was joined by listeners on Lunchtime Live to discuss...

Marks and Spencer have said they’re getting rid of use-by dates from its fresh milk. They’re replacing them with best-before dates. And we’re being told to use the ‘sniff test’ on milk from now on, to see if it’s still good. Milk is apparently the third most wasted food and drink product, after potatoes and bread. Should we be getting rid of best before dates everywhere? Should we be sniffing rashers and yoghurts? Andrea was joined by Angela Ruttledge from Foodcloud and other listeners to discuss..

Do you take your shoes off when you go into someone else's house? Or are you annoyed when people don’t take their shoes off when they come into your house? Journalist Stefanie Preissner joined Andrea to discuss why she has a no shoes indoors policy…

Are secondary school summer holidays too long here in Ireland? Speaking to Newstalk earlier, columnist & teacher Jennifer Horgan argued that secondary school should run a month longer to ease the breakneck pace of our school year. What do you think? Are secondary school summer holidays too long? Would you support a shorter break if it meant a more relaxed pace year-round? Andrea was joined by listeners to discuss...

Andrea travelled through both Virginia and Carrick-on-Shannon over the weekend. The heavy traffic in both areas highlights the need for both towns to be bypassed. Plans have been in the pipeline for years but never implemented. Andrea was joined by Councillor TP Reilly, Patrick Farrelly, Chairperson of the Virginia Development Association, Carrick on Shannon Councillor Enda Stenson and other locals to discuss...

Global superstar Harry Styles brings his Love On Tour show to Slane Castle this weekend. With tickets already sold out crowds are expected to descend on the Meath venue from early Saturday morning. Unfortunately for some concert-goers the majority of bus transfers to the gig have been sold out leaving many with no travel options. Sharon and Charlene joined Andrea Gilligan on the show to discuss...

Gardaí were forced to evacuate a Burrow Beach in Sutton, Dublin over the weekend following a mass brawl which broke out between groups of teenagers. With the good weather is set to continue, is this something which is going to become more of an issue? How do we tackle this sort of behaviour on our beaches? Andrea was joined by local residents and listeners to discuss... Image: Padraig O'Reilly Photographer

Samantha O'Connor's husband Darren is suffering from Long Covid since contracting it in October 2021. 18 months on and they’re desperately trying to get him a bed in the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Samantha O'Connor joined Andrea Gilligan on the show to tell her story...