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Newstalk
Andrea Gilligan invites callers to have their say on the topics of the day - get in touch by emailing lunchtimelive@newstalk.com Listen and subscribe to Lunchtime Live on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 25, 2025 • 10min
The Pod Squad: How to Fail
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’.

Aug 25, 2025 • 21min
Why has BreastCheck missed screening targets?
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.

Aug 22, 2025 • 10min
Summer Memories with Katja Mia
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!

Aug 22, 2025 • 9min
Author’s pen name stolen to make AI-generated books!
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.

Aug 22, 2025 • 18min
Are beauty influencers toxic for younger children?
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.

Aug 22, 2025 • 13min
American Football takes over Dublin - why is there such a buzz?
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.

Aug 22, 2025 • 13min
Regional Roundup with Shane Beatty
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!

Aug 22, 2025 • 17min
Has Dublin gotten too rough?
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.

Aug 20, 2025 • 8min
Reasons to be Happy: Swim Shelters, TV Themes, Christmas Shop
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…

Aug 20, 2025 • 11min
Making Babies: Foetal Movement
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.