

Lunchtime Live
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

Dec 16, 2024 • 13min
Lunchtime Live's Big Batch: Christmas sides
All this month, Lunchtime Live is doing Christmas specials to give you plenty of time to prepare for the big day, and hopefully batch cook some bits in advance to make Christmas a lot easier!Adrian Martin, Owner of Luigi Malones in Temple Bar and Wild Flower Restaurant in Blackrock joins us to talk Christmas sides!

Dec 16, 2024 • 18min
Are you worried about the disruptions at Holyhead Port?
The travel plans of tens of thousands of people with ferry crossings booked over the festive period are under threat. Are you worried about the disruptions at Holyhead Port? Image: Clare Gainey / Alamy Stock Photo

Dec 13, 2024 • 14min
Ask Me Anything: Plastic Surgeon
For this week’s Ask Me Anything, Plastic Surgeon Professor Jack Kelly, President of the Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons joins guest host Clare McKenna to answer any of your questions!

Dec 13, 2024 • 18min
Are Irish motorists being priced off the road?
Driving licences, learner’s permit fees and National Car Tests costs all are set to rise in the New Year, The Road Safety Authority announced yesterday. The price hikes will see a learners permit rise from €35 to €45 and a driving licence that has cost €55 jump to €65.These increased costs will take effect from next month – but what are your thoughts? Is Ireland becoming increasingly anti-car, and is there now too much of a strain on young motorists trying to get on the road?Guest host Clare McKenna is joined by listeners to discuss.

Dec 13, 2024 • 12min
Tips to keep a festive swim safe!
If you’re mad enough to be planning a Christmas Day swim, or even a New Years one – firstly – fair play!But, there are some warnings that you should take note of…Joining Clare McKenna to discuss is RNLI Water Safety Education Manager & a crew an at Bundoran RNLI, Killian O’Kelly, and more.

Dec 13, 2024 • 9min
Regional Roundup with Caoimseach Connolly
From a humpback whale to drama over a Disney trip, there’s plenty of stories you might have missed from around the country this week. Caoimseach Connolly from the Newstalk Newsroom joins guest host Clare McKenna to discuss.

Dec 13, 2024 • 19min
Are teenage boys discriminated against?
Guest host Clare McKenna has a 13-year-old son who went into town last Sunday with some friends. They went to a burger restaurant where they queued, but were told they could only get their food to take away - while others were allowed to sit down…So, do we discriminate against ‘young lads’?Do we look at a group of teenage boys and immediately think the worst?Clare is joined by Sarah-Jayne Tobin, Editor of rollercoaster.ie as well as listeners to discuss.

Dec 12, 2024 • 12min
The Home Squad: Brightening a dark room
How can you brighten up a dark room without too much hassle? The Home Squad is here to help!Jenny Sheahan, Irish Examiner Columnist and former winner of ‘Home of the Year' and Roisin Lafferty, Founder and Creative Director of Roisin Lafferty join Andrea to share their top tips.

Dec 12, 2024 • 14min
Donal Skehan’s Christmas dinner hacks
He might not be able to settle the rows over what to watch on TV, or who won what game, but Donal Skehan can help take the stress out of making the Christmas dinner! He joins Andrea to share his cooking hacks this festive season!Image: Donal Skehan

Dec 12, 2024 • 14min
Should ‘headers’ be banned?
Should we ban heading the ball?A new study finds that there may well indeed be a connection between heading the ball and dementia, with a large percentage of former players having developed the illness.So, is it time to ban headers altogether?Professor Willie Stewart, Consultant Neuropathologist, at the University of Glasgow and more join Andrea to discuss.