Newstalk Weekend

Santa Claus took time out of his very busy schedule to chat with Clare McKenna about how preparations have been going ahead of a very busy night, and also took calls from some very excited boys and girls who are eagerly awaiting his arrival.

It is safe to say that Andrea Corr is Irish music royalty. She and her three siblings have performed all over the world to packed out venues with their band 'The Corrs' but Andrea has just released an album of her own called 'The Christmas Album'. Andrea joins Clare McKenna to tell her all about it and her Christmas plans at home.

One of the things that people love about the Christmas holidays is being able to stay a little bit longer in your pj's and slippers and sitting around relaxing. Niall Breslin joins Clare McKenna to talk about the 'Rest Revolution' and just how important it is to take time for yourself to recharge.

Joining Clare McKenna for a very special 'What’s Going On Christmas Panel' is TV presenter and founder of clothing brand Littlebliss.com, Anna Daly & Former Irish Rugby Player and Dancing with the Stars Contestant, Shane Byrne.

Joining Clare McKenna to Kickstart Your Weekend is Eamon Sharkey, Fundraising and Communications Director at GOAL & Eamonn Coghlan, Irish Running Legend and GOAL Mile Ambassador.

Private Sean Rooney, who died in Lebanon, has been described by his best friend as “one of a kind”. The 24-year-old soldier was shot dead while serving with the 121st Infantry Battalion on a UN peacekeeping mission on Wednesday night. A team from the Defence Forces will travel to Lebanon today to help in the investigation. Newstalk's Chief Reporter, Barry Whyte, spoke to Sean's best friend, Christopher O'Neill, to hear of the devastating loss for Sean's friends and family.

Joining Tommy Bowe for this week's installment of Ask the Expert is Dr. Mary O’Kane, Lecturer in Psychology and author of  'Perfectly Imperfect Parenting: Connection Not Perfection' to answer your questions on parenting and child development.

Today marks a significant day in the political calendar as Micheál Martin hands over the office of Taoiseach to Leo Varadkar as the former becomes Tánaiste, in a deal cemented during the 2020 government formation talks. Newstalk's Sean Defoe joins Tommy Bowe to discuss.

This weekend of course will see plenty of sporting action, with Sunday’s much-anticipated World Cup final between Argentina and France. Joining Tommy Bowe to discuss this and all the rest of the weekend's sporting action is Off The Ball’s, Cathal Mullaney.

As Michael Martin stands down as Taoiseach in a long-anticipated government reshuffle, Tommy Bowe is joined to reflect on his time in office and what impact this changeover will have by Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly, the party’s spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment and by Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill, Fine Gael TD for Dun Laoghaire.