NATIONWIDE WEEK 4
MONDAY 25TH JANUARY
AMPUTEE/REPORT MARY FANNING
We meet an inspirational 16 year old, who had his leg amputated five years ago following a cancer diagnosis, but despite this is living life to the full. Neil Hoey represents Ireland at top level sport and reporter Mary Fanning travelled to North Dublin to meet the extraordinary teenager who wants to push his limits a step further.
BUDDY BENCH/REPORT HELEN MCINERNEY
They say school-days are the best days of our lives and while that may be true for many children, others can be shy and find it difficult to make friends. Eliminating loneliness and fostering friendships in the playground is the idea behind the ‘Buddy Bench’ initiative, where a seat is placed in the playground to remind children to be kind and reach out to one another. Danesfort National School in County Kilkenny recently installed a Buddy Bench and reporter Helen McInerney went along to take a look.
FARM SAFETY WEBSITE/REPORT TERESA MANNION
Two primary school pupils in Galway have created an award winning website to highlight the dangers on farms and to show children in particular, how to exercise care. Reporter Teresa Mannion has been to Cloghan’s Hill National School in Tuam to hear first-hand accounts of devastating farm accidents and to learn more about the website.
WEDNESDAY 27TH JANUARY
PROGRAMME ON SHOWCASE IRELAND 2016
On this evening’s programme we visit the RDS for Showcase 2016, Ireland’s International Creative Expo. This visually stunning and highly creative annual exhibition which is celebrating its 40th year is one of Ireland’s largest trade shows for retailers to source new products from 450 designers, manufacturers and craftspeople living in Ireland. It’s an event that attracts more than 5,000 buyers from this country and around the world and for many of the exhibitors this is the most important week of their year.
GALWAY POLISH CRAFT/REPORT MARIA MULLARKEY
Reporter Maria Mullarkey recently paid a visit to an artistic couple living in County Galway to see them at work in their wood-art studio. The couple who own Rebornart have been enjoying taking part in Showcase for the past four years.
CLARE KNITWEAR/REPORT MARIA MULLARKEY
The Creative Island area of Showcase is an area dedicated to products that were imagined, designed and made in Ireland. McKernan Woollen Mills in Co. Clare has been part of Creative Island for many years and part of Showcase for 20 years. Reporter Maria Mullarkey went along to the Mills recently to see them preparing for this year’s event.
FRIDAY 29TH JANUARY
ART O’NEILL CHALLENGE PROGRAMME
On this evening’s programme we head out on the Art O’Neill Challenge, a 53km journey from Dublin Castle to Glenmalure, County Wicklow in the dead of night to mark the daring escape from Dublin Castle by Red Hugh O’Donnell and Art O’Neill in 1592. We meet some of the 200 competitors as they run their way through the snowy and icy mountains and we meet a man fighting his way back to fitness by participating in one of the toughest marathons on earth.
POLAR MARATHON RUNNER/REPORT HELEN MCINERNEY
People run for all sorts of reasons, some to get and keep fit, others for the well documented mental health benefits. For one Waterford man running was his route back to health and fitness following an accident and his goal was to compete in one of the toughest Marathons on Earth. Reporter Helen McInerney has the story.