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NATIONWIDE – WEEK 7

Monday 13th February, 7.00pm, RTÉ One.

Tonight’s Nationwide has tales of romance and love from around the country.

Valentine’s Day is a time when many people decide to pop the question.  Recently in Waterford one man went to great lengths to surprise his bride-to be with a proposal, which even included a brass band. Nationwide finds out more about this romantic tale.

Nationwide also meets a couple who love each other dearly and who share a love for chocolate. Reporter Valerie Waters meets Kelli and Patrick Marjolet in Dublin who tell her  how Valentine’s Day is so important for their confectionery company in their adopted city.

County Clare was the only county not to have hosted a same-sex marriage ceremony in the year after the 2015 referendum but recently there have been a number of gay weddings in the banner county.   Reporter Niall Martin goes to visit Bernard Lynch and Billy Desmond at their home near Lahinch after their nuptials two weeks ago.

 

Wednesday 15th February, 7.00pm, RTÉ One.

Nationwide visits Blackhall Place in Dublin, the home of the incorporated Law Society of Ireland and an evolving learning centre since 1978.  Thousands of solicitors have passed through the hallowed halls of this beautiful building, originally home to King’s Hospital, Blue Coats School, steeped in history and tradition.   We talk to the Director of the Education Department, TP Kennedy, who tells us about the Law Society’s Access programme and we meet some people who took part in this programme and are now working successfully as solicitors.  We also speak to the Director General of the Law Society who tells us about the history of Blackhall Place.

The Mock Courtroom at Blackhall Place is the courtroom where students from the Street Law programme finish their five week course.  It’s facilitated by trainee solicitors who go out into schools, in socially disadvantaged areas, and open up a whole new meaning of what the law is and what it means to them in their everyday life.  Mary Fanning travels to Tallaght Community School to see how it works.

The aim of the Law Society Access scholarship programme, which was established 15 years ago, is to help students financially and in practical ways.  RTÉ’s North West correspondent Eileen Magnier takes a trip to Kathleen Doocey’s practice in Belmullet in Mayo to hear how they helped her along her professional path.

Also in the programme, Nationwide meets another successful solicitor, Liam Fitzgerald who benefited from the Law Society’s access programme and even took on a bank in his practice.  Liam who is originally from Kilorglin in County Kerry is now running his own practice in Lusk in County Dublin.  He had many jobs before coming a solicitor, including being a fishmonger and reporter Mary Fanning goes to meet him.

 

 

Friday 17th February, 7.00pm on RTÉ One.

Nationwide meets some talented crafts people and designers.

Inchicore in the heart of Dublin might not be a place you associate with cutting-edge costume design, more like St. Patrick’s Athletic Soccer Club.  Just around the corner, however, is a creative hub for period costume design for TV, film and theatre.  The costumes produced here are made to an exceptionally high standard as Anne Cassin finds out when she comes to view a special exhibition of work by students from Inchicore College of Further Education.

Next Nationwide moves to Kenmare, County Kerry,  to meet a man who has been fortunate enough for many years to earn a living from two of his passions in life, enabling him to work and live in one of the most beautiful towns in the country.  Maria Mullarkey visits Paul Kelly who is a master goldsmith and mussel farmer.