NATIONWIDE WEEK 17
PRESENTER BLÁTHNAID NÍ CHOFAIGH
MONDAY 24TH APRIL
Two stories of different Limerick people undertaking challenges for good causes.
SADS LIMERICK/REPORT MARIAN MALONE
Each week in Ireland, one young person passes away from an inherited heart condition such as Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome or SADS – also sometimes referred to as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome. Marian Malone has been meeting the bereaved parents of one young man from County Limerick, and also his great friend – who, in his honour, is about to embark on what’s dubbed the toughest footrace on earth.
65 ROSES DAY/REPORT ZAINAB BOLADALE
65 Roses Day is an annual fundraising event organised by the Cystic Fibrosis Ireland charity and recently held on the 14th of April. The annual event raises awareness for those living with C.F. Recently we visited a Limerick woman who is doing 65 park runs around the country to raise funds for the charity. She began this self-led challenge for personal reasons as Zainab Boladale has been finding out.
WEDNESDAY 26TH APRIL
PRESENTER ZAINAB BOLADALE
PROGRAMME FOCUSING ON THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE POWER
This evening Nationwide is at an SEAI event at the RDS where there are energy saving tips at every turn. The programme hears tips and advice on ways to make our homes more energy efficient and find out about state grants to upgrade our homes. We see how solar power is starting to have an impact on helping in the battle against greenhouse gases and we get tips and general advice from those employed in the Sustainable energy business.
SOLAR FARM/REPORT NIALL MARTIN
Three new commercial solar farms were opened recently in Kilkenny and Wexford, these are large commerical operations but there is a way for ordinary farmers and landowners to become energy farmers at a community level. Niall Martin has visited two solar farms.
ENERGY UPGRADE/REPORT NIALL MARTIN
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has a scheme that gives homeowners on most welfare payments access to an energy saving retrofit of their home, completely free of charge. It used to be called the warmer homes scheme and Niall Martin has been to see a retrofit taking place in County Meath.
FRIDAY 28TH APRIL
PRESENTER BLÁTHNAID NÍ CHOFAIGH
RUGBY EXPERIENCE/REPORT MARIAN MALONE
Nationwide has had a sneak preview of the new International Rugby Experience visitor attraction in the heart of Limerick City which opens its doors to the public next week (first week in May).
It brings together great rugby stories from all over the globe in a fully immersive, multi-sensory experience, promising to welcome some 100,000 visitors in its first year. Nationwide invited one young player – aged 10 -13 – and their parents – from every Rugby Club in Limerick City and County to sample the experience with us, and they literally had a ball! It is a not-for-profit venture, and we talk to Munster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions captain, Paul O’Connell – who is Chairman of the International Rugby experience, about how he feels about this new tourism attraction in his native city. And Margaret Jenkins of Fáilte Ireland tells us how it is hoped this attraction will be marketed and developed nationally and internationally.
BELFAST STREET ART/REPORT PHILIP BROMWELL
Belfast has a rich history of murals detailing decades of conflict and division but in recent years there has been a growth in street art which is very different to the political works of the past. Ahead of a big street art event this weekend, our reporter Philip Bromwell met some of the artists painting a different picture of the city they love.
WATERFORD DRAMA GROUP/REPORT NIALL MARTIN
The RTE All-Ireland Drama festival began last night in Athlone and will run for the next week until May 5th. Our reporter Niall Martin has been to meet the cast and crew of one participating group from Ballyduff in County Waterford.
