Highlights From The Pat Kenny Show

Is sleeping in on weekends healthy self-care… or does it set you up for a rough Monday? For people who wake early all week, days off can feel like a chance to catch up. But shifting your sleep schedule too much can confuse your body clock kind of like a mini time-zone jump. With tips on managing your sleep Pat spoke to Lucy Wolfe, Sleep Expert.

CBS news, the home of Walter Cronkite in the 1960s and 1970s when he brought the evening news to millions of viewers across America, including commentating on the historic moon landing in 1969. But in the past number of months, the face of CBS news has changed. Now headed by former opinion editor Bari Weiss and with changes to the personalities fronting coverage, the once venerable CBS News appears in decline. All to chat about with Lorcan Nyhan, Head of Training at the Communications Clinic.

We look back on the news stories of the week on the Friday Forum. Joining Pat in studio today was Shay Brennan, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Rathdown, Darren O’Rourke, Sinn Féin spokesperson on education and youth and TD for Meath East and Brenda Power, Columnist with the Sunday Times.

World’s first research-backed intervention reduces harmful engagement with AI-generated explicit imagery. As the Grok AI-undressing controversy grows, researchers say user education must complement regulation and legislation. All to discuss with Dr Gillian Murphy, UCC School of Applied Psychology and research project Principal Investigator.

One pan Cod with tomato, red pepper, olives and potato, Spanish Baked eggs with Tomato, ST chorizo and parsley and a Sweet potato, spinach and goats cheese frittata. One pan meals to try this weekend and Gareth Mullins talks us through these recipes.

After nearly seven years of uncertainty, Kerry man Seán Binder has been acquitted on charges of people smuggling avoiding twenty years in a Greek prison. Binder was one of twenty-three defendants set to face trial after volunteering to save refugees from drowning in the sea off Lesvos in Greece back in 2018. 

The Premier League is back this weekend and all eyes will be on Michael Carrick and Man United. The 44 year old was confirmed as head coach for the remainder of the season ahead of the Manchester derby this weekend. Back home, the All-Ireland Club senior football final takes place as Dingle hopes to secure their first title.  Colm Boohig, Broadcaster with Off the Ball looks ahead to a busy weekend of sport.

The April 5 deadline is approaching for people living outside the UK to benefit from new rules for UK State Pension entitlements. If you have between 1 and 10 years of work in the UK, this is your last chance ever to get or top up a UK state pension.To bring us the details and information was John Ring Operations Director of XtraPension.

With Ireland two must win matches away from World Cup qualification, should pubs be allowed to stay open late to accommodate the late start of any potential Ireland matches? Pat discusses this with Barry Heneghan TD, Independent, Dublin Bay North

Researchers at the University of Limerick are currently looking into the effectiveness of ‘super spike’ running shoes for Ireland’s elite sprinters ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Technology has been at the forefront of athletics since the Ancient Olympic Games. But even the simplest of inventions have received pushback from the conservative powers that be. Off The Ball’s Cameron Hill can tell us more

Joining Pat this morning was the globally renowned, award-winning physician, Dr. Patrick Treacy. He joined Pat to chat about his new book 'Destinations, Medical Stories From Around The World. With a career spanning diverse roles across continents, the book shares captivating stories of vibrant cultures in both bustling cities and remote corners of the globe. 

A recent survey showed that never cleaning your phone and scrolling while on the loo were amongst the top ten phone habits people want to kick. But how unhygienic is a dirty phone in the bathroom? and what other germs are lurking around our everyday household items?  To tell us was Dr Orla Cahill, Lecturer in Microbiology and Allergen Management in Technological University Dublin. 

Married people are better off financially due to tax breaks. But what are your options if you are co-habiting and something goes wrong. We get tips and advice from Paul Merriman CEO of Fairstone Ireland. 

Everybody hates going to the dentist. So might it be possible instead to regrow teeth in your own mouth? Recent advances say yes. And also there’s a new toothpaste coming that is really effective at killing the bacteria in your mouth that cause gum disease.All to chat about with Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin.

A new report from the ESRI shows that many people believe immigration is happening in Ireland on a larger scale than it really. People also misjudged why migrants come to Ireland and the focus on asylum-seekers in media coverage and public discourse “may contribute to these biases”. So how much does this stem from migration.Pat discusses this further with Dr Umar Al Qadri, Chairperson Irish Muslim Council.

Many of us will declutter and dump unused and unloved items this January. But many do not know where to recycle and donate post Christmas. With all the advice was Jo Linehan, Sustainability Journalist. 

With rising anxiety among people currently due to the alarming actions of Trump, Putin and other world leaders. It is more important now than ever we facilitate ways in which positive societal and political change can be actively brought about at a grassroots level. All to discuss further with Stephen Donnelly, Melbourne based community organising specialist and Host of the Socially Democratic podcast.

In 2023, 13 local authorities did not issue any derelict site levies despite having the power to do so. Almost €20.5m remains unpaid in derelict site levies ahead of a new derelict site tax in coming into effect in 2027. Pat discusses this further with Thomas Gould TD, Spokesperson on Urban Regeneration & Renewal, Planning, Public Realm & Local Government, Cork North-Central, Sinn Féin.

Diarmuid Gavin, award winning gardener joined Pat Kenny on the show to dicuss the gardens of Bournville in Birmingham.

As part of the Pat Kenny Show's focus on crime we are going to turn to Cork. A shoplifting gang has been caught by Gardaí following a raid on a home in Cork. €10,000 worth of stolen goods, including shoes, spirits, drills, hoovers and toothpaste were recovered. But does Cork have a shoplifting problem like Dublin and do people in Cork feel safe? Henry McKean met people on the streets of Cork and sent us this report…