Henry Mckean On The Hard Shoulder

Henry's Christmas Cracker! Christmas Day at 10am-12pm then 8pm to 10pm on Newstalk. A 2 hour celebration with Daniel O’Donnell, Neven Maguire, a Christmas cracker record attempt, the 30th anniversary of Home Alone Lost in New York. Tom Dunne looks behind the Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy the David Bowie and Bing Crosby classic, and lots more surprises...

It’s the 2nd semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest, this year, it's hosted by Italy. Ireland are 10th on the stage tonight with ‘That’s Rich’. Henry McKean is in a hot Turin, its 28 degrees, If Ireland win outright it will cost Paddy Power a €1million. We hope she could snatch a place, Henry saw Brooke in rehearsals just now, she was relaxed, confident and strong and momentum. Henry McKean reports from Turin.   

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock live at the Oscars in response to a joke the comedian made about Smith’s Wife Jada’s hair loss as a result of alopecia. The Show went on and the Academy said later it did not condone violence in any form. Will Smith a few minutes later went on to win the best actor award for King Richard based on the tennis father of the Williams sisters, he made an apology in a tearful acceptance speech. LAPD said Chris Rock declined to press charges. Was this out of order or a man defending his wife? Henry McKean has been getting reaction.

According to the CSO two thirds of people living in rural areas would be very comfortable asking a neighbour to keep a set of keys to their home for emergencies for example if they were locked out, but in towns and cities this drops to half. We are asking today what is trust and would you trust your neighbour with your house key? Henry McKean is in the rural Irish town of Ardee. 

It’s Day one of The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to the republic. Today Charles and Camilla visited Waterford. Henry McKean was there to capture the mood for us.

In Bray County Wicklow a new sustainable suspension bridge proposed for Bray Harbour has run into protests from locals who want to save the swans. The 100 swans who live on the River Dargle can't see suspension cables and fly straight into them causing their wings to be damaged or even death, as happens at the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin. Henry McKean travelled to Bray and met locals who care about the welfare of the swans. With Swan conservationist Marcia Nicholson and Bray based vet Pete Wedderburn.

According to new research women spend 2 hours and 49 minutes cleaning and cooking and washing everyday. But the average man spends less than 70 mins doing the same chores. Henry McKean has been looking at the study and speaking to former cleaners.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning they asked is the depiction of Irish nuns on screen, fair or foul? Religious sisters are the last group of women which we can say whatever we like. That’s was the view of David Quinn, Columnist with the Sunday Times who said Irish nuns have been caricatured in film and tv as evil, cruel and inhumane. Henry McKean visited Glendalough in the heavy rain and met walkers taking a break in the Wicklow Heather restaurant. Henry also met Sister Bernadette Sweeney, from the Sisters of Charity, she runs the Community Centre for Music and the Arts in Crumlin at St Kevin’s Church in Glendalough.

According to the Irish Daily Mail today the next Dail is set to have 15 more seats as the population grows. The census will see a jump in the population meaning an increase in TDs. But do the public want them. Under the constitution there must be a TD for every 20,000 to 30,000 people. Henry McKean has been out speaking to voters and experts.

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne, one of the greatest cricketers of all time has died of a suspected heart attack aged 52. He was found unresponsive in his villa on the island of Koh Soamui in Thailand. Henry McKean visited North County Cricket Club, Dublin, the heart of Cricket in Ireland and met cricket players of all ages coming to terms with the news, including former Ireland cricketer John Mooney who once played against the late Shane Warne.

“It’s a difficult thing to have to say, but recognising a problem is the first step in solving it. Our capital city at night is a dangerous place, where you feel deeply concerned about your personal safety. Walk from the Spire to Stephen’s Green at 10.00pm and see for yourself.” Those were the words of Ciaran Cannon TD, Galway East after he walked through the city, he posted that on Twitter. We asked Henry McKean to follow his route.

An Australian Estate Agent accidentally put up a walk through video online where he openly broke wind to advertise a rental. Has breaking wind become socially acceptable and here in Ireland have we lost our manners when it comes to etiquette? Our hot air correspondent Henry McKean has travelled to Mullingar County Westmeath to see if people still hold their knife and fork correctly? With the Etiquette Academy of Ireland. 

Yesterday Paul O’Donoghue on the Pat Kenny show, was speaking to teachers and pupils complaining of ‘freezing’ classrooms. But what is the science behind getting really cold and can you work in these conditions long term, is it bad for you or does it strengthen your immune system and make you hardy? Henry McKean has been speaking to workers who normally work in fridge like conditions. With Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and Leo Ryan from innate-strength.com

The rumour mill was in overdrive today, Mayo is still waiting for Sam, but they have won the biggest Irish Lotto of all time. Castlebar and surrounding areas were buzzing with the news the winning €19.6m ticket was sold locally in the county town. Henry McKean went on a wild goose chase looking for the winner and the shop that sold the golden ticket. The winning numbers were: 02, 09, 16, 30, 37, 40 and the bonus was 23. If you are the winner, contact the prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or claims@lottery.ie

According to DoneDeal used cars have zoomed up in price by 56% from the beginning of the pandemic to the end of 2021. Outstripping the rate of inflation in the US and the UK. Why is it that we are in the strange situation where a second hand car can now cost more than a brand new car? To explain what is going on at the showrooms across the country we were joined by Henry McKean. 

Across the water in England, Tory MPs are putting pressure on the BBC to play God Save the Queen daily for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In response the BBC said they don’t play it on BBC One because it doesn’t closedown in the evening but instead goes to rolling news with BBC News 24. Here in Ireland we were thinking, have we also started to play our national anthem less? Henry McKean has been investigating and speaking to historians and the public. (Pic Nadia Forde singing Amhran na bhFiann at the Aviva.) 

According to Fisherman's Friend, Harry Potter has been voted the most feel good film to banish the January Blues. Henry McKean asked people on the street what movie cheers them up in January?

It turns out Irish people  love their fruit and veg far more than our European Neighbours. 33% of us took our 5 fruit and veg a day. According to research by Eurostat, Ireland had a higher gobbling of daily fruit and vegetables across the 27 nation bloc. Henry McKean has been to a farmers shop and Moore Street in Dublin to find out does this survey ring true on the ground. 

Henry McKean asked people in Dublin and kids in Cork from Bunscoil Chriost Ri about their New Year's resolutions.

We sent Henry McKean and his family to the Arctic Circle with thanks to Sunway to experience the magic of Christmas. Once we got all our paperwork in order, rapid PCR tests and passenger locator form all sorted it was magical. We travelled last week before the new guidance came in, the advice now is to take a home antigen test for 5 days after you return home. The excitement was the snow, the expressions on the children’s faces and meeting Santa. But the Husky ride was the highlight, they are Alaska Huskies, We visited Lapland Husky Safari. Sunway offer 1,2, or 3 night trips to Lapland. They are taking bookings for 2022.