The Big Breakfast Blaa: Recent Episodes
WLR
Join Ollie and Mary from 6am weekdays on WLR for plenty of music, craic and latest news on movies, local events, showbiz and lots more
Waterford News and Star journalist Dermot Keyes joined Vinny and Aoibhin to chat all things Bond ahead of the release of the latest James bond movie, "No Time To Die"
Mark Zuckerberg has laid out his plans to transform Facebook from a social media network into a “metaverse company” in the next five years.Jordan Casey takes a look at this whole concept.
A metaverse is an online world where people can game, work and communicate in a virtual environment, often using VR headsets.
Zuckerburg described it as “an embodied internet where instead of just viewing content - you are in it”.
Waterford native Sean Defoe joins "The Big Breakfast Blaa" every Thursday to take a look back at what's been trending online. This week reflective of the current heatwave he talks sunburn memories,the passing of Dessie o'malley and #Not my president controversy.
WhatsApp — one of the most used chat apps on the planet is now testing the most sought-out feature on its app called multi-device support.
As it is, you can use the app on only one device, and that for most people is there phone. You can use the web clientor the desktop app to chat with your friends and family, but your phone has to be connected to the internet.
Recently, the company confirmed that it’s working on a feature that will let you link four devices to one account.Good news on the face of it meaning that you can use each device independently, as long as you have an internet connection
Out in cinemas now, the latest offering from Marvel stars Scarlett Johannson (Black Widow), Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, Robert Downey Jnr and Ray Winstone. Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Wido,w must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. Have a listen to Maria's thoughts
Out in cinemas now, this is a slasher movie about body swapping that has Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton as its leads. Maria says you should enjoy it a lot - once you're not too squeamish.
One of the richest people to ever have lived, Bezos divides opinion but certainly intrigues. Jordan Casey has been following his career and looks at what he'll do next after he steps away from the giant that is Amazon.
While he's a self-confessed Apple obsessive, Jordan was happy to turn his attentions to the Samsung Virtual MWC Event, which saw the unveiling of new products, particularly in the wearables market. Jordan also discussed the outcome of a US government investigation into UFO activity.
Once the sun comes out in our Irish summer, the desire to cook a hot meal goes out the window. Sinead Cunningham is WLR's unofficial resident chef and was tasked by Ollie and Mary to give out a few salad recipes.
Based on the stage production of the same name, "In the Heights" is a 2021 musical drama about the community of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan. We follow the fate of Usnavy, Vanessa, Nina and lots more characters as they dream of a better life
This week's story is called The Rainbow Connection. It's written for little Sonny Flynn-Fogarty who'll be three in August. Sonny's two Mams Sinead and Siobhan adore him - their life is full of love and colour and they're very proud of all that they have achieved as a family. The Rainbow Connection is a story of friendship and understanding and kindness. It is written for all children and grown-ups too!
The residency will commence later this summer and is the first one ever run by Theatre Royal. Jamie will be involved in a nine month stint at the venue; as well as creating a new piece of theatre he'll also take part in a mentoring programme with second level students.
In his weekly tech slot with us, Jordan explains that Windows 10 is to be phased out, and by 2025 tech support for the software will also disappear. He says another interesting upshot is that Microsoft's Internet Explorer will soon be a thing of the past as well.
This 2018 TV movie, based on a true story, recently landed to Netflix. Directed by Jim Donovan, It tells the story of the abduction of Lisa McVey. Maria says it's a compelling story.
This week's Big Breakfast Little Story is called Riverdance and is written for a very special little girl who lives in Ballygunner - Grace Harris, aged 3 - (but 4 this coming August!). Grace goes to Williamstown Childcare Centre and this morning she's probably in the car on her way there with her Nanna Jean. She's a style queen, a drama queen but most importantly - a little Irish dancing Queen!
Netflix has gone up against the likes of Disney, by selling merchandise from some of its more popular original shows. Jordan discusses why he thinks the streaming giant is doing this. He also discussed the virtual E3 Gaming event.
Holly's Holiday In Aisle Number 3 was written especially for 6 year old Holly Ryan from Greenfields in Waterford City. She's in Senior Infants in St Ursula's school and her Mam Eimear says the family have a great system where they eat the same dinners on set days of the week (it's always lasagne on a Thursday by the way - Holly's favourite!!). Holly loves nothing more than playing out on the green with her pals Killian and Scott - and so inspired by these facts, this story is called Holly's Holiday In Aisle Number 3!
This week's story is an adventurous one, it's called - Waterford Under Siege. This story has been written especially for 7 year old Rohan Staff Browne from Ballinakill who goes to Newtown Junior School. He has a very special talent which saves the day in this story which also sees the return of DUN DUN DUN - Special Agent Sydney Power (the 12 year old cat of 7 year old Michaela Power - a huge fan of the BBB) AND Criminal dogs Viktor and Jeremiah!
The so-call Space Race of the 1960s and 70s is back in a different format; this time around, multi-millionaire entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Elon Musk are trying their luck at taking humans away from earth. Jordan gives his thoughts on what the future holds for all of this, as well as looking at the US government's interest in UFOs.
This week's episode of Big Breakfast Little Stories is called 'Tadhg's Teeth' and is based on a little boy who is a grown up now. His mother, a lady called Anne from Dunmore East, told Karen a story recently about her son who was quite mischievous when he was young - this week's story is based on one of the many tricks he played many years ago. Enjoy!
The makers of Fortnite took on the tech giant Epic Games, challenging Apple's restrictions on apps from having other in-app purchasing methods outside of the one offered by the App Store. Epic Games' founder Tim Sweeney had previously challenged the 30% revenue cut that Apple takes on each purchase made in the App Store, and with their game Fortnite, wanted to either bypass Apple or have Apple take less of a cut. Epic also filed another lawsuit, Epic Games v. Google, the same day. Jordan has more details
The 2021 film arrived to Netflix earlier this month. Based the book of the same name and with a few nods to Hitchcock classics, it tells the story of an agoraphobic woman (Amy Adams) who spends her time watching her neighbours from the window. Maria was not impressed.
A Winning Pair was written for 8-year-old Daragh Caulfield who goes to St Declan's De La Salle. His Mum Christine got in touch with us and told us all about him and some interesting facts too - Daragh loves sport, hates mashed potatoes and he loves Crystal Palace player Wilfred Zaha!!
It's been unseasonably cold and more than a little wet already this month. Then overnight and this morning we were met with driving wind and rain. Michael Kelly tells Ollie and Mary we shouldn't expect too much in the coming week, but he's optimistic for a brighter few months ahead.
The HSE recently became the victim of a sophisticated ransomeware attack that has been a devastating blow to an already overburdened health service with long reaching consequences re patient appointments and disclosure of private patient data.Our tech man Jordan Casey took a look at the situation.
'Domina' streams on Sky Atlantic from today (Friday May 14th.) It follows the life and rise to power of Livia Drusilla, the wife of Roman Emperor Augustus Ceaser. As well as looking ahead to that, Maria took a look back at "I, Claudius," a star-studded TV series from the 70's that was considered very controversial at the time.
This story is called Princess Croía, a little girl who's only 17 month's old from St John's Park in Waterford City. Croía Ennis is a fashionista, a social butterfly and a very busy bunny especially when her Mammy's back is turned. Oh and she happens to have Down's Syndrome. Croía has her own blog on Facebook and Instagram - Down With Croía where her Mammy Aoife and Dad Craig feature too. She's a big fan of Disney's Frozen so Big Breakfast Little Stories has turned into Princess Croía today, where she rules with her heart over Lismore Castle!
The world's richest man guest hosted "Saturday Night Life" in the US last weekend, and one of the many topics he discussed was Dogecoin. But what is the crytocurrency, how does it differ from Bitcoin and why does Elon Musk care about it?
8 year old Amelia Kirwan who goes to Fenor National School is the star of this episode of Big Breakfast Little Stories. Some of Amelia's favourite things to do are to play cops and robbers with her sister and their friends Leah and Adam, pretending to hunt down the most notorious criminals on the fairy walk in Monvoy Valley as well as working hard to get her pen licence in school. So Pen Lines Of Duty was born. There is also a guest appearance from two well-known breakfast radio presenters!
Deep Fake uses a form of AI which can recreate events, videos and pictures, sometimes to eerily good effect. Celebrities in particular can be subject to deep fake productions, which has the potential for sinister side effects, Jordan says
This time Mark will over 200km of cycling, hiking and running on May 14th, all in aid of Laura Lynn - Ireland's Children's Hospice. He has more details for Andy and Mary, including how you can donate.
This week's story was written for three little boys, the Byrne brothers - Jasper, Xander and Reuben from Dungarvan who love their adventures on the Greenway. Listen to hear what happened when they met The Greenway Greeny!
This week's story was written especially for Jamie Allen, age 7 who goes to Fenor National School. Jamie has a wonderful bond with his Nannie Wilma (and her Yorkshire Puddings) and has brought his family great laughs in these tough times. A special mention to Jamie's Mum Caroline Allen, a nurse in the Keogh Practice - two heroes in one story! This week's story is called 'Judge Jamie'.
This Big Breakfast Little Stories episode has been written especially for two separate Big Breakfast Blaa listeners. The first one is Rayllan Drummy, 9 and the second is Mason Whelan, 7, who's in 1st Class in The Holy Cross School Tramore. The inspiration for this week's story is a man called Mer Tomkins who was a National Champion at whistling!
Big Breakfast Little Stories is back! The first story in the series is called 'Aoife's Wedding' and is dedicated to a little girl, Aoife Kelly from Hillview, whose parents called her after Aoife MacMurrough - of Strongbow and Aoife fame. This story is dedicated to her!
In his latest tech slot, Jordan tells Ollie and Mary that one of the perhaps unexpected knock on effects of the Pandemic is a shortage of computer chips (semi-conductors) that are used in so many every day devices, including cars.
The seven part-drama, drip fed on a weekly basis, stars Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce. Winslet plays the part of Mare, a detective in the town were lots of dark events occur. Maria is one episode in, and gives her thoughts so far.
The main unveiling at the event in California on Tuesday April 20th were the redesigned iMac, the latest iPad Pro and AirTag item trackers. Jordan Casey of SCNE and Casey Games took at closer look.
Starring Sarah Paulson and Kiera Allen as a mother and daughter, this 2020 film landed to Netflix earlier this month. It's a well made psychological thriller with a great ending, Maria tells The Big breakfast Blaa.
The story of Pager, a macaque monkey playing a video game with his mind has been widely circulated, and hailed by some as a breakthrough in Elon Musk's Neuralink project. Jordan explains the potential for treating neurological conditions in people, and why Neuralink is being met with scepticism in some circles.
Lismore Castle provides the backdrop to the 2021 children’s book festival ‘Towers & Tales’ which will all take place online on Friday, April 30th and Saturday, May 1st. Artistic Director and CEO of Childrens Books Ireland Elaina Ryan had all the details for Ollie and Mary.
They were hailed as the next big thing, and The Guardian even predicted that they would be widespread by 2020, but not so. Jordan discusses the main problems with self-driving cars, and why they haven't taken off.
Maria McCann in her weekly tv/movie slot told Ollie all about a new Tina Turner documentary simply called Tina.
Waterford native Sean Defoe joins "The Big Breakfast Blaa" every Thursday to take a look back at what's been trending online. This week he talks Suez Canal resolution,Madonna being upstaged by Sudocream and proposals for a giant moveable statue of Bono in Twitter Thursday.
Last year, while toy industry sales dropped due to competition with video
games on mobiles and other supports, Lego increased its operating profits
by 10%. Far from being scared of new technologies, Lego has embraced
them.Jordan Casey told Ollie and Maria all about Lego's new horizions.
This is the 2021 director's cut of the 2017 superhero film, There was much talk about it being over four hours long, but Maria tells Ollie and Mary that she didn't feel the time passing.
The social media giant has gone up against Apple with a new Augmented Reality wristband that could allow users interact with the virtual world. Jordan gave the details to Ollie and Mary
The Showtime production became available on Sky earlier this month. It's had much publicity, largely due to Bryan Cranston playing the lead role of a troubled judge whose son accidentally kills another teenager in a hit and run. Maria says she's enjoying it but can't get behind any character.
The first most of us heard of NFTs was when Kings of Leon announced last week that they were releasing an album in the form of a non-fungible token, So what exactly is this, and how does it work? Jordan had the details for Ollie and Mary.
Jordan tells that Clubhouse is a social media app that's different from the others in two distinct ways; its audio-based, and you need an invite to join. He explains more to Ollie and Mary
Based on a book by the same name by Sarah Pinborough, "Behind her Eyes" is described as a psychological thriller but there's a sci-fi element too, as Maria tells us. She gave her thoughts on the six-part Netflix series to The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Many people decided to try and learn a language, or brush up on one, during Lockdown. Duolingo, a free app that offers lessons in 34 languages in English instruction alone, has proven extremely popular. Wayne takes a look at what it can do
Shirley and her family live in Cushcam, Dungarvan. Her ten year old son, Odhran, keeps hens and one of them, Brownie, laid an extra large egg recently. Shirley told the whole story to The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Directed by Samantha Stark, this New York Times Documentary centres around the pop star's father's conservatorship of her, something that's now the subject of an ongoing court battle. It also looks back at the treatment of Britney Spears by the media, in particular during times when the singer was clearly troubled. Maria gives her thoughts on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Waterford native Sean joins The Big Breakfast Blaa every Thursday to take a look back at what's been trending online. This week there was a very strong food-related theme going on, when he chatted to Andy and Mary
For people missing the adventure of travel, Wayne tells us in his tech slot that websites and apps exist which allow you to take on famous routes and landmarks, while exercising within your own 5k restrictions.
The walk, done within every participants' own 5k, virtually follows the 114k stretch of the last section of the Camino from the French Way to Santiago. South East Development Officer with Focus Ireland, Tricia Quinn, has more details.
The electronic devices have yet to be fully legalised in Ireland but it's expected that legislation will be passed soon. Wayne explains how they work, in terms of range, speed limit, and how they're linked up to mobile phone apps.
Julian was born "On this Day" in 1941, and he chats to Ollie and Mary about his old slot on WLR of the same name, as well as about how his love of history started.
Michael, who runs waterfordcityweather.com, didn't rule out the possibility of snow, as he told Ollie and Mary that an Easterly wind will start to take a chilling effect from Sunday. Have a listen to his forecast.
In his tech slot, Wayne says, ironically, there are plenty of apps to help you reduce screen time, and the amount of time you're spending on social platforms.
Set in 1980s London, this five-part series by Russell T Davies follows the lives of a group of gay men and their friends and families, as their lives are turned upside down by the AIDs epidemic.
Mark, who runs MC Strength and Conditioning, wanted to do a fundraiser to highlight mental health issues and let people know help is out there. He's planning on doing a continuous hike up and down Crohaun Mountain in the Comeraghs, over a 24 hour period from 1pm Saturday January 30th to 1pm the following day.
By no means a new show , Safe House is an ITV series from 2015. However it's been given a rebirth on Netflix, after Season 1 was recently dropped to the streaming service. Maria says it's a good watch with plenty of familiar faces. Have a listen to her review
The Samsung launched its latest version of the Galaxy a month earlier than anticipated, and in another surprise, it comes in significantly cheaper than the S20, while still having additional features. Wayne discusses this in his tech slot.
It's hard to believe that it's 20 years ago that Apple launched the music platform that would change the musical world forever, in many ways. He takes a look back at that journey.
Dungarvan native David says it's been something of a whirlwind since Adam appeared on the Toy Show, telling Ryan Tubridy that he wanted to be CAPCOM for NASA. David says the Cork based family is massively grateful for the goodwill and support they've received.
It has been a very strange and in ways awful year, so Sean looks at the highs and lows, from Connell's chain to Zoom quizzes.
The theme was unashamedly festive this week, as Wayne discussed apps that help your kids communicate with Santa, as well as other ones for singing along to Christmas carols, and 'elfing' yourself.
With Christmas around the corner, many are still scratching their heads trying to think of what to buy people. Wayne had a list of fun tech stuff in his slot with Ollie and Mary, and the best news is, all of the items can be bought locally in Waterford.
30 years old this December, the caper film starring Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O'Hara, Joe Pesci, John Candy and more, has become one of the most loved Christmas movies. Maria talked us through some of the interesting facets of it.
With the excitement building towards the first ever All Ireland senior hurling final encounter between Waterford and Limerick, Sean says he can't wait for all the action. He also told us what was in his "Spotify Wrapped" - a list of listening stats from the year gone by, and we discussed baby names after it emerged Connell and Vogue are popular in Britain.
AR is now being used worldwide as a tool for shopping, with some quite remarkable results. Virtual Reality has proven useful this year too, as people are able to tour buildings such as colleges that they could not otherwise see. Wayne has the details..
Maria says this film, directed by Ron Howard and starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams, is a tough watch in parts but definitely worth it. She says the performance in particular of Glenn Close is outstanding.
Ten year old Lucy is one of only a small group of children who will actually be on set for The Toy Show tonight, as the format was changed in line with Covid Restrictions. She'll be reviewing toys with Ryan Tubridy and told Ollie and Mary that she can't wait.
In his weekly Twitter Thursday, Sean talked about the main news story of the week globally, which was the death of football legend Maradona at the age of 60. He also said he's really excited about the Waterford / Kilkenny match on Saturday, and The Late Late Toy show tomorrow night.
This is one of Netflix's big shows when it comes to production values, and all eyes were on Season 4 because of the addition of Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher. Maria gives her thoughts..
Everything from Dublin Zoo to The Crown was discussed by Sean, who told Ollie and Mary he's very organised about his Christmas shopping this year.
Well known vet Pete Wedderburn has launched an new online facility called Petfix Club. Pete is based in Bray. Wayne discusses this Irish venture, and how it works.
This is currently in the top 10 most watched shows on Netflix in Ireland, and has Katie Holmes in the lead. It's based on the premise of the self-help book 'The Secret,' that uses the law of attraction to claim that positive thoughts can directly change a person's life. Maria gave her thoughts...
It's looking increasingly likely that people living abroad won't get home this Christmas, and so Wayne decided to look at easy ways in which people, in particular elderly people, can talk to their loved ones remotely.
The "Queen's Gambit" has been the big talking point in terms of recent Netflix releases - it centres around a young girl who becomes brilliant at chess. Meanwhile "The Undoing" is a thriller on Sky Atlantic starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant and Donald Sutherland.
The Raspberry Pi single board computers is a great way to get kids into coding, and they're quite inexpensive too, as Wayne told Ollie and Mary on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
With it being the eve of Hallowe'en, Maria decided to put a creepy spin on things on The Big Breakfast Blaa. "The Hole in the Ground" was made by Bord Scannán in collaboration with the Finnish film board. Maria says you can feel the Scandinavian influence. She also briefly discussed other horrors at the start.
It's Pet Tech Week in the United States and to tie in with that, and just to have the craic, Wayne took a look at some pet gadgets out there - from the handy to the downright bizarre.
This is based on the classic novel by Daphne Du Maurier, and a remake of the Oscar winning Hitchcock film of 1940. It was always going be a tough ask to impress with this one, and Director Ben Wheatley has generated mixed reviews, with his re-telling. Maria gives her thoughts.
Chloe, who lost her Nan to Pancreatic cancer in 2016, is taking the brave step of cutting off all her hair on Christmas Day, and donating it to the LIttle Princess Trust. The organisation makes wigs for children who have lost their hair. Chloe told Ollie and Mary that she has a gofundme page.
There was a musical (if you could call it that) element to Wayne's tech slot with us on The Big Breakfast Blaa, where he investigated Google's new 'humming' voice search feature. Ollie and Mary put it to the test.
"Black 47" won best movie of 2019 at the virtual awards, while Paddy Breathnach took the Best Director gong for "Rosie" - both of which starred the County Waterford actor. He spoke to The Big Breakfast Blaa about the awards, other projects, and staying positive in Lockdown
This is a supernatural horror / thriller, made by Mike Flanagan, the same creator of "The Haunting of Hill House." However, despite having many of the same actors it's a separate standalone storyline. Maria says "The Haunting of Bly Manor" has a lot to offer to fans of this genre, with some great acting.
On Tuesday evening Stateside, Apple took the wraps off the four new iPhone 12 phones, which have all-new designs and will all support 5G wireless networks. Apple also unveiled the HomePod mini, a smaller and more affordable version of the HomePod smart speaker. Wayne gives his thoughts.
This film was released to Netflix on October 4th 2020. It's David Attenborough's own mission statement, as the (then) 93 year old reflects on his life and career as a broadcaster and natural historian. Maria gave her thoughts to The Big Breakfast Blaa
After years of development and an early sneak peek last year, we finally see the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Fold. And - it's not cheap. Wayne gave his thoughts to Ollie and Mary on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Since the pandemic began, people have been exploring new ways to get their exercise in. Adam says online classes are not always a substitute for face-to-face training, but they certainly work for some.
Among a cast that includes Brendan Gleeson (as Trump,) Jeff Daniels (as James Comey) and Holly Hunter (as Sally Yates,) this Showtime production is about the former Director of the FBI James Comey and his dealings with both the Clinton email affair and the Trump administration. Maria gives her thoughts.
Swearing parrots, and David Attenborough answering children's questions were high on the agenda today, for Twitter Thursday. However Seán also gave his tuppence worth on the Trump/ Biden debate.
The "Indoor Security Drone" has been launched by Amazon and can independently fly around to check for unusual events in your house. Wayne discussed whether it's technology gone too far and what it means for privacy.
Paul, who's also a graphic novelist and artist, will stream the gig through his own social media channels at 9pm on Sunday September 27th. Other featured artists at the virtual gig include Peter Vogelaar – bass, Paul O’Byrne - drums/percussion (Engine Alley) Alex Soikans – guitar (ex-Kodakid) and Graham Clancy – guitar (ex-Amber JEAN)
As well as discussing Zig and Zag, Sean talked about when is too early to mention Christmas, a man who claims he is the second coming of Jesus in Siberia, and the contentious border between Waterford and Kilkenny.
X-Box Launches in Ireland first round about November 12th with PS5 a week later. Wayne has a look at what they can do, how they differ from older models, and what price they come in at. He also takes a look at version 9 of GoPro
This virtual event involved the launch of a new Apple Watch, as well as Fitness +, a service for the Apple Watch, and an updated version of the iPad. Wayne discusses what it means for fans of the tech giant's products.
Because of Covid 19 restrictions many events are happening online for Culture night this year, but, as Curator of Waterford events Anna Jordan points out, there are things happening at some venues too.
After taking a well earned break for the month of August, Sean is back at work and managed to take his eyes off politics to discuss some other trends online.
Musk, a multi-billionaire entrepreneur and inventor, has gone down the road of investigating the human brain through inserting microchips into pigs. Wayne had the details for Andy and Mary on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
The Graiguenamanagh artist tells Ollie and Mary he's been playing and making music for ten years now. He says the Sony record deal is very exciting and it came about primarily through Tik Tok
Adam joins Ollie and Mary every month to take a look at various aspects of keeping fit. September and January are the two busiest months of the year gym wise and with the return to school people have more time to keep a gym schedule.Adam offers some advise on making that return a beneficial one.
Have a listen to our chat..
Home gaming became a massive phenomenon in the 80s and 90s and anyone who grew up in that era is sure to remember the likes of Commodore 64, Sega Megadrive and more. Wayne tells Ollie and Mary that the nostalgia factor has brought about a resurgence in these old computer games.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra are loaded with powerful specs, but you'll pay for them - prices start at €1059 for the Note 20 and €1359 for the Note 20 Ultra. Wayne discusses whether or not they're worth it, on his tech slot.
Now reduced to 'Actory,' the City club is being held to ransom but a group of sign thieves, who've removed the letter 'F' from the outside of the premises. General Manager Neill Kelly gave the full lowdown to Ollie and Mary.
If you're working from home, or just need speedy WiFi in general, there are few things more annoying than a slow load speed. Wayne tells Andy and Mary that there is a simple, inexpensive device that can counter than problem.
Three Focus on Fitness athletes from Waterford; Martin Kirwan from Kill, Jim O Brien from Gracedieu and Brian Jacob of Lismore Park set off on the 4th of August to cycle 2,300km around the coast of Ireland in just 11 days. This is no easy feat, especially with a total of 17,000 meters ascent. It's all in aid of Make-a-Wish. Martin spoke to Ollie and Mary on the final day of the challenge.
Freddie tells Ollie and Mary that he and the band have really missed live gigs, but there are some positives too. Backroad Smokers Club have just released their new single, "Get out of your Head" and Freddie discussed that too.
Adam, who's based at The Kingfisher Gym, joins us every month with handy tips and advice. He also discusses the transition back to gym settings for people, post-lockdown. He chatted to Ollie and Mary..
It was a bit of a novelty this week as Sean was back in his native Waterford. He dropped into studio to discuss what's been exercising the minds of the Twitterati.
Sean Defoe talks Virtual Emmys,Paul Mescal's abduction by the British press,least liked chocolate bars and ex minister Richard Bruton being hailed as a sex symbol at 67....Who Knew😊
In his latest slot with Ollie and Mary, Wayne discusses all manners of bluetooth headphones, from the very pricey branded ones, to economy ones that can be every bit as effective.
This app has been developed by Tramore based tech company Nearform, and it's hoped it will be primarily used for contact tracing. Wayne explains how it works in his tech slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Lots of people have really missed the community aspect of gyms, as well as attending classes and using equipment. With premises beginning to re-open, Adam Wright of Kingfisher discusses some things people need to be aware of.
This week it was all about South Korean breakfast cereal, John Cleese, pubs and haircuts.
The Internet of Things has brought about a world where so many devices and applicances are now 'smart.' In his latest tech slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa, Wayne looks at how things can be applied to the health industry.
It's hard to believe that it's a full three decade since the nation held its breath, to paraphrase George Hamilton, and watched Ireland beat Romania on penalties to make it through to the quarter finals of the World Cup. Our own Matt Keane was there chatted to Ollie and Mary
During Covid19, cash was used less and less, and it's becoming more common for people to 'tap and pay' or use services like N26 and Revolut to carry out transactions. Wayne discusses all that.
"Hold On" went straight in at Number One on the iTunes charts, the first song in the band's history to top the Single's charts. Christy to Ollie and Mary about making music, and about his memories of Waterford.
CycleforSOS was Ciara's brainchild, and she is thrilled that the charity fundraiser reached way beyond its €10,000 target. She spoke to Ollie and Mary about the work done by Suicide or Survive as a charity, and the importance of the monies raised in terms of keeping the service going.
It's been a week of confusion about what punters can and cannot do when pubs re-open, Sean discusses all that, as well as the uncanny likeness Brendan Gleeson bears to Donald Trump in a teaser image we've seen of "The Comey Rule."
The S5 has been launched it should be available before the end of 2020. Wayne says the technology is mind-boggling, but that there are things to be wary of too.
It's 203 years ago since the Dandy Horse arrived on the scene in Germany, then many decades later we had the Penny Farthing. Eamon Barrett talks about the journey the humble bike has made and how important it still is. He also discusses a tricycle memory of his own, on The Big Breakfast Blaa with Ollie and Mary.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the Semi- Lunar Tower at the rear of Stephen Street Boys school and the Beach Tower in Jenkin’s Lane.
In his latest Twitter Thursday slot, Sean talks about the very likely re-opening of hairdressers and barbers on June 29th, as well as his aversion to queues, and the removal of TV programmes and films from streaming services, due to race issues.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the French Tower at the top of Castle Street and Brown’s Lane.
This is a worldwide phenomenon where people, young and old, can hunt for 'treasure' in their own localities, with the aid of technology. Wayne tells Ollie and Mary all about it.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the Double Tower in Castle Street built to give access to the Benedictine Church of St. Johns, the ruins of which are in the small park just off the Manor.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the very interesting history of the Watch Tower in Railway Square,built to protect John’s Bridge.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the very interesting history of Reginald's Tower.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Maria all about The Siege of Waterford in August 1170 – a momentous event in Irish history.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Maria all about the dredger Port Lairge – keeping the shipping lanes clear.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie all about the Malcomson Family,owners of the Neptune Ship Yard,Park Road,Waterford and the Portlaw Cotton Mills.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie all about a famous 18th century Waterford silversmith,Terrapin and silver snuff box.
As there are no dog shows this summer in Dungarvan and west Waterford Mary Curran and Sar'anne Walsh decided to do an online dog show for Irish dogs for the disabled and as they have a number of dogs placed in partnerships in county Waterford from Irish dogs for the disabled they have chosen them as the designated charity!
Mary and Sar'anne saw it as a fun way of raising some much needed funds for this very worthy cause and have a bit of fun at the same time.Basically you take a pic of you and your dog,it’s open to all dog breeds large and small and to both adults and children and all categories ,best fancy dress ,cutest pic both human and dog or just dog ,best outdoor shot ,best silly shot ,best serious shot ..... dogs having fun etc . There will be one overall winner which will b picked by you the public ( with €100 for the winning dog and owner to treat themselves and a gorgeous plaque ) and 50 runners up will receive a rosette ..... we simply would ask you to please donate €5 to Dogs for the Disabled in return ,the link is attached here so post your pics under here and p m Mary Curran your receipt after donating and your name and address.As Mary herself says "GOOD LUCK everyone PLEASE SHARE".
https://dogsfordisabled.ie/donate/
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie all about the Legend that is Brendan Boyer and the Royal Showband.
Seán joins us every week for a more lighthearted look at the world of Twitter and other online platforms.This week Sean talks Dominic Cummings,Chocolate in the fridge Yay or Nay,abandoned theatre below Busaras and a teenage memory.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Waterford man John Hearne author of the 1937 Constitution and Ireland’s first ambassador to the United States.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the Roberts family a Waterford family of extra-ordinarily gifted artists.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about "Timbertoes" The first Bridge over the River Suir at Waterford – ‘it was a lucky ha’penny that brought him over the bridge’ – old Waterford saying.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about John Redmond and Ballybricken a man who many thought was destined to become Ireland’s first Prime Minister/ Taoiseach.
Totem Creative Branding Agency in Dungarvan has teamed up with Waterford Animal Welfare to help them raise much needed funds while the organisation's charity shop is closed. They're asking you to take a picture with your pet, share it to social media, make a donation to Waterford Animal Welfare and nominate others to do the same. Colin Byrne from Totem had more details on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Doireann attends Gaelscoil Philib Barún and loves to chat. Like everyone else she's homeschooling at the moment. Doireann decided to challenge herself to a sponsored silence in an effort to fundraise for Tramore Meals on Wheels. It was a great success, as she and her Mam told Ollie and Mary
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Ballybricken Jail – a part of Waterford associated with law and order for four centuries.
Mary O'Reilly has always been a dab-hand at sewing, and through her involvement with Tramore Hospice, she decided to put her skills to use while raising money for a cause she believes in. With the support of local company Evoke Kitchens, Mary is making reusable cloth face masks, with 100% of the money made from sales going to The Irish Hospice Foundation. She spoke to Ollie and Mary
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Pilgrimage the medieval idea of a holiday!and two very unusual 13th century pilgrim badges showing how well travelled the people of medieval Waterford were.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about 750 year old amber prayer beads that tell us how people in Waterford prayed in the middle ages, and how prosperous merchants imported luxury prayer beads to help them count the prayers they recited.
Gavin released his new single 'Boxes' on May 15th, while in the midst of lockdown restrictions. He discusses what the experience has been like for him, as well as other musicians, and how Zoom has been his big saviour!
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the earliest drawing of Waterford dated to 1591 showing Mrs Sherlock’s Abbey and the stone walls and towers of the town defences from Reginald’s Tower to the Watch Tower at John’s Bridge/ Railway Square.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the Bell from the Dominican Priory,the Wine Trade and the Waterford Dominican monk who was a European wine expert in the 13th century a time when Waterford was the wine capital of Ireland.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the experiment in 1782 to build a new town for Swiss clock and watch makers near Passage East in Waterford.New Geneva Barracks was identified as the proposed site for a planned colony for artisan and intellectual Genevan settlers, who had become refugees following a failed rebellion against a French and Swiss government in the city.Ireland had been granted a parliament separate from London in 1782 and it was thought that the creation of the colony would stimulate new economic trade with the continent. James Gandon, who designed the Custom House, was comissioned to create a masterplan for the site overlooking the Waterford Estuary.The plans for the colony eventually collapsed,however, when the Genevans insisted that they should be represented in the Irish parliament but govern themselves under their own Genevan laws. It then became a barracks following the United Irishmen Rebellion in 1798.
Koyln tells us he became enthralled by the Eurovision song contest in the early 90s, back when Ireland were on something of a winning streak. He discusses why he loves it, some of the best songs over the years, and who he thinks would have won this year had the event in Rotterdam not been cancelled.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Sampson Twogood Roch (1757–1847) an Irish painter of miniatures. The son of William and Mary Roch of Youghal, in County Cork, he was born deaf. It is unknown with whom he studied; he may have been self-taught. By 1779 he had established himself in Dublin, and in the years following is known to have worked in England. Beginning in 1786 he lived in Cork; while there he married a distant cousin. In 1792 the couple moved to Bath, where his practice flourished. Roch returned to the family home in County Waterford in 1822; there he died in 1847. Besides painting miniatures, he also sketched scenes of Irish rural life.
Keane, the son of actor Edmund Kean, was born in Waterford City and went on to be a huge Shakespearean actor of his day, internationally. Eamonn discusses this in his latest virtual tour of Waterford Treasures.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the sinking of the SS Formby on the 15th December 1917 and her sister ship the SS Coningbeg on the 17th December 1917 by the same German U-Boat,U-62, captained by Ernst Hashegen, both were trading between Liverpool and Waterford with general cargo.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about some very fine mirrors,and their amazing personal history.
Wall-hung mirrors allowed the occupiers of the great houses to magnify the amount of natural light in a room, catching and reflecting the light while the gilt frames that supported the mirrors added to the reflective quality. At night, mirrors really came into their own, helping to transform an otherwise darkened room into a warmly-lit, elegant and intimate space.
Mirrors became the windows of the night, set above the chimney pieces and on the piers between the windows with candelabra placed in front on console tables. Mirrors reflected and magnifed the very expensive candlelight that came from the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the sconces fixed to the walls and the candelabra set before them.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about a statue of St Stephen from the Leper Hospital Waterford.Leprosy was one of the most virulent diseases of the Middle Ages causing permanent damage to the skin, limbs and eyes. Lepers were shunned and even those suspected of suffering from leprosy were segregated, even in church. Many churches had special chambers reserved for lepers with a small opening known as the leper’s squint through which they could hear Mass without mixing with the rest of the congregation.
Many medieval cities had leper hospitals – usually situated outside the city walls. The church and leper hospital of St. Stephen was built after the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1170. It was located on the corner of the present-day New Street and Stephen’s Street – an area which was then outside the walled town. However, by the mid-13th century the suburbs where it was located were enclosed.
According to tradition, the leper hospital was founded in 1185 by Robert le Poer [Power] who endowed it with almost 800 acres of land for its upkeep. King John granted a further 900 acres to the leper hospital when he visited Waterford in 1210 on condition that the lepers prayed daily for him. Most of this land was located near Dunmore East and in an area still known as Leperstown to this day. King John’s grant also included the land stretching from John’s Bridge through Johnstown and John’s Hill to Ballytruckle. All that remains of the leper hospital on the site now is a two-storey house with a limestone fireplace bearing the date 1632.
The church of St. Stephen, located beside the leper hospital is first mentioned in the historical records in the mid-15th century but because of its association with the hospital was also probably founded in the 12th century. In 1468, John Collyn, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, left small sums of money in his will for the upkeep of St. Stephen’s Church and for the relief of the patients in the hospital.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the connection between a silver hotwater urn and its connection to Robert Emmet.Irish Republican,and Irish nationalist patriot, orator and rebel leader.After leading an abortive rebellion against British rule in 1803 he was captured then tried and executed for high treason against the British king George III of Great Britain and Ireland.
Among the treasures is a bronze memorial plaque, known as the 'Dead Man's Penny' sent to the family of Waterford teenager John Condon who is thought to be one of the youngest, if not the youngest soldier to fight in World War 1.
It's been another busy week online and Waterford native Sean joined us on an app from his home in Dublin, where he says he was delighted to get his hands on some Waterford Blaas, now that they're in Aldi for a limited period.
Killian's forested sanctuary in Burnfoot Donegal has been in the spotlight over the past few days, after the birth of six wild boarlets to proud mum Tory. Killian tells Ollie and Mary all about the sanctuary, and has some fascinating facts about the wild animals that once lived here in Ireland.
The restrictions are with us for another while, and the summer is here, so people are more eager than ever to get active. Adam Wright from Kingfisher Gym has simple suggestions for the whole family.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the connection between a snuff box and the Crimean war.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the family firm of A.H. Poole operated as commercial photographers in Waterford during the years 1884-1954. This large collection of glass plates contains studio portraits of people from Waterford and reflects the social and economic life of the city.
The original order books have been microfilmed and act as an index to the original collection. Catalogue entries for over 70,000 glass plate negatives are available on the National Library's Online Catalogue,some with images attached. The collection is also searchable through an online database.Plenty more can be seen on display here in the Bishop's Palace Museum here in Waterford.
Eamonn continues telling us the stories behind the artefacts at Waterford Treasures, while the museums are closed to the public. Here you can hear all about how Cromwell gave thanks for the fall of Waterford
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about a tablecloth dating from the early 19th century which doubled as an autograph book.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about a painting by Samuel Fredrick Brocas and in particular a Waterford scene he painted circa 1812.An amazing story is told within.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Irish composer and musician William Vincent Wallace, who was born in Colbeck Street,Waterford.
Both of these are subscription-based apps; one which gives access to online magazines, and the other is a mobile-centric streaming service. Wayne outline how both Readly and Quibi work, in his tech slot with Ollie and Mary on The Big Breakfast Blaa
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Waterford's connection with Laetitia Bonaparte Wyse wife of Thomas Wyse of Waterford.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Waterford's connection with the early tea trade of the 17th and 18th century.The 18thcentury trade in armorial porcelain was a by-product of the trade in tea from China, a beverage that became very fashionable after 1660 when Catherine of Braganza wife of King Charles II popularised the drink among the ruling class in both England and Ireland. Tea was a luxury, expensive item so the early porcelain tea cups were extraordinarily small. The early tea cups were without handles in the Chinese fashion.Leaf tea was so valued that it was stored by the lady of the house in a locked silver tea canister to prevent the servants from helping themselves to the rare and much sought after beverage. ‘Tea for the classes, buttermilk for the masses.’
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about a rare collection of statues of the Virgin Mary and Child dating from the 12th century.The most important collection of medieval statues to survive in Ireland today is on display at the Medieval Museum in Waterford. These statues were originally commissioned for the many churches in the city.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about the Great Liberator Daniel O' Connell and his strong Waterford connections.He helped Catholics to win the right to become Members of Parliament. He also wanted Ireland to have its own parliament. He became known as the “Liberator” because he looked for rights for Irish people. He arranged huge gatherings of people known as “monster meetings” where thousands of people would attend to hear him speak some of which took place in Waterford.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about Mrs Wiseman mother of Cardinal Wiseman.Bishop Wiseman was appointed Cardinal and first Archbishop of Westminster upon the reestablishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales in 1850. His appointment was
not greeted by universal acceptance. There was strong opposition from both the clergy and
laity of the old school especially to his “Romanizing” initiatives which included the
introduction of religious images into churches and the veneration to the Blessed Virgin.
Cardinal Wiseman worked to overcome this opposition by striving to interact with his
antagonists, writing and giving frequent lectures. In 1858 he visited Ireland for three weeks
and undertook what turned out to be a triumphant tour. He landed in Waterford in
September and stayed with his cousin Peter Strange.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about a portrait of Bishop Este Posing in his sumptuous Irish House of Lords robes is an oil-on-canvas portrait of Charles Este (1696-1745), London-born and Oxford-educated, Anglican Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.
In his daily history slot on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa,Eamonn McEneaney tells Ollie and Mary all about two famous paintings of the Wyse family.These paintings show a prosperous Catholic family in the elegant setting of their 18th century home, Newtown House, built by John Wyse.
The room is decorated in the French style, influenced by the fact that at this time, wealthy Catholic families such as the Wyses sent their children to be educated in Catholic France.
For 700 years the Wyse family has been associated with Waterford city. Incredibly they managed to keep their estates and wealth intact through Penal times while remaining Catholic. This painting shows a prosperous Catholic family in the elegant setting of their 18th century home, Newtown House, built by John. The room is decorated in the French style, influenced by the fact that at this time, wealthy Catholic families such as the Wyses sent their children to be educated in Catholic France.
Over-extended financially, John sold Newtown to the Religious Society of Friends who opened the famous school in 1798 that is still there today. The painting shows the room before the Quakers removed the decorative plasterwork, another reason for its importance.
Such 18th century interior scenes are extremely rare in Ireland. Painted by George Mullins on copper from the family’s mine on the coast at Bunmahon who ‘worked at Mr Wyse’s manufactory at Waterford and painted snuffboxes and trays in imitation of Birmingham ware’.
Glass making has made Waterford famous the world over, and it all goes back to the 18th century, and the Penrose family. Eamonn has all the details in his latest virtual tour of Waterford Treasures.
This book chronicles the running of Waterford from 1356 to 1649, and is housed at The Medieval Museum. In his latest virtual tour of Waterford Treasures on The Big Breakfast Blaa, Eamonn says we're incredibly lucky to still have it and that it tells us a lot about the middle ages in Waterford.
In the latest installment of his virtual tour of Waterford Treasures on The Big Breakfast Blaa, Eamonn McEneaney tells us about the William Van der Hagen's painting of Waterford City from 1736.
In his latest virtual tour of Waterford Treasures, Eamonn discusses Silver belonging to the Cathloic church from the 18th century.
In his latest virtual tour of Waterford Treasures, Eamonn discusses the great Thomas Francis Meagher.
In his latest virtual tour of Waterford Treasures, Eamonn discusses a time when Denny's were making rashers and sausages in the Deise.
Photo credit for pic Nicholas O'Donnell 21 year old Alex who's currently a student at the Cork School of Music, has had quite the journey. To date he's performed at Electric Picnic, All Together Now and Spraoi, as well has headlining the iconic Whelan's of Wexford Street in Dublin in December. He chats to Ollie and Mary on The Big Breakfast Blaa head of the airing of his Other Voices gig on RTE.
This was a huge part of Waterford's industry in the 18th century and William Maddock was considered a leading clockmaker. In his Waterford Treasures slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa, Eamonn discusses the significance of this trade, and the massive amount of work that went into making clocks.
Luke Wadding is considered one of the most important people, not just in Waterford history, but in Irish history. His death mask is housed at the Medieval Museum. Eamonn discusses why he was so famous.
As we continue to socially distance and stay at home, Wayne turns his attentions to the myriad ways in which you can keep your mind occupied, in his tech slot.
Eamonn continues his virtual tours while the museums are shut. Today he reflects on a time period of Irish history when there was huge conflict between catholics and protestants. The artefact the discussion centres around is the Geoffrey Keating Chalice of 1637.
Eamonn continues his tour of the museums while they are closed to the public. Today it was all about the Luker chalice, which was discovered by absolute chance on land in Carlow. He gives us the details.
In his Waterford Treasures slot, Eamonn discusses the friendship between one of the most notorious royals of all time, and a Waterford man. He also explains how a cap and sword belonging to Henry VIII ended up here.
Eamonn joins The Big Breakfast Blaa every morning, while the museums are shut. His latest artefact of discussion is Ireland's oldest cannon, from the late 15th century. This conversation throws up some very interesting (and quite gruesome) facts about Waterford during this period
These vestments are beautifully restored and were made from the finest cloths and threads in Renaissance Italy. Eamonn tells the fascinating story behind them, and says we're very lucky to have these vestments housed at Waterford Treasures.
The sword, which is housed at the Medieval Museum, was gifted to Waterford by the then King of England, Edward IV, in the 15th century. Eamonn tells the story behind it.
In his Waterford Treasures slot, Eamonn outlines the fascinating stories behind some of the artefacts house at the museums here. They're currently closed but Eamonn gives us a virtual tour on air. This episode is all about The Great Charter Roll of 1372, the world's first Powerpoint Presentation
In his Waterford Treasures slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa, Eamonn discusses different artefacts housed at the museums, which are currently closed. Today he turned his attentions to the time of the Black Death, and a will that was drawn up in the 14th century by the Wyse Family.
Minting took place in the City Centre, and it was very important that coinage was of the proper weight, in order for it to hold its true value, Eamonn explained to Ollie and Mary, in his Waterford Treasures slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Today's artefact from Waterford Treasures is a wedding brooch, dating from the 13th century, that was found in a dig under City Square. Eamonn talks about romance back then and the significance of such a brooch.
The new streaming service has arrived in Ireland, and given that most people are at home, it's generated a lot of interest. Wayne discusses what the service has to offer, on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
Eamonn joins us every morning on The Big Breakfast Blaa, for a virtual tour of the Waterford Museum of Treasures, as it's currently closed due to Covid19. In this slot he discussed the Kite Brooch, a sign of prestige and wealth, from the 11th century.
The Waterford Museum of Treasures is closed at the moment because of the Covid19 pandemic. However Director Eamonn McEneaney will join Ollie and Mary every day to talk about the different artefacts at the museum, and the stories behind them.
In an attempt to curb the spread of Covid19, many people in Waterford and beyond are working from home - some for the first time. It can be daunting, so Wayne decided to give a few pointers in his latest tech slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
The libraries are shut to the public but you can access countless books online as well as newspapers from around the world, and ways to learn languages. There's plenty for children too, as Tracy McEneaeny from Waterford Libraries outlines.
Evernote is a cloud-based software service designed for creating, organizing, and storing various media files. Wayne explains why it's so handy, to Ollie and Mary.
From the director of "The Full Monty," this is a movie about a group of women in the UK who formed a choir while their husbands were fighting in Afghanistan. It has Sharon Horgan and Kirsten Scott Thomas as its leads. Maria told Ollie and Mary that she really enjoyed it.
Every Friday, Ollie and Mary gave away a €100 service voucher for T&C Motors Peugeot, to the person who wins the "Week by Number" competition. Tommy Byrne from Cherrymount was this week's voucher recipient - his numbers related to Cheltenham,
The old crackly sound of vinyl is hard to replicate, no matter now advanced digital technology has become. Vinyl is now back with a band in most record stores and Wayne discusses how you can play it these days.
From the producers of "Stranger Things," and the director of "End of the fxxking World," this is a teen drama with a difference - in that the lead character discovers she has super-powers. Maria gives her thoughts.
Adam joins us on the first Monday of the month to give tips on fitness and exercise. In this particular slot, he discusses how to overcome the storms of winter, and get out and train anyway. He also tells us about the upcoming Beactive programme at Kingfisher
Liam is a pupil at Ardscoil na Mara. He has set up "Liams Bakes" as part of his TY mini-company. But it's fair to say Liam has gone above and beyond; his kitchen is HSE-approved and he's fully online. He dropped into Ollie and Mary with a number of tasty treats.
It's hard to believe now, but in 1980 you could book a group of young bucks called U2 for 300 pounds and a few beers. Eoin Ronayne was the man who organised the gig in the canteen of what was then WRTC, which 400 people attended. He spoke to Ollie and Mary
A Dublin company, Manna, is the first in Ireland to launch a drone delivery service for takeaway food. Wayne outlines how it works, and discusses if it might be a future trend for Waterford.
These belong in the world of "The Internet of Things" and Wayne tells Andy and Mary they can prove very handy in many circumstances.
Rachel Seery and Jane Murphy are 2nd year UCC students, who went to school in Blackwater Community College in Lismore. This year they are taking part in Ireland’s Largest Student Fundraiser, Jailbreak, a 36-hour global challenge to raise vital funds for the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Amnesty International Ireland.
The race begins at Dublin Castle on the morning of Saturday 22nd February 2020 as students dart from the start-line in a race to a mystery Location X. Following clues which are revealed to the team throughout the day, teams of two trek across Europe. But there’s a catch! The teams are not allowed to spend any of their own money on travel and must rely only on the goodwill of strangers to help them get to Location X before the 36 hours are up!
What they are, how to listen to them and the type of subject matter they cover, are all included in Wayne's slot on the entertainment phenomenon.
Bosco is making a return to his beloved Theatre Royal on Saturday 16th February - he told us all about it.
The Dubliner was recently a contestant on "I'm a Celebrity - Get me outta her" - something he said was an unforgettable experience. He's performing at Theatre Royal Waterford on February 13th, and he outlines what audiences can expect.
It's hard to believe but it's a full decade since the late Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple iPad - not the first tablet - but certainly a game changer. Wayne discusses its various uses.
There are 12 branches of the library across Waterford City and County, and they all host many free events as well as the option to access 12 million items available through libraries countrywide. Executive Librarian Tracy McEneaney expands on the myriad reasons why you should join your local library
This was designed by entrepreneur John Molloy as a way of monitoring, controlling and restricting screen time for children. Wayne explains to Ollie and Mary how it works.
In his first studio visit of 2020 to The Big Breakfast Blaa, Wayne talks tellys; specifically those that do a whole lot more than show us the terrestrial channels.
Justine was visting family in Brisbane when she spoke to Ollie and Mary. She was also in Sydney and Byron Bay as part of her trip. She says while the impact on communities and wildlife is utterly devastating, it's heartening to see the attitude of volunteerism among the Australian people.
It's over 30 years since Donovan was introduced to the world as Scott Robinson in "Neighbours." Since then the Australian has gone on to have a successful pop career, tread the boards of the West End and do lots in between. He's visiting Dublin and Belfast in November 2020 as part of a tour of Ireland and the UK.
Dermot was enlisted by Ollie and Mary to do his own take on "The Night before Christmas" after Niall Horan took the internet by storm with his, on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Dermot gave Niall a run for his money, with a total of ten celebrity voices in the mix.
It can be very hard to come up with gift ideas for friends and families, so Wayne suggested some gadgets in his latest tech slot. All of these can be bought locally in Waterford.
Maria says this follows the classic 'Whodunit?' formula but that it works really well and has some surprises and laughs also.
It's all about "Portable North Pole" in this week's tech slot. Some children, for whatever reason, might not get a chance to visit Santa, so this is a way to get in touch with the big man in the North Pole.
The tech giant launched its cloud-based gaming service earlier this month, Wayne gave his thoughts, and we had a user review from his ten year old son, Luke.
Wayne drops into us every week to look at the tech world. Appropriately enough, as Waterford was experiencing a rain warning, he discussed our ongoing obsession with the forecast and the apps that do that for us.
In his weekly tech slot, Wayne talks about why it's really important to use VPN on all your devices, especially if you're using public WiFi.
The best-selling album of all time in Ireland, "White Ladder" has a special place in the hearts of many. David Gray has added a Cork date to his tour, playing Irish Independent Park on June 20th, 2020. Ollie and Mary met him a press conference at The Metropole Hotel Cork.
Wayne, who has two children himself, pointed out that if you want them to use their screen time in an educational way, then there are a few free coding options to be looked at.
The nation is reeling at the news that Ireland's most influential broadcaster Gay Byrne has died at the age of 85. Elaine Larkin told us her Dad was a guest on the show in 1985, while Eamon Barrett was an audience member twice.
The 13 TY students from different schools in Waterford and beyond were part of the Learning Waves "TY Media Week" programme. This is the programme they made under the guidance of various tutors in WLR,
Apps like 'Headspace' and 'Calm' have become major players in the app world, and Wayne explores their benefits and uses.
Vanessa, who's performing at "An Evening with Vanessa, Dominic and Dylan" at Theatre Royal on November 30th, is kept busy in the meantime time with the two new family members, Summer and Mini. She talks to us about adopting donkeys.
Political reporter Seán took his Brexit hat off briefly to join us again for a look at the world of Twitter. There's plenty happening but the Rooney / Vardy spat is definitely the thing that's captured the imagination..
You can save a lot of money by printing at home and Wayne has some handy tips to stop the dreaded ink running out midway through a project.
Adam drops into Ollie and Mary on the first Monday of every month to offer and help and advice for those of you into fitness, or hoping to get into fitness. This time around he discussed the best ways to complement your routine with workouts at home.
With Renee Zellwegger in the lead, this film depicts particular periods in the life of Judy Garland. In between flashbacks of her gruelling time on set of "The Wizard of Oz," (where the young Judy is played by Darci Shaw,) this film mostly focusses on a stint in London where Garland was nearing the end of her life.
Kids having access to the online world is perilous to say the least. Wayne gives tips in his tech slot as to how as a parent you can monitor and control devices.
Forever immortalised as the lads' arch nemesis Billy Murphy in the hit comedy series, Shane Casey is now bringing his acting chops to the stage with "Wet Paint," a play he also wrote. He'll feature alongside Michael Sands and Tommy Harris under the direction of Pat Talbot. Ahead of "Wet Paint" showing at Theatre Royal on Saturday October 5th, Shane chatted to The Big Breakfast Blaa.
The duo, who recently played Project in Waterford, have plenty of upcoming dates in the South East. They also did a fabulous rendition of their new single "Back to You," plus a George Ezra cover, when they were visiting WLR.
Considered one of the most iconic albums of all time, and the last recording where all of the Fab Four were together, "Abbey Road" was first released in the UK on September 26th 1969. Fast forward 50 years and songs like "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something" are household favourites. Paul Butler discusses its importance with Ollie and Mary
Wayne says a lot of us are now suffering from subscription fatigue, due to the amount of money we spend on streaming etc. So he feels using Google docs, spreadsheets etc is a good way of obtaining an efficient service for free.
Inspired by an article that appeared in "New York Magazine," this tells the story of a group of former strip club employees who decide to fleece some Wall Street hot shots. Maria gives her thoughts...
This new product has gone for sale on the Irish market, retailing at an eye-watering €2000. Wayne discusses what it does and doesn't do, and whether it's worth the price tag.
The series, created by Julian Fellows, was a massive global phenomenon, with the stars becoming household names. Four years since it ended, the much mooted movie is now out in cinemas. Maria talks about what we can expect.
On Tuesday at the Steve Jobs Centre, the tech giant unveiled the new iPhone 11 (and a pro-version,) Apple Watch and iPad, as well as expanding on the finer points of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcadia, that were previously announced. But does it all live up to the hype? Wayne gives us his thoughts.
WLR officially started broadcasting on September 9th, 1989, and while technology has changed a lot, local radio is still as loved as ever. Former Big Breakfast Blaa presenters Timmy, Nichola and Liz Reddy joined Ollie and Mary in studio for WLR's 30th celebrations.
Both Aoibhín and Karen presented The Big Breakfast Blaa at various times over the years and they had fun in studio with Ollie and Mary, on the 30th birthday of WLR, September 19th 2019.
Nowadays the vast majority of third level, and many second level students use laptops or other devices to carry out work. However Wayne tells Ollie and Mary that people need to choose wisely, so as not to overspend.
Ever find money in a library book you borrowed?Listen to the mysterious tale of one such story as relayed by Tracy McEneaney from Ardkeen Library.
The National Biodiversity Data Centre is a national centre for the collection,collation, management,analysis and dissemination of data on Ireland’s biological diversity.Biodiversity data are a key requirement for understanding our natural surroundings,for tracking change in our environment and for gaining a greater insight on how we benefit from,and impact upon,the ecosystem goods and services provided by biological diversity; a national asset which contributes at least €2.6 billion to the Irish economy each year.The Data Centre was established by the Heritage Council in 2007 and is funded by the Heritage Council and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.Ashling Boland gave her thoughts to "The Big Breakfast Blaa crew."
Heritage Week 2019 runs from 17 – 25 August 2019. National Heritage Week celebrates all things heritage related. It brings together communities and cultural institutions, academics and enthusiasts, to build awareness about the value of heritage and support its conservation.
Waterford Libraries are celebrating Heritage Week 2019 with a series of events throughout the City and County.Bernard O’Connell was a former employee of the E.SB. and gave a very interesting talk recently in Ardkeen Library on the subject of Rural Electrification which he also backed up with a very fine display of items from that era.It is well worth checking out and runs until August 25th.Ollie and Yvonne of WLR’S Big Breakfast Blaa spoke to Mary Foley Staff Officer with Ardkeen Library about the exhibition.
Adam joins us once a month to discuss all manner of things fitness related. This time around it was protein supplements in all their various forms - are they needed? What are there uses? Have a listen
Brooklyn and her family moved to the states when she was 13 years old, and they live on a ranch outside San Francisco, where the 19 year old is studying at University. She's very excited to be taking part in the Rose of Tralee and to be back in Ireland for the first time since she left six years ago.
Brendan joined Geoff and Mary to chat about the charity which has been helping children in The Deise for four decades, as well as being a huge part of the arts and entertainment scene locally. There's a gala event planned at Children's Group Link's premises on September 7th, and WLR will be there. Brendan had the details.
Let's face it, the majority of us now use our smartphone as a camera, but what are we actually doing with all those photos? Wayne has some handy tips in his weekly tech slot with Ollie and me. He also addresses the security issues that surrounded FaceApp
Wayne drops into us every week for his tech slot and this time around, we decided to go out and about an experience the new tourism product at Bishop's Palace in Waterford City, which is being run as part of Ireland's Ancient East.
It will be 50 years on July 20th that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and said the immortal words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." By coincidence, there's also a lunar eclipse on July 16th 2019, half a century on from the day Apollo 11 launched. Eoin Gill discusses both those phenomena with us.
To say both these artists are legends of rock 'n' roll certainly wouldn't be an overstatement - the veteran musicians did a double header in London's Hyde Park Friday July 12th, and again in Kilkenny two days later. Zoe Staunton was there and spoke to us on "The Big Breakfast Blaa" this morning.
National reporter and Waterford native Seán joins us every Thursday for a look at what's trending on Twitter. When he joined us this week we'd just learned that much-loved entertainer Brendan Grace had died. Seán shared his own thoughts on 'Bottler.' We also spoke of another story that trended this week, and one Brendan himself would have loved, the rat in the Dáil.
Andrew has been working tirelessly to help animals in need right around Waterford for many years now, and he tells Ollie and Mary that he's busier than ever. He was recently contacted about baby hedgehogs (hoglets! Cute!) who he transported to Hedgehog Rescue Ireland, based in Dublin.
The days of getting lost behind fold out maps or not understanding menus are gone with advances in technology, as Wayne explains on The Big Breakfast Blaa. He describes five handy apps for tourists.
The phenomenon of tracking your step-count, sleep, heart-rate, and yes, even telling the time(!) on your wrist is a growing one. Wayne looks at the increasing popularity of so-called 'wearables' and what they're mostly used for.
Virtual Reality or VR as it's commonly known, is the use of computer technology to create a simulated environment. Wayne discussed how far it's come, and what it's uses are.