The Week: Kilkenny men Dr Martin Tobin and Ronan Tynan, fires on Carlow mountain and a local Cardiologist’s stark Covid-19 warning

You’re reading The Week on KCLR, highlighting some of the stories you may have missed on-air and online.

This time around we look at the local connection to the biggest trial in US courts at the moment, we hear too how fire fears warned about last weekend came true with Mount Leinster found burning on Monday night.

A local cardiologist has a stark warning on Covid, while another global name has swapped his microphone for medic gear as he prepares to vaccinate others from next week.

Faith leaders talk us through the rise of spiritual anxiety and we hear of the glory the local outdoors has to offer.

As always, you can join our news team across the day, seven days a week, read the stories on kclr96fm.com and scoreline.ie or take us with you on the KCLR app.

Dr Martin Tobin

Kilkenny man Dr Martin Tobin was to the fore of the local conversation this week.

His mother died when he was very young and he grew up in Freshford with his aunts, the Brennan sisters, who were well known in particular for their shop in the town.

Martin attended the local primary school, then St Kieran’s College and UCD but later moved to the United States. He’s there about forty years ago where he’s become known for being a world leader in issues of the respiratory system.

He came to our attention after being called to be an expert witness at the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. (More on that here).

On The Way It Is our Sue Nunn’s been catching up with other locals who know Martin and his family. Beginning with Cllr Michael McCarthy:

While fellow former St Kieran’s College man Dr John Faul also spoke of his colleague while on The Way It Is with Sue Nunn …

Carlow Wildfires

 

Last weekend we heard how the Department of Agriculture had warned how the dry weather could lead to issues outdoors with the Acting Fire Chief with Carlow Fire and Rescue Services adding his voice to concerns.

On Tuesday, we returned after the Bank Holiday Weekend to word of fires burning on Mount Leinster overnight. (Our story is here).

Carlow’s Acting Fire Chief Liam Carroll outlined what happened on KCLR Live to our Eimear Ní Bhraonáin:

Outdoor in Kilkenny

On The Saturday Show, Edward Hayden was joined by Martina Comerford the Tourism Officer for Kilkenny County Council.

Martina spoke about the new Government funding for outdoor dining as well as the wonderful outdoor activities available …

Covid Warning

The number of patients being treated in public hospitals across the county’s fallen in recent weeks and local case figures too have been quite low.

But, there’s no time for complacency and a cardiologist at St Luke’s General Hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny, Michael Conway, had a stark warning on The Way It Is with Sue Nunn this week …

Sue also heard how global singing sensation Ronan Tynan’s returning to his medical roots when he joined her on The Way It Is, initially to chat about the late Veronica Dunne …

While local faith leaders joined Eimear Ní Bhraonáin on KCLR Live to encourage people to pray at home, whatever their beliefs:

Teaching in a Pandemic

Kilkenny based educator Joe McKeown was declared President of the INTO at its conference.

We broke that news on KCLR with one of his first interviews on KCLR Live with Eimear Ní Bhraonáin, ahead of his organisation’s decision to ballot members for industrial action over the Government’s decision to not move teachers up the vaccine ladder:

We also heard this week from Carlow Educate Together Principal Simon Lewis who spoke with Sue Nunn on The Way It Is …

Catch Up

There’s plenty more from across the week here on KCLR.

You’ll find our news stories here while regular key features from programmes covering a range of topics, including travel, fitness, health care, as well as repeats of our talk shows and more can be found in our Catch Up section.

Best of all, you can read and listen to everything in the KCLR app.