The LoveLaois Podcast

Katelyn Cummins from Ballyouskil, just across the Laois-Kilkenny border, became the newest Laois Rose last Friday night when she was crowned at the selection night in the Midlands Park Hotel. Held just every two years now, she takes over from Sinead Dowd from Cullohill who was the 2023 winner. Katelyn had come straight from work for this interview, where she is an apprentice electrician with Alpha Drives in Portlaoise. She chats about working in a male-dominated industry, her upbringing on the family dairy farm and her love of camogie and dancing. As well as that she discusses the thrill of being crowned Laois Rose, what it means to her family and why they can't all wait to get to Tralee for the iconic festival in August. 

Society tells us that there's a certain order in which we should be doing things. Primarily, it's school, college, work, then business. But for Alison O'Kelly, a young woman from Portlaoise, she doesn't tend to follow the trend. A head girl in Scoil Chríost Rí, she didn't conform to the stereotype, opting to take a backdoor route to university, set up her own business in the meantime and then manage her degree course with working and building a business. Owner of AOK Mentoring, a "modern day communications company" that offers digital marketing and public speaking services, she's also finishing her studies in DCU. In this LoveLaois Podcast, she discusses her background, what she does and how she balances it all. 

A top class jockey, a seven-time winner at Cheltenham, a judge on Ireland's Fittest Family, a published children's author and a former champion on Dancing with the Stars. Nina Carberry certainly doesn't do things in half measures. Elected as a Fine Gael MEP in last June's European Elections, she is quickly getting around her sprawling 15-county constituency that makes up the Midlands North West. It stretches from the very top of Donegal to the bottom of Laois, includes all of Connacht as well as Louth, Longford, Westmeath, Offaly, Carlow, Kildare and her native Meath. Last Thursday night she was in Portlaoise for the retirement dinner of long-serving Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan. She was then back on Friday to visit Mountmellick and Stradbally and rounded the day off by stopping by in LaoisToday for a podcast interview. In a good-humoured chat, she discusses how she arrived in the political world, what her week in Brussels and Strasbourg entails and why she thinks her party colleague Mairead McGuinness would make a great President.Having been well-used to a hectic life as a jockey, she's now balancing her political role with the family life and young children.After her trip to Laois, she was heading back home to Meath to bring her daughters to ladies football training in Ratoath.  

The Friday Panel is here to look back at the news stories that made the headlines on LaoisToday this week.Alan Hartnett is joined by Steven Miller where issue range from a new book, a fundraiser, to housing and April Fool's. The pair also chat about the Electric Picnic line up, a Laois company that was sold for €31.6 million and much more. 

The broad outline of the story of Brian Stack is widely known. A Chief Prison Officer in Portlaoise Prison, he was shot by the IRA outside the National Boxing Stadium in March 1983 and died 18 months later, leaving behind his wife and three sons. For many years now his family have sought information, and justice, for their late dad. In a recently-released book, Brian's son Austin details a lot more context, detail and, indeed, feeling than has been the case in the straight news reporting up to now. He tells what the journey has been like for the past 40+ years. He describes his memories of the time of the shooting, his father's death and state funeral, his own decision to go into the Prison Service. But he also describes his frustration in dealing with the state, how the Garda investigation was never really an investigation at all and coming face to face with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and a meeting - following a journey in a blacked-out van - with the IRA. In this latest LaoisToday podcast, Austin sits down with us to chat about his decision to write this book, what that process was like, his frustration over the years and why the victims of the Troubles are people like his mother who was widowed at the age of 39. 

LaoisToday were in Ballyfin on Saturday night for the finale of the local Dash to 44, a novel fundraiser in aid of a new astroturf pitch for the local school. Throughout Saturday, various people from the community took part as they were bussed around the county to run a lap of every GAA club in Laois. They arrived home to a hero's welcome in Ballyfin on Saturday night and the fundraiser now looks to be heading to the €60,000 mark, far ahead of initial expectations. In this episode we hear from school principal Bridget Bennett, Sean Connolly, who came up with the idea, as well as parents council members and key organisers Linda Meredith and Shane Conlon. 

A big feature of our recent trip to New York alongside the Timahoe Male Choir was meeting two Laois publicans who are based in the iconic US city. Shane Buggy from Crettyard is living in New York for almost 20 years and works in McSorley's Old Irish Ale House, the oldest Irish bar in New York. He also has an interest in a couple of other bars in the city but retains a strong connection with home. He tells us his story, the amazing history behind McSorley's and how he has set up a GAA club close to where he lives in New Jersey

He's back from America! After five magical days in New York, Steven Miller joins Alan Hartnett for the LoveLaois Podcast. Steven spent the St Patrick's weekend with the Timahoe Male Choir and is back to tells us all about it. From running around Central Park, ice hockey matches, lads getting lost, Ellis Island and amazing shows, this was the trip of a lifetime. The lads also chat a bit about the latest from Electric Picnic where they plan an increase in capacity by 5,000. 

For the second time, the LaoisToday Podcast is coming to you from New York - albeit with an intro from Alan Hartnett in Laois. Steven Miller and Paul Dargan are across the water for LaoisToday and are continuing their coverage. In this episode, Steven speaks to Mike Dunphy, the president of the Laois Association in New York, in the Irish-American Historical society.While we also hear from other members of the Laois community in New York at the parade.As well as that, Steven chats with Michael Rainey, the CEO of Laois County Council, and the Cathaoirleach, Cllr Padraig Fleming.We then hear from a number of members of the Timahoe Male Choir as they march past Central Park in the St Patrick’s Day parade on Monday. We’ll finish out with their performance of Lovely Laois, which was recorded on 5th Avenue, outside the Louis Vuitton building, and close to Trump Tower and the Plaza Hotel.

What a day. For the first time ever the LaoisToday Podcast is coming to you from New York. Excuse the hoarse voice and the somewhat patchy production - this episode was recorded on a bus in New York, on a boat near Ellis Island and from our hotel near Times Square. But we hope it gives a sample of what it has been like travelling around one of the world's most iconic cities with a male choir group from Laois that has really captured the imagination and continues to break new ground. We hear from some of the choir members - including one from Australia and ones that have crossed the borders from Crettyard, Ballyroan and Stradbally. We do hear from a couple of Timahoe men as well. We hope to back with another episode tomorrow hearing from some of the Laois community based in New York.