Buck, two male drivers received assistance by paramedics at the scene. Guards say investigations are ongoing at this time. Meanwhile, Guardian Dutty Gull detected a driver on opiates during a checkpoint yesterday in Bunkrana. A number of drivers were issued fixed penalty notices, leading to further road safety appeals in the county. Tara Duggan reports. Bunkrana roads policing units were accompanied by RSA officers yesterday at some of their checkpoints. A number of vehicles were stopped and various offences were detected. In one instance, a fixed charge penalty notice was issued for a badly worn tyre. As a result, the driver was prohibited from further travel until the defect was remedied. As well as this, they detected a driver holding a mobile phone while behind the wheel. The driver then failed the roadside oral fluid preliminary drug test, testing positive for opiates and was arrested. Hamas says up to 50 hostages held by its fighters in Gaza have been killed as a result of Israel bombarding the strip. A spokesman for Hamas' military wing in a statement blamed the deaths on Israel. The claims have not been verified. EU leaders have called for pauses in the fighting and humanitarian corridors to allow aid into Gaza. Qatar's senior hostage negotiator Mohammed al-Khalafi says any escalation of the fighting will hamper efforts to secure the safe release of captives. If there is a continuing bombing, if there is a continuing escalation in the situation, our task is getting more difficult. The mediators need a period of calm, needs a situation where we can speak easily to both parts and try to be more creative in bringing more initiatives that can get those civilians out. It is a very difficult and complicated procedure. Looking now to whether shards will be mainly isolated at first but will become more widespread during the afternoon. Whether downpours or thunderstorms are possible with a chance of spot flooding, highest temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees in light to moderate south-easterday winds. That's all for now. The next news update is at 10 o'clock. In the meantime, keep up to date with the latest local news on our website highlandradio.com. Until then, good morning. Hello, good morning to you. It's four minutes past nine on this Friday, the 27th of October, and you're very welcome along to another edition of the Nine Till Noon Show. Loads coming up over the next three hours, including in the first hour of Friday panel discussing some of the big topics of the day in the week. We want you involved in that conversation as well. Of course, it's 08 660 25000 to WhatsApp or text. If you want to give us a call, it's 07 491 25000 and emails to comments at highlandradio.com. And it's a visual show as well. You can watch on YouTube, on your smart TV or your Firestick or across your mobile devices. And we're on Facebook to Highland Hub, Highland Radio, News and Sport. Okay, let's see who we have. For this spectacular edition of the Nine Till Noon Show, Deputy Thomas Pringle, Independent TD. Good morning to you, Thomas. Thank you for your time today. No problem, Greg. How's it going? Good. Good. And it's good to have you with us. Canceler. Jerry McMonagall is Sinn Féin Canceler and chair of the Adjoint Policing Committee in Donegal. Good morning to you, Jerry. Morning, Greg. And Claire McDonough, vice president of Lettercanny Chamber and director of Le Maison in Lettercanny. Claire, how are you keeping? I'm great, Greg. Good to see you. All right, good stuff. Great to see you too. A few leaders have called for corridors and pauses as a means to get badly needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. After more than five hours of talks at a summit in Brussels, a joint statement urged safe and unhindered access. It follows days of disagreement, with some member states arguing for a longer single pause in the fighting. Israel began bombing Gaza and cut off fuel, food and other supplies after Hamas' attack, in which 1,400 people were killed and 224 taken hostage since 7,000 people have now been killed in and around Gaza, most of them women and children. Why is it so hard for the EU to get the word ceasefire out of its mouth, and has the US and other leaders leading countries left themselves in a difficult position by backing Israel so fully early on and now witnessing as things are unfolding? Thomas, I'll start with you if that's all right. The EU simply just couldn't come up with the phrasing of ceasefire and to back these citizens of Gaza and Palestine more generally. Well, yeah, in the circumstance of the Spanish stuff in the last week or so, where Orr-Sov-Ur-Vanderlain was cheerleading, the Israeli attack on Gaza and that there as well is probably the best if we could hope for it to come out of the EU in relation to that, and it's suddenly not good enough. And, you know, it's called for a pause so that people can get a bit of food into them before the Israelis continue on killing them, it's just nonsensical and sadly it shows the ineffectuality of the EU. And the fact that the officialdom of the EU that totally unelected people were cheerleading us for and to look at the sport as well 100%. Ireland took a good stance, I believe, and Ireland and the number of other countries held back and countered the measures that the EU was going to do. And I think sadly the statement is probably as strong as we could have gotten from the EU and on the situation and we need a lot more and we need to keep pushing and I think by the people of Europe pushing because all across Europe hundreds and thousands of people and millions of people have been coming out and protesting and they will push the political leaders into actually being stronger in relation to this. Councillor Monagol, the one thing I've noticed and I was listening to a bit RT this morning in BBC yesterday evening and so on and so forth is the language that you hear from Israel or Israeli supporters and I don't know enough to insert myself into the ins and outs and this is an ongoing thing and this is in no way justifying the acts of Hamas earlier this month. But the people, it seems almost acceptable that the people of Palestine can be reduced to nothing really that they are irrelevant and that they're almost subhuman. That is the casual language that's used and then it's just thrown out and heard on RT this morning as if Hamas are using them as human shields as if in some way they're complicit in it, as if they're in their thousands surrounding Hamas positions because they back Hamas really when it's not, I don't think fully phrased or reiterated that they're stuck there, they've nowhere to go and maybe Hamas is in places where they're living but it's just the language gives the impression that the Palestinian people are fully complicit in this. I'm sure that's not the case but it's just funny when you listen to the actual words that are coming out of people's mouths. Yeah, look, it's a terrible situation over there and the way it's being reported, as you said, it's not short of disgraceful. It is subhumanising the Palestinian people and a lot of the media outlets are willing allies of that and they're not questioning it. I listen to RTE radio and television and they don't challenge the language being used by Israeli supporters and indeed Israeli Army generals and politicians. No one looks at the context of the area and the reason why there is a conflict and everybody feels for all lives that was lost but I don't know how anybody can equate 300 and 400 bombs a night going into a heavily built up area of men, women and children along with an attack by Hamas which we all condemned for attacking civilians, it's not right and it's certainly something that I wouldn't support. But what's happening in Gaza and for anybody now, I mean I have to applaud the UN Secretary General for coming out and calling it out for what it is and then we only seen the attacks that he was subjected to but in Gaza, as we speak, there's as many children killed in this last two weeks as one of 10 schools here in Nitterkenny. I mean over 3,000 children. I mean people need to try and get that into their head and people's talking about a pause or to get humanitarian aid in 10, 20 trucks and it's nearly applauded. 10 or 20 trucks would hardly fill out substance supermarkets. A lady on the radio this morning, an Israeli supporter says, we'll give them one truck per hostage. You know, again, the language groups in Hamas with the entire population of Palestine in that regard or in Gaza in that regard. She's an uncomplicated challenge. What we should do is one lorry per hostage. So effectively. But Greg, tell me this. What have they done to get the hostages released? Where's the dialogue? And this is what's missing in Palestine. There's been no dialogue. It's not that this war started on the 7th of October this year. This war's been going on for 50, 60 years. Israel have been attacking Palestinians, stealing their land and they've created an apartheid state and we've seen what happened in South Africa and that's what the international community needs to do It needs to stand up. It needs to speak to Israel. It needs to sit down and it needs to never mind the pauses. It needs to get a ceasefire in place, but more importantly, it needs to get dialogue. It needs to find a pathway out of this ongoing conflict in that area and it needs to ensure that the killings of Palestinians wholesale by Israelis without any recourse has to stop immediately. And then we sit down and talk and we get a peaceful way out of it. Claire, again, I genuinely don't know enough to... I hope I'm not coming across as anti-Israel or pro-Israel. I don't really... I don't know enough to insert myself in that side of it. I can only go by what's happening. And if I watch a news channel, like be it RT or the BBC, and in some way they believe they have to strike a balance between Israel defending itself after the horrific attack on its land, and four and a half, 5,000 women and children, civilians being carpet-bombed in Gaza. 7,000, no. Yeah, but 66% of them are estimated to be civilians. And sort of having to be balanced. I don't... When did it come that 7,000 deaths is balanced out against a country's right to defend itself? It's... It really is otherworldly to me. I watch on and I go, is this for real? Yeah, I think you're right. And I think you've hit the nail in the head about the media, to be honest, because what I get and what I'm hearing is this great sense of resignation. This is just how it is. And I think you're right as well about the language that we hear. You know, a lot of people are entirely influenced by whichever media strain that they look at, whether it be tabloids or the BBC or the sky or whatever it is. But I think you're right. What I've noticed in the language is that there's a lot of reference to Palestinians who've died, but Israelis who've been killed. Do you know? And I mean that in itself, that's a judgment.   Doesn't matter what side. It doesn't matter how you've come to the conflict. And this crisis point that we're in at the moment, surely ceasefire is the most important thing. And as Jerry said, I don't hear anybody talking about dialogue. I don't, I mean, surely that's the role of the EU as well as to, in the first instance, ceasefire should be there, that should be categorical. And then after that, we could be there as a broker. Is it possible because of Biden and Ursula jumping in as they did with absolute, you know, no holds barred support that politically it's difficult for them to roll back a little bit now at this point as they see things are emerging? Could it be that? Quite possibly, but I mean, that's still not good enough. You know, their private, not their private, but their home politics cannot, we're not at the point, I don't really care about America. Do you know what I mean? I don't care. I know it's difficult for Biden if he comes out too far, in his criticism of Israel, he lost to Trump. We all know that that's his hands are tied, but I'm not really concerned about Trump's election or who gets in an America right now. Right now the crisis point is there are children being killed, innocent children. You know, and what I don't hear, and I don't, I have a very good friend who works for Trocra and she would be much more schooled in the whole Palestinian Israeli situation. And very often her fact check is extraordinary. So very often I check what I'm hearing with her. And what I'm appalled by is the lack of dialogue and the sense of resignation by world leaders, by organizations as Tom said, like the EU saying ceasefire, it wasn't even used. It's not been used by very many people. And these are people in power. These are people that are meant to be the power brokers. They are meant to be set in the standards for peace. But that's the whole reason the EU was set up. Yeah. Do you know? So I'm really struggling with some of the media reports and I actually watched some American media reports last night. And I mean, it was extraordinary. You know, they're telling their truth and let me tell you their truth is very far from actual facts. I haven't heard anybody say that. In fact, since the 7th of October, I think there were 103 Palestinians killed in the West Bank where there are no Hamas strongholds. And also to- Thank you for anybody talking about that. You see, and this is the reason why these conversations are important about the coverage as well is because there are institutions being put in place to ensure that what people hear is the truth. But who is controlling what that truth is? And I just think people need to be really careful in that. Finally, Thomas, to you. Like, if these weren't brown people and I'm putting it down in those basic terms and if they weren't Muslim, and I mean that with no offence and anyone listening hopefully will understand the motivation for the question or people of color. But it's not almost like that because people who have their views wouldn't use that type of language. If it was white Christian children anywhere in the world being wiped out like this, it wouldn't be accepted, Thomas. Or would it? Or would it, could it now in this day and age be politically argued that it's okay in Russia or it's okay? Or is it because of the race of these people and predominantly their religion that the world is able to stand back and watch thousands of killed children being blown to pieces? Well, since I'm just going to, you know what it is, you could possibly put it down as simple as that. But I don't think that actually is the case. It's interesting that the Israelis actually created Hamas and made Hamas into the political force that it is now in the West Bank because they took the view that they would rather see an Islamic fundamentalist organization rather than the PLO because they viewed the PLO as being communist. And so they created, and well, they didn't create Hamas, but they supported Hamas, they financed them and so they got there and made them into a political opposition that would actually defeat the PLO. And that was the concern about it. And I think that any population that stands up for itself and against an aggressor will be targeted in the same way regardless of whether they were Muslim or Christian or anything, they got there as well. And the reality is that Israel has been supported as part by America and so they got there as a bulwark in the Middle East and as a way of a proxy in the Middle East to carry out attacks that the Americans couldn't do themselves. And that has been the reality. So Israel is very, very well integrated into the European Union already. And in fact, I believe that Israel is probably a member of the European Union and everything but name. And this is why we see the total support. But just finally on that, do you think that EU is now being caught out with the language and rhetoric and actions of Israel that they're going, hold on a second, we thought you were, in all but name, you were part of this organization. This is getting very tricky for us now to give the level of endorsement to defend yourself as we had originally. Yeah, I think the EU has been exposed for what they're doing and for the double standards and supporting Israel at every step along the way. And now they've been exposed and I think that's, if you could pick anything to come out of this situation, that could be positive. That's the only positive that I can find is that the EU has been exposed for what it's been doing. And if you look at the way the Israelis are treating the Palestinians talking about equipment to rats and to being less subhuman and stuff, they got there as well. That's preparing for genocide, like, and that's justifying genocide. And what that does to the ordinary Israeli who all they hear is that news, it makes the killing of Palestinians acceptable to them because basically you're only killing rats.  And that language is very, very dangerous. But we also know how that shouldn't. We've got historical references as to what happens when that language becomes sort of established and accepted. Okay, thank you for that. That's the voice of independent Deputy Thomas Pringle. We're also in the company this morning, or this morning of Claire McDonough, the vice president of Letter Kenny Chamber and director of Le Maison in Letter Kenny and Councillor James Monagall, Sinn Fein, councillor and chair of the joint policing committee in Donagall. More from them in a moment. Make your Christmas party unforgettable at Sister Sarah's this December. Book now for the best Christmas party in town. See Facebook for menu and dates. Sister Sarah's, our proud sponsors of today's show. Leadership is about driving change. That's why we're pleased to introduce the first ever all electric BMW i5. Seamlessly blending a mistakeable BMW driving dynamics with instant electric performance and impressive range, while innovative technology connects to elevate every journey. Discover the joy of moving forward. Reserve your test drive at BMW.ie. Test drive subject to status and availability. Could the department put a GPS tracker on your slurry spreader for more in your farmer's journal, His Paul Mooney? We reveal why officials are considering tracking farmer's movements. Major farm payments for over 100,000 farmers. We have the latest and falling ration prices and a new feed database. Why almost 1,500 beef farmers were removed from SCEP. All you need to know about new quad safety rules and the most tax-efficient way to transfer your farm. Fall inside this week's Irish Farmers' Journal on sale now. Thanks. Oh, thanks a lot. Robert Mazzels, Nashville's songbook, is coming to Angraenan Theatre on November 8th. Let Robert take you on a musical and visual journey spanning 50 years of country music history. Tickets available from venue box office or angraenan.com. Thank you, thanks a lot. Hello, I'm David Foley, Medical Harvest. Are you suffering with a cold, flu, or sinusitis? Then ask for Irish Botanica Echinacea. A traditional herbal remedy, Irish Botanica Echinacea, is your natural solution to relieve the symptoms of the common cold, flu, and sinusitis. Call it the natural way that a Kenny shopping center for more information. Test drive the Suzuki Vitara at Barry Brown Cars Milford at their test drive weekend on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th of November and avail of the 0% finance offer. That's right, secure your 2-4-1 Suzuki Vitara at 0% interest on November 4th and 5th at Barry Brown Cars Milford, your main Suzuki dealer in Donegal. Finance subject to status terms of condition supply. Highland radio time checks with Expressway. Travel Route 32 from Letty Kennedy Dublin when you book online and travel for less. Expressway, bringing you the time, Matt. The time's 9.23. Just this morning, Leo Vraghkar's been commenting on the wording of EU member states as it relates to the situation in the Middle East. He says he's satisfied with the language in the statement given the varying perspectives of the EU 27. A quote here, what you see over the last couple of weeks is an evolving European position. Two weeks ago, it would have appeared Europe supported Israel without equivocation, which is along the lines to some extent of what we've been talking about so far. Strict new rules mean that Ukrainian refugees who want to go home for Christmas or travel back for any reason or even move around this country are facing their state-provided accommodation. The new rules mean that Ukrainians can now leave their accommodation from seven days before to zero now. On Tuesday, Minister for Integration, Roderick O'Gorman, ran into opposition from his Cabinet colleagues over plans drawn up which would limit state-provided accommodation for those newly arriving from Ukraine to just 90 days. Mr O'Gorman is said to have told Cabinet colleagues who asked whether Ireland would be the first to change its system, that it would in fact be among the last to institute reforms of this type. Councillor Jay McGonagall, do you agree with any of these measures or the proposals? Well, if they look at the government's response and what they've done in relation to bringing in Ukrainian refugees, and I mean, no problem with that at all. People in a war situation, it's only right that we help and support them. But the situation and the infrastructure that they put in place was totally inadequate.  We had a crisis in our health and particularly of GPs. And to bring the key in Donegal, we have somewhere 7,000 Ukrainian refugees. And this is on top of the major crisis that we have in the county with housing, with health, and what the general population have definitely in access and services. None of this was taken into account. There was no public consultations and no talk with local NGOs or indeed local health providers as to what the capacity was and how many people we could take. So now he's firefighting again. They've got it wrong initially and now they're trying to address something and I think they're being ham-fisted about it. I don't see how that would work. I think now we're... I presume it's designed because we have a situation where people are... Ukrainians are arriving in France or Germany or Poland and then they go, actually, it's not fantastic here. We're going to go to Ireland because, you know, there's better accommodation, more money. Now, that's not me saying that the leader of... Michal Martins actually said this. Michal Martins actually implied this himself. So presumably it's the discouraged people that are coming here just because it's better than somewhere else. Is that a bad thing? I don't think it's the right thing either. You know, as to say, it's not getting right at the beginning. No, no, but we are here now, though, so we can't go backwards. So I understand your point and you've made that, but I mean, what do we do going forward now because we can't undo the past? So what do we do now? Do we pick and choose who we let and who we don't let? We have created a situation here now where a lot of local people here in the county are very, very concerned about the amount of refugees are coming and the impact it's having on local services. The fact that they haven't been consulted or informed of anything that's happening and people are just landing and landing. Yeah, but most of those issues are relating to international protection applicants in fairness rather than Ukrainian families. No, as a local councillor, I can tell you, it's not just about international protection, it's right across the board because people are saying or believe because they haven't got the information that dollars are being traded better than them. And that's a dangerous situation to be in. And now for Roddy and Gorman now to try and turn around and in some way try and fix this, I think it's being ham-fisted. I don't know how he's going to do it. How do you think we have opened our borders and they welcome people in from a war situation? And now is there going to be a new criteria for coming into Ireland? And why was that not there in the first place? So would you agree or disagree with the proposal that new arrivals from Ukraine would receive 90 days of state accommodation? I mean, if it was a yes and no, do you agree with that? Well, I don't think it is a yes or no. It's what do you do with them after 90 days? Where do you put them? They put them back in the boat or the plane and set it back in Ukraine. They'd probably end up on the homeless lists. Yeah, and you not think there's enough pressure there already?  OK, well, what do you think about? What do you think about chucking people out of state funded accommodation if they go back on holidays to Ukraine? Would you agree with that? Well, I mean, if they had to come from Ukraine to come here, because of a war situation, I don't know who would like to go back on holidays to Ukraine. Jerry, you know yourself, there's much of that. All of Ukraine is it could be bombed at any moment, but there's much of Ukraine where life continues as normal. Yeah, so look, if someone wants to go back and visit their loved ones and it's safe to do so and come back, I mean, it's not a prison here. It's an open country and we've welcomed the people of open arms. So, you know, I don't have a problem per se with that. Claire McDonough, what do you sorry, Jerry? I hope you don't think I'm cutting you across.  Because, you know, it's never been actually explained. And I think if someone's making a big decision like this there, they have to stand behind it and explain precisely why they're making the decision. Instead, each is like me, trying to guess why it's happening. So, and I count only myself as the each, by the way. But, you know, like, if it's going to be 90 days, then come out and release a statement, put it on gov.ie and say specifically as to what you're doing and maybe list three potential outcomes from it. I think that comes, you know, that's a responsibility of a ministry as far as I would see. But anyway, we don't have that, so we'll guess. Claire, do you understand the logic? Do you back the logic of restricting newly arrived refugees from Ukraine to 90 days of state-funded accommodation? I, well, here's the thing, right? I think the problem is there's no plan, right? So I think what's happened in the vacuum of having a plan, now we've brought everybody in without any proper plan. We've reached, we've actually surpassed capacity. Capacity was a few, you know, cities back. Now we have people in tents and the horse is bolted. So, you know, to me, like, this is what I find really, really hard to swallow sometimes about politics. I know I have two politicians, what's here today? But what I mean is about the government of the day where they come in with one, this is one measure. One measure does not equal a plan, right? So it's very much an isolation. I have no idea how this is meant. You know, which solution is this to bring to the table? Okay, but let's just, in defence of the government here. You know, the country has taken in 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. I imagine the vast majority of those are safe and secure. They're children of access to school. They are receiving some of the highest rates of payments compared to anywhere else in the country. And they're allowed to work. And some of them have their cars with them. And, you know, as I say, they're safe from Russia. I mean, is that not a decent response from this government? But there comes a point then when you say, right, okay, we've done an awful lot. We've got 100,000 people from a population of five million were punching above our weights. We're going to have to start introducing some measures now that gives also consideration to the rest of the population. I have no issue with that. And that's why I'm saying there should be a plan. There's a plan when somebody arrives in crisis and then during a period of time, because this situation is not going away. And as you say, particularly if the Ukrainian population of members can work and have found jobs. And I know Ukrainian refugees who have found work and they are in private rental accommodation. They have a car and they want to put on with their life. I think that's brilliant. And I know from a chamber point of view, we've been discussing this because we have members who cannot find staff and we have a Ukrainian population, some of whom are extremely skilled, more skilled than me. And we're trying to work alongside DLDC to try and be the conduit that we can match people up. So in that sense, you want to get those people out of the state supports and out of the accommodation. Absolutely. But that needs to be as part of a proper plan. I have no issue with somebody wanting to go home and see their family. I can't imagine if I was ousted from a hat to leave here. It's not a little bit of a contradiction that if you're in this country, you have a roof pot over your head and you're receiving extensive funding, free school travel, everything like that there. And then you have the resources to book a Ryanair flight, fly to Poland, get on a train into Ukraine, spend three or four days there with your family and then come back here. Can you not see how that might be quite galling to people here who actually can't feed themselves? But I'm trying to put myself in that position, Greg. And if that was me and a parent was dying, would I want to take a couple of days? You're not talking about... That's an emulative... They're going on a two weeks on holiday. That's a very emulative... But that's quite emulative in other words, of course, to go visit a dying parent, yeah. But that's not what we're talking about here.  Do you know what I mean? It's not all just... I don't know about you and we'll probably talk about the hospital. But if somebody's willing to go back to their own country to get services and relievers, I think I'd be okay with that too, to be honest. Right, okay. But my point is there's no plan, Greg, and I think this has been picked up because it's one of those emotive issues, as you say, where everybody can get in their high horse, everybody has an opinion on it, but there's just no plan. I think what we should actually do, and this is really, really, probably extremely unpopular, but I think we should actually say we don't have any more room for refugees right now, because we can't give them proper standards to be turned to. Is that not really what's saying we can put you up for 90 days is doing? That... Well, is it? I don't know. I think it is. I mean, what is the other motivation? Well, I think we do... I think you're right. I think there have to be a certain number of checks put in place that you're there, people can move into employment and move into accommodation. Absolutely. We should be doing that. Okay. 100% we should be doing that. We have enough pressure on our own services, but we can't go in with these big blanket things either. There needs to be an overall plan and that's what I don't see. Okay. And as I say, I don't fully disagree with you, but I have to sit here and try and strike some sort of a balance as well. I can't remember if I spoke to you about this. I did not. Deputy Thomas Pringle, I suppose I'll go at it first too. I mean, can you see the logic?  Do you support in any way the proposal that we would limit state-provided accommodation for those newly arriving from Ukraine to 90 days? Well, of course, Greg, I agree with Claire that there is no plan and there hasn't been a plan. And yes, the whole Ukraine situation came out of the blue and on top of us and when you had to respond in the humanitarian way for people who were fleeing war and that there. But there was plenty of time that's over a year ago now. There was time to work on a plan and put a plan in place over that period. We've seen this constantly from this government, like even on the recent budget, we've seen where they have done another break for your electricity bills and blanket everybody in the country, whether you're multimillionaire and have 100 houses or whether you're a lone parent living in a single house. And that's what's been this is the third year now, I think second or third year now that they've done this. They could have planned for that and made it more targeted as well. This is the problem. They don't do it now. In relation to the Ukrainians going back over to Ukraine and something like that. I don't know. I haven't seen much evidence of it. I would like to... And I'm a member of parliament and the government does not come in and explain to us in the door what they're doing in relation to us. There's been no discussion of it and if this needs to change then they should be open and they should be talking about it and they should be saying what they're doing. And we should actually see the fact as well because you do hear stuff like they're going back to get their hair done and I remember a number of years ago and you might remember this yourself but I remember a number of years ago the stories going around about asylum seekers that they were just getting on the bus and they were leaving the plan behind and saying don't worry about that the government will give me another one and people were saying this as if it was fact. It was actually both. Sorry, pardon me language but it was rubbish. It's alright because... It's alright the facts. Yeah. Your link is not fantastic there. Do we need it? Yeah. No, yeah.  But the point is I mean we are getting information and if the government has information the government should be command and providing reports and it all and then gov.inds of the gather and that's the shocking thing about this and we expected them to ruin behind it and support it 100% but they won't pick and tell us and they won't talk to us and that's the problem. Back with more from our guests after these Watch the show live now on YouTube, Facebook and at HighlandRadio.com For more information, please visit www.highlandradio.com Christmas shopping just got easier with Irwin Expert Electrical's Layaway Service now open. Secure those must have gifts from Ninja, Apple, Samsung, LG, Dyson or Sage with just a deposit. Simply choose items you love and pay for them in convenient installments that suit your budget. No stress, no rush. Gifts smarter with Irwin Expert Electrical Letter Kenny and Bonkrana. With a high digital online skills course you'll feel a real difference. I can listen to all the music I like. The boss app that's coming out and it's brilliant. Anything you want and all is to add to fingertips. The small tints, but they mean something. Learn essential online skills with simple, accessible lessons at highdigital.ie or free phone 1-800-20-30-30. Brought to you by Vodafone Ireland Foundation and alone. Vodafone, together we can. There you are. At the counter in your local shop to pay for a coffee and a bun. A little midweek treat. And why not? Only to look up and see the display of scratch cards. And you think, why not treat yourself to an all-cash scratch card too? A win really would be the icing on the cake. With millions in cash prizes to be won instantly, the next time you're in store ask for any all-cash scratch card. The National Lottery. It could be you. Play responsibly. Play for fun. Recently engaged and planning your wedding. Episode, The Encourage Autumn Wedding Showcase takes place this Saturday, October 28th from 12-6pm. Come along and view our stunning wedding venue and meet with the dedicated wedding team at Encourage Hotel Ghidor. Join us at Connelly's Volkswagen Letter Kenny for a demo and X-management vehicle sales event taking place from the 31st of October until the 4th of November with stock available for immediate delivery. Discover Amazing offers on Artigo, T-Rock and fully electric ID range offering a blend of discounts, low-interest financing and exclusive trade-in bonuses. So why not visit our dealership at Canal Road Letter Kenny, talk to a member of our team, test-driver demo range and drive away in your new Volkswagen with Connelly Motor Group. Contact us on<PHONE_NUMBER> or see our full range at Connelly's.ie. Alright, you're very welcome. Back to the 9-till-noon show here on Highland Radio. We're in the company for the Friday panel of Deputy Thomas Pringle, independent donor vice president of Letter Kenny Chamber and director of Le Maison Letter Kenny and Councillor Drake Monagall, Sinn Féin, Councillor and chair of the Joint Police and Committee in Donagall. Over the last couple of weeks, there's been a very strong focus on services at Letter Kenny University Hospital. And we've had conversations here with the head of CLT and not many answers. Recognition of the problems and talking of, yeah, it's not great and we're looking at different things. And we had the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. He's yet to come to meet with either consultants or GPs, but he's been highlighting how much extra money and extra services and all that have been gone into the hospital. And the consultants accept that, but they say that it doesn't actually really address the fundamental point so that they believe that things are at a tipping point and we could actually see a collapse of services. And then even this week, we revealed in this program that the dermatologist in Sligos says, I cannot take this workload. And he might be going himself too if you read between the lines. I'm not saying that's what he's saying, but he's saying it could be a situation where, and dermatology is not serious, things like acne and all that. This is the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, which is very prevalent here in Ireland. But anyway, I've kind of run rough shot over the issues there, but I'll start with you, Councillor James Montagall. You're on the Health Committee there as well. Despite I think the bravery of the GPs and the consultants speaking out, and I think particularly the consultants speaking in their scrubs from within the hospital, there's been acceptance of all the issues that they've raised, but no real plan or commitment unless you consider this squad coming in to having a look at services. There's no real commitment to do anything about it. And really, it's about trying to stop so many people going to the hospital, Stephen Donnelly says. Yeah, and the worrying thing about all of this is, as he said, is that people in power within SEALTA and HSE including the Minister is looking at this as if it's something that happened last week. And this is something that's been going on for years. Elected members, both at local level and at national level, have been raising this with members. I've sat it in LUH with different ministers down through the years with advocacy groups and with members of staff and management and the promises that were made. So this didn't happen last week. This is well known. The services being withdrawn from Leonard Kenny University Hospital by stealth, I would say. It has been quite clear for years. Now we got to the stage and I really welcome and applaud the GPs and the consultants for the stand that they've taken because that was the missing piece in the dig so because patients, they were aware of what was happening at Leonard Kenny University Hospital for years. They were more the brunt of it. The staff also more the brunt of it over the years and regularly raised concerns about the burnout and the safety of patients. The management deflected a lot of those concerns for years. I don't believe they stood up. I wonder about the management that they are and how much power they really have. I think it's most of that power is with SEALTA and it's centralized around Galway and I was part of the Sinn Fein delegation last night with Deputy David Cullinan, and we met with the consultants and GPs and after that meeting I'm even more concerned now about what we listened to, the presentations that we got and the discussion that we had. I believe that Leonard Kenny is one or two doctors away from losing really specialist services and I think it's a long time past that the minister got up to the hospital spoke directly to the staff there, the consultants, the GPs and then said about looking at ways and means of how do we build up trust again of the patients, the staff but that we get the services that we need up here because there's no doubt about it, Greg. We're seeing this has been far away. Let's just look at this most recent example. We had Dr Padmore who is a consultant that visits the Leonard Kenny University Hospital that is providing really very valuable services to people. My understanding is that she was due to retire and deferred that retirement to some extent. There was a retirement date there that was announced. She wasn't replaced or hasn't been replaced. Now you can say our post has been approved but is there not a lead in time where you say right someone's leaving in nine months we need to get something else in place in that point. Then Dr McKenna Dan in Sligo all of a sudden he starts getting referrals from patients in Donegal and he's going what's going on here I've got 4,000 people on my waiting list here among my own. I can't even get a light to examine the patients here from and now I'm getting these referrals from the GPs because he says that the manager, the general manager at Leonard Kenny University Hospital didn't say by the way Mr McKenna you know what's coming your way all of our skin patients and now people are going to Sligo University Hospital and they're going I can't take you you're going to have to go to Ross Common and then we've got Dr McKenna saying well eventually because I'm on my own here I've no secretarial staff I'm on my own here and everyone's going to end up having to go to Galway and Cialto's responses is well the dermatology services were always out of Sligo so in other words you know what he's on about here you were lucky to have this extra thing but we're looking at things into the future folks so bear with me hopefully your skin cancer doesn't get any worse or whatever it might be because you know there are plans afoot Claire that's how it feels that we're being treated up here that's the one position there and there is no one can ring up now and say what I've just said is incorrect because everything I outlined is exactly what has happened it's not a thing it's precisely what happened this week and in the months approaching this week yeah do you know I was thinking Greg as I was organizing with Karen to come on here and all week it was got Donegal's the fourth best place in the world to visit and I thought as long as you don't get sick or as long as you don't need to train you know despite our hands being tied behind our back we're the only county the only location in the whole of the country that has been designated such a fantastic place to visit by an international travel journal yet here in Donegal despite as Jerry said the best efforts of our incredible staff in the hospital we are being absolutely our hands are tied behind our back and I think you know you said something there about dermatology is always out of Sligo my god and I don't know how or when this message is going to get out to people in Dublin or the decision makers Ether and Galway or wherever Lether Kenny is a bigger town in Sligo we are nearly 2000 people greater as a population in Sligo we have the biggest town and all of the Republic Ulster Counties so the the biggest populations I'd say the cities you have Annas and then you've Lether Kenny can I just interject there a little bit because when I was trying to raise the issue when I was trying to relate the issue of funding to to Tony Canavan we were talking about the per patient he says I don't want to look at it like that I look at it as how much money is going into a hospital and there's the same money going into Lether Kenny University Hospital as is going into Sligo University Hospital but clearly when you're taking in more patients and dealing with with more presentations the metric you cannot use the metric of the same one is going into the two hospitals especially when Lether Kenny is a 3.5 hospital it's doing stuff in that hospital it's not happening in other level 3 hospitals but when the people that make the decisions want to state an argument like that it's kind of troubling because how do you get around that Claire well I mean when you can't even get the minister when the minister won't even leave Dublin to come and see from like I think it is an absolute slap in the face I really think you know I think our own local TDs who are in government need to be put under pressure the minister has to come up and visit the hospital I don't get I just don't get why we only have one TD in government but we have government parties is it too Thomas I don't know I really do feel we are too complacent we're not shouting enough well the GPs seem very it'll be interesting to see when the GPs pull the trigger on going out onto the streets definitely Pringle yeah Greg there's a huge number of issues that are I see it and one of the greatest issues I think is the actual Syltagroup itself because Syltagroup is totally focused on Galway and Galway has been their lead hospital and I think that again it has to fight the Syltagroup to get acts in recognition and then go to the department then to try and get funding through the Syltagroup to Lerekenny which is it's not benefiting us I raised this from the doll last week and Mayor Martin said oh but Lerekenny had a huge amount of funding there Lerekenny had a huge amount of funding over the last couple of years because it was flooded and because the flood destroyed the hospital that's why the hospital got funding not for any other reason and this is this is the attitude that they have like oh there's been lots of money pumped into Lerekenny the reality is that across the country the population has risen by 1.8 million people since 2000 right across the country and the same is true in Lerekenny and in Donegal the population is increasing the number of beds in our hospital service across the country are still 3000 beds less than they were in 2000 so you can't just don't physically have enough there to be able to actually deal with what's happening we have the problem then of Lerekenny of actually recruiting and consultants and doctors to come to Lerekenny and it is truly like what Claire said they actually think that Lerekenny is on the moon and doctors and people in Dublin and stuff like that would be happier to go to Tralee than to go to Lerekenny and Lerekenny is probably about maybe a hundred miles closer to Dublin than Tralee is but in terms of mindset we're light years away but it's important too it's really important too that people understand that the language can be questioned because the whole idea is that Galway, you're going to have to travel for proper treatment, that's the Celta way, that's the centre of excellence and that was put to us but then obviously I was able to say to Tony that's fine but in urology it's an eight day delay wait to be transferred to Galway so if that is the system that's not working if it was the next day you could maybe make an argument but if it's an eight day so someone is eight day behind in treatment in Donegal that's just in one area in emergency urology so it's only when it's challenging that you actually get behind the curtain go ahead Thomas sorry that's for specialist services Greg and that's understandable and people in Donegal more than probably anywhere else in the country except that you have to travel for specialist services I think all of you used to go to Dublin for access hospitals and stuff there as well but for routine hospital services and for a level three hospital as you say that a Kenny isn't fit to provide those services at the moment and it's because the funding isn't being put in there and because the recruitment isn't taking place and because the insist on recruitment but taking place on a national level as well I think that a Kenny needs to jump outside that and try and recruit people themselves and invest and get going and I think it's great that the balance should have come from the experience of services for standard urology can I just say Greg why should we not have a centre of excellence in the Northwest why should we always have to travel to Dublin and Galway we have a catchment area up here and I wonder times I've raised this with the CELTA and indeed the HSE and looking on a cross-border basis we have here the Northwest City region where all other agencies councils, chambers educations are all working together and we have some cross-border health facilities in Aldi Galvan cardiac and some cancer services but why can we not have a centre of excellence here based in Letter Kenny which then could complement what there is in Aldi Galvan and help that Northwest City region I think there was an argument a population of 350,000 people we deserve the same access to healthcare as everybody else and we should not have to travel 4 or 5 hours a sick person it's bad enough travelling to Galway and Dublin as a navel body person and good health but a sick person that is an inequality but you can't even get a public bus to Galway for an appointment in the morning thanks for your time Deputy Thomas Pringle thank you as well have a lovely weekend and Claire McDonough take care of yourself thanks for your time alright bye bye take care back with the weather well Grace how are you today? I'm good I've just been down to the mid to measure Fireplaces showroom in Chrysler they have an incredible selection of over 40 colours for kitchen work and guess what we're offering a 40% discount on any electric fire when you purchase a worktop there 40% that's an amazing deal Grace absolutely and trust me if the discount alone doesn't sway you there a huge selection of Fireplaces stoves wood pellet burners beams and stone cladding certainly well contact mate to measure Fireplaces Chrysler on<PHONE_NUMBER> on Facebook Instagram and on mtmfireplaces.ie Instagram this week from this Wednesday the 25th through to Saturday the 28th there will be major reductions and unmissable products find incredible deals on training gear jerseys jackets and so much more don't miss out O'Neill sportswear warehouse clearance sale Instagram Wednesday to Saturday O'Neill's live for it HSE Community Health Care Calvin Donegal Letram Monaghan's Lego Children's Disability Network Teams work to empower and support the children who use our services Calvin Donegal Letram Monaghan and Lego are looking for newly qualified and experienced dietitians occupational therapists physiotherapists psychologists social workers and speech and language therapists to work as part of our teams be part of our team in your area be part of their lives for more information and to apply please email b or i e g e dot burn at h s e dot Highland Radio Weather Updates with Ireland West Airport where you can now fly daily to London Heathrow with Air Lingus and connect via Heathrow to over 80 destinations worldwide including Boston New York and more OK Mr. and Fog will clear this morning to leave a day of sunshine and showers showers will be mainly isolated at first but will become more widespread during the afternoon heavy downpours or thunderstorms spot flooding highs temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees OK loads coming up on the show stay right where you are we're going to take a break now for the news and obituary notices and then we will be right back It is almost the season to indulge secure your staff party or get together at sister Sarah's letter Kenny Christmas party nights now available to book on 9 1 2 2 2 3 8 sister Sarah's our proud sponsors of today's show There's 25% off all clothing at F&F until Sunday the 29th of October with your Tesco club card or app that's 25% off everyday essentials so while the leaves are turning you can keep turning heads F&F fashion at Tesco product subject to availability available in the majority of larger stores and when you order now you can enjoy 3 years free tire insurance and 3 years roadside assistance plus 3 flexible payment options to purchase your new say at visit say it.ie to discover even more of our fantastic offers great things coming threes at dmg motors Dunneagull town and while I have 3 seconds allow me to say that yes terms and conditions apply massive Halloween bash with the tumbling paddies on Sunday 29th grab your tickets on event right now that's the tumbling paddies at the Abbey hotel not to be missed this bank holiday Sunday easy living furniture's October first sale has been extended but must end Sunday absolutely everything reduced including sofas dining bedroom and mattresses final reductions for the last few days while stocks last and remember there's 0% interest free finance available so the decision is easy visit easy living furniture present link retail park October first sale must end Sunday an exciting range of highland events and trips are at your fingertips and booking a place is now easier than ever on the outlet at highlandradio.com the outlet also has highland radio merchandise ready for purchase bingo players order your books through the outlet and have them delivered to your door currently there's a great selection and shows to choose from including Brian Adams, Michael McIntyre Sister Act, Wicked and Hamilton there's also package deals for our concert nights or the ticket on the option and get details of an amazing country music trip to Spain next September all this and more by clicking on the outlet now at highlandradio.com live on air online and on the Highland Radio app this is Highland Radio News Radio News Good morning it's Donna Marie Doherty with the news update at 10 o'clock Bookselling Ireland says the expansion of the free school book scheme will have devastating effect on its members two book shops in Donegal are set to close their doors shortly setting the book scheme and rising costs as the reason why the government announced the move as part of their budget earlier this month the free school book scheme is set to be expanded to secondary schools to include first, second and third year students from next year Garde and Burnfoot attended the scene of a three car collision in Glebe Fawn last night it happened at around 10 o'clock two male drivers received assistance by paramedics at the scene Garde say investigations are ongoing at this time Meanwhile Garde and Donegal detected a driver on opiates during a checkpoint yesterday a number of drivers were issued fixed penalty notices in Bunkrana leading to further road safety appeals in the county Tara Duggan reports the roads policing unit were accompanied by RSA officers yesterday at some of their checkpoints a number of vehicles were stopped and various offenses were detected in one instance a fixed charge penalty notice was issued for a badly worn tire as a result the driver was prohibited from further travel until the defect was remedied as well as this they detected a driver holding a mobile phone while behind the wheel the driver then failed the roadside oral fluid preliminary drug test for opiates and was arrested New research from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has highlighted continued shortcomings in fracture prevention services across Ireland and the urgent need to fund and resource the implementation of a natural fracture liaison service it's contained in the second annual report from the Irish Fracture Liaison Service database when looking at the FLS in letter Kenny University Hospital it said challenges faced include staff in the radiology department to tackle decks awaiting list and follow up patients who have started osteoporosis treatments however it is noticed in the report that a staff member would like to develop this area within the department Hamas says up to 50 hostages held by its fighters in Gaza have been killed as a result of Israel bombing the strip a spokesman from Hamas military wing in a statement blamed the deaths on Israel the claims have not been verified EU leaders have called for a pause in the bombing and humanitarian corridors to allow aid into Gaza guitarist senior hostage negotiator Hamad al-Qulefi says any escalation in the fighting will hamper efforts to secure the safe release of captives if there is a continuing bombing if there is a continuing escalation in the situation our task is getting more difficult the mediators need a period of calm needs a a situation where we can speak easily to both parts and try to be more creative in bringing initiatives that can get those civilians out killing is a very difficult and complicated procedures young people who've never smoked are taking up vaping a new joint study of young people in the north west have found over one third are currently using a vape the research of 910 to 24 year olds was carried out by the north west regional task force Mayo, Sligo and Litrum ETB and Froyga Sligo Dr. Garrett McGovern a GP specializing in addiction medicine alarming one and three is an awful lot the age of youth is very very young and it does raise another question how are 13 to 16 year olds getting hold of electronic cigarettes you may be aware but in this country as it stands we don't have an age restriction now are young people that age going in to outlets and buying electronic cigarettes or are older people buying them and giving them to them I don't know the answer to that but we need an age restriction I'm sure it will be mainly isolated at first but it will become more widespread during the afternoon heavy downpours or thunderstorms are possible with a chance of spot flooding highest temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees in light to moderate southeasterly winds that's all for now the next news update is at 11 o'clock in the meantime keep up to date with the latest local news on our website hideandridu.com from myself and the news team good morning the obituary notices this Friday morning October 27th the death has taken place of Mary Jo McGonagall Tierna League current donna remains are opposing at her home funeral leaving there tomorrow morning at half past 10 going to the church of the Sacred Heart current donna for rakeway mass at 11 o'clock interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery house is private from 10 o'clock tonight please mass can be viewed live on churchmedia.tv the death has occurred of Anne Griffin at knee McGon Trosk Road Ballet Buffet Anne's remains will be reposing at McGon's funeral home Drumbo Avenue st. Norder this evening from 6 o'clock until 9 o'clock leaving there tomorrow morning at quarter to 11 for mass of the resurrection at 11 o'clock at the church of Mary Immaculate st. Norder with burial afterwards at Drumbo Cemetery st. Norder family flowers only donations in lieu of the patient's comfort fund at St. Joseph's hospital st. Norder care of any family member or McGon funeral home the rakeway mass will be streamed live via the parish webcam for family information and more details regarding wakes and funerals please go to hiddenradio.com腺 and you're welcome back to the programme 08 6 60 25 1,000 of course it's Halloween on Tuesday We're going to be talking about ghosty types of things. Not in a way that will frighten you, I hope. But if you want to If you want to share your ghost story and come on air and tell me it, I will reward the best one with a lovely little package of a 90 noon show mug. Yes, a t-shirt. A bingo book. If I need to throw more in there, let me know. But if you want to come on air and relate your ghost story, please do. Collis says Donegal is the first best place in the world yet there's no train, no motorway, one dual carriageway and most of the hotel rooms are taken up by non-tourists. Another, I don't see Mr Pringlen, the hospital crisis campaign at the hospital crisis campaign protest at Leterkenny last January. Another, hi Greg, why is there not a vote of no confidence? Read the health minister, Mr Stephen Donnelly. He's done nothing this listener says to help Leterkenny and now he's refusing to come up and meet consultants and GPs. It's not good enough. Well, the government have the numbers to defeat pretty much that type of a no confidence vote. So it's an awful lot of effort and an awful lot of time taken up from discussing other things. And he would survive it in any case. I'm not saying it should or shouldn't happen. I'm just saying that's probably the motivation for it not happening. Let me see. Claire said it's apparent that so many children are being killed and she's right. It's always the helpless. And then they go on to say that even though the majority of people voted for abortion here, it is still happening. The problem is our welfare has opened the door for economic migrants. And this will never end. The big issue which we should be concerned about is the culture of our country. It'll change forever. We will have to change the very core of our religion and values that we could not travel to their countries and seek change with their values and religion. We have gone to many countries. I take the wider point that you're making. But there's a lot of moderate people of different religions, by the way, you know, and I've spoken to many of them that just because someone is of a religion, it's like most of the people in this country are Catholic, but how many go to mass, right?  Culturally, what is Ireland's culture? We don't use our own language. What is it we're protecting? Talk to me about what you think we might lose with a more diverse population. And this is a conversation point. I'm not saying that you're wrong. I'm just when people talk about, we'll lose our culture. What is our culture that we might lose? Hi, Greg. I suggest that your listeners look at the article in The Guardian, which shows the extent of the truly egreg... It's my actual name, and I can't pronounce it. Egregrius... Egregius. I beg your pardon, sorry. The extent and truly egregious and deliberate bombing of Israel in Gaza by...of Israel in Gaza, which shows before and after the savagery reminiscent of the Warsaw ghetto. I'll try and get those pictures up at some point this morning for those watching. We're talking full neighbourhoods, gone, destroyed. Many Ukrainians highly qualified but lack basic English to work. I've met solicitors, teachers, managers, midwives, all who would like to work.  Where do those children have to play and socialise? Underfunded youth clubs who were not funded to take them in and meet the demands in language and more daced open. HSC housing, too slow education, bursting at their seams and not taking into account the extra demands of people escaping war or persecution. No planning, only firefighting by government. Does Deputy Pringle have anything to say about the attack on the asylum seekers in West Donogol and the threats made towards those trying to help them? I'm sure he would, given his political associations, would strongly condemn that situation. You should tell your listeners to watch Al Jazeera News Sky 511 when they're not listening to Highland for the truth on Gaza. Another Biden who likes and the likes, who likes Sinn Féin, put on a pedestal adding fuel to the fire following the despicable Hamas attack by giving Israel the green light to commit atrocities against innocent Palestinians. Good morning, Greg. Will you remind your panel that the people of Gaza are supposed to be following the religion of peace? If that's peace, I'd hate to see war. We have LGBTQ people supporting Palestine. These people wouldn't last 24 hours out there. It's an anti-gay, anti-everything religion, but Muslim and Mr Pringle supports them. So remind me when we started supporting these sorts of places. Remember Qatar. Well, Catholic Catholicism is anti-LGBTQ as well, if the truth be told. And also, you're grouping all of Palestine, including all those women and children, but particularly the children, the 2,500 of them that have been flattened by Israeli bombs, you're grouping them in with the actions of Hamas. So how can we get to the point whereby we sort of go, it's okay that 2,500, 3,000 children are being slaughtered because some people in Palestine are anti-LGBTQ? Do you know what I mean? I don't see how that... If that's a position that needs to change, right? But we're still talking about the mass death of thousands of children. Qaller says it was okay for supporters to fly the Ukrainian flags at football matches in the UK, but it's not okay to do the same with a Palestinian flag. Double standards. Well, the Celtic fans didn't heed those warnings much, did they? Locals are increasingly angry at decisions made to impose migrant centres on communities without consultation. The public concern on the issue is too great to ignore. The government must consult the people by way of a referendum. Hi, Greg. The BBC have now changed their language from the Israel Hamas War to the Israel Gaza War. The normal people of Gaza are not at war. Stop the killing of all innocents on both sides, says the listener. Ireland has done its bit. Time to look after our own people that we should have done in the first place. This government couldn't run a bath and others in opposition, not much better. Another, how can anyone who returns to their place of birth be called a refugee? How many Irish went to America with no green card? And many of them missed the funerals of their parents, brothers and sisters, because they couldn't return from America, yet we are paying the way for many of these. Well, I know, most of the people I know that were on, that stayed in America legally, they did travel back through Canada, and by other means, I'm sure you're familiar with them as well. I mean, obviously not the majority of them, but many of them did travel back through Canada and in through Dublin, and I remember chatting to them and them saying, we can get back in, and they mostly did. So we have travelled back and forth, even when illegally in America. We keep referring to Ukraine, let's be very clear, this is not about Ukraine, it's about the other countries jumping on the bandwagon, and they mention a few African countries there as well. There's two different groups of people and they're treated differently. If you're a Ukrainian refugee, you're given more money, more entitlements you can work. If you are coming in from some of the other countries, international production, you get 38 euro a week. Greg, people don't want busloads of foreign men in their community in the middle of the night, but nobody's listening. Literally, busloads of foreign men came into Bunkrana, people weren't happy in the left, so I'm not sure people aren't listening, but I'll take your point, and you also heard Councillor James Monaghal saying that there needs to be consultation, that this isn't working, so people are listening. Ireland is full, says a caller. Time to start closing the doors for at least restrict entrants. Our population now compared to pre-famon, much fewer, particularly here in Donegal, but I presume you mean in terms of services and housing and what have you. Right, and that's it. There's still loads more, and I will get to them as the morning cracks on. I do appreciate it. It's been one of those weeks incredibly busy on the programme, and we really appreciate the support, and I hope you enjoy the show and the fact that we talk about everything and give everyone respectfully a right to have their views aired and exercised. OK, back shortly. It's time for NCBI Bingo on Highland Radio. 5. 28. 71. 90. 85. And finally, 62. Phone your claim to 9104833 before 8 tonight.  Get all your NCBI Bingo information at HighlandRadio.com. The Moe is calling.  This November, unite to take on mental health, suicide, prostate and testicular cancers. Come together, grow together, raise funds, save lives. Change the face of men's health. Sign up at Movember.com. Hickey Clark and Langan Insurance Brokers in Etta, Kemi are recruiting for an insurance advisor to join the team. Candidates can have a leaving certificate or relevant third level qualification, or be qualified to approved product advisor or certified insurance practitioner standard. Apply with an up-to-date CV for immediate consideration by emailing chevon.ie. Hickey Clark and Langan General Insurance Brokers trading at Hickey Clark and Langan are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Exciting news from Nissan at iMotors. Introducing our special two-for-one offers for a limited time. Purchase any two-for-one Nissan, including the Duke Petrol and Hybrid, the Cash Guy E-Power Hybrid and the Xtrell E-Power Hybrid and receive a complimentary 2025 Nissan at no extra cost. It's a two-for-one deal you don't want to miss or you can choose a 2,000 euro bumper trade-in offer. Also 3.9% finance options or 0% finance for the Nissan Leaf. Our eco-friendly electric vehicle. Don't miss out. Visit iMotors today in Letterkenny and Mallon. Prepare for the merriest time of the year at Sister Sarah's Letterkenny and your unforgettable Christmas party now with fantastic food and festive fun this December. Sister Sarah's, our proud sponsors of today's show. OK, you're very welcome back to the 9 till noon show. 08, 6, 60, 25,000 is the WhatsApp and text number. Or give us a call on 07491 25,000. We'll wrap you some exciting news coming up for you shortly as it relates to the return of a great feature leading up to December 25th, not which shouldn't give too much away, but I'm just going to read a couple of comments in the meantime. Good morning. The Ukrainians are doing that from the beginning. A holiday camp is what we are. The dogs on the street know it, but in what numbers? There's some anecdotal stuff there, but in what numbers is it actually happening? People returning to Ukraine. That's a question, not a statement. Opinion polls have consistently found a large majority of citizens want migrant numbers reduced. These mass immigration supporting TDs along with the media elite are in the minority. I think there's one poll that actually a lot of people quote. I'm not sure there's been a large majority of... I don't think there's been many opinion polls, but if there have, send them on to me actually because I would be quite interested. The war that Israelis engaging with against the Palestinian people has been going on for a long time. In America and Britain have sat on their hands at the expense of children that are innocent to any conflict, but these people think it's more important to protect their political thinking to children's mental state. And whatever the motivation is, I just can't understand how there's an equivalence given to all full atrocities and then the mass murder of... Arne, you sent that to my WhatsApp, which is not much use, so I'll have to forward it on to the Highland one. All right, I'll tell you, I'm going to take a break here to clear the decks and we're going to be back talking about Home for Christmas in just a couple of minutes. 2-2-2-3-8, Sister Sarah's, outsponsors of today's show. 2-2-3-8, Sister Sarah's, outsponsors of today's show. 2-2-3-8, Sister Sarah's, outsponsors of today's show. 3-2-3-8, Sister Sarah's, outsponsors of today's show. Good morning, Greg. Right, now Home for Christmas last year, and we're going to have a reminder of it very shortly here on the show. Home for Christmas last year was a huge success. And it's back, and it's bigger and better. Quite literally, that's not just a tag. It's bigger and better than ever. Yeah, it is, Greg. It's great to be here today to launch it because it was such a special thing to do last year. It's one thing that we didn't realise how much work was involved in it, but every little bit of work was worth it so much on that day when we brought the family down the stairs and the mum was sitting in the studio. They thought they were in to actually win a lovely hamper, which they also got. But it just, it made that, for me it made the whole week of Christmas. Alright, let's remind ourselves of last year and then what we'll do is we'll come back and just reflect on it a little bit more. Here's a short package of Home for Christmas 2022. And how many are in your family? Just me and my brother. Alright, okay. And where's your brother from? He lives in Sweden with his family over there. Ah, right. Oh, he's in Sweden? Yeah. Alright. And how long has he been over there, Rose? So we're set up here? Yeah. Right, okay. And is he coming back this year? No. Right, okay. And what was the last time you saw him? Early in the year for the christening. Yeah. A christening? Yeah. He'd been their youngest daughter. Very young. It was the year of March. And this is Toad's birthday. He's five years old. That's alright. Don't worry about it. That's love, isn't it? Right. What's going on here? Oh my God. Alright, so we have our Home for Christmas competition. This has come as a surprise to you, Rose. Oh, this is absolutely beautiful. And just watching that there and people at home watching it or wherever they are, the emotion on Rose's face showing it was a beautiful thing. And they were actually a wonderful, wonderful family. And left us a beautiful gift as well. A lovely, I don't know how you describe it, lovely piece of wood. Yeah, it was, yeah. I remember you were far more interested in that than talking to me afterwards. No, I had chopping board, stroke cheese board, and then looked at, no, it's not. This is a piece of ox. He worked with a particular wood in the country that he's living with now. So that was at a scale now. Yeah. And it was beautiful. And they stayed forbidden. The joy on the mom's face was just unbelievable. And now it's bigger and better. And as you said, you're throwing it open worldwide. It is. It's officially from today now. It's where we're opening nominations where wherever you are in the world, we want to hear from you. Last year we did Europe. Today we're doing the world. And it's thanks to, I've been very fortunate in persuading two very kind and considerate sponsors who will remain anonymous, who are helping us financially. By their choice. By their choice. I would love to call their name, but they're happy to be in the background, which gives it even more merit. So today is an opportunity for, are you living abroad? Somewhere in the world, would you love to come home for Christmas? Would you like to nominate yourself? Or have your family, or you have your family members live in somewhere? It could be Australia. It could be America. It could be anywhere. Would you like them home for Christmas? If you do, we'd love to hear from you. And we'd love to hear why. Let's see the real reason of, what would it mean to you if you're nominating yourself? Or what would it mean to the family for you to come home this Christmas and spend it? And we saw the delight in the Bradley family last year, and the surprise from Rose, the mum. And I think that this year we just want to go bigger and better. And logistically, yeah, it's going to be difficult. But we'll do it, and we'll make sure that they land in Donegal, and they'll be here for Christmas. Yeah, and you've got them up to the airport, picked them up, drove them here and everything. Now, there's two ways of doing it, and we give equal measure to both. If you are here and you have loved ones that are away, or someone close to you are away, or a family are away, wherever they are, and they would love to come home and can come home. But they can't, because, you know, things are tight, not just here, but everywhere else, or for whatever reason. We want to hear from you as well. Or if by the, on the other side, if you are listening to us, and we're going to put it across our socials as well, so hopefully we reach as many people as possible. And actually, by the way, we'd really, when we do do that, as we can right across the world. So if you are out in Australia, the Cayman Islands, wherever it might be, you can also nominate yourself and tell us the reasons why. So we're doing it from the two approaches, so we cover as many people. So if you're here and you want to bring people home, and they can travel home and make it home, we want to hear from you and the reasons why. And conversely then, if you are, maybe you are the person who would love to come home, but for whatever reason that you can't, and we can hopefully logistically make it happen to you. Those are the two cohorts, Sean. And how did they get in contact with us? So we've made it, there's actually three ways you can do it, Greg. You can go on to HighlandRadio.com and you can click on the home for Christmas. And there's actually a form that you'd fill in, so there'll be all the information and details and the reason why. Probably the easiest way of doing it, if the truth be told. Probably the quickest way of doing it. But you can also, you can email information to us as well. And I got a lot of emails last year, and handwritten as well. I must explain that one. They're nice too, because it's that personal written feeling of why you want to come home for Christmas or why you want the family. So you can email it to HomeForChristmas at HighlandRadio.com or you can send a letter to HomeForChristmas at Highland Radio Mountaintop, letter Kenny, County Donegal. And we obviously have to have a close date for this. And it's the 1st of December. So obviously we've got to logistically look and read and pick a winner and then find how do we get them home within a short period, because we'd love somebody to be in Donegal for the week off 22nd or 23rd of December is when we'd like them to be home. But we'll be announcing the winner I think it's about the 4th of December we'll actually be contacting the winners off the competition. So we got a huge influx last year. I think this could go mad this year because of obviously this is now global. So don't self-rule yourself out and go oh yeah, but you know, West Canada's too far away. We'll look after that, right? What we want you to do if you're here and listening and you've got loved ones, a family, whatever it might be, far away. Get on our website and click fill out the form there tell us your contact, their contact and the reason they should come home or send that same information to us here at Home for Christmas at HighlandRadio.com that's the email address, isn't it? Or if you want to write a letter do but include all the information, your contact details their contact details and the reason why they might want to come home. And again, just to appeal to people to cut this out and share it separately. As I said, we want people to help us get the message out there. If you are away and you want to come home but you can't but you could make it with the help of Highland Radio also the website click the link, fill out, give us all the details tell us why or email at Home for Christmas at HighlandRadio.com or again if you wanted to write to us you can do that as well. It really is as simple as that. It feels a lot more simpler than last year or are we just getting back to explaining it. Yeah, I think you're just getting better at what you do, Greg. Because I remember coming out of the launch last year and wondering what have we just been talking about but it seems very clear this year. Yeah, I think the other thing is we've added the electronic form as well this year which is good. The important thing also I must say if you are nominating a family we need their details as well so we need a contact because what we will do is go through a process where we'll talk to them in advance before making a decision so it's important that you give us all the information when you're either writing or you're filling out the form online. Who are you your details who are they, their details why do you want them home why do you want to come home that's it in a nutshell, that is it and as I said we will close it on the 1st of December and we will contact, we're obviously not going to come on air and we'd like it to be if possible to try and make it a bit of a surprise for a family. It was a huge surprise last year it was a beautiful thing there was so many it's not just the mum and the son it was the partners it was the wider family it was the children it was seeing babies for the first time properly being able to bond over a special time of the year last year it was huge for an awful lot of people this year hopefully it's going to be bigger and better well we know it's going to be bigger and better all you have to do is be involved and let us decide we'll sort out the logistics it's very you don't have to sort anything out so it's a prize for everybody and it's all over the world now thanks to two generous sponsors, good people who want to share their resources in making people's lives better but they don't want their company or their individual name being given out which I think also is pretty darn amazing and as well like you know you get these stories all you know they're selling Christmas trees now you know there's Christmas stuff in the shops and we're now at the period after Tuesday we're in Christmas season no one can cry about Christmas ads on the telly or on the radio it's Christmas season because in three weeks the lights are on and we're away so we're right now launching this at the start of even though some scrooches don't like it it's the start of the proper approach into Christmas it is and I see my Christmas started yesterday because we're an outside broadcast which was full of Christmas and it was amazing I love Christmas but yeah next week it's full on Christmas we're all starting decorations everywhere shops, retail there'll be Christmas trees going up we may even put us up early this year Greg we never know I'd like us to do something different it's just I've been here unbelievably almost for 20 years it just feels like the same thing every year oh we got an extra tree last year there in fairness okay we added to that but we'll have to come up with something this year where we'll maybe a challenge LED lights I like flashing things do ya nothing of my own right okay home for Christmas folks get on the website there's loads more details there and we'll give you reminders over the course of November as well as many people as possible and make someone's dreams come true there's not often we can get involved in something Sean that is genuinely sort of life changing it doesn't really feel like an overstatement but do you know what I mean to give someone a Christmas they didn't think they could have and just leave them with memories for the rest of their lives I couldn't say any better Greg the one thing you said there which is really important if they see this information on our Facebook page please share it because that will get the message further we're on our website we'll be videos we'll do everything we can but it's important that our listeners help us to get the message out there globally to tell people we want to bring them home do you believe in ghosts Sean not really no but I'm scared of them would you cut down a fairy tree no well what do you mean I thought you didn't believe in ghosts but just in case I wouldn't not then you do believe you're edging the best you do believe I do like horror films I don't believe in ghosts then they wouldn't do anything that might you know engage them this time of year people love watching horror movies and different things I hate horror movies the problem with horror movies and I'm sure we'll talk about this more with Michael and Fnula later is most of them are crap they're easily made and it's very hard to find a good one I normally sit behind the couch and I just oh not my gig I think that's probably too much wine you're probably right he's falling off the couch again you know, I'm not going to be on the show. Halloween every Friday. Sean Thank you very much. Indeed. Just to recap, go on and you'll see the online form home for Christmas. Email all the deets we've been talking about here. Home for Christmas Island Radio dot com and the deadlines that started December.  You've got a month, but the sooner the better. Okay. We'll be back with more on the show. We'll be back with more of the best Christmas party in time. See Facebook for menu and dance. Sister seren's are proud sponsors of today's show. There's only one thing as good as a two holiday, and that's looking forward to one, so get next summer sorted and secure your two holiday today. Choose beach lakes and cruise breaks across a wide range of destinations, including Mexico direct from Dublin, plus all your favorites like holiday villages, splash world resorts and our own two blue hotels, security with thousands of free child places and a low booking deposit of 25 euro per person. That's next summer's holiday sorted to live happy season C supply. Easy living furniture is October fest sale has been extended, but must end Sunday. Absolutely everything reduced, including sofas, dining bedroom and mattresses, final reductions for the last few days while stocks last and remember there's zero percent interest free finance available, so if you don't want to spend a lot of money on your car, you'll have to spend a lot of money on your car. Remember there's zero percent interest free finance available, so the decision is easy. Visit easy living furniture, Crescent link retail Park October fest sale must end Sunday. Order your new two four one car at Highland Motors Open Week. Choose some Citroen, Dacia and Renault. Choose some diesel, petrol, hybrid or full electric. Choose some hatchbacks right up to seven seaters and from an amazing commercial range. Choose your new two four one this week at Highland Motors Mountaintop Letter Kenny. At Connect Hearing, our audiologist is available Monday to Friday for hearing tests and wax removal services at our Letter Kenny clinic in the Courtyard Shopping Centre. From now until the end of November, we are offering a free wax removal service for all those over 60 years of age. Our hearing is our social sense. Are you finding hearing more of a challenge? Call Ursula today on 07491-13296 to make an appointment. Good hearing helps us to connect to our family, friends and loved ones. Connect hearing, connecting you to life. You have won 21,400 Euro.  I couldn't believe it. I wanted three numbers like and I couldn't believe it. So in total, your winnings, 21,550 Euro. Wow.  You too could be the next NCBI radio bingo challenge. What do you think you're going to get? What do you think you're going to get? $ighland radio bingo jackpot winner shop for books in store or at the outlet on Highland radio. .com. If you're not in, you can't win. Highland radio weather updates with Ireland West Air Port where you can now fly daily to London, Heathrow with their lingus and connect via Heathrow to over 80 destinations worldwide including Boston, New York and More. Okay, so, ah, we're gonna have a day of sunshine sunshine and something like isolated at first, but will become more widespread during the afternoon. Heavy downpoles or thunderstorms are possible with the chance of spot flooding temperatures 11 to 13 degrees. Keith Corcoran joins us in studio now. Keith is author of Finding Fairy Mysteries in Donegal. Keith, thanks for calling up. Greg, it's a pleasure and may I say that it's great to be interviewed by a fellow Lahiman excelling in his field of broadcasting. Well, I think you are right there. It seems that we've broke for the high people, we've broke the glass ceiling in broadcasting and cultural. We've got you, a well-renowned author, we've got May Broadcasting, we've got Jason Quigley, we're claiming him. Absolutely. We have an internationally famous runner. Absolutely. You know what, I mean, this is all from a little village. We're doing all right. Keith, listen, it's great to have you up. I do appreciate it. Right, Finding Fairy Mysteries in Donegal, this is going to do really well for you, I think. And it's been a hard piece of work. Well, it's been, it's a long piece. I don't know if you view it to be hard, but talk to me about the process. Yeah, Greg. Well, it has been a bit of a slog, you know. It's been four years in the making. So the book, and I interviewed over 50 lowerkeepers and storytellers and Shanakees and homekeepers and sheep farmers and the whole broad spectrum of Donegal people. But the background to the story, interestingly, comes from the last book because in 2015, I set out to do a book on historical mysteries and legends of Donegal, and I was working on that for four years as well. And as it was traveling around the county, Greg, from district to district, you know, you would be sitting down usually for an hour and a half recording somebody.  And I was really surprised that all the fairy related folklore and mythology and historically related modern stories I was picking up. So by the time I finished mysteries and legends of Donegal, which came back, came out in 2019, I had 15 stories already collected. And I said, I go out one last time and see if there's a full collection of fairy mysteries in Donegal. So when we talk about fairy mysteries, what are we talking about? What stories are you hearing? And normally, is there a trigger that sort of, that invokes the experience?  And I decided, I suppose I was at the age now, that I was going to take a kind of a deep dive into everything in relation to fairy mysteries. So for example, I picked up an amazing book back amazing map from 1590 that was given to me by Desi McAllion. And it actually was a military map created by the English who were about to invade the county of Donegal. But not only did they map out all the strategic locations of O'Donald's country, they also included fairy testimony from some of their officers who had been reconnaissance in the northwest of Donegal. So Desi's map, which he brought to my attention, said, wow, at that time, even in England and Britain, belief in fairies was very strong. So was the motivation for their actors to avoid? What do you think the motivation for the inclusion of these fairy areas on the map was? I think it was mixed. Because I think on one hand, they were just absolutely fascinated by it, that they were walking into a country, I mean, today, I suppose on one level, they were here to conquer. And on the other level, they were absolutely fascinated with our folklore. And there's an interesting piece they put in about Anish Moray Island, there's cursing stones on Anish Moray Island. And they speak of this O'Fanton priest who if he decides to turn the stones against somebody that they'll be dead within the year. But I mean, there's so many fascinating parts of it. To me, you know, it seems to be very much alive, Greg, it's kind of gone on the ground, I suppose. But as I say in the introduction, at the early 1900s, nine out of 10 people in rural Ireland, particularly farm and communities, believed very much in fairies. Well, you see, I have over from different conversations, Keith, at different times have, you know, ghosts or spirits come up in the conversation. And I would ask someone, and I just did it there with Sean, who was sitting there a moment ago, does he believe in ghosts? No. There was another lady on last week, by coincidence, do you believe in ghosts? No. Would you cut down a fairy tree? Would you interfere with a fairy tree? No. So even those that don't believe in anything sort of afterlife-ish or anything that might haunt us, still wouldn't risk interfering with a fairy tree. That's in modern Ireland 2023. Absolutely. So fairies, the stories that you've put together, and there's a couple of high-profile ones, we'll talk about the fairy tree and the Rusnala Road separately, right? But generally speaking, what stories are you being told? Is it encounters? Is it stories that they've heard? So give us an idea of some of the 62 stories that are in the book and what kind of stories are you hearing? It's very, very broad. I mean, for example, you know, I would have included, it's actually very, very broad.  I know you're about to reference it, but we just run through the 62. So you talk about the medieval fairy revealed, the hill of the fairy king throughout the artist's side, Bundor and Frey Bridges and Wishing Chair, Finding Tree Spirits, Willing Allingham's poem, The Fairies, because this draws quite a lot from the south of the county, doesn't it? Bundor and Balashalan, Balantrallahi and Donnie Goltan. At the beginning of it, but I have to stress that it's the whole county, there's 62 counties, so I'd say about 15 stories to the south of the county. What I found really interesting is the findings that I found, from interviewing, as they say, people along the way, one of the most interesting striking stories was about a holy well down on the Sleeve League Peninsula called Tobruk Knappestoun. And Knappestoun, turns out, was a fairy king from the area. Yes. And a lot of these wells, you see, was such an ancient mythology in history, and Donnie Goltan being such a traditional county and a rural county, a lot of this ancient mythology was preserved. But I was fascinated that I went to visit Tobruk Knappestoun. And it struck me then, the penny dropped, that we're talking about a faith, an elder faith, that preceded Christianity. So when Christianity came along, every district had sacred wells who were attributed to fairy kings and queens in that area. And then Christianity came along, and rather than destroy that that came before it, there was this really interesting compromise. They put a layer of Christian meaning on these. So they realized they weren't going to get people not to go to these places. So they named them after Christians saints, saints bridges well, saints column kills well, saints patricks well. And I find that really, really fascinating, because part of this, I interviewed a druid, Sean O'Geehan, who also happens to be head gardener of Glen Bay. And he really brought to light the theme. I think fairies are very much connected with nature, you know, a connection with nature. You often hear in these stories that I collected that, you know, to interfere with nature or some of our last wild spaces, or interfere with these wild fairy trees growing in trees. The other thing is a father, Frank McHugh, who passed away recently, he was from the originally the Glen Swilly area. He wrote, and he saved an enchanting story from the Glen Swilly area called King Chimping, who is the king of the fairies in Glen Swilly. And it's a very interesting moral story. And he actually says there's a very similar moral story in the Old Testament in the Bible. But one other person I'd love to mention too, from the Arts Peninsula, and sadly he passed away only a year ago, was Ben McFadden. Ben McFadden, anybody listening from the Creasley and Arts area will know Ben, because not only was he a great community leader in the area, but he was a fantastic lawkeeper. And he gave me a great story before he passed away about the Fairy Hollow in the Arts Peninsula. And it's really important too, because to archive some of this information as well, because things get lost in time, and stories die with people as well. I'm not referencing necessarily the two examples that you've given, but it is really quite important, because maybe not today or maybe not in 10 years, but certainly in 100, 200, 300 years, this is a reference of these stories that otherwise some of them may have been lost. Talk to us about the fairy tree on the Rosnalla Road in the 60s and how it held up construction. This was a really interesting story, Greg, to research. I had heard about this story. Anybody of a certain age in the Ballantral area would know it well. The council had decided there was a very bad, or as we say, a wild bad bend on the road from Ballantral to Rosnalla. So they decided to take it out of it. So Roy Green was a local man at the time. He was contracted another man to cut the trees in the bushes along the line where this new road was going. But as during their work, there was a local farmer brought to their attention, that was a famous fairy tree on that site, a white thorn tree. And he just said, you know, be it on your head if you interfere with it. Well, Greg, tools were down. The county council workers refused, everybody refused to interfere or go. So basically work was stopped on that road. It was a standoff. It was a standoff. Now, this is where it gets interesting. Not only did our own media cycle, but the national news began to send people up to report on it. It actually made even international news in England and America as well. And I think Cal Shannon at the time, he came up to do an outside broadcast from RTE about it. Nobody would touch it. It was the talk of the country at the time. And poor Roy Green, I mean, I'm not going to give away too much of the story. I'll be revealing it at my launch in Ballantral, very close to the site of the story this Saturday at 6.30 p.m. for anybody who wants to come. But to get back, poor Roy Green got blamed for it. I don't think it was him to touch it because I referenced or I researched a national feature from a newspaper now defunct that Roy Green said not only would he not touch it, but he wouldn't expect any of his workers to touch it. So I think the true story is that in a test of bravado, two young fellows went down in the middle of the night and cut that tree down. And it was very sad because the council, I believe, were already drawn plans to re-root the road around this fairy tree. And I can't verify this, but those two young men, they didn't, they had a bit of bad luck in their own lives after this here. So there seems to be the mystery still surrounds that story. And is there many stories of the consequences of going against the fairies if I could put it like that? Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, there's a story, Greg, that I touch on in the Glen Swilly area, a more modern story. And I mean, that story is so raw in the area that I couldn't actually get anybody to go on record what the story. But I do mention it at the beginning of the story because the other thing about it, Greg, is I am a bona fide scaredy cat. So I might not have been the best person to do this. So I tread very carefully as I was travelling the highways and byways of Donegall. Well, you don't want to upset them either, do you? No, you get totally right. Well, listen, the book is being officially launched in Ballantraa. Is it on Sunday? It's actually in the Ballantraa Community Centre on Saturday evening at Beggie Pod and it's the 28th of October. Go ahead, Greg. Can I give a quick shout out, Greg, because I've already started my world tour of fairy mysteries around Donegall. I'm thankful that everybody came out in Stranorla on Wednesday night and last night a big shout out to the Bunkrana Posse who came out. And I'd also like to say a special thanks to David in Bookmark and Letterkenny because, Greg, I know that you feel the same way about this as well. You know, I don't really want to particularly fund Jeff Bezos and his Amazon, you know, vanity projects in skyrockets and yachts. So, folks, I am so grateful that we still have independent booksellers around the country, like Four Masters, Pauline and Union up in Max in Bunkrana and also David. And David's a character, if anybody knows David in Bookmark. For the last two years while I was working in this, every time I come in, he said, hey, Keith, all I want to know, when is the next book coming out? When is the next book coming out? I want it on my shelves. Call it once and I'll do you believe in ghosts. Do you know what? After four years of going around the county, or eight years now in total, because as I show you now, there's, I have to say, Greg, I do now at this stage. And I do believe in fairies, but I do believe it's a psychical thing. But you see, we talk about it and on our stories here are the conduit almost is fairies. But if you go around the world, I presume there's similar stories, similar traditions, focused on different things, perhaps, and it's presented in a different way. But our face of a lot of what we're talking about is the tree, the fairies, the wells, the bridges. But, you know, it's replicated perhaps in different ways right around the world. Very much and it's still there, Greg. And I must say for I love to go into the schools and to all grandparents and parents out there listening this morning, folks, turn off those smartphones for a while, turn off the radio even after Highland Radio's main schedules is finished and sit down with your grandchildren because when I go into the schools, you can see the wonder lighting up in their eyes. And I am just so love history. They love history and they love folklore and they love stories and don't forget that folks. And as I said, Greg, thanks for the praise. But this is the people of Donegal. This is the voice of our people, the folklore, the culture and the magic. And this is a very special time of year because Halloween comes from Ireland is celebrating around the world now. And surely we can keep it alive. And I hope this renews it for future generations. When is the book available now? Greg, after this, I just released it this morning. So after this show, I'm going to make a beeline for David in bookmarked letter can in the old shopping center. All right, great stuff. Listen, it's a great piece of work and it's a great achievement to be able to publish a book at the standard at any standard, but particularly at the standard that you have. And it's incredibly well researched and a lot of time and efforts went into it. Keith Cochran, author of The Finding Fairy Mysteries in Donegal. Thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it. Get ready for the most wonderful time of the year at Sister Sarah's Letter Kenny. Secure your preferred party night now with fantastic food and a festive atmosphere throughout December. Sister Sarah's proud sponsors of today's show. At AXA, we know running a home can run up your cost too. That's why you can save up to 30% on our home insurance. Get a quote today. Together we've got this. AXA, know you can. Policy terms and conditions apply. Minimum premium is 160 euro. A 30% discount is available after three consecutive years claims free 15% after two consecutive years and 10% after one year claims free. AXA Insurance Stack is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. The Letter Kenny Halloween Fest is on Tuesday the 31st with Spooktacular fun for all the family. Dress up for the CDP's fancy dress competition and get on the Trick or Treat Trail between one and three. The storytelling, the Halloween Fest parade down Main Street and so much more all afternoon from 12 30 this Tuesday the 31st at the Letter Kenny Halloween Fest. You dare not miss it. For more info, see Shop LK on Facebook. Recently engaged and planning your wedding. If so, the Encourage Autumn Wedding Showcase takes place this Saturday October 28th from 12 till 6 p.m. Come along and view our stunning wedding venue and meet with the dedicated wedding team at Encourage Hotel Ghidor. Join us at Connolly's Volkswagen Letter Kenny for a demo and X management vehicle sales event taking place from the 31st of October until the 4th of November with stock available for immediate delivery. Discover amazing offers on our Tiger T Rock and fully electric ID range offering a blend of discounts low interest financing and exclusive trade in bonuses. So why not visit our dealership at Canal Road Letter Kenny talk to a member of our team test drive her demo range and drive away in your new Volkswagen with Connolly model group. Contact us on<PHONE_NUMBER> or see our full range at Connolly's .ie. Okay, you're very welcome back to the nine till noon show coming up after 11. We have Michael and formula in with that's entertainment. Thanks again to Keith and I just want to mention, uh, considerably took the time to come up here. The Halloween book launch finding fairy mysteries in Donegal close encounters with the we folk by Keith Cochran. Uh, it's in the community center in Ballantara. Uh, that's between Donegal tan and Ballet Shannon. Uh, it's on Saturday this coming Saturday between 6 30 p.m. and 8 30 p.m. And you're invited to join him for a magical evening of fairy and ghost stories music and song and refreshments will be served and you can get a copy of the book. Uh, if that is, uh, if that suits you. Uh, good morning. Could you please wish Mary Doherty from Corgre Ballet Buffet? Happy birthday. Hope she has a lovely day from the Monday sisters. Happy birthday, Mary. Uh, good morning. Could you please wish Mary Doherty? It's the same text. Please can you, uh, please? Can you please please? Can you play a special request for Mary Margaret Freel? Hello, Mary Margaret Freel. She's in Fannard and she has a big birthday today. Best wishes to you, Mary Margaret and hope your party all night have a great birthday from Kathleen and all the gang. Okay, so we're happy to do that. Um, Greg, can anyone explain to me what the marching would door is about tomorrow? I'm sure I'm not. I'm unsure about attending it as there is no clarity on it. Okay, let me see. I don't know. I have no information on that. I know there is an emergency rally for Gaza. You're invited to show your support. It's an end the war rally. Stand up for peace and justice in Palestine says the poster. It's from the front of on green on theater between one and two p.m. Tomorrow Saturday and there are guest speakers. So maybe you want to attend that or if you're working, go there on your lunch. If that's something that you feel passionate about. Okay, we're going to take a break from the serious matters now for the final hour of the show this week. Because as I mentioned to you coming up after 11 o'clock, it's Michael and for Nula with that's entertainment. With all the stories that matter across the Northwest. It's Greg Hughes on the nine to noon show on Highland radio. And if you're wondering why the boss isn't there 11 whilst I'm doing the news fear not, we're about 30 seconds early. Okay, it is time for news update at 11 o'clock and it's back over to Donna Marie Daherty. Thanks, Greg. Good morning. The Glantees Municipal District are currently in their statutory budget 2024 meeting this morning. Budget has been proposed and seconded. However, it was opposed by Councilor Michael Collin, Miguel Aspog. He believes a strong stance needs to be made on the lack of housing being built. Bookselling Ireland says the expansion of the free school book scheme will have a devastating effect on its members. Two bookshops in Donegal are set to close their doors on Monday, setting the book scheme and rising costs as the reason why. The government announced the move as part of their budget earlier this month. The free school book scheme is set to be expanded to secondary schools to include first, second and third year students on from next year. Guardian Burnfoot attended the scene of a three-car collision in Glee before and last night. It happened at around 10 o'clock. Two male drivers received assistance by paramedics at the scene. The guardies say investigations are ongoing at this time. Bank of Ireland's increasing rates on variable mortgages by a quarter of one percent. The bank says it's the first time it has raised the variable rates since the ECB started raising rates in July 2022. For existing customers, the change will take effect from the 8th of December. For new or existing customers choosing a variable rate, the change takes effect from today. Fixed and tracker mortgage customers are not affected by the change. And finally, in the past 24 hours, Israeli forces say they've conducted targeted raids in the central area of the Gaza Strip, hitting dozens of Hamas targets. Meanwhile, a United Nations official says Gaza is being strangled by Israel's refusal to allow more aid into the territory. Those are the latest headlines. We'll be back with next week's update at 12 o'clock. Until then, good morning. Thank you very much. Donna Marie Daherty, Michael and Finula on the way. At Centra, Shop Smart and feels spooky for the long weekend with great offers. Like Centra Halloween Barnbrack, 500 gram, half-priced now 165. Haribo Trick-or-Treat, Star Mix Multi-Pak, Cabri Fredo and Fudge Family Treat Size, two euro each. Shop Smart, feel good. Centra live every day. They are done in the late 80s, early 90s. They're like a trilogy. Four, five and six are their own sort of timeline that was rebooted or obliterated by the revamp in 98 and the revamp in 2007 and the one in 2018, which we'll be talking about later because it's on this weekend. So it's a separate little trilogy, which I had never seen, although I do love the Halloween movies. I think they're good fun. These are not the best. They're not the best. These two are not the best, but they're on Sky. If anybody wants to track them down, you can on demand, you know, the on-demand thing where you can pick them. Well, listen, a lot of people will be looking for recommendations because I'll talk to you about it a little bit. Of course, yeah.  And as you've said before, recommendation. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry. Oh, store, you're bringing, you're never this eager. As you've said before as well. Can I just please say this? I want to say listeners, please, if you've got a horror movie recommendation. He's well, he's ready to go. How much coffee have you drank? If you have a horror movie recommendation or a scary movie recommendation, and don't say a rock this TV because I've already said that joke just now. If you've got something scary to watch on the TV, and don't say the night or noon show on your fire stick, if you've got something scary to watch on TV, 08, 6, 60, 25,000. Right, you're wound. I'm releasing you. No, as you have said before, it's a genre critics don't always embrace. So it is the general. So much rubbish. Oh, yeah. But it is a, it is a genre the general public, like it's people will tell you what scared them and what freaked them out. And you're absolutely right. I mean, Blair Witch Project is a good example. I mean, that was one that, you know, creeped me out when I seen in the cinema. It's one that I think critics did embrace. But then, as you say, a lot of critics don't. There's a lot of, there is a lot of stuff out there because the bottom line for horror films is that it should scare you if it doesn't. The Blair Witch Project was the first sort of viral film, the first film I, well, maybe not the first, but certainly one of the first films that was a huge success because, you know, people were talking about the internet. Absolutely. It was promoted on the internet and so on and so forth. Right. Okay. You're right there. You've broke my chair. No, you've broke the chair. I think that one might have already been a bit. Oh my gosh. I know it's Halloween, but that's too scary. That is creepy. Can you fix the mic? Do you trust that chair enough? I know. Do you trust that chair? I mean, no, anyway, so it happens. The mic's still not perfect, but Finula, you're very welcome to studio. Thank you very much for joining us. I'll pull that down while you do that. You have the, yep, no, that's it. Perfect. Now, I know you haven't been in here for a couple of weeks, but that's no excuse. I know. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. Do you like horror movies? We know that. We've had the final destination anecdotal million times. I know this is the worst television time for me, everything. Now, I did watch one, but it was 12 and it was enough for me. Was it the Adams family? No, it was the new haunted mansion on Disney. You know, they redid it, the one that was done in the past with, can I say it again? There we go. Good to have you back. I know. Oh, I'm getting worse now. Well, they are Eddie Murphy. Eddie Murphy. They redid it, and actually it's got an amazing cast in it. And it's not bad, but it's 12. And I was like, yeah, actually, this is a bit scary for me. I'm like, yeah, I can't go in here because I looked at the... You call it higher than 12? No, no. Final destination is 15. So your emotional resilience to horror is an 11-year-old? Well, to be honest, I feel you're probably being hard on 11-year-olds because it's probably nine and 10-year-olds. There's probably nine and 10-year-olds that are watching under 12. But yeah, that's as top as I get. Yeah, no, I can't do any more than that. I saw that fall of the House of Usher, and I was like, oh my God, the cast is amazing. And then I went in and it said gore horror, and back out again. Did you finish that in the end? No, I couldn't. Yeah, I just... No, I won't bother. I won't bother. It's not working for me. Wasn't scary enough for me. No, I was just wondering if you'd changed your position since last week, but you haven't. Okay. Right, we want your horror stories, your horror films, 08, 60, 25,000. On Disney, Colleen Rooney, the real Wagatha story is available right now. I don't think it's across everybody's radar. Let's use that phrase because Disney and Disney are fantastic at promoting things, and I don't know how many subscribers Disney have in this country. But this is a big one, isn't it, for anyone who followed that Wagatha story and the trial? Well, I just went full football because I've been... Beckham. Yeah, I did the Beckham one first of all, and that one was... And I loved the Beckham's, and I was kind of like, oh, this is nice. But even to me, it was a little bit saccharine, and I'm somebody who actually really likes them. But I was like, let's throw a small bit into it. It was an interesting documentary, and it was horrendous, some of the things that were said and done at different times in his career to him, but you were kind of like, oh, don't be brushing over your infidelity so quickly and all this kind of thing. But then... I watched the end of that. I didn't watch it all, and I mentioned I watched the end of it because I know you have both down. And there's just a bit at the end where he's cleaning his cooking equipment. He lays everything out very specifically. He mentions that he's had issues, but he walks in at one point into his closet, and he said, oh, somebody's been here, and he moves one of the hangers like... A fraction. But also just the way he's cleaned, and I think they leave towards the end of it, he's cleaning this equipment, and he seems like a lovely guy, and a family guy. But at the same time, he seems to be enduring something in his life as well. He comes across as being, when you watch the whole thing, he does, but he definitely has an OCD type personality when it comes to cleaning, which is completely not like me. If my personality went OCD, it weighed through your kitchen. I do.  That's my problem. I'm becoming a hoarder as I'm aging, whereas he's gone the other way. He does have a lot of things in which he likes things to be particular. He's very particular about things, but I think that kind of comes into his upbringing and his professionalism. The father got a small bit of a dig a couple of times in it, which is amazing, because the father's in the documentary, and he doesn't seem to take offense when he talks about how hard the father was on him when he was training him. Well, maybe they've come to terms with it. That, you know, it was just kind of part of his... I think he sort of seems to think, oh, that's what made me what I am. But like, the father seems to have been very much like, you do it again. And he seems a great dad, as I say. I only saw a bit of it. But there was the seems to be, and I don't know what's wrong with the world now, or whatever. I didn't see it. But there was some controversy that it kisses his daughter on the lips. For, yeah, people moaning or crying about that on the internet as if there's something wrong with that. I mean, what is... How do people do that, don't they? Yeah, but what's going on in the world now that people... You wouldn't even notice it, actually, just when he said it there. But that's what I'm saying. But she's on it for one second. Given it's that's people's takeaway. It's worrying, I think, that that's for people. Yeah, they have to find something weird in everything. Exactly. And by questioning it, it potentially has the... It makes it weird when it's not, if you just don't have any issues yourself. Yeah, why would that be... It's up between that. Exactly. And there's nothing awkward or creepy or it's... And it wouldn't be my thing, because it wasn't Arthur in our family. No, no. In fairness, yeah. But it's like another thing. Some families are huggers, and some families aren't huggers, and as you get older, you meet people. I think the larger... And listen, throw this out for the listeners. I think sometimes the larger the family, the less huggy they are. You're probably right. Just not obvious, because there's not maybe enough affection and love to go around. OK, yeah. Not literally, but you know... I come from a big family, and I think we were more belty than we were huggy. Sally Roddy, you know. Here we are.  Oh, I'm not my parent. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no, God, no. Oh, no, no. By belty, I meant us hitting each other when we were kids. It was a load of us, and we were always just kind of like either, you know, trying to convince one of the younger ones they were adopted or... I just think sometimes the larger the family, and it doesn't mean there's any less love in a house, but I think sometimes the larger the family, the less demonstrative people be with it. Yeah, probably. I can understand that, too. Yeah. Yeah, Michael was definitely hugged too much in his house. Far too much.  Far too much. There you go. Yeah, he called his child. He lands home. Spoiled. Spoiled. How many roommates have you got? Oh, I have two roommates. He lands home, and the two roommates, he tells them when he's coming home, right? And they're standing at the door, and as he walks in, they each have to give him a hug before he's allowed even to go into the kitchen. I'm not shocked. Yeah. Have you ever read my diary? I'm not shocked by that information. But I like the fact that the Beckham thing was good, only it was a little bit too hero-worshipy, and it didn't really give you any kind of a niche. What was the impression of Victoria? And I, again, I actually really respect and admire them because I think they worked hard for what they have, and they've put a goal in mind, and they've achieved it. But she's very on. You just always feel like that she's sat down, and she's worked out exactly what she's going to say. Even when she pauses, it feels like that they're practiced. That's her kind of thing. And they've structured this. Yeah. They've given some away, but they've got a lot of control. Oh, they have. Yeah. But they've given away as many. Because they've had so much control, why would they all of a sudden relinquish this control for a documentary? Well, it's their documentary. And the thing about the wag at the story is it's very similar. It's definitely done with, you know, oh, she's great. She definitely had a lot of control over it. If anybody wants Channel 4, did kind of like a dram, a mentory, or whatever they call them, of the actual trial and that kind of thing. And it was a little bit more in depth. But this is very much her, as she feels she needs to get her story across. I don't understand why for two years, we read nothing but this in the papers. Does everybody not know every single side of it at this point? But I think for access to her on this level, production companies were just going to give her a carte blanche. I think that's exactly what they did. It seems it's very much now, like she talks in this something, I have to say after watching this, and obviously I don't know this girl at all, nor do I follow her on social media. Her life seemed kind of sad. Like she lives in this house that in all fairness, I thought she was pulling up to the boy's school when she pulled up to the house. It's so freaking big. And she constantly seems to be wandering around it on her own. According to the documentary, she doesn't have a nanny. They never mentioned, they mentioned one story of him when he was caught drink driving, when he just was giving a girl a lift home. Yeah, of course. As you do. As you do, in the middle of the night, my mirror half cut. So like, and you know, he says, you know, he knows what he what he was doing, and it's terrible that the press took it up a different way. Well, okay. All right, buddy. That's also a brushing a little bit. It's it's it's really washing a little bit. There's more to it than she's had to put up with a lot. Oh my God, she definitely has made a decision in her life. I mean, and again, no more than Posh probably had as well. You know what I mean? These are decisions these these women have made. And as long as they can live with the same thing, which she does seem very kind of lonely in it. I just sort of when you're watching her walking around the house on her own from the documentary, she doesn't appear to have a nanny, which I find very hard to believe as well. She pulls up in the first two minutes, she pulls up outside where her gym is and she's tall. As she's pulling up, she's talking about other paparazzi, you know, or always this is where they always pop me. And there's one lone guy standing there. And it's nearly like as if she pulled up in front of him, just to make sure that he saw her and next. And she goes, oh, yeah. I know he and his brother. And you're like, that's like one guy. Like you just kind of get that feeling of it. I don't know. I find it kind of sad. And then the whole story of it's interesting how her mind works in the sense that she went down this rabbit hole with this. She got it into her head that somebody was selling stories or at least releasing private stories. But I know who this is now. I know you're on. Welcome. Welcome to 2019, 2020, 2021. This was years ago. The child was only this year. Oh, but I remember this thing happening. She figured out her friend, one of her friends was. I remember this. Valdi, yeah. And then Valdi sued her and, you know, lost her mouse because it was crazy. Yeah, she got creamed. So what would you give the Beckhams out of 10? Because we're going to move on. The Beckhams out of 10, if you want to sit down and watch something, if you like looking at the football and you're kind of a fan of them, you're going to love this. It's and you're going to give it like an eight. If you've any kind of a thing for them, you're it's going to kind of turn you down a small bit because it's very definitely the guy that did it loves them. You'd know it's I think it's even their own production company when I delve down a bit further that actually made it. And it's very much kind of the Harry Meghan type of thing. Everything's beautiful. And we're all great. And everybody else is really meanies. And this and that's the way they're done. I couldn't get past the first one in that one. But this and the Colin Rooney thing then is more just an insight into her life is kind of I thought more interesting than the actual back at the story. Colleen probably thought right, I have control over this. And by the sounds of it, maybe the production company gave her enough rope because it's probably not going to be quite as a fantastic a story. She might think it was going to be because of the things you've been discussing that are kind of exposed to that. Maybe it's kind of a bit of an isolated, lonely dissolution. To be honest, you really felt that with it. It's like going, but it's an interesting look and it's an interesting insight into somebody's life who I think people would assume their life is awesome. You know the way? And it's an interesting one. But again, if you like that kind of thing, you're going to love, they're going to love the reality of our lifestyle. And you probably give it like a seven or an eight. Well, definitely watch one. So in three. With us, because Michael's going to be reviewing or previewing something after this. The county's number one talk show, The Nine Till Noon Show on Highland Radio. At Sister Sarah's Gastropob Letter Kenny. Let us look after your Christmas party needs this December with excellent food and entertainment in Letter Kenny's Premier Venue. 9122238 Sister Sarah's proud sponsors of today's show. Could the department put a GPS tracker on your slurry spreader for more in your farmers journal, His Paul Mooney? We reveal why officials are considering tracking farmers movements. Major farm payments for over 100,000 farmers. We have the latest and falling ration prices and a new feed database. By almost 1500 beef farmers were removed from skip. All you need to know about new quads safety rules and the most tax-efficient way to transfer your farm. All inside this week's Irish Farmers Journal on sale now. Tinney's Toys, Ireland's largest farm toy super store, isn't just about farm toys. We've loads of fun outdoor toys for kids, such as electric scooters, crazy carts, electric quads, jeeps, tractors and so much more. Hustle-free parking at the door with no traffic jams. Our Christmas Club is now open too and a weed deposit secures your item. Tinney's Toys, Let Grove Letter Kenny are online at tinneystoys.com. Lay down. Hi, Kate Appleby here. Just wanted to let you all know my exciting new autumn shoe collection is available nationwide in all good shoe stores. KateAppleby.com. Hope you enjoy my shoes. Crawl for tiles and more Castle Finn. Now stocking Kronospan High Quality Laminate Flooring. AC4 rated with a 20-year guarantee. 8 mil, 9.99 to 10.99 a square yard. 10 mil, 12.50 a square yard. 12 mil, 14.99 a square yard. High gloss, 16.99 a square yard. In stock and ready to go. That's Crawl for Tiles Castle Finn. 9143942. $15.00 now, $12.29. And sink your soul into our Mr. Chalk Range like caramel chocolate bars from $119. Go on, have a Halloween without compromise. Go full legal today. Get the facts by DrinkAware.visitdrinkaware.ie. Hyundai's big offers continue at Hyundai dealerships nationwide. Test drive the 2024 Hyundai Range, including the all-new Kona, Ireland's best-selling car, the Tucson, and winners of World Car of the Year, the Ioniq 5 and the Ioniq 6. Avail of the big selection of offers when you book your Hyundai 241 model. Hyundai, a class apart. Your local dealer is Diverse Hyundai Canal Road Letter Kenny. Call 911-22600. Highland radio time checks with Expressway. Travel Route 32 from Letter Kennedy to Dublin when you book online and travel for less. Expressway, bringing you the time, Matt. Okay, the time is 20 minutes past 11. You're very welcome back to the 9 till noon show that's entertainment and Michael and Finula have reunited. Michael, what are you previewing for us or reviewing for us? Will we go with the Halloween thing which we started chatting about? Halloween. Halloween, so right. Finula now will put her fingers there. I've watched all of them up as far as... The new ones? No. Okay, so these on TG Cahar tomorrow night, you can watch the most recent reboot. There was a new trilogy. David Gordon Green is the guy who did the three latest films. Jamie Lee Curtis came back and so what you have is they completely rebooted the franchise and ignored all the sequels and with this film it's a direct sequel to the movie from 1978. Okay, so if like me you happen to have missed a lot of ones in the middle it doesn't matter. This film is brilliant. Okay, if you like the genre and you like the original I think it's a worthy suc