Dave Fanning

Back in 1847 the Choctaw Nation donated $170 to the Irish people in famine aid. Last week some Irish people repaid the favour. Why did a Native American tribe come to the help of Ireland in our hour of need? John Borgonovo, a lecturer specialising in Irish and American history at UCC is on the line to tell us why!

Tyrone Actor, Zara Devlin was meant to star in her first Broadway production as one of the lead roles in the adaptation of John Carney’s 'Sing Street'. However, just before production was about to start everything got pulled due to the pandemic.

We all know stories of ghosts and ghouls from the folklore surrounding Halloween but what about the tales and history of May Day? Jonny Dillon of the UCD School of Irish Celtic Studies & Folklore is on the line to tell us about what we might be missing out on as we welcome in the Summer!

Clint Eastwood’s latest directorial work, “Richard Jewell” tells the story of a security guard who finds a bomb during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia and ends up being wrongly accused of placing the device himself. Paul Walter Hauser plays the lead role in the film and is on the line to have a chat with Dave!

A Japanese zoo setting up videochat for their eels to interact with humans, the Governor of Kentucky apologising to Tupac Shakur for delaying his unemployment cheque and Swedish chicken poo used to discourage social gatherings! It's Anton's stories of the week!

Pat Carty of Hot Press is on the line to discuss with Dave some unexpected international and Irish music releases by artists who we haven’t heard new music from in quite some time!

We can't head to the cinema but we can see some new movies from the comfort of our own home. Paul Whitington is on the line to review some new small screen films released this week including 'Ema', 'The Assistant' and 'Can You Keep A Secret?'!

"One, Two, Three, Four: The Beatles in Time" is a new book all about the chance fusion of the key elements that made up The Beatles, as well as the bizarre tales of the colourful people within their orbit, including Yoko Ono and Helen Shapiro. Author, Craig Brown is on the line to tell Dave some anecdotes about the Fab Four!

Ruth Medjber is a music photographer from Dublin who has toured with the likes of Hozier and Arcade Fire as well as covering festivals such as Electric Picnic and Glastonbury! Due to gigs being cancelled or postponed, Ruth’s got a new project on the go called ‘Grá sa Bhaile’ and she joins Dave to tell him all about it.

Everyday we take so many of our cues from other people’s faces, so how would wearing face masks change how we relate and communicate with people in our daily lives? Gary Donohue is a Psychology Professor in the NUI Galway and he’s on the line to have a chat with Dave about this.