A Cllr calls for 'racially insensitive' books to be removed from the curriculum; two weeks into the FF government we ask which TDs would be most likely to let themselves be videotaped having a drunken fist-fight; and we fondly remember that time an Italian Prime Minister was shot by Communists and stuffed into a car boot. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40021184.htmlhttps://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/twelve-year-old-pupils-do-not-understand-complexities-of-racially-charged-classics-says-councillor-seeking-removal-of-books-39393404.htmlhttps://gript.ie/peter_tatchell_see_no_evil/

Grades are being leveled, a woman gets a years wages for cutting her finger on a wine glass, and Gary questions the need for health and safety  standards whilst Michael records in the middle of a road.

In this week's podcast, Medical Herbalist Ciara Murphy talks about acne. Acne is a common skin condition affecting not only adolescents, but men and women in their 20's and which can often persist into the 40's and 50's.

Patricia shows you how to make a delicious home-made banana bread.She pairs it with In Dreams by Roy Orbeson. Ingredients100 g sultanas 2 large eggs75 mls burbon or dark rum (I used brandy) 175 g plain flour4 very ripe bananas (300 g without skin) 60 g chopped walnuts2 teasps. baking powder 1 teasp. vanilla extract½ teasp. bicarb of soda 150g sugar½ teasp. salt 125 g unsalted butter, meltedInstructionsPut sultanas and alcohol into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leavefor about 1 hour or until sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid.Preheat the oven to 170 degrees/gas mark 3.Put the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt into a bowl and mix. In a separate bowl mixmelted butter, and sugar and beat until blended, beat in the eggs one at a time, then themashed bananas, followed by the drained sultanas, walnuts and vanilla.Add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, stirring well after each bit.Into a 23 by 13 by 7 cm loaf buttered and floured (or with a paper insert) pour in the mixture.Bake for 1-1 ½ hours in the middle of the oven or until a skewer comes out clean.

Gary sits down with Bev Jackson, one of the founding members of the LGB Alliance. They discuss the aims of the LGB Alliance and how it came to be, gender theory, Stonewall, and the abuse people like J. K. Rowling get for speaking out on this issue.

In this podcast, Medical Herbalist Ciara Murphy discusses the medicinal virtues of garlic.

Patricia shows you how to make a delicious Persian chicken with apricots and almonds, perfect served with couscous, a Greek salad and some pitta or flat-breads.She pairs it with The Swan, written by Camille Saint-Saëns. Ingredients600ml/1 pint chicken stock (or veg stock)10-12 strands saffron1 very large onion25g/1oz butter1 tabsp. olive oil1 teasp. ground cinnamon4 chicken breasts (on the bone if wished)100g/4 ozs. chopped dried apricots25g/1 oz sultanas50g/2ozs while unskinned almondsSalt and black pepperInstructionsBoil the stock and add the saffron. Leave on the side.Peel and chop the onion. Add to the oil/butter mix until soft then stir in the cinnamon Transfer to a plateAdd the chicken to the pan and fry until brown.Add the onion/cinnamon mixture followed by the apricots, sultanas and almonds. Sprinkle with pepper and add in the stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer or cook in the oven for about 40 minutes. Add more pepper and some salt as liked.

It's been a bad week for Irish media on various fronts, Orwell faces cancellation for failing to speak positively of the USSR after WW2, and the wonderful history of the Molotov bread basket.

Gareth sits down with journalist and author Kevin Myers. They discuss Kevin's views on the Irish media, cowardice, the death of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, and what it felt like to have his career and reputation reduced to tatters over obviously spurious allegations that he was an anti-Semite and a Holocaust denier.

Gary sits down with Katharine Birbalsingh, a British educator and headmistress of Michaela Community School, a school in inner-city London run on traditional educational principles. Last year Michaela's students achieved some of the best GCSE scores in the country, receiving the highest possible grade at a rate four times higher than the national average. They talk about the impact traditional educational methods can have on the opportunities available to children, particularly those from poor and ethnic minority backgrounds.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiger-Teachers-Take-Katharine-Birbalsingh/dp/191290621X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1594383295&refinements=p_27%3AKatharine+Birbalsingh&s=books&sr=1-1