Local Voices

#47: From the barriers women face in politics to a recent study that showed 80 percent of the respondents experienced some form of sexual harrassment in an area of South Dublin, councillors Carly Bailey, Teresa Costello and Joanna Tuffy discuss some of the biggest issues from the past month.

#46: Despite undergoing two leg amputations as a young boy, David Malone never shied away in the face of adversity.

Malone was born with a rare condition called arthrogryposis, which is a bone disorder that affects limbs.

When he was seven, both of his legs were amputated within the space of 18-months.

He was still driven to keep pace with his friends to stay involved and it was that very tenacity which would see him become one of the greatest Paralympic athletes Ireland has ever produced.

Joining The Echo Sports Editor Stephen Leonard, the Ballinteer man recounts his incredible journey that saw him contest no less than four consecutive Paralympic Games, with his crowning moment coming in Sydney 2000 in the S8 100-metre backstroke.

#45: Donie Anderson is of old stock, he grew up on his family farm in Glenasmole and has dedicated years of his life to the traditions and crafts of farming.

Methods of training sheepdogs have been passed down through his family for generations and Donie, has perfected it.

Alongside his trusty sheepdog Jess, Donie is a familiar face at local events across the community where they heard geese, sheep and even hens with great precision.

Donie’s unassuming manor went viral when he took a video of himself cutting his hair with a traditional sheep shears last year – something he’d do the odd time – and uploaded it online.

#44: From the dangers around the dissemination of misinformation to ongoing troubles with drugs, housing and the importance of biodiversity in South Dublin, councillors Mick Duff, Louise Dunne and David McManus discuss some of the biggest issues from the past month.

#43: 10 years have elapsed since Esra Uyrun left her Clondalkin home to pick up milk for her son and husband, and vanished. The mysterious disappearance of Esra has devastated her family. Berna Fidan, Esra's sister, has travelled back and forth between her home in London and Ireland since that faithful day. Berna believes that somebody knows what happened to her sister and has never stopped searching for answers.

Anyone with information can email:
[email protected]

Or contact:
National Missing Persons on 1800 911 999
Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111
Ronanstown Garda Station on (01) 666 7700 

#42: From  honing his footballing talent with his cousin Robbie Keane on the streets of Glenshane as a young boy to playing in the great Shelbourne side that enjoyed some great European nights in the Champions League qualifiers and chasing the League of Ireland all-time top scorer record, Jason Byrne details it all as he chats with The Echo's Sports Editor Stephen Leonard.

#41: Special schools returned at 50 percent capacity, while special classes in mainstream schools are set to open. The key concerns among staff of these schools was around the safety of the children amid uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 variant. Fórsa representative and SNA in St Joseph's Special School, Aisling Lohan, Principal Graeme Crombie and Newcastle mother of two autistic boys, Eleanor Bermingham join host Hayden Moore to shed some light on the reopening.

#40: On International Epilepsy Day, Lucan native Megan Finlay, who was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was just 12-years-old talks about raising awareness and breaking down the stigma surrounding the neurological disorder. Paddy McGeoghegan also speaks to host Hayden Moore about some of the myths commonly associated with epilepsy and how to get involved with International Epilepsy Day.

#39: Now that the EU-UK Free Trade Agreement has been finalised, how will this impact local businesses here in South Dublin? Brexit has finally kicked into high gear and as the finer details are being ironed out, CEO of South Dublin Chamber Peter Byrne shares some insight and offers advice to help ease the transition for businesses.

#38: What is the technology behind the COVID-19 vaccine? Consultant Microbiologist in Tallaght University Hospital, Anna-Rose Prior, shares some of the science behind the pioneering mRNA vaccine that is being used to curb the spread of coronavirus. Val Joy, Director of Nursing in Lisheen Nursing Home, tells host Hayden Moore about the how they suffered an outbreak of COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic and recently, had 255 residents and staff vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.