Encore Thursday 30th April, 2020 by Midlands 103

We ask The Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe if he will extend Covid Payments and subsidies once the initial twelve weeks are up, find out what happened to the mumps outbreak in the Midlands from earlier this year, meet the Portlaoise woman on mission to learn the Bodhrán and Tom Walsh from the Citizen’s Information Service answers your questions on Covid-19 payments, rights and entitlements generally and much more.

Country Life Wednesday 29th April, 2020 by Midlands 103

Remote Working courses - a collaboration between LOETB, IDA, SOLAS and Grow Remote; the health of the Irish property sector and how Sellers Legal Packs can speed up transactions; an infectious disease expert on how being people being asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic with Covid-19 poses a real threat to Irish business and, the Restaurants Association of Ireland announce a Crisis Recovery Plan in attempt to save the sector.

For almost eight decades Fred O Donnell didn't know he had a brother. And just four and a half years ago he finally met his long lost sibling Jimmy. But sadly COVID-19 cut their time short as Jimmy passed away after contracting the illness. It was Fred's daughter Theresa who helped reunite the brothers after she begun researching into her family tree which revealed her father wasn't a only child after all. Both men end up in different parts of the UK, Fred married Theresa from Mountmellick, who died in 2007 while Jimmy never married Mr O Donnell has been telling Midlands 103's Robert Fahy how meeting his brother Jimmy for the first time was the happiest day of his life:

Find out why Niall McNamee believes gambling could be on the rise during the pandemic, why a little Laois girl is writing to the Education Mininster about her homework, why you should have the craic with the ‘egg challenge’ for another great cause in the Midlands and everything DIY with Brian Cloonan.

Meet Ena who at 92 loves to write poetry. Ann Marie speaks to Daphne her care worker and Ena from Ballard Nursing Home, Portlaoise this evening on how poetry and the sun is keeping them happy during the pandemic!

The Open Door - Ken Smollen by Midlands 103

What happens when a group of people come together and help those most in need?

On this episode of The Open Door we look at the Midlands to highlight what people in need are looking for at this difficult time.

Laois County Council defers commercial rates for 3 months, we take you back to 1975 when Mountmellick and Monasterevin became part of a dramatic IRA kidnapping and Portlaoise became alive for garden bingo at the weekend, how can you organise one for your area!