Playback Archives - Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport

It’s the Friday Panel! This week, Donal is joined by Ben Harkin (Author and Chair of Ógra Fianna Fail in Donegal), Pat McArt (Columnist and former editor of the Derry Journal), and Thomas Pringle (former Independent TD for Donegal) to dissect the week’s biggest headlines.

Inside This Episode:

Leo Varadkar’s remarks: Has the former Taoiseach’s comments about urban areas subsiding rural communities sparked an unnecessary urban/rural divide?

Cross Border education: What impact will job losses at Ulster University have on the potential for third level cooperation between Donegal and Northern Ireland?

Social Media comments: In light of the online vitriol directed against Senator Eileen Flynn this week, should social media companies be subject to the same rules as newspapers and terrestrial broadcasters?.

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Magdelen Rogers, CEO of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland tells us that services in Letterkenny are improving, but more needs to be done in the North West.

We preview the latest episode of The Greg Hughes Podcast, with Greg talking to Inver’s Dr Peter Coyle about his contribution to the successful return of the Apollo 11 crew after the first moon landing.

Director of Services Garry Martin briefs us on a large overnight wild fire in Inishowen, and Will Mitchell of My Waste speaks about their latest publicity campaign highlighting the need to eradicate the use of ten banned single use products.

Finally, on the Scroll Patrol, Shannen Wilken discusses the online exploits of Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and more.

The post The Greg Hughes Show Friday 24/04/26 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

In 1969, the heat of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere reached nearly 3,000°C. Protecting the Apollo 11 astronauts from incinerating was a heat shield coated in a specialized resin—a resin developed by a young chemist from Inver, County Donegal.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Peter Coyle as he approaches his 89th birthday. Despite being a self-described “small cog in a big wheel,” Peter’s work at Dow Chemical on Epoxy Novolac was a linchpin in the success of the Moon Shot. We trace his journey from the University of Minnesota to the inner circles of NASA’s technical suppliers, exploring a time when physical chemistry and human grit mattered more than the limited digital tools of the day.

What We Discuss:

From South Donegal to the Space Race: The “spark” that led a young man from Inver to the United States in the 1950s and 60s.

Engineering Under Pressure: Developing the heat shield resin without the aid of modern supercomputers and the daily atmosphere of the NASA-adjacent labs.

The Apollo 11 Re-entry: The moment Peter realized his specific chemical formulations were the only thing standing between the astronauts and the vacuum of space.

The Diplomacy of Pride: The story behind the 1969 visit of the U.S. Defense Attaché to Donegal to honor Peter’s mother, Florence Dunleavy.

A View from 2026: How the man who helped build the foundations of space travel views the modern Artemis missions and the future of solar innovation.

The post The Greg Hughes Podcast | Ep16: The Donegal Shield: How Peter Coyle Brought Apollo 11 Home appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

This week on The Score…

Former Finn Harps Manager Anthony Gorman joins us for our weekly League of Ireland chat, we hear from the Derry City camp ahead of an historic first soccer game at Celtic Park and the season is coming to an end in the Irish League – we get the thoughts of  Peter Hutton on how the campaign panned out for Institute in the NIFL Championship.

Plus, the defence of the Ulster Championship title starts on Sunday for Donegal against Down – we preview of that game with former Donegal player Eamon McGee…

The post The Score – 23/04/26 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

Donal Kavanagh’s in the hotseat once again today.

In This Episode:

Education and Child Welfare : We begin with an invitation from Rene O’Malley of the National Parents Council to a series of online presentations on Bullying. The potential impact of job cuts at Ulster University’s Magee College in Derry is highlighted by Norman Hagan, Chair of the University and Colleges Union UU branch, and we discuss parental alienation with Paul Anderson of Putting Kids First Always and barrister Brendan Guildea. Meanwhile, Hugh Friel, Roma Health Coordinator in Donegal discusses a study on how Traveller children are discriminated against in schools

Crossing Over : Former journalist Anne Cadwallader joins Donal in studio to discuss her new novel ‘Crossing Over’, set in Belfast but with some scenes in Donegal where Anne spends a lot of her time.

Under the Sea and Business Matters: Aoibheann Gillespie-Mules previews a screening of the film ‘Who Needs Anemones?’ in Buncrana at the weekend, and  Chris Ashmore drops in with the latest business news and a look ahead to this week’s Business Matters podcast.

The Greg Hughes Show – keeping you across the stories that matter in Donegal.

The post The Greg Hughes Show Thursday 23/04/2026 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

With Donal standing in for Greg, the review of the papers is followed by a look at some of the issues raised at a meeting of the Donegal Community Safety Partnership.

Cllr Michael McClafferty  expresses concern that three years after the issue was discussed by the previous Joint Policing Committee, there is no sniffer dog deployed in Donegal, and Superintendent Siobhan Mollohan discusses figures she presented to the meeting. and also the changing structures of Garda management in the county.

Ruth Breslin, Director of the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Initiative looks at loopholes which allow the open advertisement of sex work online, and Adi Roche of Chernobyl Children International discusses the 40th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident.

Sharon tells  us of her sleepless night as a gorse fire outside Letterkenny got dangerously close to her home last night, while taxi driver Anthony argues that a planned new bus station and transport hub in Letterkenny should be located at the old Oatfield factory site rather than the old bacon factory as is currentl;y planned.

Our Wellness Wednesday slot sees breast cancer survivor Lorraine Smyth outline how she helped develop the ‘Lymph Active’ app designed to prevent the spread of Lymphoedema

The show finishes with musicians Roisin Mc Groary, Deirdre Mc Groary, Paul Harrigan and Jack Houston in studio to preview the Feile na hInse in Buncrana this coming weekend.

The Greg Hughes Show—keeping you across the stories that matter in Donegal.

The post The Greg Hughes Show Wednesday 22/04/2026 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

Donal Kavanagh is standing in for Greg once again.

Following our morning look at the newspapers, we hear from Buncrana, where Cllr Fionán Bradley and Maureen Loughrey Tolley outline the progress made their meeting with the HSE to discuss the future of Buncrana Community Nursing Unit. They’re told the unit won’t close, and will retain 41 beds rather than dropping to 30 as had been suggested.

The campaign for the use of Irish placenames is highlighted, with Aodhdán O’Deá of Conradh na Gaeilge outlining hoe it’s progressing, while Environmentalist and Emeritus Professor at Maynooth University John Sweeney previews his talk on the climate crisis at Letterkenny’s Central Library on Thursday evening.

The risk of home repairs related scams is highlighted by Gillian Deveraux, a Senior Loss Adjustor at Avivia, and Sgt Eunan Walsh joins us for the Community Garda Information feature.   

Ryan Doherty outlines his belief that a new transport hub in Letterkenny must make provision for  tourist coaches, Sinn Fein Education Spokesperson Darren O’Rourke argues for the creation of an Oireachtas Committee on Inclusive Education, and podcaster Lochlainn Harte discusses his podcast ‘Snap – The John McEnroe Default Saga’, exploring how the most volatile tennis player of his era was deemed to have gone too far.

Listen Back: Missed any part of the show? Catch the full podcast on the link below.

The post The Greg Hughes Show Tuesday 21/04/2026 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

This week on the DL Debate, Ahead of the Donegal Down game at the O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny, Brendan Devenney takes the show on the road to the St Eunan’s Clubhouse as they host their first senior football championship game in seventy years.

Brendan is joined by Ulster and All Ireland winners Rory Kavanagh (Donegal) and Ronan McNamee (Tyrone) plus members of St Eunan’s ahead of a massive day for the club.

The post The DL Debate – LIVE from St Eunans appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

Donal Kavanagh is in the hot seat this morning.

Following our morning look at the headlines, David Fitzgerald , CEO of the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland discusses the need for a continuous insurance policy to be introduced to tackle the rise in uninsured drivers on Irish roads.

Aine Flynn, Director of the Decision Support Service speaks about the importance of designating an Enduring Power of Attorney, and previews a public meeting and information day next month in Ballybofey.

Brendan Devenney previews tonight’s DL debate which comes live from the St Eunan’s Clubhouse at O’Donnell Park ahead of the Championship clash with Down at the weekend. We also discus the growth of hurling in Donegal.

Lisa McDaniel, Donegal County Council’s Community Water Officer speaks to us about a public meeting in Falcarragh this week to discuss water quality in local rivers and lakes, stressing that the local community are the council’s eyes and ears.

Cllr Declan Meehan discusses the imminent formation of a Town Team in Rathmullan, while Cllr Pauric McGarvey discusses vandalism at the public toilets in Ramelton, which has led to a decision to close them from 5pm daily from now on.

We conclude with a conversion with Fr Brian O’Fearraigh marking a year since the destruction of St Mary’s Church, Derrybeg in a fire in the early hours of Easter Monday last year.

Listen back to the full show below :

The post The Greg Hughes Show Monday 20/04/2026 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

It’s the Friday Panel! This week, Greg is joined by Cian O’Hagan (Chair of Ógra Sinn Féin in Donegal), Nicola Mahon (Owner of Mode Embroidery and Printing), and James Ward (News Editor with the Irish Daily Mail) to dissect the week’s biggest headlines.

Inside This Episode:

The Future of Fianna Fáil: With rumors swirling around the leadership, the panel discusses Micheál Martin’s standing within the party. Is it time for a changing of the guard, or does he remain the steady hand the party needs?

The Flag Controversy: Senator Eileen Flynn sparked a heated debate this week with her comments on the Irish Flag. The panel weighs in on national identity and whether the Senator’s critique was a step too far or a necessary conversation.

High Street vs. Fast Fashion: As online giants continue to dominate, Nicola Mahon gives a first-hand perspective on whether fast fashion is truly the death knell for local Irish businesses.

Fuel Tax Overhaul: Listener Daniel joins the conversation, arguing that the current crisis demands a radical rethink of how we tax fuel at the pump.

Scroll Patrol: Shannen Wilkin stops by to dive into the digital zeitgeist. What’s trending, what’s viral, and what’s worth your double-tap this week?

Community Heroes: Highland’s own Sean Quinn is in the studio for a very special launch! We kick off this year’s Highland Radio Community Hero initiative, celebrating the local legends who make Donegal great.

Join the Conversation: What do you think about the future of the Irish Flag? Is the government doing enough to protect local businesses from online giants?

Listen back now!

The post The Greg Hughes Show Friday 17/04/26 appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.

In the most northerly peninsula in Ireland, geography can often be a barrier to safety. For over 30 years, Mary Doherty has been breaking down those barriers.

Mary is one of the founding figures of Lifeline Inishowen, a service that began as a response to a desperate local need and has grown into a gold-standard support system for survivors of domestic abuse. In this episode, we sit down with Mary just weeks after she was named a 2026 AXA Community Hero for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.

We discuss the early days of the organization, the unique challenges of providing crisis support in a rural coastal community, and what it felt like to be recognized nationally for three decades of service that usually happens far from the spotlight.

What We Discuss:

The Foundation: The “spark” that led to the establishment of what became Lifeline Inishowen over 30 years ago.

The Inishowen Factor: Why a dedicated service is so critical for a peninsula where the nearest major town can be a 50-mile journey for those in crisis.

A National Honor: Mary’s reaction to winning the 2026 AXA Community Hero Award and how the €20,000 prize will be used to further the charity’s mission.

Evolving Support: How the conversation around domestic safety has changed in Donegal since the 1990s and the impact of their recent school awareness programs.

The Power of One: Mary’s philosophy on community care and why she remains as dedicated today as she was three decades ago.

The post The Greg Hughes Podcast | Ep15: The Lifeline of Inishowen – Mary Doherty appeared first on Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport.