Galway Talks - with John Morley

Galway Talks with John Morley (Monday, 1st September 2025)

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley (Monday, 1st September 2025)

9am-10am 

• Nearly 9 per cent of Ireland’s derelict homes in Galway, report finds 
• Isme pushes back on plans to raid National Training Fund 
• Construction Work on Footpaths Inconveniencing Walkers 
• Call for State-of-the-Art Convention Centre on City Hall Site 

10am-11am

•  IRISH CITIZENS have SET SAIL FOR GAZA
• No school transport for ASD students for Gaelscoil Riabhach in Loughrea and around Ireland 
• Remote jobs could generate over €100m per year for Ireland  
• The Glenamaddy Ploughing and Agricultural Show will take place on Sunday the 28th of September

11am-12pm

• Galway Greats - Pierce Purcell Snr
• Weekend Sports Preview with Ollie Turner

Morley's Mouthfuls: This week on Galway Talks (29th August 2025)

Health issues were to the fore in more ways than one this week. There was a very public back and forth between the Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and BAM in relation to the National Children’s Hospital.

Closer to home on Galway Talks we focused in on the Rare Diseases Strategy which is being developed for the next five years up to 2030. There are calls for expansion of rare diseases tested for, but also reliability of said tests.

While plans and strategies are important, ultimately it is delivery of changes and implementations of health recommendations that will make differences on the ground. We got to see the real human impact of that when Renmore mother Roisin Costello joined us alongside Anne Lawlor, a founding member and chair of 22q Ireland.

Very poignantly at the end of the interview Roisin laid bare that due to inaction on implementing changes other families have gone through similar situations to her family as genetic anomalies have not been caught by the screening system.

She wants to see and has renewed her calls for a centralised screening lab here in Ireland so that nothing is missed by health officials. Giving families the medical advice they need by making them aware of all the factors going into subsequent pregnancies.

BreastCheck missing screening targets for a second year running also made headlines locally here in Galway. We covered it with Prof. Michael Kerin who is over the cancer programme locally and Edel Shovlin the COO of the Irish Cancer Society.

Staffing dominated the changes needed alongside implementation of recommendations and completed promised infrastructure projects.

In more positive news for service users and family members in Loughrea, the Seven Springs Day Centre fully reopened this week following a long campaign from the Loughrea Concerned Citizens Group.

Mattie Quinn heralded the reopening and put it down to people power, adding that “they won’t be going away” anytime soon.

The Presidential election has remained in the focus and this week on Galway Bay FM we heard calls for grassroots Fianna Fáil members to be given a say in who will contest the race for the Áras.

Loughrea area Cllr. Michael Regan hit out at the top brass of the party and expressed his support for Eamon O’Cuív. He wants to see a democratic process opened up without delay.

We should hear more on the next moves from Fianna Fáil next week when the Taoiseach discusses options with the parliamentary party.

Meanwhile, two Ministers from the party were on Inis Oírr this week to announce the first announcement of the NDP spending ahead of Budget 2026.

The island will benefit from over 35 million euro investment in its pier, some 20 years on from when the project became one of the many victims from the financial downturn.

Better late than ever and a shock to islanders, planning will now begin in earnest to get the most out of this massive infrastructural boost to the area.

Don’t forget we are out and about on Friday next the 5th of September for Community Matters! We will be covering Kilnadeema Leitrim from Finnerty’s Mills in the heart of Southeast Galway. Join us on the morning between 9am-12pm if you are in the area.

Galway Talks

Galway Talks with John Morley is the flagship show on Galway Bay FM and broadcasts Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm and is the most popular talk show in the Galway region.

The current affairs show features a mix of breaking news, human interest stories, sport, entertainment, history and live music.

From local and national politics to community issues, voices from across the county and beyond discuss and debate the major events affecting Galway, the country and the world.

There’s a lighter side too as we feature the stories of local characters, the talent of Galway’s arts scene and debate the county’s many sporting achievements.

To listen back to previous shows see here. 

Meanwhile. Galway Bay FM News provides trusted, comprehensive coverage and analysis of local, national, and international stories.

Tune in every hour, Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, with breakfast updates at 7:30 and 8:30.

Catch the multi-award-winning FYI Galway from 5pm for all your news and sport, along with traffic and business information.

And if its sport you're after -Listen live to Galway Bay FM Sport on the hour from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

For all your local, national and international sports commentaries, fixtures and results check out Over the Line on Fridays from 7pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday Sports from 1pm – 6pm and Mondays from 8pm to 10pm.

Download the Galway Bay FM app to get the latest stories on the go and stay connected on Facebook, Instagram and X

 

Morley's Mouthfuls

Galway Talks with John Morley (Friday, 29th August 2025)

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley 

9am-10am 

• Over 250 people attend Athenry Peaker Plant Concern Group meeting.
• No Bus for 11 children with additional needs in Ballinasloe.

10am-11am

• Woman taken to UHG after incident at city's Eye Cinema. 
• Striking school secretaries and caretakers to attend regional rallies. 
• 1 million extra home care hours needed in 2026 to help improve “blackspot” in Galway. 
• Connacht Rugby team up with AV experts Sound to Light. 
• Galway City to become a Beacon of Climate Hope and Innovation this September. 

11am-12pm

• Galway Thoughts Panel w/ Albert Dolan of Fianna Fáil and Louis O’Hara of Sinn Féin.
• Weekend sports preview.

Galway Talks with John Morley (Thursday, 28th August 2025)

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley (Thursday, 28th August 2025): 

9am-10am 

• Over €35 million in State funding provided for pier in Inis Oírr 
• 'Significant scope' to expand newborn screening 
• Vhi to increase prices by average of 3% from 1 October 

10am-11am

• Vandalism prompts temporary closure of changing rooms and toilet facilities at Dunlo Athletic Track, Ballinasloe 
• Finding Sophie - world premiere at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway on 10 September with previews on 5 & 6 September 
• Global conference on basking sharks to take place in Galway this week

11am-12pm

• Ours To Protect - Sustainability
• Pet Corner - Breeds issues
• Farewell Siobhán  

Ours to Protect - Episode 4 - Sustainability

Ours to Protect is a unique and exciting audio project – a collaboration of local and regional broadcasters from across the country who have come together to tackle climate change, champion climate action, and inform and educate audiences all over Ireland about how they can make a difference.

This week we discuss Sustainability with Mary Bermingham Sustainability Educator, Shane Mooney the MD of SPECO Sustainability Consultancy and hear from schoolchildren across Galway about their thoughts on Sustainabillity.

Ours to Protect is brought to you by Galway Bay FM and the IBI and is funded by Coimisiun na Mean with the television license fee.

Galway Talks with John Morley (Wednesday, 27th August 2025)

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley (Wednesday, 27th August 2025): 

9am-10am 

• Local TD critical of Government delay in engaging with school secretaries and caretakers 
• New Research 1 from Drinkaware Reveals Complex Relationship with Alcohol  
• Career options after the Leaving Certificate at Galway Community College 

10am-11am

• Fianna Fail cllr calls on party to give the grassroots a say in Presidential deliberations  
• Motoring Slot with Gerry Murphy
• Disposable Vapes 
• For the first time ever — Fahy Travel brings a major international Escorted and Adventure Tour Event to Galway! 

11am-12pm

• Financial Advice with Dave McCarthy
• New Novel _ Athenry A Famine Tale of Love and Survival 
• The Raid of Castle Bellew

Galway Talks with John Morley (Tuesday, 26th August 2025)

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley: 

9am-10am 

• BreastCheck misses screening targets for second year running 
• Seven Springs fully open 5 days per week 
• Calls for Government action as over 2,300 Galway children remain on Early Years waiting lists 

10am-11am

• Students urged to be careful amid accommodation fraud rise 
• ESB Networks undertaking Forestry and Vegetation Clearing Works to Strengthen Resilience Post-Storm Éowyn 
• Garda Slot

11am-12pm

• Astronomers make unexpected discovery of planet in formation around a young star 
• Connemara Chamber raise over €1.8 million as Wisconsin man wins dream home in Clifden fundraising draw  
• Parents in Galway Call for Pilot of Streamlined Second-Level School Admissions System Ahead of New School Year 
• MUSIC MORNINGS – TALLLON - "Man of Steel -  All Ages All Day"  will take place at the Rosin Dubh on 31st August.  

Galway Talks with John Morley (Monday, 25th August 2025)

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley: 

9am-10am 

• Government to announce supports to combat US tariffs on business 
• In Galway City, rents have risen by 8.5% in the last year and the average rent is now €2295 
• Support Convoy4Ukraine Emergency Evacuation Vehicle

10am-11am

• 17 beaches out of 33 across the country have been rated 'clean' this summer
• Athenry residents raise concerns over proposed power plant 
• Galway woman bakes way to national brown bread finals
• Homecoming in Corinthians later for double world champion swimmer John Shortt  

11am-12pm

• GALWAY GREATS - Ray Berry
• SPORT REVIEW with Ollie Turner 

COMMUNITY MATTERS: Glenamaddy (Friday, 22nd August 2025)

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley: 

9am-10am 

• Locals tell us their favourite stories of Glenamaddy over the years
• Current affairs issues in the area 
• John Donlon will talk us through the history of Glenamaddy fair days 

10am-11am

• We’ll hear all about local organisations
• Billy Comer will join us 

11am-12pm

• Sport - we’ll talk soccer and GAA 
• Lena Enver will treat us to some live music 
• Gerry Davis helps us finish off the show 

Morley's Mouthfuls: This week on Galway Talks August 22nd

Morley's Mouthfuls: This week on Galway Talks

There were further developments relating to the Portiuncula University Hospital this week.

A rally was held over the weekend in Ballinasloe were locals called for the reinstatement of full maternity services, evidence and research behind the clinical decision to remove high-risk pregnancies from the hospital and investment in the facility rather than anymore perceived downgrades.

Things progressed this week, as a meeting was held on Wednesday between local health representatives and local politicians, where the West-Northwest Hospital Group doubled down on the fact that there would be no reversal of the clinical decision.

This was much to the dismay of the newly formed Portiuncula Maternity Alliance and their co-founder Independent Councillor Dr. Evelyn Parsons joined us on Thursday mornings programme to express her dismay at the stance.

This was followed later that morning by an exclusive interview with the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill where she also doubled down on the move saying that she must follow clinical advice and evidence, adding that the safety of expectant mothers was paramount.

There was a stream of questions for the Minister testimonials from those affected in the wider catchment area of the Ballinasloe-based hospital and subsequent reaction to the Minister’s remarks both positive and negative.

It makes the campaign for the Portiuncula Maternity Alliance more difficult, and we will bring you all the latest on it as it develops on Galway Talks.

As the summer season ends, we were privileged to be out and about this week at the 100^th Annual Connemara Pony Show at the Clifden Showgrounds. It was a fantastic occasion showcasing an integral part of Connemara’s living heritage. Terence Sweeney gave some great insights into how the show changed from the beginning back in the 1920’s in Roundstone right up to the present day.

We finished off the week with a thoroughly enjoyable broadcast in Glenamaddy for Community Matters and we will be back with you on Monday next where our Galway Great is the legendary Ray Berry.