Daniel Cronin In Conversation With...‪.‬ Daniel Cronin

A special one for me this week, I got the honour of interviewing my Dad, John. Dad grew up in a Bar and Grocery on the Main St., played in Barrach street, the Temp Hall, schooled in the Boys school on Piggot street before going to the De La Salle's where the County Council has its offices now. He moved to board in Garbally in 3rd year and spent 3 years there before returning to Loughrea. He loved hurling, dogs and horse racing. 

These are his memories 

This week I had Mougie Maher in the studio, Shane Curley couldn't make it, both are Sleeping Out For Simon next Friday. I was at LARC's Culture Night on Friday and took some recordings, it was a brilliant night. Entertaining us that night was Padraig Connaughton and Tom Murphy with the Grey Lake Quartet. 

The Seven Springs Daycentre has been closed since March of 2020 with the onslaught of Covid. The Daycentre was a place where people from the surrounding areas could come together chat, listen to music, get their hair done, get checked medically, see a chiropodist etc. But in talking with users, the abiding positive of the Daycentre was getting out from home and getting to socialize with other people.
Following a protest attended by past users, their friends, family members and local representatives Geraldine Donohue and Declan Kelly the Daycentre was opened one day a week for a reduced number of users. There is huge disappointment that the service has not opened fully.
Today I talk to Ciaran Cannon TD, Sean Canney TD and Geraldine Donohue county councilor to see where we are.

This week I go out to Loughrea Skateboarding Park and chat with Jake McNally and Jordan Muldoon on the reopening of the park after two years. Also I have Paddy Sweeney and Geraldine McNally from the Rugby Club, they’re installing lights and hope to be ready in a month or two, they got some funding but to get over the line they are giving people the opportunity to get their ‘Names in Lights’.

This week I had Alan Cusack in the studio, all the way back from Australia. Alan grew up on the Athenry Road before heading to Manchester for Uni and then about the world for his career.

Thelma Sweeney dropped into the studio this week. Thelma grew up on Westbridge, her father was Dermot Sweeney, travel agent and her mother 'Sis' was the local midwife who assisted over 3000 local home births. Growing up in a Travel Agency it was no surprise that Thelma decided to travel, at first to England, then Europe before finally Australia where she met and married Chris. 

Thelma talks of School and University days, hitch-hiking about Europe, teaching in the Aran Islands, taking the slow boat to Australia and starting her teaching career in Australia. Thelma comes home as often as she can, usually once a year but with Covid restrictions, this is her first visit in a number of years. 

Thank you Chris and Thelma for coming in.