Mark Patterson on BBC Radio Foyle

For many people here, it’s the national anthem we never had. Here, in 2002, Henry talks to Mark about writing the song. And then plays it live on air…#HenryMcCullough #FromBelfastToBoston

Revered Northern Irish guitarist Henry McCullough died this week. Back in 2002, he talked to Mark about life, Pink Floyd, Wings, Woodstock and happiness. #HenryMcCullough

Her secret as a kid? Raw Oxo cubes. Here the legendary Olympian talks swords, #SPOTY, still being fit as a fiddle … and the importance of getting kids involved. A darling of a lady … #CommonwealthGames #DameMaryPeters #MaryPeters #Sport

This week, we heard the news that a 5-year-old boy picked up drugs which were inside a toy egg in Limavady. White powder, believed to be methamphetamine, was found inside the plastic shell in the Drumachose area of the town. We managed to track down the boys father. He's been telling me that more needs to be done in Limavady when it comes to drug awareness.

American Comedian Reginald D Hunter has been based in the UK for about 20 years. He does stand up. He does telly. He is not afraid of confronting the linguistic problems sometimes posed race and cultural. Reg brings his 'Aluminum Negro' tour to Derry's Millennium Forum on Thu 9th June. #MarkPattersonShow #BBC #BBCRadioFoyle #ReginaldDHunter

Acclaimed pianist Neil Cowley joined Mission Impossible when he was 14. He has worked with Adele and the Brand New Heavies … But he never left his old band. ‘They are family’ he says. And my goodness can they play. Tonight: Waterfoot. Tomorrow (Sat) Blackbird Bar @neilcowleytrio @bbcradiofoyle @dcsdcouncil @markyptweets

Newry band The 4 of Us are music royalty in Ireland. Brendan and Declan were in studio with a new track … and some reminiscences about life and times

Newry band The 4 of Us are music royalty in Ireland. Brendan and Declan were in studio with a new track … and some reminiscences about life and times

Renowned human nude installation artist Spencer Tunick is a global figure. He has photographed acres of bare bottoms on glaciers, in train stations, even in a vineyard. Next up, he wants the good people of Hull to take off all their clothes in the name of Culture. Listen again... #SpencerTunick #Art #Hull

Back in 1994, Derry woman Gabrielle Deans took it on herself to send aid to Bosnia. The events that unfurled thereafter still move Gabrielle to tears. #Bosnia #Derry

Forget Conor McGregor. Forget Frampton and Big Frank Bruno. This is what happened when we pitched our resident chef against the finest Irish Italian chip maker in the land … #markpattersonshow

Austins, the Historic Derry Department Store closed this week after 186 years of trading. Sharon Doherty worked there for nearly 30 years. She spoke to our reporter Keiron Tourish up in the rooftop restaurant. #markpattersonshow

Word reached Mark Patterson that Claudy butcher Micky O’Kane has been knighted by the French … for the finery of his sausages! Zut Alors mon ami! #MarkPattersonShow #RadioFoyle

Back in ’76, young love birds John and Una were partying the bit out in Donegal on New Year’s Eve. Una realised ‘this is now a Leap Year – I can ask HIM’ … This week, live on the Patterson show, 40 years later, they agreed to do it all over again. #markpattersonshow #una&john #leapyear

Evelyn McCullough is living with a rare terminal cancer called Pseudomyxoma. She had to be air lifted to Basingstoke in England because they couldn't treat it in NI. She had her abdominal organs removed and is now having aggressive chemo. Despite all of this, Evelyn has just released this book of life affirming photos, mostly from the North Coast. A lesson in living life to the full - and how the joy of photography can fly in the face of some of life's most cruel circumstances.

Today I heard the remarkable account of former police liaison officer Tracey Doherty. For years she was the officer tasked to tell families the bad news after a fatal car crash. “I prefer solid front doors” she says. When there was a glass pane, Tracey dreaded seeing the person coming to the door

The view of former Irish Museum of Modern Art chief Declan McGonagle on today’s show. Declan – a proud Derryman – feels politicians are ‘afraid of culture’ and despairs that the development of Ebrington has been ‘kicked down the road till 2033’. He proposes an ‘Exploratorium’ as an attraction that would draw significant numbers of young people to Ebrington in search of the arts and natural sciences

The 6 Nations beckons. George talks about 'Schmidt the conservative', the feeding of 'Ulsters paranoia' and why he, like me, feels McCloskey and Ringrose - both unselected - are the best centres in the land.

#markpattersonshow #lesbos #news

#MarkPattersonShow #RadioFoyle #212 #Translink #Transport

#Soldier #BBC #News #NorthernIreland #MarkPattersonShow

Online Date Anyone? Apparently this is the busiest week of the year for people going online to find love! I'm told last Sunday was the official "Dating Sunday". Makes sense i guess - people seeking new beginnings in a New Year. #BBC #MarkPattersonShow #OnlineDating #Match

Today, Mark was joined in studio by the Emergency Service Person of the Year, Cresent Link Fire Chief Kieran Doherty.

Robert Kelly and Niamh Long perform "Take me as I Am" ahead of next week’s show at St. Columbs College. #BBCRadioFoyle #Lunchtime #StephenMcCauley

Ahead of his 12 hour run around Derry's bridges, Tom McGrath joined Mark in studio to talk about his journey that led him here. #MarkPattersonShow

#KennyShiels #DerryCityFC #MarkPattersonShow

Did you watch it last night? Very moving stuff... Fact: There are more children in care in Northern Ireland than ever before - 2,875 children are in the system, the highest figure since current records began in 1995. ~ It can take over three years for a child in care to be placed with a new family ~ Many argue that's just too long. This is National Adoption week, and BBC Northern Ireland is looking at the intricacies of the child care system here. #MarkPattersonShow #Adoption #KinshipCare #Family # FindMeAFamily

Yesterday, we told the story of how local teenager Jane stopped to help a distressed young man on the Foyle Bridge. She stopped.. Would you? #MarkPattersonShow #BBCRadioFoyle

Broad Beans, birds and Best Boy Grip? Eoin O’Callaghan performed ‘Aim’ live from today’s St. Columb’s allotments live show. #MarkPattersonShow

#DorolesKeane#markpattersonshow#brotherandsister Dolores and Sean Keane are touring as brother and sister. Here, Sean sings and a most interesting chat with Dolores unfolds …

Scott Moore, a 6th former from Strabane brings his campaign of "no religion in school" to The Mark Patterson Show. #MarkPattersonShow #BBCRadioFoyle

Local man Dermot Bradley joins Mark in studio to explain just how, and WHY, this spud ended up in his letter box. #MarkPattersonShow #BBCRadioFoyle

Seamus Deane is one of Derry's best-known sons. His novel Reading in the Dark was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. And today, he joined Mark Patterson. #SeamusDeane #ReadingInTheDark

Wood Burning Savages chat + perform 'Premier League' ahead of tonight's Music for Free Movement fundraiser for refugees. #WoodBurningSavages #MPS

On #WorldSuicidePreventionDay Mark met Bi-Polar Poet Paul and Musician Kris with OCD, to talk about how their art has helped their mental illness.

#Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing #DanielODonnell #MPS

#MPS

Following on From ‘Paul’s Story’, an 11 year old transgender boy on Stephen Nolan this morning - Mark is joined by local couple Kerri and Lexi to talk life and love as a transgender couple in Northern Ireland. #LunchtimeWithMarkPatterson

On Friday's we took the show on the road to Stendhal Festival of Art, where Mark met up with headline act Donovan.

Gordon Watson captured this remarkable moment – when an arctic Beluga Whale swam right up to the coast at Dunseverick. He tells Mark all about the encounter. Beluga whales are pure white to merge into frozen landscapes, ice bergs etc. Watch the full video on our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/markpattersonshow #Lunchtime #MPS

John Bell is a remarkable man. After years of addiction, he found recovery through Derry’s Northland Centre. Then he took up yoga, and it changed his life. These days he is one of the most renowned yoga teachers in the country, and this weekend he hopes that hundreds will join him in his open air “Yoga in the Park” Event in Derry.

Jason Black, a Letterkenny mountaineer caught in deadly K2 avalanche - which has claimed their vital mountaineering gear - talks to Mark from the mountain. #K2

Derry crimewriter Brian McGilloway sells 750,000 books, goes back to teaching, tells me “I missed the kids" #BrianMcGilloway

Adopted Derryman Frank Rafferty on his appearance in the world's top TV show Game of Thrones.#GoT#GameOfThrones

Naomi who has been out of work for over three years told our news reporter Dean McLaughlin about how she is struggling to make ends meet. Here is an shortened edited version of her interview.

What's the best thing about #Derry? People got to put their answers on #vintagetypewriters at #LittleAcorns

Phil Reynolds goes out to a local farm to find out what it's like to work 24/7

Free health check? Eye test? Turkish shave maybe? This is what happenend when our resident guinea-pig Phil Reynolds went for the the in-studio-hot-shave from the lads at the Derry Barbers. This is all part of the Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum programme for men's health... great craic ...

Phil Reynolds went along to the re-enactment of the siege of Derry, here's how he got on

A remarkable conversation: 89 year old D-Day and London Blitz veteran Arthur Beales has lived in #Derry for 70 years. Jenny Witt our colleague grew up in Hamburg. Her granda was a military doctor. Listen again to their remarkable and touching on-air encounter.