The LoveLaois Podcast

We’re back with a new episode of the LoveLaois Podcast and there’s plenty to talk about.Steven kicks things off with his account of the new housing project that was officially opened this week at the old convent in Portlaoise. Alan speaks about Dr Sean Montague who has written and released a new book. The monthly council meeting took place on Monday and Steven has some suggestions on how things could be quickened up. We also have details on two big Bank Holiday weekend festivals - Greenfields and TradFest. 

We're back with a new episode of the LoveLaois Podcast and there's plenty to talk about.Steven gives an insight into the incredibly dramatic Fianna Fáil selection convention contest where Elva Kelly beat off stiff competition from Willie Ramsbottom.Alan chats about his trip to Mountrath where Minister Dara Calleary was on hand to open two new facilities while Steven met him in Portarlington where he opened the Market House and the People's Park.Plus with the retirement of Alan Flynn and the imminent closure of the AJ Menswear in Portlaoise, the lads discuss Portlaoise's Main Street, its future and the proliferation of vape shops, nail bars and barbers.

The LoveLaois Podcast returns and we bring you an interview that we can almost certainly guarantee that, should you listen to it, it will make you laugh. Alan and Steven are joined by two of the main men behind Portlaoise TradFest - Ruaidhri Tierney and Bill O'Brien. The Portlaoise duo are music mad and they begin with a chat about their musical careers to date. How Comhaltas shaped them as children and instilled a love of traditional music that burns bright today. Tierney was on a European tour with his band Buíoch last year and they have just recently completed a series of gigs in the Guinness Store House. Speaking on the Podcast, the lads have unveiled an exciting and diverse programme for this year’s TradFest, which returns to Portlaoise over the May Bank Holiday weekend.Now in its fourth year, the festival will once again celebrate Irish traditional music through a wide range of events designed to appeal to both performers and audiences of all ages.Across the weekend, festival-goers can enjoy a series of headline concerts, alongside late-night entertainment and a lively festival club atmosphere.Traditional music sessions will take place throughout the town, bringing a vibrant energy to local venues and creating opportunities for both musicians and spectators to get involved.Workshops will form a key part of the programme, offering musicians of all levels the chance to learn from experienced performers, while a variety of youth-focused events aim to encourage the next generation of traditional artists.These include dedicated youth sessions, an inclusive session, and the popular Youth Trad Battle.The festival will also feature a mix of performances across the weekend, with gigs taking place in established venues as well as informal settings, ensuring a balance between structured concerts and spontaneous music-making.Late-night DJ sets will add to the festival atmosphere, rounding off each evening.You can get the full details of the festival here.

The latest episode of the LoveLaois Podcast is here and we have a very special guest - our own Samanta Danne. Readers of LaoisToday will have seen Samanta's name popping up on articles in recent months as she has been on work experience with us. A Law and Criminology student at Portlaoise Further Institute, Portlaoise native Samanta has a fascinating story to tell. Her mam is from Latvia and her dad is Russian so she is one of the most culturally diverse people that we have ever had the pleasure of interviewing. Steven Miller and Alan Hartnett join Samanta to talk about her life so far, her love of languages and her hopes for the future. The lads also discuss the latest news from around Laois including the relaunch of Penneys and the goings-on in the Council. While Steven also unveils plans for a story that will see Alan tackle the one thing he hates more than anything in the world - cycle lanes! 

Derval O'Rourke was the special guest at the Local Enterprise Office women's lunch in the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise on Friday where she shared her some of her business experience as owner of Derval.ie, an online health, fitness, and wellness platform. A world champion athlete and three time Olympian, she chats to us about her business journey, how she loves what she does, what makes her anxious in business and the support she has received from her Local Enterprise Office in Cork.  She also discusses her time on Ireland's Fittest Family and why she will not accept an invitation to go on Dancing with the Stars. The LaoisToday LoveLaois Business podcast is brought to you in association with the Local Enterprise Office Laois. 

The LoveLaois Podcast returns and the focus of this episode is on the big local political story of the week.Fianna Fail's Padraig Fleming has announced that he will retire from politics in the coming months. It was a shock to everyone with Alan Hartnett and Steven Miller giving their initial reaction on the episode. After that, the discussion meanders on to matters in the Middle East where a number of Laois people got caught up in the US/Iran/Israel conflict. Finally, there is high praise for a Laois County Council initiative celebrating people who reach 100 years of age.  

Gerry Duffy is a speaker and author in High Performance working with business leaders and teams to help them perform at their best and he joins us on the latest episode of the LaoisToday LoveLaois Business podcast ahead of his appearance in the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel next week as part of Local Enterprise week.He has worked with over 1,000 organisations across Ireland and internationally, ranging from SMEs to global brands, helping people improve focus, execution and results in fast-paced environments.Gerry chats to us about some of the the challenges that business owners have - and what they can do to improve.Gerry is speaking in the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel on Tuesday, March 3, from 6-7pm.His talk in Abbeyleix is titled 'Five business resources every leader should use - but most never do'. The event is free to attend and you can find out more information here.The LaoisToday LoveLaois Business podcast is brought to you in association with the Local Enterprise Office Laois. 

Is there any business owner or manager that wouldn't like to make their business more efficient?John O'Shanahan, owner of business improvement consultancy Lean BPI, joins us on this episode ahead of his webinar which is part of this year's Local Enterprise week.He chats about some of the practices businesses can adapt and some of the grants that are available. John's webinar - titled Working Smarter for Lean and Digital: Practical lessons for today's small businesses - is free to attend and is on from 12.30pm to 1.15pm on Friday, March 6, as part of Local Enterprise week. You can book your spot here. The LaoisToday LoveLaois Business podcast is brought to you in association with the Local Enterprise Office Laois. 

Local Portlaoise band The Controversy joined us for a special musical feature on this week’s LoveLaois Podcast.Work-experience student Samanta Danne made her official debut as the host as she sat down to interview the rising Laois act.Fresh off their 2025 Electric Youth win that gave them an amazing opportunity to perform at the Electric Picnic, Samanta gets to know the group — drummer Adam Reilly, singer Erin O’Dwyer, bassist Neive Leith and guitarist Aidan Dermody — and their experiences as young musicians in Laois.They talk about how they first met through Friday Jam sessions and how they played their proper first gig together as a band while competing in the Electric Youth competition.Each member opened up about their musical backgrounds, writing their own original music, how they balance band practice alongside other commitments like school, and the wide-ranging influences – from Jazz to Rock- that have shaped them individually and collectively into a fresh, innovative band.In true newsroom fashion, Alan also made an impromptu appearance to ask Aidan more about his Costa Rican background, as he’d just moved to Ireland two years ago.The band also spoke about what it’s like to grow within the Laois music scene and the support they found locally like Music Generation.They even bravely answered– with plenty of hesitation – the question of naming their dream collaborations with musicians both dead or alive.With their next gig set for Sally Gardens on March 7, this is the perfect time to get to know more about this up-and-coming Laois band, The Controversy.To follow them on social media, you can find them on:Tiktok: @thecontroversy_officialInstagram: @the_controversyofficial.

No guest this week but there is still plenty to talk about on the latest episode of the LoveLaois Podcast. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett where the pair reflect on the recent goings on in Laois County Council. Steven was at the Portlaoise Municipal meeting while Alan was at the Graiguecullen-Portarlington equivalent. The lads go threw the motions and pick out their favourites - and award their 'Councillor of the meeting'. They also discuss the decision to remove SNAs, which has been paused, and also somehow end up talking about the Eurovision!

It has been a busy week in LaoisToday. Alan has been out and about at two ministerial visits to the county and Steven was at Fianna Fáil's big bash in the Midlands Park Hotel to celebrate the party's centenary. All of those, however, pale into insignificance compared to Steven's big trip to Camross for a somewhat historic meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District. As well as discussing the motions and the councillors, bridges and floods, one of the big decisions of the week was whether to have the Camross Club or the Killanure Klassic in the Poet's Cottage. Work experience student Samanta Danne make her podcast debut, chatting about the residential tenancies bill, while Alan also has a fascinating update about a movie filmed in Stradbally and which Abbeyleix man Reuben Harvey was very much involved in on the production side.

After 45 years in Laois County Council, Willie Aird was elected to Dáil Éireann in December 2024 and has now a year under his belt as a TD. He sits down with us for a chat on the experience so far, getting used to the workings in Leinster House, what it's like being a TikTok star and how he has adjusted his farming life with his new role. Plus, he chats about the next General Election, the popularity of the Healy-Raes and occasionally getting on the wrong side of the Ceann Comhairle. 

A wide and varied episode if ever there was one. We remember Andy Bergin, the former Timahoe publican who passed away, as well as Leon de Barra, a former school principal, who also died this week. Plus we discuss the planning permission that has been granted for the new Dunamase College in Portlaoise, the malting barley controversy and a variety of topics that came up at the full meeting of Laois County Council this week - from hot school meals to St Patrick's Day in New York, approved housing bodies to a United Ireland. 

The latest episode of the LoveLaois Podcast is here and this one sees us looking back on events from the past week. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett where the pair reflect on recent Laois County Council meetings that they attended. Steven was at the Portlaoise Municipal meeting while Alan attended the Graiguecullen-Portarlington meeting. They each give a run down of the various motions and issues that were raised. The lads also chat about some of the other news stories from the last week. 

Steven and Alan return for a chat about some of the week's stories. Steven attended an almost-private showing of the Portlaoise Pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Beours and was pushed way past his comfort zone. But he was well impressed with the show and couldn't recommend it highly enough. The lads also chat about the well-mannered councillors in the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District which Steven attended this week while Alan is on the lookout for two recent lotto winners in Laois. They also chat briefly about the Mercusor deal, why it discommoded Alan's soccer, and about Dancing with the Stars and Katelyn Cummins's emergence as the bookies favourite. 

We sat down with the CEO of Laois County Council Michael Rainey recently. He chatted about his somewhat unusual educational background, his various roles in local authorities and how he arrived to the top job in Laois. With a staff of 550 people under him and an annual council budget of over €132 million, he deals with a range of Government departments and bodies. Among the local issues he discussed was housing, roads, working with the county councillors and significant investment across the county. 

Over eight days and 11 shows and in front of a combined audience of 2,500, the Portlaoise Panto will go centre stage in the Dunamaise Arts Centre again this month. Beginning this Saturday, July 19, Goldilocks and the Three Beours promises to be another fun-filled performance from the Portlaoise group. As the cast the production team went through a manic final week of rehearsals, we sat down with the three beours - Donal Brennan, Emma Phelan and Ciara Dollard - as well as chairperson Sandra O'Reilly to chat about their involvement over the years, the parallel universe of panto land and why it really brighten up the month of January. 

Laois Independent TD Brian Stanley is our first guest of 2026 on the LoveLaois Podcast. He chats about his first full year in the Dáil as an Independent, how it compares to his time in Sinn Féin, his relationship with Mary Lou McDonald, and a potential Border Poll. His role in Catherine Connolly's presidential succession comes up for discussion as does the united left arrangement as well as his own potential plans to grow his team of Independent Republicans in Laois. 

And a Happy New Year to you all. Steven and Alan return with a first LoveLaois Podcast of 2026 where they catch up after Christmas and talk about an array of wildly different topics. Watching the darts, playing golf, considering golf as a hobby, watching Netflix and reading Matt Cooper's excellent book on Dunnes Stores all come up for discussion. We also chat about Darragh Lyons' charity sky dive and impending episodes where we have a range of guests lined up. 

Over and out. As 2025 comes to a close, we look back on some of the top stories from the year that was. Electric Picnic, the Presidential Election, a trip to New York and more time spent in the County Council chamber than we care to remember. Steven and Alan look back on the 2025 year and some of the major moments locally, what they enjoyed and what they didn't - and the types of stories and interviews they'd like to do in 2026. 

A year after being elected to Dáil Éireann for the seventh successive term, Laois Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming joins us for a chat. In a wide-ranging discussion he hits on a number of big topics. He chats about the disappointment of not being re-appointed as a Minister for State after last year's General Election, his current role as chairman of the Oireachtas Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery and his ministerial experience in Finance and Foreign Affairs. He also discusses the recent Presidential Election, the Jim Gavin fiasco and why he voted for Billy Kelleher. Will he run again at the next election, what does the future hold for Fianna Fáil and how does he tune out from the almost 24/7 demands of being a TD?

When we last spoke to Aaron Doran, he had just assisted Evan Ferguson to help Bohemian's win the U-17 League of Ireland. Fast forward almost five years, and the Ratheniska man is still playing the sport that he loves. While some of his teammates from that game are plying their trade in England, Italy and Scotland, the midfielder's journey has taken him around Ireland. When his time at Bohemian's came to an end, Doran signed for First Division club Wexford FC. After a difficult 2023 season in the sunny South East, Aaron received the news that his contract would not be extended and he found himself without a club for the first time ever. But rather than pack it in, Doran dropped into the Leinster Senior League and rebuilt his career with Maynooth - a place where he was also in college at the time. A successful spell there saw him score a move to Longford Town this season where things took off again. Operating in midfield, Doran led his side up the table and they just missed out on a place in the playoffs. In the off season, Doran was named the club's Player of the Year and in the middle of his off season, Aaron joined Alan Hartnett for a chat.

In the latest LoveLaois Podcast, we chat about Steven's trip in the Laois Chamber dinner, enjoying Pat McDonagh's stories and why Alan was well impressed with Supermac's festive offering. Steven also looks back on the latest wonderful showing from the Portlaoise Musical Society while the lads also discuss some of the issues that came to the fore at this week's meeting of Laois County Council. 

This week's LoveLaois Podcast focuses on a young Laois man whose political activism saw him score an invite to the inauguration of President Catherine Connolly. 18-year-old Harry McGree, a Leaving Cert student in Portlaoise CBS, was one of just 200 people who attended the event in Dublin Castle. Harry played a role in the Connolly campaign and was invited along with his parents Noel and Antoinette. In this interview, Harry explains how his interest in politics came from what he has endured since a very young age. Harry's dad Noel made protected disclosures against the Irish Prison Service where he highlighted alleged corruption.Public Accounts Committee ­hearings were told a Department of Justice report put the cost of the alleged wrongdoing exposed by Mr McGree at more than €20m.He has received formal apologies from the Department of Justice and the Irish Prison Service after his disclosures ­resulted in him being subjected to harassment and intimidation.But Harry is very much his own man and, despite being made homeless last month, he is an extremely positive person who says he wants to make a difference in the world.

The latest edition of the LoveLaois Podcast is here and it is a wide and varied episode. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett to look back at some of the stories that have made the headlines on LaoisToday. Catherine Connolly has been inaugurated as president since we last recorded following her election. There were plenty of council stories while the lads also took a trip to the AVIVA stadium recently. 

The Irish public will go to the polls on Friday in the 2025 Irish Presidential Election, bringing the curtain down on a campaign that had all its drama in the early days. Will turnout reach 40%? What sort of vote will Jim Gavin get? How many spoiled votes will there be? Steven intends going to the Laois Count Centre on Saturday to observe this most occasional of elections. Alan hasn't been overly excited by the whole thing, Steven wonders what type of candidate Heather Humphreys would have taken out in a one-on-one contest and they both marvel at Catherine Connolly's ability to soak up the political pressure and bat away any type of question with considerable ease. From presidential chat, the lads then segue into a discussion about the Cumann na mBunscol after Alan spent all of Tuesday and Wednesday in O'Moore Park at this year's finals. Steven has an idea for a Laois GAA World Cup - would it work?

There's a lot to catch up on in the latest LoveLaois Podcast. Jim Gavin, Micheal Martin (Bertie gets a mention), Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Mick Wallace are all discussed on this week's LoveLaois Podcast. So too is the new Portlaoise Bus Service, the anti-social behaviour in Portlaoise Town Centre, the e-bikes, Alan's love of cyclists and, of course, the excitement of county final season as Steven reflects on a morning in Camross and Killanure. 

With the summer well and truly behind us now, it was another eventful week on the local political scene. Alan was in the Laois County Council chamber on Monday for September's full meeting, the first since June, and it was a rather humdrum affair until a dispute broke out over the make-up of a new committee. Cllr Aisling Moran (Independent) and Cllr Paddy Bracken (Fianna Fáil) got embroiled in a war of words with Cllr Bracken provocatively suggesting that Cllr Moran return to Fine Gael, her former party. "You are more Fine Gael than me," thundered Cllr Moran in response. "The big Fine Gael head on you," she told the staunch Fianna Fáiler. Alan gives the backdrop to that story and he discusses with Steven whether you can have a certain political head or not. Steven is adamant that he could identify the leanings of politicians by just looking at them. They also discuss Jim Gavin (of Fianna Fáil) and his presidential campaign visit to Portlaoise on Thursday where he put down a lengthy canvass around the town. 

The runners and riders are confirmed now for the presidential election and Steven was in Portlaoise Library on Thursday morning for the visit of Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys. Steven and Alan chat about the race - is it boring, should we have more choice, who should Maria Steen blame for not making it on to the ballot sheet and who is the most likeable candidate?Why didn't Sinn Fein field a candidate themselves, can Fine Gael win a presidential election for the first time ever and how will The Left all work together for Catherine Connolly. Steven previously met Catherine Connolly on her visit to Portlaoise so it means that the last show to get to town, if it does, is Jim Gavin and Fianna Fáil. 

The latest episode of the Laois Football Podcast is here and this one focuses on everything bar senior. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett for this one where the duo start with Intermediate. The championship final between Park-Ratheniska and Arles-Kilcruise forms most of the chat as the lads evaluate both teams. They also look ahead to the B and relegation finals at that grade. While they briefly look at the Junior A semis and Junior C final which will also take place. 

We return with our latest episode of the LoveLaois Podcast this week where the Alan and Steven chat about the shenanigans around the Irish Presidential Election - and in particular what happened in Laois County Council this week. Alan describes some of the characters that came before the councillors seeking a nomination, the drama over the vote and whether the Laois councillors were right or wrong to deny Gareth Sheridan a nomination. 

The LoveLaois Podcast this week features a very special guest who has achieved international fame. Last month, Katelyn Cummins was crowned International Rose of Tralee - the first ever winner from Laois. On Monday, she was at Downey's to collect her brand new Kia car which she will drive for the year. Our own Steven Miller headed over for the event and caught up with Katelyn. Less than a month after her win, she speaks about how much her life has changed - and the parts she is trying to keep the same. Learning how to say 'no', what lies ahead for her in the next 12 months and her excitement at upgrading her car are also hot topics.

The 2025 Electric Picnic is now in the rear-view window and attention now turns to the 2026 edition.But before all of that, Steven Miller joins Alan Hartnett to look back at the weekend. LaoisToday performed on Friday with our sports quiz while Steven then took to the Main Stage with the Timahoe Choir. Tickets for 2026 went on sale this morning and sold out in an hour - leaving many locals disappointed. 

It's Electric Picnic Eve and ahead of this year's festival, we caught up with chef Neven Maguire and Leo Moran of the Saw Doctors for separate interviews. The incredibly eclectic nature of Electric Picnic is epitomised by Neven Maguire. He's a well renowned chef who has had a national profile via his TV shows for a number of years. He's also the proud owner of Macnean House and Restaurant in Cavan. What isn't as well known is that he has also done DJ sets over the years and has an incredible collection of vinyl records. This Saturday in the Theatre of Food in Electric Picnic, he'll be doing a cookery demonstration as well as a DJ set. He chats about that, the history of his family business and his new upcoming show on RTE. We also hear from Leo Moran of the Saw Doctors, who will be playing Electric Picnic for the third year running. After a Main Stage appearance last year, they move to a prime time Friday night slot in the Electric Arena this year. On the go for almost 40 years, he chats about how Electric Picnic has opened them up to a whole new generation of young fans. 

The LoveLaois Podcast returns this week as Steven and Alan chat about this year's Electric Picnic. Alan was at the press day on Tuesday - which is generally regarded as the Junket of the Year. As well as a free lunch and a bag load of goodies, he also came back with an array of random thoughts, chief among them his observations on other members of the media. Alan tells us all about who he met at the press day and who he's looking forward to seeing while Steven discusses his Main Stage appearance as a newly signed-up member of the Timahoe Male Choir. The lads also chat about a debut appearance in Hazelwood for the Stradbally Community Choir, the impact of the Electric Picnic locally and, of course LaoisToday's QuizCast in the Ah Hear tent in the Mindfield arena on Friday afternoon. 

New Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Walsh from Ballyroan dropped into the LaoisToday offices last week for a chat about his journey, his experience of politics so far and what he'd like to see achieved over the next year.  

Laois man Shane Whelan has a bird's eye view of one of the world's biggest sporting event this year. As Director of Digital Marketing and Communictions with the British and Irish Lions, he's currently in Australia for this year's tour. It's his fourth tour to work on, having been in Australia in 2013, New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa in 2021. From Abbeyleix, he previously worked in communications roles with Basketball Ireland and the IRFU before moving to the role with the Lions where he oversees their considerable marketing, communications and social media operation. On this week's LoveLaois Podcast he chats about what the role entails, the team he oversees, being in the dressing room for some of the big moments and being away from his family for long spells of time. This episode was recorded on Tuesday of last week while Shane was in Brisbane ahead of the warmup game against the Queensland Reds. They then moved to Sydney to play the NSW Waratahs on Saturday and they play the ACT Brumbies in Canberra this Saturday. Indeed it's a tour that sees them traverse Australia - from Perth to Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne. The first test against Australia takes place in Brisbane on July 19 with the second and third tests in Melbourne and Sydney on the subsequent Saturdays.  

After a couple of weeks of Alan and Steven, the LoveLaois Podcast changes tact again as it focuses on an interview with a very impressive Laois person. Last week, Alan sat down with Portlaoise teenager Jack Cleland who spoke about his journey in the world of soccer. The 16-year-old, who started out with Portlaoise AFC, is now ripping it up with St Patrick's Athletic in the U-17 League of Ireland. Comfortable as a striker or on the wing, Jack details how he has ended up where he is today. He highlights the ups and downs of such a cut throat sport and talks about his hopes for the future. 

And with that, Leaving Cert 2025 is over. It's in the past.For the exam students they can take a well-earned collective sigh of relief.Over the past couple of weeks, Aoife Fitzpatrick from Cullenagh near Ballyroan and a Leaving Cert student in Scoil Chríost Rí in Portlaoise has penned a Leaving Cert column for LaoisToday.She described her experience, her hopes and what each exam was like. Her column was informative, entertaining and very well-received.And this week she's a guest on our LoveLaois Podcast. She joins host Steven Miller to chat about the various subjects, the reaction she got to the column and what is next on the agenda.She hopes to study Global Media in the University of Galway but says she's taking a year out first to work and undertake a PLC.She chats about what her dream job might look like and how she uses social media.

The LoveLaois Podcast returns and there is plenty of news for the lads to talk about. Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett and they begin by discussing some of the rows that have taken place in Laois County Council this week. They also chat about the Laois Abroad series which is in full swing and has covered a range of countries already. The new careers series is also up and going with the wonderful Martina Mulhall interviewing a range of people. 

Our LoveLaois Podcast is back and this very special episode covers an event which took place at the weekend. On Saturday, in St Anne's Park, 18,000 people gathered for Pints In A Field 3 - a music event hosted by The 2 Johnnies. The show saw performances from Basshunter, The Tumbling Paddies, The Vengaboys, Jimmy Buckley, Pat Shortt, Super Ceili and The 2 Johnnies themselves. But before all of that, the show was officially opened by The Timahoe Male Choir. With our own Steven Miller now an 'honorary' member of the group, they took to the main stage at 5pm and played for 25 minutes. Steven joins Alan Hartnett, who was present in the crowd, to look back on an incredible day. We also have interviews from Damien Bowe and Padraig Clancy while the episode ends with a snippet from their performance.

For the first time in almost two months, the LoveLaois Podcast returns to its original format. The Friday Panel is here to look back at the news stories that made the headlines on LaoisToday this week.Alan Hartnett and Steven Miller are up for this one and they have plenty to talk about. The start with the case of Beniamin Petre who is accused of making threats against Irish children, babies and people in general - who turned up in Laois this week. We had a line up announcement from Electric Picnic which leads to some musical entertainment from Steven. There is also the story of the missing €200,000 for Timahoe and a proposal to build a museum in Laois. 

Our Transition Year series for 2024-2025 concludes with this episode with Portlaoise CBS student Eoghan Deegan. From Vicarstown, Eoghan tells us why he decided to do TY, what the year has been like and how he decided upon his subject choices for Leaving Cert. He also tries to tell us about his plans for his PE project and why it's not actually a doss subject!Plus he chats about his attitudes towards spending and saving, his use of social media and his unfiltered views on TikTok!Our Transition Year series is brought to you in association with People First Credit Union.  People First Credit Union support young minds in shaping their future.People First believe in the power of community and the potential of youth. People First Credit Union – building a future of opportunity, one saver at a time.

Sean Tuohy from Portlaoise CBS is the latest guest on our Transition Year series of the LoveLaois Podcast. From Vicarstown, Sean chats about his TY experience this year, his various work experiences, his subject choices for the Leaving Cert and what he'd like to do in college. He also discusses his use of social media, how he consumes news and what his attitude towards spending and saving. Our Transition Year series is brought to you in association with People First Credit Union.  People First Credit Union support young minds in shaping their future.People First believe in the power of community and the potential of youth. People First Credit Union – building a future of opportunity, one saver at a time. 

The National Student Enterprise Awards finals take place next week and Laois will be represented by Portlaoise twins.Conor and Ross Dunne impressed the Laois judges with their project Mooving.ie.The TY students’ victory ensured that Portlaoise CBS retained the title following David Reddin and Johnny Phelan’s win last year.Conor and Ross are the sons of John Dunne who has owned Hume Auctioneers since 1999.The idea for Mooving.ie came from working with their dad where they noticed a particular need.When people are buying or moving home, they often require the services of solicitors, painters, surveyors etc and Mooving.ie is the one stop shop for all of that.Ahead of the final next week, the lads joined Steven Miller to chat about their journey so far.

Katelyn Cummins from Ballyouskil, just across the Laois-Kilkenny border, became the newest Laois Rose last Friday night when she was crowned at the selection night in the Midlands Park Hotel. Held just every two years now, she takes over from Sinead Dowd from Cullohill who was the 2023 winner. Katelyn had come straight from work for this interview, where she is an apprentice electrician with Alpha Drives in Portlaoise. She chats about working in a male-dominated industry, her upbringing on the family dairy farm and her love of camogie and dancing. As well as that she discusses the thrill of being crowned Laois Rose, what it means to her family and why they can't all wait to get to Tralee for the iconic festival in August. 

Society tells us that there's a certain order in which we should be doing things. Primarily, it's school, college, work, then business. But for Alison O'Kelly, a young woman from Portlaoise, she doesn't tend to follow the trend. A head girl in Scoil Chríost Rí, she didn't conform to the stereotype, opting to take a backdoor route to university, set up her own business in the meantime and then manage her degree course with working and building a business. Owner of AOK Mentoring, a "modern day communications company" that offers digital marketing and public speaking services, she's also finishing her studies in DCU. In this LoveLaois Podcast, she discusses her background, what she does and how she balances it all. 

A top class jockey, a seven-time winner at Cheltenham, a judge on Ireland's Fittest Family, a published children's author and a former champion on Dancing with the Stars. Nina Carberry certainly doesn't do things in half measures. Elected as a Fine Gael MEP in last June's European Elections, she is quickly getting around her sprawling 15-county constituency that makes up the Midlands North West. It stretches from the very top of Donegal to the bottom of Laois, includes all of Connacht as well as Louth, Longford, Westmeath, Offaly, Carlow, Kildare and her native Meath. Last Thursday night she was in Portlaoise for the retirement dinner of long-serving Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan. She was then back on Friday to visit Mountmellick and Stradbally and rounded the day off by stopping by in LaoisToday for a podcast interview. In a good-humoured chat, she discusses how she arrived in the political world, what her week in Brussels and Strasbourg entails and why she thinks her party colleague Mairead McGuinness would make a great President.Having been well-used to a hectic life as a jockey, she's now balancing her political role with the family life and young children.After her trip to Laois, she was heading back home to Meath to bring her daughters to ladies football training in Ratoath.  

The Friday Panel is here to look back at the news stories that made the headlines on LaoisToday this week.Alan Hartnett is joined by Steven Miller where issue range from a new book, a fundraiser, to housing and April Fool's. The pair also chat about the Electric Picnic line up, a Laois company that was sold for €31.6 million and much more.