Deise AM with Billy McCarthy
10:00 till 12:00 pm, Monday to Friday
'Deise AM' is the voice of the people and has been the most listened to and talked about radio show in Waterford for 20 years. The issues of the day are discussed, the concerns of the city and county are tackled, decision makers are called to account and generally, WLR FM airs the views of the largest radio audience in Waterford!
Also, join Julian Walton's "On This Day" every morning at 10:50am for a three-minute history lesson from yesteryear in Waterford.
CONTACT US..
If you have a story or would like an issue highlighted on the programme, contact Deise AM producer Jennifer Long on (051) 846123 or via e-mail, deiseam@wlrfm.com
Regular Slots
Mondays
Dr. Eithne Brenner of The Brenner Clinic joins Billy in studio on the second and fourth Mondays of every month to discuss health topics and answer your health queries...
And, new to 'DEISE AM' since February 2010, the founder of Grow It Yourself Ireland, Dunmore East's Michael Kelly, pops into studio to give his fortnightly step-by-step guide to listeners on how to save a fortune - and avail of nutritious, good food - by growing your own fruit and vegetables in the back garden!
Tuesdays
Well-known Waterford chef Martin Dwyer joins Billy each Tuesday for his hugely popular food slot in which he gives recipies for some mouth-watering dishes for you to try at home...
Wednesdays
Resident DEISE AM vet, Charles Chavasse of the Deise Veterinary Studio, chats to Billy, twice a month, about all pet-related matters and answers questions from listeners.
Fridays
Our man in sports, Kevin Casey, pops into Billy in studio to give a flavour of what will be happening on the Waterford sporting scene over the weekend...
Also, our resident counsellor and psychotherapist Deborah Halley comes into studio every second Friday to give advice to listeners, and answer their questions, regarding a host of counselling issues ranging from parenting and relationship problems to self-esteem and anxiety issues, plus life's problems generally.
Programme highlights....week commencing March 1, 2010
On Monday, as a group of parents in the Kilmacthomas area tried to deal with a situation whereby their children had been left without a bus to school in Dungarvan because of a cut to a public service by Bus Eireann, we spoke to Dunmore East parent Caroline Griffin who found herself in the same situation a few months ago about how she fared in the end in her battle against the bus company and the Department of Education...
Waterford Regional Hospital's General Manager Patricia O'Sullivan expressed her delight at the good news that WRH had become the first hospital to be awarded top marks in a new HSE hospital ratings system!
Plus, following Ireland's fantastic win over England in the rugby, we got reaction to the result from former Munster and Irish international, Ben Cronin from Waterford...
On Tuesday, a city listener called Ann called the programme to express her horror at attending a charity fundraiser in a Waterford hotel with her husband and six-year-old son - and finding that it featured scantily clad women and was sponsored by a lapdancing club!
Billy spoke to two Waterford councillors - Labour's Pat Hayes in the city and Fianna Fail's James Tobin in the county - to get their views of the calls that were being made by a group of retired TDs and Senators for an end to the practise of politicians attending constituents' funerals...
And, we met the two new just-unveiled grand marshals for this year's St. Patrick's Day parade in Waterford - popular local ladies Peg Tebay and Babs Murphy from St. John's Park!
On Wednesday, following the tragic death of a young baby from the region after an incident with a window blind cord, listener Deirdre from Dunmore East recounted her horror experience of nearly losing her son in a similar accident two years ago...
Former county mayor Tom Higgins defended payments of nearly 700,000 euro made to members of Waterford County Council last year...
Meanwhile, well-known Waterford hotelier June Darrer of Dooley's Hotel in the city spoke about the crisis facing the hotel industry - a topic that was top of the agenda at the annual conference of the Irish Hotels' Federation in Galway
On Thursday, Tramore listener John O'Keeffe came on-air to explain why he was labelling his fellow residents in the seaside town 'begrudgers'!...
Shane Dunphy, child protection expert and also lecturer and newspaper columnist, gave his reaction to the horrific case of 18-year-old Tracey Fay who died in care in 2002 having been failed by the State...
Plus, accountant Barry Kennedy joined us on the programme to explain to listeners the detail of the new National Pensions Framework announced by Government
Finally, on Friday, two Waterford publicans - John Aylward from 'The Wander Inn' in Johnstown in the city plus Mike Power of 'The Cats Bar' in Mount Melleray - gave us their views on whether pubs should open on Good Friday.!..
Six-year-old Waterford boy Liam Kervick joined Billy in studio to talk about the fundraiser he was undertaking for Haiti...
And as the debate continued to rage over TK Maxx's location in the Butlerstown Retail Park in Waterford, Tramore Town Councillor Blaise Hannigan explained why Tramore would be more than happy to have the store re-located there if Waterford city didn't want it!