There are moments on live radio when you know the interviewee is experiencing immense pain, but they’re determined to speak publicly. Such a moment was on Wednesday morning when Sharon Magennis, the principal of Largy College in Clones, spoke on Morning Ireland (RTÉ Radio 1, weekday mornings) about the tragic deaths of two students, best friends Kiea McCann (17) and Dlava Mohamed (16).
The “beautiful girls” died in a car crash on Monday evening, just outside Clones. Two other teens (a boy and a girl) and a man (60) were injured in the incident. The circumstances were utterly incomprehensible: teenagers on the way to their debs, about to celebrate their entry into adulthood. On the same show on Tuesday, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys described it as the “worst possible nightmare for a family”.
Morning Ireland has an important role in setting the national news agenda, and it’s often where people turn first to speak publicly about tragic events such as this. On Tuesday, Magennis was in the always capable, empathetic hands of Audrey Carville, who is as able to support people through deeply sad interviews as she is to skewer a slippery eel of a politician. She gave the “heartbroken” Magennis the space to talk about the “always smiling” Dlava, and “pleasant and courteous” Kiea. At times like these it feels like a lot to expect people so recently bereaved to speak on air. But the experienced team at Morning Ireland know how to set the right tone.
On Tuesday, Andrea Gilligan opened the floor to her interviewees in a different way. Her slot about influencers on Monday’s Lunchtime Live (Newstalk, weekdays) was spurred by new research which showed that two-thirds of 16- to 24-year-olds and almost half of 25- to 34-year-olds have bought something online because of a recommendation from an influencer or celebrity. But do we always know when we’re being influenced? That’s what Gilligan wanted answered, and rather than push her own opinions forward she welcomed a range of listeners to have their say.
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The first caller, Róisín, suggested that influencer culture is similar to the Tupperware parties of old, showing that personal recommendations are key. She was followed by Dr Irene McCormack, who runs a course for influencers. “We’re all influenced by people we admire,” she said. So far, so standard.
‘Are men so fragile that they can’t have a bit of fun poked at them?’ needled Kelly, but Quinn wasn’t budging, suggesting that if the roles were reversed we’d call Barbie a sexist movie
But because the callers were well-informed, the conversation could dig deeper into influencer culture and social media behaviour, and in the end showed how powerless even grown adults feel around their online activity. Gilligan described sitting next to an influencer in the hairdressers, telling McCormack: “I was exhausted, Irene, watching her.”
This led on to the mental health impact of social media. Chillingly, McCormack noted that most parents don’t have a clue what their children are doing online, while guidance counsellor Kay outlined how young men can gravitate towards “horrible” influencers peddling misogynist ideas. One caller, Jenna, said she has deleted her social media apps. By the end of this discussion, you’d have wanted to do the same.
On Newstalk Breakfast (weekday mornings), they enjoy the sort of “just asking” debates that are beloved on social media. On Tuesday, columnist and Iona Institute chief executive David Quinn spoke to presenter Ciara Kelly about whether the Barbie film was – wait for it – sexist towards men. Though assuming he was in the wrong demographic, he went to a screening with an open mind. But Barbie wasn’t for him.
Claiming the movie had a “right go at men”, he found the Kens in Barbieland, led by Ryan Gosling, “emasculated eye-candy himbos”, while in the film’s “real world” all the men were “sexist creeps”. His second objection was that he didn’t find it all that funny. “You sound like you’re being a little bit triggered,” suggested Kelly.
Quinn believed director Greta Gerwig “overdid” Barbie’s message about independence. “The message for women seemed to be life is basically impossible in the ‘real world’,” said Quinn, sounding baffled. Perhaps he has missed what women have been saying about Ireland’s gender-based violence and healthcare issues (for starters) over the past decade.
“Are men so fragile that they can’t have a bit of fun poked at them?” needled Kelly, but Quinn wasn’t budging, suggesting that if the roles were reversed we’d call Barbie a sexist movie. Unhappy though he was about Barbie’s targeting of the patriarchy, a befuddled Quinn sounded most disappointed about the lack of a love story in the film. Aw. But while accusing Gerwig of overthinking things, methinks Quinn doth protest too much.
Speaking of strong women, Ireland played their third and final World Cup match on Monday, against Nigeria. By that afternoon there would be a brewing controversy over an interaction between manager Vera Pauw and star player Katie MacCabe, which would be discussed at length on Tuesday’s Liveline (RTÉ Radio 1, weekdays). Before that all kicked off – sorry – there was Samantha Libreri’s touching report for Today With Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1 (where Philip Boucher-Hayes is keeping Byrne’s seat warm, and providing considered coverage of various angles to the climate crisis).
Libreri was reporting live from Brisbane, speaking to people for whom the World Cup was a deeply important moment for Irish women. Lorraine McCann from Dublin, who’s been in Australia for more than 30 years, was nearly in tears as she told Libreri about her family connections to the sport. “It’s very special to have it down here, a World Cup – and for it to be the women.”.
Nicola Holly of the Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland said the event was “like Christmas”. “To the people here, it means the world,” said Holly of the team’s (sadly) final game.
