Frank Mitchell is your host for the weekday Phone-In programme. Listen back to past broadcasts full of chat, advice, guests, discussion, music and lots more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5416: LISTENĀ¦ What makes Royal Portrush one of the world's greatest golf venues? Frank spoke to Jasper Miners, editor of Top 100 Golf Courses
6 mins; July 18, 2025
5415: LISTENĀ¦ Has The Open inspired you to consider a career in golf? Ulster University has launched a new course that's already attracting worldwide attention. Frank spoke to the man behind the course, Dr Peter Bolan
6 mins; July 18, 2025
5414: LISTENĀ¦ A new study found that one in three parents here has been pushed into debt by the cost of school uniforms and back to school supplies. Frank spoke to Cllr Paul Doherty, from Foodstock. about some of their programmes and about holiday hunger
9 mins; July 16, 2025
5413: LISTENĀ¦ Should boys play with Barbie dolls? Sports presenter Alan Brazil started a debate after a young male relative would have no interest in 'playing with dollies'. Does he have a point? Frank spoke to Amanda Ferguson
5 mins; July 16, 2025
5412: LISTENĀ¦ TV presenter Richard Madeley described NI as 'close to a basket case' from an economic standpoint - does he have a point? Does it reduce the likelihood of a United Ireland?
23 mins; July 15, 2025
5411: LISTENĀ¦ Hot weather can be dangerous for our pets - how can you keep them safe during a heatwave? Frank spoke to Tara Cunningham from Causeway Coast Dog Rescue
5 mins; July 10, 2025
5410: LISTENĀ¦ Unemployed people on sickness benefits could soon be Ā£2,500 a year better off than those working full-time on the national living wage. Is that fair? Frank spoke to commentators Tom Kelly and Mick Fealty
9 mins; July 10, 2025
5409: LISTENĀ¦ A new documentary is to air, showing the impact Ulster Scots people had on the founding of America and the source of their Bill of Rights - Frank spoke to the man behind it, GB News reporter Dougie Beattie
21 mins; July 09, 2025
5408: LISTENĀ¦ Would you fancy an Extra Virgin Daiquiri? How about a straight shot of olive oil? The UK's first olive oil bar has just opened in London. What are the health benefits of this 'green gold'
5 mins; July 09, 2025
5407: LISTENĀ¦ Would a Ā£100 fine for vaping in a bus shelter be too harsh? Or is it a necessary clamp-down, by the government, on anti-social behaviour? Frank spoke to Mick Fealty, editor of Slugger O'Toole
8 mins; July 08, 2025
5406: LISTENĀ¦ Could a panel of experts from the worlds of business, the arts and charitable sector do a better job than our politicians of drafting policy? Frank spoke to journalist John Manley about the return of the Civic Forum
8 mins; July 08, 2025
5405: LISTENĀ¦ Imagine you could devise a sure-fire way to win the Lotto. In 1992, an Irish syndicate attempted to do just that. A film has just been released telling their story. Frank spoke to director Ross Whitaker and Maurice Owens from the syndicate
20 mins; July 04, 2025
5404: LISTENĀ¦ A new joint fund has launched helping women to support women. Frank spoke to two of the women involved - Orla Black from the Community Foundation NI and Amanda Ferguson, chair of Give Inc
10 mins; July 04, 2025
5403: LISTENĀ¦ 'There's a long tradition in Belfast of really good graffiti, we want to provide a space for those guys to meet and paint, where it's legal' - Adam from Seedhead Arts spoke to Frank as new graffiti walls are made available for street art
11 mins; July 04, 2025
5402: LISTENĀ¦ 'There's a sense that our Executive parties aren't taking this matter seriously, otherwise we would've seen action' - SDLP MLA Colin McGrath and local man Jim Boylan spoke to Frank about unpleasant smells around Warrenpoint harbour
17 mins; July 04, 2025
5401: LISTENĀ¦ Would you like a shorter work week? 17 companies carried out a trial of a four-day work week. All 17 have decided to keep the routine. Frank spoke to Mark Haslam, founder of Loud Mouth Media in Belfast
6 mins; July 03, 2025
5400: LISTENĀ¦ How can we prevent children as young as nine from accessing 'vile' pornography? A safeguarding expert told MPs that primary aged children in NI were being exposed to extreme content on social media. Frank spoke to Wayne Denner
12 mins; July 03, 2025
5399: LISTENĀ¦ Do you feel sympathy for the chancellor, after she shed tears in the Commons? The PM did eventually show his support, but should he have come out sooner? Frank spoke to former Westminster speech writer Tom Kelly and Deirdre Maguire
32 mins; July 03, 2025
5398: LISTENĀ¦ Nearly half of drivers admit to tailgating - which was linked with 140 UK road deaths last year. Should we increase the penalty, which currently sits at three points and a Ā£100 fine? Frank spoke to Davy Jackson from Roadsafe NI
4 mins; July 02, 2025
5397: LISTENĀ¦ Should new dads be given longer paternity leave? The government has committed to reviewing current arrangements, which haven't changed since their introduction in 2003. Frank spoke to Alex from campaign group Dad Shift
6 mins; July 02, 2025
5396: LISTENĀ¦ 'Male violence here is going unchallenged, the strategies we have to tackle it are too slow' - Helen Price from the Women's Rights Network NI and Cllr Hannah Irwin spoke to Frank after a man was charged with the murder of Sarah Montgomery
13 mins; July 02, 2025
5395: LISTENĀ¦ 'For 83,343 of us, we're over an hour from a surgeon, for some of those patients, it's over two hours - it's a very scary time to be sick in Fermanagh' Helen from the SOAS campaign warns of the risk if emergency surgery at SWAH is closed
10 mins; July 01, 2025
5394: LISTENĀ¦ Should wealthy people pay more tax to fund concessions on benefit cuts? Is the welfare system being abused? Frank spoke to Dr David McCann from the Stormont Sources and Shimeon Lee from the Taxpayers Alliance
22 mins; July 01, 2025
5393: LISTENĀ¦ Police have opened an investigation into the performances by Kneecap and Bob Vylan at Glastonbury. Are they likely to face prosecution and what could it mean for Lucy Connolly's case? Frank spoke to ex-Met detective Peter Bleksley
9 mins; July 01, 2025
5392: LISTENĀ¦ A pair of American podcasters has described Belfast as 'violent' and 'crazy' after a recent visit to record a live show. Are they being unfair? Frank spoke to deputy lord mayor, Paul Doherty
8 mins; June 30, 2025
5391: LISTENĀ¦ Has the closure of local bank branches made it harder to do business? Roger Pollen from FSB NI told Frank the ease of setting up an online account could damage local banking provision over the long term
7 mins; June 30, 2025
5390: LISTENĀ¦ Is 18 too young to be a politician? Reform UK's George Finch has been put in charge of a county council in England, after the previous leader resigned. Frank spoke to Dr David McCann from the Stormont Sources podcast
10 mins; June 27, 2025
5389: LISTENĀ¦ 'The judgement came as a body-blow...there's a real question about competence here and a huge human cost to these delays' Daniel McCrossan reacted to the court ruling on the A5
17 mins; June 24, 2025
5388: LISTENĀ¦ 'When someone gets up to speak, it's very clear they're reading pre-scripted notes that you suspect they didn't write and have never read before' - Prof Deirdre Heenan didn't pull any punches on the standard of debate at Stormont
21 mins; June 24, 2025
5387: LISTENĀ¦ The Prime Minister says Kneecap appearing at Glastonbury is 'inappropriate' - what do you think? Has the response of politicians helped or hindered the popularity of the west Belfast rap group? Frank spoke to Mick Fealty
7 mins; June 23, 2025
5386: LISTENĀ¦ More than 50 people will be jumping off a cliff in Ballycastle - Frank spoke to one of those preparing to take the plunge for an amazing cause, as well as the woman behind the event and the mum of an incredible young fundraiser, Alex
8 mins; June 20, 2025
5385: LISTENĀ¦ A decade since the launch of Tinder, people seem to be falling out of love with dating apps. Could there be room for a new way of dating? Andrew Adams is the man behind an upcoming 'Pitch a Mate' event in Belfast
9 mins; June 20, 2025
5384: LISTENĀ¦ 'This bill will undermine and fundamentally shift the dial with regards to the value that people place on life - DUP MP Carla Lockhart told Frank why she's voting against the Assisted Dying Bill
24 mins; June 20, 2025
5383: LISTENĀ¦ 'Everyone wants the interest rate to come down, but it's unlikely to change much this calendar yet' - chartered accountant Ross Boyd spoke to Frank ahead of the Bank of England's expected freeze on interest rates
6 mins; June 19, 2025
5382: LISTENĀ¦ 'There's cross-party support as well as significant local support, yet there's no sign of the work' - Green Party councillor Brian Smyth spoke to Frank about the frustrating delays to a pedestrian crossing in south Belfast
6 mins; June 18, 2025
5381: LISTENĀ¦ 'Parents need to know where their children are - we don't want to see young people with criminal records' DUP MLA Gary Middleton spoke to Frank after a second night of riots in the Nailor's Row area of Londonderry
10 mins; June 18, 2025
5380: LISTENĀ¦ Would locking up rioters actually solve the problem? Belfast Telegraph columnist Malachi O'Doherty's not convinced. He spoke to Frank about what might be a more effective punishment
17 mins; June 17, 2025
5379: LISTENĀ¦ 'More than proud, to see these young lads who came through our youth system - it's a massive achievement' - Geoff Wylie, chair of the NI Darts Organisation reacted to local players Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney winning the Darts World Cup
11 mins; June 16, 2025
5378: LISTENĀ¦ 'We're one of the most nature-depleted parts of Europe...if we can't take that seriously, what good is the Executive?' Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole has criticised DUP/SF opposition to the Nutrient Action Plan
19 mins; June 16, 2025
5377: LISTENĀ¦ 'We've got your back, we're here to speak up for you' - Cllr Gary McKeown says it's important that politicians make it clear that migrants and people of other nationalities shouldn't live in fear
4 mins; June 16, 2025
5376: LISTENĀ¦ 'There's political forums for these discussions, that's where it should be - it should never descend into violence' - Jonathan Buckley warned those involved in disorder risk a criminal record. Frank also spoke to deputy mayor Jess Johnston
17 mins; June 13, 2025
5375: LISTENĀ¦ 'I left as the windows started coming in around us, the staff stayed til the very end to make sure everyone was out - it was very frightening' - Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly spoke to Frank after masked youths set fire to Larne Leisure Centre
25 mins; June 12, 2025
5374: LISTENĀ¦ Should school children have daily PE lessons? Charity the Youth Sports Trust have warned nearly half of young people are getting 30 minutes activity a day - the Chief Medical Officer recommends one hour
9 mins; June 12, 2025
5373: LISTENĀ¦ Should Belfast introduce a congestion charge? Oxford is to trial a temporary charge, to alleviate traffic jams - could it reduce journey times and encourage public transport uptake?
11 mins; June 12, 2025
5372: LISTENĀ¦ Police officers were injured after another night of rioting in Ballymena. Frank spoke to reporter Peter McVerry, DUP MLA Paul Frew, TUV councillor Matthew Warwick and Darren Ferguson from Beyond Skin
34 mins; June 11, 2025
5371: LISTENĀ¦ 'It shouldn't have happened - it caused anxiety and stress - the Executive has a responsibility to make sure no-one goes cold in the winter - Daniel McCrossan spoke to Frank about the government's u-turn on the winter fuel payment
3 mins; June 10, 2025
5370: LISTENĀ¦ 'Case law is allowing perpetrators to get the most pitiful sentences you could imagine' - UUP justice spokesman Doug Beattie spoke to Frank as his party brings a motion on sentencing
9 mins; June 10, 2025
5369: LISTENĀ¦ 'One family I spoke to hid in their roof space until they could be safely escorted out by police - those rioting are not reflective of the vast majority who protested last night' Sian Mulholland spoke to Frank after disturbances in Ballymena
21 mins; June 10, 2025
5368: LISTENĀ¦ 'The industry needs help. We're creating an environment where it's less attractive for the people coming to the venues and working in them' -restaurateur Eamon McCusker spoke to Frank as 1 in 4 firms say they're making a loss
12 mins; June 10, 2025
5367: LISTEN: A majority in NI say they want Stomont to take more action to deal with child poverty, but are our politicians listening? Frank spoke to Peter Bryson, head of Save the Children in NI
6 mins; June 06, 2025
5366: LISTENĀ¦ Actor Richard Dormer spoke to Frank about Blue Lights, meeting his hero and why he's proud to be an ambassador for the charity SOS NI
13 mins; June 06, 2025
5365: LISTENĀ¦ A fight and a champion that united the country - former world boxing champion Barry McGuigan spoke to Frank as he marks the 40th anniversary of his world title win against Eusebio Pedroza
11 mins; June 06, 2025
5364: LISTENĀ¦ Are GPs being pushed towards privatisation? Frank spoke to Dr Frances O'Hagan, from the BMA and Prof Deirdre Heenan, after a senior doctor warned of an exodus from the NHS to the private care sector
24 mins; June 05, 2025
5363: LISTENĀ¦ From early beginnings playing covers at home, to performing on stage in Osaka and hearing their music on Love Island and coverage of major sports events, Charlie & Ben from :Panic :Over chatted to Frank ahead of Irish tour dates this summer
8 mins; June 05, 2025
5362: LISTENĀ¦ 'Men don't ask for help - the only way to do it, is to be vulnerable' - ahead of a major conference in Belfast, organiser Tiarnan McCarthy spoke to Frank about why men need to reach out, if they're struggling with mental health issues
7 mins; June 05, 2025
5361: LISTENĀ¦ 'It's a fantastic city already, but this is going to be transformational and make it even better' DUP councillor Carl McClean spoke to Frank after it was announced the long-awaited Ā£150m seafront development in Bangor was going ahead
11 mins; June 04, 2025
5360: LISTENĀ¦ 'We don't talk about it, journalists just get on with things, we're not meant to be part of the story' - former journalist Leona O'Neill spoke to Frank about the idea behind her initiative to support journalists with their mental health
11 mins; June 03, 2025
5359: LISTENĀ¦ Newly-crowned Miss NI, Carly Wilson, called in to the studio to chat to Frank about how she plans to use her platform, how the competition has changed and the very personal reason why she has chosen to support Friends of the Cancer Centre
8 mins; June 03, 2025
5358: LISTENĀ¦ 'You can't give up hope, for Robert's sake' - Terry Delany spoke to Frank about his family's ongoing quest for justice, after his son was shot after he tried to break up a fight involving a son of the veteran republican
14 mins; June 02, 2025
5357: LISTEN: 'We can't believe they'd let the only theatre in the region go' actor and campaigner Steven Millar says closing the Riverside Theatre in Coleraine would be 'madness'
6 mins; June 02, 2025
5356: LISTENĀ¦ Are you a people pleaser? Are you carrying other people's emotional load? Frank got some useful tips from Deirdre Maguire
21 mins; June 02, 2025
5355: LISTENĀ¦ Should toddlers get screen time? A Belfast nursery has generated a mixed reaction by using tablets as teaching tools. Frank spoke to top online safety expert Wayne Denner
8 mins; May 29, 2025
5354: LISTENĀ¦ Would you pay Ā£1608 to sample some of the world's finest whiskies? Frank spoke to Paul Kane, founder of Belfast Whiskey Week, about the continued popularity of the spirit and the worldwide appeal of Irish whiskey
15 mins; May 29, 2025
5353: LISTENĀ¦ Where are thousands of caterpillars coming from and how can you get rid of them? Frank spoke to Dr Archie Murchie from AFBI about the ash sawfly, which is appearing in gardens across Belfast
6 mins; May 29, 2025
5352: LISTENĀ¦ 'We'd like to get to a world where industrial action isn't necessary, but we shouldn't be criminalising teachers for taking lawful steps' - Dr Graham Gault from NAHT talked about plans to fine teachers for not complying with inspections
16 mins; May 29, 2025
5351: LISTENĀ¦ 'The registration is only a cheek swab, yet just 2.3% in NI are on the bone marrow donor register' - ex Rangers and Everton star Gary Stevens and Eimear's Wish founder Sean Smyth are working together to encourage more people to sign up
16 mins; May 21, 2025
5350: LISTENĀ¦ 'If you were looking for an illustration of the crisis we have around violence directed at women and girls, it's hard to find a sharper example' MP Claire Hanna said she hopes an attack on a jogger in Belfast won't deter women from running
11 mins; May 20, 2025
5349: LISTENĀ¦ Should there be a train to the plane? Translink say they're looking at the possibility of re-opening a trainline to Belfast International Airport. John spoke to Alliance MLA David Honeyford
8 mins; May 20, 2025
5348: LISTENĀ¦ A Carrick man is embarking on a 10 day Mournes trek, with no tent and relying on the generosity of others for food - to raise awareness of homelessness. John spoke to Graham Fergus mid-way through his challenge
8 mins; May 20, 2025
5347: LISTENĀ¦ Country star Kip Moore talked to John, ahead of his arena show at Belfast's SSE. He talked about why he loves performing for NI audiences, whether his song-writing had changed and what gives him hope
11 mins; May 20, 2025
5346: LISTENĀ¦ What can the UK and Ireland do to be more competitive at Eurovision? John put this and many other questions to Eurovision expert Will O'Regan
15 mins; May 19, 2025
5345: LISTENĀ¦ 'There are 113,000 jobs in the eating eco-system in NI - nearly a fifth of our private sector' - Michael Bell from NIFDA told John about the many and varied careers in food, in Northern Ireland
5 mins; May 15, 2025
5344: LISTENĀ¦ What are the causes and consequences of a rise in Bovine TB for farmers in NI? John spoke to John Kennedy from the UFU and farmer John Carson
12 mins; May 15, 2025
5343: LISTENĀ¦ 'The farm was my husband's pride and joy, there was never a moment we thought we might pull the plug' - Roberta Armstrong said despite the pressure of new inheritance tax laws, she never considered selling the farm after her husband's death
18 mins; May 15, 2025
5342: LISTENĀ¦ The Vatican has named its first ever American pontiff - Pope Leo XIV - what will his election mean for the direction of the Catholic church? Peter spoke to Fr Brian D'Arcy and Fr Aidan Troy
17 mins; May 09, 2025
5341: LISTENĀ¦ 'Communities like ours are crying out for original, strong, fearless journalism'- Impartial Reporter editor Rodney Edwards spoke to Frank about the paper's 200th anniversary and why he's optimistic for the future
15 mins; May 08, 2025
5340: LISTENĀ¦ Only black smoke so far, but when might we see a new Pope elected? Is the new pontiff likely to seek to modernise the Catholic church? Frank spoke to papal expert Prof Rebecca Rist from the University of Reading
12 mins; May 08, 2025
5339: LISTENĀ¦ Among plans to cut waiting lists is a reimbursement scheme, allowing patients to pay up front for a procedure and then receive the money back - what if you don't have the cash? Rick spoke to Alliance's Danny Donnelly
9 mins; May 07, 2025
5338: LISTENĀ¦ Should we bring back the death penalty? A new poll found a majority support the return of capital punishment for certain crimes. What do you think? Rick spoke to Fionola Meredith
18 mins; May 07, 2025
5337: LISTENĀ¦ The brilliant Emer Maguire called in for a chat with John - she talked about her new BBC series 'How's She Cuttin', whether Strabane is country and the useless stuff they teach us at school
14 mins; May 05, 2025
5336: LISTENĀ¦ 'Out thousands of dog breeders in NI, only 48 are licensed' - Tara Cunningham from Causeway Coast Dog Rescue spoke to John about the need for much greater regulation of the dog breeding industry
10 mins; May 01, 2025
5335: LISTENĀ¦ Is Net Zero 'doomed to fail'? Tony Blair claims the government needs to re-think its climate policy. John spoke to Green leader Mal O'Hara and Brian Gregory from the Alliance of British Drivers
16 mins; May 01, 2025
5334: LISTENĀ¦ Should smacking be banned in Northern Ireland? NI Children's Commissioner Chris Quinn has called for law that allows a 'reasonable punishment' defence of hitting, slapping or smacking to be repealed
10 mins; May 01, 2025
5333: LISTENĀ¦ Should animal testing for medicines be banned? MPs debated yesterday, after a public petition attracted 250,000 signatures. John spoke to Suzanne Martin from SAFRIreland
6 mins; April 29, 2025
5332: LISTENĀ¦ If you're lucky enough to reach 100, would you still like to be working? Shopkeeper Arthur Ferguson says that despite celebrating a century of life, he has no plans to retire
9 mins; April 28, 2025
5331: LISTENĀ¦ 'Freedom of speech is really important, but they're not entitled to incite terrorism or break laws around hate speech' - Peter Martin spoke to Peter after police said they were reviewing footage from a Kneecap gig
19 mins; April 28, 2025
5330: LISTENĀ¦ 'When we truly value ourselves, we start to make different choices' - Deirdre talked to Peter about how increasing your self-worth be the answer to achieving your goals
14 mins; April 28, 2025
5329: LISTENĀ¦ 'He demonstrated through his leadership great humility and service - he was a voice for those who had no voice - Jane Mellet from TrĆ³caire spoke to Frank
5 mins; April 21, 2025
5328: LISTENĀ¦ 'He couldn't take any of the airs and graces - he was a reconciling figure - if the church is to bring in the poor, the disillusioned that's the way the church has to go ' - Frank spoke to Fr Aidan Troy from Dublin and Fr Brian D'Arcy
15 mins; April 21, 2025
5327: LISTENĀ¦ 'He was someone who led till the last moment of his life' ' Michael Kelly from Aid to the Church in Need & Vatican correspondent Chris White talked about the impact of the Pope's death on the Catholic church
21 mins; April 21, 2025
5326: LISTENĀ¦ Should a woman take her husband's name after they get married? Just a third of young woman agree with the tradition, compared to half of young men. Frank spoke to writer Fionola Meredith
7 mins; April 17, 2025
5325: LISTENĀ¦ What could be on Rory McIlroy's dream menu, as he prepares to host next year's Champions Dinner, following his Masters win? Frank spoke to top chef Danni Barry
9 mins; April 17, 2025
5324: LISTENĀ¦ 'A few miles an hour won't make a difference to the length of your journey, but it could save a life'. Davy Jackson from RoadSafe NI spoke to Frank as PSNI figures show 300 drivers a day are being caught speeding
10 mins; April 17, 2025
5323: LISTENĀ¦ 'The fees paid for care no longer cover the cost of treatment - until the Executive allocate enough money, it's going to get worse ' - dentist Dr Ciara Gallagher explained why practices are struggling to take on new NHS patients
12 mins; April 16, 2025
5322: LISTENĀ¦ Is Rory McIlroy GB & Ireland's greatest ever sportsman? What's it like to be part of sporting immortality? Frank spoke to Gerry Armstrong and the man who spotted his talent before most, Gerry Kelly
5 mins; April 14, 2025
5321: LISTENĀ¦ From Rory-themed buns in a local bakery to high value course fees, what impact could the Masters win have for businesses, locally? Frank spoke to MLA Stephen Dunne and golf tourism expert Dr Peter Bolan from Ulster University
13 mins; April 14, 2025
5320: LISTENĀ¦ What was Rory like as a young golfer and what will his success mean to his hometown club? Frank spoke to Paul Gray, who was the club pro during Rory's formative years and club captain Trevor Heaven
5 mins; April 14, 2025
5319: LISTENĀ¦ Where does Rory McIlroy's Grand-Slam securing Masters win put him in the pantheon of sporting greats? Will he now go on a run of Major wins? Frank spoke to Rupert Bell and Steven Beacom
15 mins; April 14, 2025
5318: LISTENĀ¦ Was the sentence handed to pensioner Oliver MacCormack and three other men, who preyed on vulnerable and drug addicted women too lenient? Frank spoke to crime correspondent Allison Morris and commentator Lata Sharma
29 mins; April 11, 2025
5317: LISTENĀ¦ Is it okay to wear your pyjamas out in public? M&S is collaborating with a British designer whose jammies can retail for over Ā£600 on a daytime PJ range and the trend is even having its moment on catwalks
