Regional Roundup with Holli Breslin

0:00Lunchtime Live with Andrea Gilligan on NewsTalk. Now, Holly Brasslin, content creator, is with me in studio today to tell us about all of the stories from around the country this week that you just might have missed those things, Holly. Good. Good. Good to look forward to the weekend. Yes, I know we're nearly there, nearly there. There's been a lot of talk though about this individual all week. Yeah, the Asian Hornets. Yes. In particular, in Cork. So people are on the hunt for the Asian Hornets. There is a nest near the Ring of Skiddie area in County Cork and the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Biodiversity Data Center are leading this search for this nest because basically it's an invasive species. They were first seen in Europe in 2004. In France, they were accidentally were a part of a commercial ship and the Queen Asian Hornet

1:05was mistakenly escaped or released. And so it's been wreaking havoc in Cork all week. The first spotting of an Asian Hornet in Ireland was in 2021. There was a few spotted in Cork last year and now again, very recently. So basically they're just a nightmare for Irish biodiversity. And they just they have I think consumed the nest can consume around 11 kilograms of pollinating insects in one season. So they do prey on aeronaut of pollinator. So the likes of hoverflies and honey bees and bumblebees. So now they are asking everyone to keep an eye out for these Asian Hornets which are around the same size as a European Hornet, a bit bigger than a wasp or... So photos of a turn in the week is pretty big. In terms of what I expected it to be like a virus and like... Yeah, it looks fairly decent size. And so they found one and then they found another that they've attached this tiny radio transmitter to that they are hoping to track and that hopefully it will lead them to the nest.

2:09And then they will be able to chemically treat the nest and remove it and analyze it. But it's just not a good thing to have around the place. It's going to prey on aeronaut of pollinator. It's actually been described as an intensive surveillance and monitoring operation and people have been urged to be extra vigilant. Yes, absolutely. So they have this little tiny radio transmitter that they're hoping will lead them to the nest. But they have also have bait stations. They have traps. They've been putting colored markings or hoping to put colored markings on certain hornets that they can find so that they can track them and see where they're going. So they're really hoping. That it doesn't go on for too long because they're afraid that they will... And then kind of the queen will settle down for the winter and then we'll wreak more havoc upon cork. Hopefully not. Well, from cork to connoct. Under the sea. Under the sea. Darling, it's bitter down where it's winter. Take it from me. I'll find a sure day we're poing again. Yes, so this is all about a silken ship of the coast of Mayo.

3:13So the envy shingle. So this originally was a ship that was seized in 2014. It was carrying a lot of illegal cigarettes coming into Ireland. And it was seized by revenue. And then it was kind of left for about nine years on Dolphin Portia rostling away and collecting fees and maintenance fees and birthing fees. So they decided there a couple of years ago to sink this ship on purpose and hopefully create an artificial reef. And they've been doing some studies on it recently. And it's 30 meters below the surface just off the coast of Calala Bay in Kenting Mayo, four kilometres off the coast there. And they have found recently that it's been attracting barnacles and sea squirts and fish and worms and increasing biodiversity and also tourists as well because people are now traveling to Calala Bay. It's just going to be a massive attraction. Yeah, people are gone diving and they want to see all the dolphins and all the fish that it's attracting. But it was sunk in on purpose and they did it big clean up off of a beforehand to make sure there was no environmental concerns.

4:15But there's a load of divers and everything. So not only attracting the marine life, but attracting people as well. The footage and some of the videos online, you know, Avalda are actually pretty cool to see. The country's first marine artificial reef off County Mayo, Calala Bay. It's very interesting. From vast to the Midlands, tell us, what are the world stem racing finals? Yes. So, total wolf better watches back because that belongs to our comrades job. Two atlone school teams. They are about to represent Ireland at the stem racing world finals. They're taken place from tomorrow until the 8th of October in Singapore. So this is a competition formally known as the F1 in schools competition. Over 35 countries are going to be flown over to Singapore. They basically get students from the age of 9 to 19 to create miniature versions of like four-middle-one style cars. And there are two atlone teams from atlone who are going to be going over. There is the stellar racing team from Marist College in Atlone, and then the apex racing team from atlone community college.

5:18So they have to get a load of sponsorship and raise loads of funds and create these tiny things. There is a brilliant idea. It's great. Let's think they're getting off to Singapore now. But I think one of the apex racing are saying that they needed a goal of to raise 40,000 euro to complete this dream and go over to Singapore and compete. So they're judging everything from the engineering of it to their promotion to project management. And then also... Are they actually creating like a formula one car or is it a model car? It's like a model car, but it's tiny. It's like a miniature version of an F1 car. I think that the minimum weight was like 48 grams. There's something so it is quite small. Originally I was thinking, is this an actual big hill? They're bringing... So they actually have to design this model car, they're to physically make it. Yeah, make sure that it works and everything. They'll be judged in every aspect of it and then they'll do a race as well. So they'll be judged on the speed of it as well. So, stellar racing from Marist College, they won the Irish national title in May.

6:19And they also won fastest car, best engineered car and best portfolio. And then apex racing, they finished third in the national finals and they won the sponsorship and marketing award. So big competition. I think it was stellar race in the Marist College. They've been to it a few times over the years. So they're hoping for a podium finish this time. Maybe have a few shuys filled to it. But some of the competitions they have on initiatives and schools now are just unbelievable. I know. We don't have anything like this. Absolutely. I mean, I think what was it called? There was some business... Oh, TY, some business entrepreneurial thing you got to do. And that was the extent of it. Not get a design and make formula one car is... We did a bank thing before and all we got to do is go down to our local bank. So, let's do it with the credit union. Somebody would remind me, oh, it's 14106 of the lots of numbers. Now, what age were you when you did this? Go into the chapel and we're gonna get married. Go into the chapel and we're gonna get married.

7:25More than one quarter of Irish New Year. Now, are now aged 40 and... Oh, for... Marist. Tying the knot is happening at a much later stage. I know. No, I'm here. I'm 29. And we... I've been in a relationship for years. But anytime a friend tells me that they're engaged, it's only probably in the last few months that I've not immediately panicked for them. Or when a friend says they're pregnant or something that I'm not like, are you okay? It's just, I think, I think the my age. Way too young. So I'm glad to see this. One quarter of Irish New Year's now age 40. 40 years. Over, yes. So this is a new analysis of CSO data that has been done by the wedding website, Save My Day. They've also said that the average age of newlyweds is now about 38.1 years for the older partner and 36.1 years for the younger partner. Now, just for comparison, in 1975, that was age 27 and 24. Which is not long ago either, like, and it's... Oh, and it's risen, yeah. Yeah. Good bit. So, extras are saying that people kind of...

8:25couples are more established now. They might have a home together, been living together, share a pet. So they've been together longer before they're taking that step to get married. Also, I'm thinking, weddings are fairly expensive. Absolutely. It's well, like, oh, I'm being a foreigner. So ownership and probably looking at saving for deposits and all of these things, you know, are incorporated into some of these trends. Do we know when you talk about the average age, the, the, the couples, the older partner being 31 and the younger 36, 36? Sorry, 30, 36. 30, 36. Do we know is that, is it, do there any details around the gender breakdown of that? I think the male is older and then female is younger. So average male age is 30, age. The average female age is 36. Yeah. Yeah, which I feel like, yeah, I can see I have a few friends who are getting married, but an awful lot of people are waiting as well. Yeah. Interestingly, though, for the same sex marriages, when you look at some of the key marriage figures here, as part of the, the CSO stats, the average male age in a same sex couple is 40.6 years.

9:29And for a female, for females, it's 38.1. Ah, 38.1. To the bit older. Yeah, yeah, it's a bit of a, it's a strange one. I'm sure some of our listeners will let us know today, what age we used when we tied the knot, oh, 8, 7, 1400, what oh, 6 is the WhatsApp number. Finally, Guinness World Records. Yes, there is a new Irish world record title holder. I have been obsessed with this during the week. We all know Vianetta. Like, that is what I associate our favorite child to die screen. Yeah, I still see it with having a fancy dinner. Like, you'd never crack out the Vianetta in the week days. It's always left for a special occasion. Apart from this, apart from this lot called Rory Finley from Dublin, he decided that he was going to break the world record for eating a Vianetta in the fastest time, which I didn't, I can't believe this is, you know, those weird world record titles that you're like, you may not be aware of, Holly, but you're in the company of a world record holder. I still hold and the lunchtime live team, the world record title for dressing somebody up as a Christmas tree

10:33in the fastest period of time. So when somebody's coming up with the most ridiculous thing to do to set a world record, I can understand why Rory came up with just that. But yeah, trying to horse a Vianetta and to be honest, I didn't appeal to me as much. Fair play to it. What time did he eat it in? So he got it in one minute and 15.30 seconds. He actually, there was a previous record holder. So he beat them by about 15 seconds. He said that basically he was just on our arasmas with his mates in Rotterdam. That was the maddest thing. Yep, they were just a bit bored. He was just shit, didn't do them. I know, there is a video that's been doing this. He did say that the one that they've put up on social media, they've cut off the end where he gets intense brain freeze, which is the first, I think, as well. Vianetta is actually quite a large block of ice cream. It's bigger than you think, and you have to weigh it in everything to make sure that it was a right amount of grams. And I guess there was standards. What was this time again? His one minute and 15.30 seconds is what he got at it.

11:33Do you think he'd be able to? I don't even want to attempt to be honest with you, but it sounds very impressive. I'm not going to question. Question of Holly Brezzlin, content creator, Holly, thanks a million for joining us today on the programme. With all of the other news that's been happening around the country this week, that you just might have missed. Lunchtime Live with Andrea Gilligan. Weekdays at midday. On News Talk, Conversation that counts.