John with Emma

Some very sad news this morning. We've just heard that a very brave and very talented 10 year old has left us.

Emma McCarron, who talked so articulately and sang so beautifully for us on this programme, died at home in Monaghan early this morning surrounded by her loving family. We send our deepest condolences to Francis, Linda, Ally and Ethan.

Emma was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare children's cancer in 2008 and in the past number of years underwent a treatment programme including chemotherapy, surgery, bone marrow transplant and radiotherapy.

In the last year she began to attend singing classes and joined the Monaghan Community Gospel Choir and last summer recorded a CD with some of her relatives. Sales of her CD - 'A Lighter Heart' - raised €11,000 for Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin. www.emmamccarron.ie

For details on our Castlepalooza Competition click here.

The John Murray Show walk in Carlingford, Co. Louth. - 16/05/12

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The Henry Girls perform 'When Will I See You Again' on the programme. - 15/05/12

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14/05/12

Murray's Miniatures - for more details, please click here.

We had a great time walking in Carlingford yesterday - take a look at some of our photos below.

We're talking to Mary O'Hara this morning. Please scroll down for the details of the new edition of her autobiography.

TRAVELS WITH MY HARP
The Complete Autobiography of Mary O’Hara

For more on the book, please visit: www.maryohara-travelswithmyharp.co.uk

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Murray's Miniatures

To enter our competition, we want you to send us 200 words, beginning with the line, “a funny thing happened to me..."

It must be an original piece and we’re looking for writers who have never had their work commercially published before.

The piece can be fact or fiction – and it will be judged on its creativity and humour.

Send it to john@rte.ie with your name and contact details, and the closing date is Friday, May 18th – so you have one week to get your entries in. Please put Listowel Competition in the subject line.

The winner will receive two nights B&B at The Cliff House Hotel and two tickets to the Listowel Writers Week.

The second prize is copies of the five shortlisted novels on the Kerry Group Irish Novel competition and a pair of tickets to the Writers Week.

And the Third Prize is a Pair of tickets to the Writers Week.

Winners will be revealed on Friday, May 25th and the judges decision will be final.

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The latest outing of The John Murray Show Walking Club was in Carlingford. We had a fantastic time. Take a look at a few of our snaps below.

10/05/12

Mark Graham - the Irish Bucket Singing Champion

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08/05/12

John with Florentine, the missing tortoise from Rathgar

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04/05/12 - Euro Trail Blazers - And The Winner Is..

John Murray, Zbyszek Zalinski and the winners of our Euro 2012 Trailblazers competition - Trapattoni's Triplets (they are David Griffin, Eugene Murray and David 'Dots' Cleary).

Contestants in our Euro 2012 Trailblazers final with John Murray and Jimmy MaGee. Congratulations to the winning team: Trapattoni's Triplets!

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Check out our video from The John Murray Show's walk in support of the Walk in My Shoes campaign
26/04/12

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Beat The Bleep Final live from DCU, Dublin.

with special guests Jedward!

This morning on the John Murray Show we have music from The Nualas, otherwise known as Anne Gildee, Sue Collins & Maria Tecce, a dynamic trio that has wowed audeinces all over the world that cultivated a massive cult following. www.thenualas.com

Listowel Festival - We will be broadcasting live from Listowel next Friday & we teamed up with the festival to dig out some more of the literary talent amongst listeners, asking you to send in your Murray Miniatures - two hundred words beginning with 'A funny thing happened to me...' Judges Fiona Looney & Derek Landy are back in studio with John with the top three selected, in third place Esmonde Keane, second place Allen Meagher & the winner, Nick Smith.

While we were impressed with the Russian Grannies in this years Eurovision Song Contest, we wanted to see if we could find Irish Grannies of the same calibre & John's first guests this morning are a newly formed band called The Three Irish Babushkas, Maura Doyle, Maureen Donegan & Vera Mallon. ***(The babushkas are live at the Friends of the Elderly Bolton Street Club - backed by the Bolton Street Band next Wednesday at one o'clock)

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