|
Meet the team
of reporters who bring "Your Place and Mine"
Click on a face to read the biog!
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
 John
Gregg
John was born and educated in Magherafelt and completed his
A-levels in 1989. Soon after, he joined the BBC as a secretarial
trainee and worked in London for 3 years before joining BBC
Northern Ireland. John already had several years experience
in hospital radio before he joined the Your Place and Mine team
in March 1998 as their correspondent in the Magherafelt area.
His interests include swimming (followed by a session in the
jacuzzi), going to the cinema and, of course, eating buns!
|
|
 Jim
Kelso
Born in Ballymena, brought up in Upperlands and educated at
Rainey Endowed and Liverpool University. He is a Physical Education
teacher at Cullybackey High School, near Ballymena. His media
interest began in Liverpool reporting on football matches from
Goodison Park for the Student Television Association and he
was a part-time freelance photographer for the Ballymena Times
before moving on to freelance journalism. Jim has also contributed
to Sportsound, Good Morning Ulster and BBC Digital Television.
He’s married and has a 4 year old daughter.
|
|
| |
(back
to top) |
|
|
|
| |
 Marie
McStay
Marie’s background in education and training gives her
a firm base and grasp of the issues surrounding community and
economic development. She's a management and training consultant
& life coach developing human potential. She has recently
released a CD on stress management.
Hobbies are many; walking in the Mournes, cooking, learning
to play the Celtic Lyre and singing... not all at the same time,
yet! She began broadcasting with ‘The Fathom Line’
and as well as YPAM has presented programmes on alternative
medicine and ‘On Your Behalf’.
|
|
 Caroline
Nolan
Caroline came to Northern Ireland in 1993 to set up the Exploris
Aquarium and now works in coastal management on Strangford Lough.
Her tremendous enthusiasm for the area's varied wildlife and
its equally varied people comes across in her YPAM reports from
east County Down. Originally from County Carlow, Caroline previously
worked (among other places) at the Science Museum in London
and has an academic background in science communication. Home
is in Portaferry with her husband John, and daughter Nina where
she enjoys the company, the craic, and the creative buzz and
is inspired by the scenery and the natural environment.
|
|
| |
(back
to top) |
|
|
|
| |
 Helen
Mark
Helen has many years of experience as a radio and television
broadcaster. Her career began at Radio Foyle and she has been
a reporter for Countryfile on BBC1, presented Farming Today
on Radio 4, Wildtracks on Radio Ulster and Greenfingers on BBC1.
She currently presents Open Country on Radio 4. Her involvement
with these programmes certainly reflects her love of wildlife
and the countryside. In 2003 we welcomed Helen to the YPAM team
as our contributor from the northwest where the Scottish native
has farmed with her husband and two children for more than 20
years. Helen's hobbies include tennis (as long as her joints
hold out) reading, gardening and walking. She recently graduated
from the Open University with a BA(Hons) in history.
|
|
Paddy O'Flaherty
Paddy O'Flaherty enjoys angling as a voyage of discovery - as
much as for the thrill of catching fish. "It means constantly
meeting new people and finding new places and new techniques."
It's a perfect way to relax from his very stressful job as a
news reporter. Music is another of Paddy's great loves.
As a fiddle player his interest ranges from traditional folk
tunes, bluegrass and jazz to the classics and when time permits
he enjoys woodturning.
|
|
| |
(back
to top) |
|
|
|
| |
 Breege
McCusker
Breege, from Irvinestown is retired after a lifetime in teaching.
A keen local historian, she has written many books including
Fermanagh: Land of Lake and Legend, Castle Archdale, and Fermanagh
in WWII, Irvinestown through the years and Necarne Castle. She
has also made local history videos about Devenish Island, "Jack
Carruthers a Soldier of the Great War", Bridging the centuries
in North Fermanagh and Fermanagh's Cultural Heritage. Breege
enjoys playing tennis, photography and walking and she seems
to know everyone in Fermanagh. She plays a part in her local
community as vice-chair to Irvinestown Community Partnership
and sits on the committee of Clogher Historical soc. Breege
is presently working on a new edition of her 'Irvinestown through
the years' book and would love any photographs and stories which
have never been seen or heard before. Breege is married with
four children.
|
|
 Paul
Moore
Paul is a lecturer in media studies at the University of Ulster,
Coleraine. He took up this post in 1999, after completing his
PhD. He has been with the programme since its beginning, having
originally presented 'Beneath the Spires' which came from Omagh.
He is a member of the Board of the Northern Ireland Film Commission
and serves on a number of committees for the British Film Institute.
His greatest vice is an obsession with motorycle culture and
American motorcycles, so naturally he rides a Harley Davidson
and is presently restoring a 1941 Indian Chief motorcycle. Paul
also presents the Media Matters programme on BBC Radio Ulster.
|
|
| |
(back
to top) |
|
|
|
| |
 Michael
McNamee
Michael took over presenting Your Place and Mine in January
2001. Michael combines working on YPAM with additional duties
in the BBC Sports Department including match commentaries on
a Saturday afternoon. Born in Belfast in 1969, Michael went
to school in Cookstown and Dungannon and still plays cricket
for his "home" club Dungannon. After going to university in
Birmingham he returned to Northern Ireland and started working
for the BBC in 1994 . He now lives on the outskirts of Belfast
with his wife and much-mentioned Kerry Blue dog! When Michael
is not taking the dog for "walkies" he enjoys reading and listening
to music (favourite groups are Kinks, Squeeze, XTC and OMD )
but his biggest confession is to being a huge Doctor Who fan.
|
|
Ronan Lundy
Ronan is a graduate in Business and Marketing and runs a wholesale
and retail grocery and florists in Coleraine. He began his broadcasting
career on a programme called Round the Triangle and has been
associated with Your Place and Mine since its inception in 1990.
Ronan has also contributed to 'Good Morning Ulster', 'All Arts
and Parts' and 'Morning Extra', and in the summer of 1995 he
presented 'Frankly Anne-Marie' with Anne-Marie McAleese. Towards
the end of 2003 he presented the nature series 'Living World'
on BBC Radio Ulster. He likes to think of himself as an amateur
sportsman and is particularly keen on rugby.
|
|
| |
(back
to top) |
|
| |
|
|
|
print version
