Clare Fm - Podcasts

To discuss the latest in the entertainment world, Alan Morrissey was joined by Clare FM’s Colum McGrath, on Tuesday’s Morning Focus. This week, Colum discussed the Netflix documentary and series about the Menendez Brothers. Photo (c): Clare FM

Clare Roots Society is holding its second talk later this week. Dr Brian Gurrin, census specialist on the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland project will be giving a talk, entitled “Census and population records in the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland.” The talk will take place in the Clare Education Centre this Thursday the 17th of October. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by the Chairperson of Clare Roots Society, Jane Halloran Ryan. Photo (c) Clare Roots Society via Facebook

A Clare dentist is to offer her services to children in rural Nepal, of all places! Ruth Gleeson, who is a fourth-year dentistry student at University College Cork, will be part of a team of dental students who have volunteered to provide free dental care to those most in need in the South Asian country. It is a voluntary program that takes Ruth to a rural area of Nepal, where temporary clinics are set up and people in need are offered 100% free dental care. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Ruth Gleeson. You can visit the GoFundMe page here: https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiK8Jyq-I-JAxXkWEEAHbOKA6IQFnoECBgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gofundme.com%2Ff%2Fruths-fundraiser-for-dental-outreach&usg=AOvVaw2wPNNkPp76KVP6aeLTtDAp&opi=89978449

Rachel Dinnen is fundraising for technology for autism classes at Ennis Educate Together National School. Ennis Educate Together National School, based in County Clare, Ireland is a mainstream school of over 100 students and has 2 autism classes. The money raised will go directly to technology for the autism classes to supplement and support their education. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Rachel Dinnen. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/technology-for-autism-units-at-eetns if you would like to donate. Photo (c): https://www.gofundme.com/f/technology-for-autism-units-at-eetns

Last week, we heard increasing calls on Clare FM for more of a Garda presence in Shannon, amid a rise in incidents of anti-social behaviour in the area. It comes amid local complaints of fireworks being let off on an almost nightly basis near the Brú na Sionna housing estate. Carmel McElligott’s home in Sixmilebridge was attacked by people setting off fireworks recently. The intentional attack on Carmel’s home was so bad, it resulted in the destruction of two sheds. To find out more about this, Alan Morrissey was joined in-studio by Carmel McElligott. Photo (c): Clare FM

Clare businesses will be marching on Leinster House this afternoon to express their frustration with Budget 2025. The protest has been organised by the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Vintners Federation of Ireland and the Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Council, with all calling for urgent measures to offset "spiralling costs". Retail and hospitality firms will benefit from a €4,000 energy subsidy announced in the budget, but will have to contend with the 13.5% vat rate and a further 50c hike to the national minimum wage. Owner of St.Tola's Goat Cheese in Ennistymon and ISME Council member Siobhán Ní Ghairbhith says the Government has no understanding of the current crisis.

A Clare senator believes criminals in this county are becoming emboldened as they see instances of anti-social behaviour go unpunished. It follows an incident in Sixmilebridge in which two sheds outside a house were destroyed after a firework was allegedly thrown through a gate at the rear of the property. The incident is said to be the latest in a spate of anti-social behaviour in the area. Tulla Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley says if the Gardaí are seen to be unable to apprehend perpetrators, they will grow in confidence and continue to commit crimes.

The President of Shannon Chamber has accused politicial representatives of "putting up obstacles" to renewable energy progress. With confirmation being given in the Dáil that sites for offshore wind development off Clare's coast will be zoned next year, key stakeholders are expressing frustration with the pace at which progress is being made. Launched last June, the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce report identifies harvesting 30 gigawatts on Atlantic wind energy by 2050 as one of its primary goals. This, it's stated, would satisfy Ireland's current electricity demand five times over, while the process would create an estimated 10,000 green jobs in this region by 2035. Responding to Inagh Green Party Senator Róisín Garvey in the Dáil, Green Party Minister of State for the Environment Ossian Smyth has confirmed that a map to zone areas off Clare's coast for offshore wind projects, known as a Designated Maritime Area Plan, or DMAP, will begin next year. The ESB has been granted planning permission to con

Ennis Youth Centre will celebrate a landmark anniversary this evening. The event is celebrating the 50 year anniversary of Clare Youth Service taking over the old boys school on Carmody Street in Ennis. An open house tour of the centre will take place between 4pm and 7pm with refreshments available afterwards. With 50 young people in full time education in the centre, CEO of Clare Youth Service, Margaret Slattery, says today's event is a great opportunity to showcase how the centre operates.

On Monday’s Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by Tom Stewart from Keane’s Garden Centre in Kilcolgan. This week, Tom gave listeners some advice on growing your own pumpkins.

Brothers of Charity Services Ireland (BOCSI), the state’s largest provider of learning disability supports are staging the 25th National Advocacy Conference in Clare later this week (October 16/17th). “Let’s Get Real”, which will take place at the Armada Hotel, will showcase advocates from around the country in a feast of drama, dance, puppetry and film... this year with a global dimension! Together with their international friends, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland have created a Global Manifesto for Self-Advocacy based on the UN Charter of Disability Rights, which they’ll launch at the Armada Hotel. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by BOC Advocacy Officer and Conference Coordinator, Rob Hopkins, PRO with the conference and Vice Chair at National Platform of Self Advocates, Joe McGrath and National Advocacy Council Chairperson, Claire Nagle. Photo (c): Clare FM

Mark O'Halloran, an award-winning actor, screenwriter and playwright, is working with his niece, composer Emma O’Halloran on a new project. The pair have reworked two of Mark’s one-act plays, Mary Motorhead and Trade, as operas. The shows, which enjoyed a successful run in the US last year, are coming to Glór on Wednesday, the 23rd of October at 7:30pm. Photo (c): Clare FM

On Monday’s Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey spoke to William Cahir of Cahir & Co. Solicitors, Ennis, in our weekly legal slot. This week, William gave advice to investors on what they should know when buying or selling.

Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna is celebrating its 75th anniversary early next month. This is a milestone event that you won’t want to miss, The evening will be filled with reminiscing, including a special raffle of local Art works, with music, and dancing. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and teachers. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by the Principal of Mary Immaculate Secondary school, Mona Hynes, Professor of STEM Education at the University of Limerick, Dr Geraldine Mooney Simme and former pupil, Diarmuid Drennan. Tickets can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/mary-immaculate-secondary-schools-75th-anniversary-reunion-celebration-tickets-1008227013137 Image (c) Mary Immaculate Secondary School via Facebook

The Friends of Ennis Hospital campaign group says extending the opening hours of the Ennis Local Injury Unit is the next logical step in improving healthcare in Clare. From today, the Medical Assessment Unit at Ennis Hospital will operate sixteen hours daily from 8am to 12 midnight which is up from 8pm previously. Despite frequent calls for a similar extension of its opening hours, the HSE says it has no plans to extend the hours during which Ennis's Local Injury Unit operates beyond 8am to 8pm. Friends of Ennis Hospital Chairperson Angela Coll says during the summer in particular, it makes practical sense for the unit to be open late.

An Ennis business owner has dismissed a councillor's proposal for a scheme to assist traders with their upkeep costs as an "insult". A meeting of Ennis Municipal District has heard Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard call for a paint scheme whereby funds would be set aside for businesses affected by the ongoing construction works in the town for the purpose of painting their premises. The proposal received broad support and a meeting of councillors in the Ennis area is set to take place at a later date to discuss how the scheme can be put in place. Retailers of Ennis Chairperson and owner of Custy's Music Shop, John O'Connor however doesn't believe the scheme will be of any help to struggling traders.

Clare County Council has been urged to enhance its engagement with the disabled community before signing off on it's new corporate plan in December. The Disability Federation of Ireland has penned an open letter to the local authority calling for a guarantee that all policies developed over the 2025 to 2029 council term will be "disability proofed". Currently, one in five people in Clare are living with a disability and the employment rate within the community is just 33%, which is 13% below that of the general population. Ennistymon based Clare Leader Forum Spokesperson Anne-Marie Flanagan insists serious policy change is needed.

On this week's Atlantic Tales, Pat Flynn chats with multi-instrumentalist, singer, music educator and arranger Ger O’Donnell. Ger’s musical journey has led him through fife and drum bands to classical flute to rock bands to his current focus on strings and voice in folk arrangements.

Funding is to be sought to improve the safety of a road in Clarecastle village where lives are said to be at stake. Clare County Council has this week committed to carrying out "a complete assessment" of Patrick Street in Clarecastle with a view to applying for Department of Transport funding in order to implement traffic calming measures on the route. It's after Clarecastle Sinn Féin Councillor Tommy Guilfoyle raised the matter at this week's meeting of Ennis Municipal District, calling for a raised pedestrian crossing to be put in place in an area where he claims vulnerable road users such as children and the elderly are at particular risk. If funding is approved, the Council says works can be carried out in 2025, and Councillor Guilfoyle says they can't come soon enough.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health has suggested asking "for the loan" of a specialised chair in the case of a Clare child with Cerebral Palsy. The two-year--old referred to as Alex is just below the age limit for the Access and Inclusion Model and therefore cannot be provided with a state funded SNA or any specialised equipment at her creche in Shannon. As a result, Alex's parents have been forced to bring in her walker from home every day, while she also has to use a seat propped up by tea towels. Responding to Kilrush Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne, Minister Mary Butler believes local services are best placed to help, while a review of the scheme is underway.