Clare Fm - Podcasts

The time machine is an immersive exhibition that transforms an old Bank in Miltown Malbay into a portal, transporting you to the past and future to help us imagine ourselves in 2084. To find out more, Fiona McGarry was joined by Maeve Stone, Award-winning artist of Cracking Light Productions. Photo (c): Miltowntimemachine.com

A host of stars from the world of GAA, racing and other big sporting personalities came together last Monday evening, for this year’s Hurling for Cancer Research all-star game. The coverage on TG4 was aimed at boosting donations to the Irish Cancer Society’s vital research projects. Gort based camera man Dermot Flaherty is currently undergoing treatment for cancer and he shared his story ahead of coverage of Monday’s game. For more on this, Fiona McGarry spoke with Dermot Flaherty. Picture (c) Cancer.ie

Clare's Fine Gael senator says he makes "no apologies" for disagreeing with his party colleague Minister Paschal Donohoe on the hospitality VAT rate. Various organisations representing businesses in the hospitality industry have long called for their VAT to be returned to the lower rate 9% which was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe says however the higher VAT rate of 13.5% will remain in place beyond the budget in October as he claims the lower rate was only ever meant to be a tmeporary measure. Ennistymon Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway insists the lower rate is needed especially along Clare's coast where businesses are under particular pressure.

It's claimed light is at the end of the tunnel for communities victimised by persistent flooding in Clare. It comes as the local authority is set to submit a planning application for a flood relief scheme in Kilkee that will aim to alleviate overflow from Victoria Stream. Another scheme is currently being prepared to compat coastal water infiltrating the town centre, while expressions of interest are being sought for engineers to develop flood protection schemes in Bunratty and Kilrush. Clare Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley says the investment is vital to safeguard livelihoods.

Clare FM's Derrick Lynch is joined by analysts Joe Garry and Paudie Carmody to preview the second round games in the TUS Clare senior and intermediate football championships

"Huge concerns" around the safety of a new school bus service being trialled in Clare have been highlighted by parents. With just two weeks to go until secondary schools reopen their doors, Bus Éireann has announced that students in the south-east of the county availing of its services to travel to Shannon will do so by way of the 343 public bus service. On August 6th, parents in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Sixmilebridge and Cratloe whose children are registered for Bus Éireann's school bus service for the coming academic year received an email informing them of the details of the service. Following on from a Department of Education review of the School Transport Scheme, a new pilot scheme is being trialled in south-east Clare whereby students will travel on the existing 343 bus service which ordinarily goes from Limerick to Ennis via Shannon. Bus Éireann has told parents their students will be issued with Leap Cards which they can use to avail of other public transport services in their area. It's understood t

"Huge concerns" around the safety of a new school bus service being trialled in Clare have been highlighted by parents. With just two weeks to go until secondary schools reopen their doors, Bus Éireann has announced that students in the south-east of the county availing of its services to travel to Shannon will do so by way of the 343 public bus service. On August 6th, parents in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Sixmilebridge and Cratloe whose children are registered for Bus Éireann's school bus service for the coming academic year received an email informing them of the details of the service. Following on from a Department of Education review of the School Transport Scheme, a new pilot scheme is being trialled in south-east Clare whereby students will travel on the existing 343 bus service which ordinarily goes from Limerick to Ennis via Shannon. Bus Éireann has told parents their students will be issued with Leap Cards which they can use to avail of other public transport services in their area. It's understood t

A Clare professor believes Ukraine's recent military advancements has changed the optics of the war. Ukraine has switched to the offensive and has forced Russian troops to evacuate areas from the border regions of Kursks, resulting in roughly 75-thousand people fleeing from their homes. Voldymyr Zelenksyy's troops claim they have captured 1,000sqkm while Russian President Vladimir Putin is convinced it's all in efforts for Ukraine to secure greater bargaining chips for future negotiations. Newmarket-on-Fergus Native and Professor of Politics at DCU Donnacha Ó Beacháin says, the conflict is no longer confined to Ukraine's regions.

Morning Focus was broadcasting live from the Clare Museum in Ennis. Firstly, Alan Morrissey spoke with a Sixmilebridge parent, Edel Rafferty, to discuss the concern over the planned changes to the school bus service in Shannon. After that, Alan was joined by Deputy Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua, Ennis Chamber President, Sheila Lynch and Council Director of Service, Carmel Kirby. Following that, Alan was joined by Púca Sculptor & Author, Aidan Harte to find out about his new book on Lugs Brannigan. Next, Alan was joined by Ennis MD Senior Engineer, Seán Lenihan, A/Town Foreman, Pat Slattery and Ennis Tidy Towns representative, Helen Brandon. We then had our weekly Garda Focus segment with Clare Crime Prevention Officer, Sgt. Catríona Holohan. Later, Alan was joined by Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics at DCU to discuss the new phase of the Ukrainian-Russian war after Ukraine invaded Russia. Alan welcomed the Acting Chair of the Lismorauhaun Singers, Caroline Counihan and the Chor

The Clare Branch of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service is appealing for new donors amid a challenging time of year for the service. The IBTS is aiming to retain a minimum of 3 days worth of blood stocks in order to facilitate routine hospital services such as heart and knee operations, pregnancies and cancer treatment. Donation clinics will be taking place this evening and tomorrow Wednesday at Treacy's Oakwood Hotel from 4pm until 20 past 7. Broadford based IBTS Recruitment Executive Alex O'Connor says its vital new participants come forward in order to keep the healthcare system running.

In this week’s History in Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by local historian and author Colm Liddy to discuss a letter from the Scott Family to the Vandeleur Family that is kept in the Clare Museum. If you have any stories you would like to share with Colm about your town, you can contact him at colmliddy@eircom.net or Clare FM at focus@clare.fm.

Aidan Harte would be best known to a Clare audience as the man who sculpted the statue of the Púca that was at the centre of some controversy two years ago. Aidan is now involved with a somewhat different venture. He has written and illustrated a new book called Lugs Branigan: The True Story of Ireland’s Legendary Lawman. To discuss his new book, Alan Morrissey was joined by Sculptor, Author & Illustrator Aidan Harte. Picture (c): Aidan Harte via X

Concern is being expressed by parents in Sixmilebridge, Cratloe and Newmarket-on-Fergus over planned changes to their children’s school bus service to Shannon. For more on the planned changes and why they have caused panic amongst parents, Alan Morrissey spoke with Edel Rafferty, from Sixmilebridge, one of the aforementioned parents. Picture (c) Igor Vershinsky via Canva.com

Clare County Council is expressing confidence that tourists will flock from all corners of Europe to a new attraction here. The tender has been published for fit-out works on the Old Rectory in Mountshannon which will be repurposed as a vistor an interpretative centre for Inis Cealtra. The tender is worth €300,000 and submissions must be in by September 9th. General Manager of Clare Tourism East Stephen Hanley believes people will come from far and wide to experience Inis Cealtra once it's open to the public next March.

Clare people experiencing the grief of a miscarriage have an opportunity to share their stories with eachother at an event tonight. A peer support meeting for those who've experienced a miscarriage will be held in the Greenhills Hotel at 8pm while another meeting will take place in the Inn at Dromoland on September 10th. It's estimated one in five women in Ireland will experience a miscarriage at some point in their lives while figures from the National Maternity Hospital show there are approximately 14,000 miscarriages here each year. Miscarriage Association of Ireland committee member and volunteer Ashling Moloney says all are welcome to attend even if they don't wish to open up just yet.

The vast majority of Clare homes and businesses affected by thunderstorms will have their power restored tonight. Over 450 premises near Ennis, Crusheen, Kildysart, Kilshanny, Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna are still without electricity following last night's thunderstorms. The lightning strike brought down the power line in Kildysart last night and ESB is warning the public to stay away from exposed cables as they still may be live. ESB Clare Area Manager Alan Hogan has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that while most customers will have their power back this evening, people must remain vigilant and immediately contact them if experiencing issues.

A member of the Cliffs of Moher's management team insists their world-famous walking trail is safe despite claims to the contrary. Following a number of tragic incidents at the Cliffs in recent times, the Clare Local Development Company and Clare County Council are working on implementing additional safety measures at points where walkers are more likely to leave the 14 kilometre trail. The plan is due to be finalised later this year and will be put in place in early 2025 but it's warned parts of the trail may close if agreement can't be reached with all of the 38 landowners who own the trail. Clare Local Development Company CEO Doirín Graham claims adequate safety measures are already in place but says there are several "high-risk points" along the trail.

A Clare Publican is warning businesses are being forced to cut back on their own maintenance due to rising input costs. It comes as Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe has confirmed there will be no reduction to the 13.5% hospitality VAT rate in Budget 2025. According to the Restaurants Association of Ireland, the return to the 9.5% rate is needed urgently as 600 food outlets have closed this year alone. Clare Toursim Advisory Vice Chair and Owner of Durty Nellys in Bunratty, Maurice Walsh says the situation has become perilous. A Clare Restaurateur meanwhile fears the Government's approach will lead to a raft of further closures in the industry. Co-Owner of the Monks Restaurant in Ballyvaughan Patrick O'Donohue insists reducing the VAT rate is the only way to provide the hospitality industry with real relief and prevent costs from being passed onto consumers.

A Clare Irish language enthusiast blames what he calls the State's "archaic" approach to teaching the language for young people's lack of interest in it. The comments come as a new report has found one third of teenagers would like to see Irish removed as a compulsory subject in second-level education. Marking the 20th anniversary of the the Ombudsman for Children's Office, the OCO has conducted a new survey called 'Tomorrow Starts With Us" in collaboration with Amárach Research. The survey sought the opinions of over 1,000 12 to 18 year-olds on topics such as education, bullying, racism and discrimination, mental health in schools, online safety, accessibility, public transport, the student voice and how Ireland rates as a country for young people. The findings of the survey are predictably broad - with 47% saying they've experienced bullying at some stage and 36% saying they've experienced discrimination - while 71% said Ireland is a good country to reach their full potential in and 62% rated the educat

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 autmnal plants for containers and beds. If you have a question for Tom, contact the show on 0818 400 964 or send a text or Whatsapp to 086 1800 964.