Clare Fm - Podcasts

It's claimed rural West Clare is not getting its fair share of return investment from the local authority's coffers. It comes amid renewed concern for local population growth, over the widespread closure of post offices, pubs, shops and schools across the region. At present, over a fifth of the Kilrush Electoral Area's population are above retirement age, which is the highest proportion in the county. Cree based Independent local election candidate Dinny Gould insists major funding is needed to stimulate economic activity and prevent further decline.

It's hoped a significant increase in support payments could soon be forthcoming for Clare's family carers. It's after a private members bill which proposed abolishing the means testing for the weekly carers allowance passed through the Dáil without opposition last night. Although not legally binding , the approval of the private members bill put forward by the Regional Independents Group indicates strong support for the scrapping of means testing for carers allowance. At present to qualify carers cannot be employed or self-employed or do any voluntary work for more than 18.5 hours per week, while the maximum rate for a full-time carer looking after one person below retirement age is €248. Advocacy bodies have persistently called for the payment to be based on the needs of those receiving care, rather than by household income. The Netwatch Clare family carer of the year from Bunratty, Sinead O'Brien says the review process of the means test has added undue stress to her role. The Government estimates tha

The low registration rate in Clare for a highly-publicised grant has been attributed to intense demands on business owners. Introduced in Budget 2024, the Increased Cost Of Business Grant offers successful applicants the equivalent of 50% of their commercial rates paid in 2023, capped at €5,000. 80% of small and medium businesses in Clare are eligible but just over 35% have applied for the scheme. With the deadline of May 1st fast approaching, Ennis Chamber President Sheila Lynch says in the midst of the "firefighting" businesses are forced to do each day, there's still time to apply.

A local medical practitioner believes misinformation is playing a part in low vaccine uptake for children. It comes as the HSE has launched a campaign to promote the importance of immunisation in protecting babies and children against the lives of measles, whooping cough and mumps. The uptake of primary childhood immunisation has declined across all vaccines since 2020, while HPSC figures show 48 cases of whooping cough and 16 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles have been reported in Ireland so far this year. Clare doctor and Specialist Registrar in Public Health Medicine Dr Emma Kearney says while clinic closures resulting from the pandemic are largely to blame for low uptake, misleading information on social media has resulted in some vaccine hesitancy.

There will be Clare interest in the first episode of a new series on TG4. John O’Connor will feature in tonight’s opening episode of Déan Tú Féin É. The show will air on TG4 this evening at 8pm. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by John from Newtown Ballyvaughan, on Thursday's Morning Focus.

Our series, ‘Clare Women in Business’, seeks to showcase the accomplishments of women in business, foster gender equality, and inspire future generations of female leaders. This week, Pat Flynn meets Nadaa Hyder, co-founder of Morning Dew in Corofin.

It is time for the eleventh episode of our newest feature on Morning Focus, Village Tour, where Alan Morrissey paid a visit to Miltown Malbay. With the Village Tour, we here at Morning Focus are aiming to highlight the smaller villages and townlands around the county. By doing this, we hope to showcase their unique character, while also bringing their diversity and individuality to life for you, the listener. During each episode of Village Tour, Alan chats with three people from a particular village or townland in Clare: from locals and business owners to those involved with local sports clubs and community representatives.

On Thursday’s Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by Canadian chef and owner of Randaddy’s in Lahinch, Randy Lewis. This week, Randy shared with us all the tips and tricks for your Summer BBQ!

This week is Organ Donor Awareness Week. Running until Saturday, the key campaign message continues to be built around sharing your wishes with your loved ones about organ donation with the theme, Don’t Leave Your Loved Ones In Doubt. This follows the signing of the Human Tissue Bill into law by the President, Michael D. Higgins, at the end of February. This means people will be deemed to be organ donors unless they have registered their wish not to donate. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by John Burns, Former Deputy Principal, Rice College, Founder, Burns Study Centre, his Younger Brother was an Organ Recipient and his Older Brother was an Organ Donor.

A protest will take place outside the Dáil today to highlight chronic overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick. The demonstration will take place at Leinster House at 1pm and coincides with the fourth day of the inquest into the death of Shannon teenager Aoife Johnston at UHL in December 2022. The sixteen-year old passed away from bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours on chairs in the Emergency Department, and a doctor who treated her on the night has told the coroners court the ED "was not a safe environment". Organiser of today's protest, Mike Daly says services in the MidWest are nowhere near good enough.

A call has been made for the demolition of the Ennis Market Building. Built at a cost of €1.75m in 2016, the covered facility was intended to accommodate traders and farmers markets, while providing car-parking in its downtime. The site has struggled to attract vendors though and in December, Clare County Council contracted a private security firm to monitor the premises due to concerns for public safety, stemming from persistent instances of anti-social behaviour. Labour local election candidate in the Ennis Municipal District, Seamus Ryan, believes the structure should be knocked to the ground and repurposed rather than draining public funds.

125 Transition Year students from St.Flannan's College in Ennis will climb Croagh Patrick tomorrow to raise much needed funds for local charities. The money raised by the students will be donated to Cahercalla Community Care, Milford Hospice and Cancer Care Galway. Over €2,300 has already been raised by the students through various fundraising campaigns. Edel Vaughan, teacher at St.Flannans's, says the cause is very important to all at the school.

It's claimed Ennis and County Clare has lost one of its most genial and hardworking public representatives. It follows the passing of former Mayor of Ennis and Fianna Fáil Councillor Raymond Greene. Raymond was first elected to the town council in 1991 and was elected as the county town's first citizen the following year. Clare Fianna Fáil PRO Michael McTigue has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that Raymond was a man who never sought acclaim for his achievements and always put the needs of others before his own.

There has been a surge in support for the reopening of the Crusheen Rail Stop. In March, Clare County Council commissioned Repucon Consulting to conduct a feasibility study to examine the socio-economic benefits of re-instating the North Clare rail stop. Within the first two weeks, the survey has already received over 1,000 public submissions weighing in on the prospect of reinstating the line that closed to passenger traffic in 1976. Colman O'Raghallaigh from West On Track believes the reopening the station is inevitable.

A Clare farming representative believes the exodus of young people from agriculture is driving down the price of land. New data from the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland and Teagasc has revealed Clare has the lowest average price for farmland in Munster and the fifth-lowest nationwide. The agricultural sector supports 12,000 people in Clare, or roughly 20,000 of the county's population, and the average age of a farmer here is 59. O'Callaghan's Mills Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association representative Martin McMahon has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons he believes land prices will fall over time if young people aren't incentivised to purse a career in the sector.

A Clare community worker has claimed that the ability to vote in local elections enables greater integration in communities. In the past fortnight, 12 Clare based community organisations have come together to help marginalised groups to register ahead of the upcoming local and European elections in June. The initiative will continue into early May and aims to provide assistance to people living in emergency accomodation and direct provision centres. Alina Senkova, Community Development worker with the Clare Local Development Company, says refugees need time to become familiar with their local representatives.

Over the past week, more European medals have come to Clare, with Odin McNulty of the West Clare Taekwon-Do Club picking up bronze in the patterns section of the Euro championships in Poland. The club is one of the fastest growing in the area, and members are now regularly featuring on national squads. Ahead of travelling to the championships, Clare FM's Derrick Lynch spoke with Odin and some other members of the club to find out how things are going.

It’s a busy weekend for the Cheese Press, Ger Woulfe, a musician from Cork, will play the Cheese Press in Ennistymon this Saturday. American artist Casey Black will also play there on Monday night. On Wednesday's Morning Focus, Ger and Casey joined Alan Morrissey to discuss the upcoming concerts. Ger plays Sat 27th 8pm and Casey is playing with support from his friend Mick Flannery, who plays April 29th 8pm. Picture (c) cheesepressennistymon.ie

Transition Year students from St. Flannan’s College are getting ready to take on a big challenge, in aid of local charities. Tomorrow they will climb Croagh Patrick to raise vital funds for Cahercalla Community Care, Milford Hospice and Cancer Care Galway. To find out more about the climb, Alan Morrissey was joined in studio by Transition Year Students, Maggie Murphy and Alex Furey, and teacher, Edel Vaughan from St Flannan's. To donate, please visit: https://gofund.me/ddfd86b7

This year’s Darkness Into Light will take place on the morning of Saturday, 11th of May at 4:15am. The early morning event by Pieta, billed as “the most important sunrise of the year”, is a huge fundraiser for suicide prevention. Its launch will take place tomorrow. To find out more about the event, Alan Morrissey was joined by Mary Howard, Ennis Municipal District Fine Gael Councillor & Darkness Into Light Committee member on Wednesday's Morning Focus.