Clare Fm - Podcasts

A dancer from Clare has been selected for the Irish National Youth Ballet. Ciara Needham, from Killaloe, will join the premier youth ballet in the country. Ciara will represent Clare in The Nutcracker, part of INYB’s 30th anniversary performances this December. Photo (c): Clare FM

It looks like the electorate could be heading to the polls this side of Christmas. There has been speculation for some time that we could be looking at a general election this year, possibly in late November, or even early December. Taoiseach Simon Harris has since said there "will be a general election soon" and he expects the general election will be held in 2024. To discuss this, cost of living supports and more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Taoiseach Simon Harris, on Tuesday's Morning Focus. Photo (c) Fine Gael

On Tuesday's Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by HSE's Mid-West Regional Executive Officer, Sandra Broderick to discuss John Wall joining the programme improvement board of HSE MidWest as a patient advocate, the Clarke report and more. Photo (c): Clare FM

A Clare MEP is set to head up an EU Committee tasked with keeping tabs on artificial intelligence. Scariff's Michael McNamara has been appointed Co-Chair of the European Parliament's AI Monitoring Group, which has responsibility for implementing the Artificial Intelligence Act, that became law in August. The group will aim to ensure systems used by businesses, schools, states, and the general public are fairly regulated based on the risk they pose to society. Independent Member of the Renew Europe Group, McNamara says its vital the technology isn't abused.

The 2024 TUS Clare senior hurling championship top scorer hailed the impact Feakle got from their bench players as they ended their 36 year wait for Canon Hamilton. The east Clare side's substitutes outscored those of Sixmilebridge by two points, with Owen McGann netting a crucial goal after being introduced. Midfielder Shane McGrath ended the season with a personal tally of 2-63, clear of Sixmilbridge's Alex Morey who notched 2-50. He says every panel member played their part in ensuring that Feakle's long gap between drinks was ended.

It's claimed Peter Keane has "an itch to scratch" at intercounty level as he is set to take charge of the Clare senior footballers. The former Kerry manager has been reccomended by the Clare Senior Football Manager Nomination Committee to replace fellow Kerry native Mark Fitzgerald who stepped away six weeks ago. The committe was comprised of stalwarts of Clare football Dermot Coughlan and David Tubridy along with chairman Kieran Keating and COO Deirdre Murphy. Clare FM analyst Joe Garry says Keane will come into the role with a point to prove following the manner at which he lost the Kerry senior football job.

The Éire Óg boss claims his side still have some elements in their game to iron out despite claiming yet another TUS Clare senior football title. Kilmurry Ibrickane, Ennistymon and Doora Barefield were all dispatched en route to their Jack Daly success, with the Townies only conceding a single goal throughout the campaign. Both of Éire Óg's lowest score totals of the championship came against Sunday's beaten finalists, with manager Paul Madden ciritical of their shooting in the decider. Madden told Clare FM's Derrick Lynch that although he was delighted at winning another county championship he would have liked to have seen greater efficiency in front of the posts.

The manager of the Kilmurry Ibrickane senior ladies footballers claims Sunday's final success was the culmination of the effort his side have given over the past two years. The west Clare side claimed their maiden senior ladies title with a 3-8 to 1-10 victory over Doora Barefield, with both sides contesting the decider for the first time in their history. Ellie Hanrahan finished the game with a personal tally of 2-2, while Kayla Darcy's late goal put the result beyond doubt. Manager Patrick O'Connor said that given the underage structures that were in place, capturing a county title in 2024 was always the aim when he first took over.

Feakle are 2024 TUS Clare senior hurling champions after a 1-17 to 0-13 win over Sixmilebridge. The east Clare side have ended a 36 year long famine without Canon Hamilton, with their previous success coming in 1988.  Inspired by an Owen McGann goal when sprung from the bench to put Feakle nine points to the good, Ger Conway's side never looked back going on to record a seven point win. Clare FM analyst Andrew Fahy says all of Feakle's main men stood up and were counted when it mattered.

The youngest member of the starting side for the newly crowned TUS Clare Senior Football Champions says the dissapointment of last year's semi final exit was the inspiration to get back to the summit of Clare club football. Éire Óg got the better of Kilmurry Ibrickane by seven points to claim their third county title in the last four years. It proved to be an extra sweet day for Oran Cahill, who added another county medal to his collection on the day he celebrated his 21st birthday. After the game, Cahill told Clare FM's Derrick Lynch The Townies were eager to set the record straight following their last four defeat 12 months ago.

Clare County Council is to ask the Minister of Education to grant independent status to Gaelcholáiste an Chláír. The Ennis Irish language second-level educational facility, which is the only Gaelcholáiste in the county, remains a unit under the remit of Ennis Community College and is managed by the Limerick and Clare Educational Training Board. The unit's management have long fought for it to become an independent entity and the LCETB has recently written to the Department of Education requesting that it become a standalone school. Corofin Fianna Fáil Councillor and former INTO President Joe Killeen, who raised the matter at this month's meeting of Clare County Council, insists the Gaelcholáiste should have the ability to establish its own ethos.

On this week’s Atlantic Tales, Pat meets multi-award winning painter Kaye Maahs. A native of Kerry, Kaye has been living and working in the Burren for over two decades and her work is defined by daily observations and musings.

Éire Óg are once again TUS Clare senior football champions. Paul Madden's side got the better of Kilmurry Ibrickane in a rain soaked Cusack Park this afternoon to bring home a third Jack Daly crown in four years. The Townies were spurred to life by a Gavin Cooney goal, having not scored prior and trailing 0-3 to 0-00 at the time. Colm Walsh O Loughlen kicked four points in a man of the match display leading Eire Og to a 1-10 to 0-06 victory. Clare FM analyst, Joe Garry, says Eire Og excelled at stifling a strong Kilmurry Ibrickane attack and believes they are well set for a run at the Munster Club Championship

A new facility for children with additional needs in Clare is expected to provide its service users with a positive experience throughout their stay. Enable Ireland, which provides services to over 500 children with intellectual, physical, sensory and autism spectrum disabilities in the Midwest, has secured planning permission for a new children's respite house in Barefield. Once completed, the development, which will involve the renovation of an existing dwelling and former B&B, will consist of three bedrooms as well as an attached self-contained one-bedroom apartment. The respite house is due to be up and running by March of next year, and Enable Ireland Midwest Director of Services Tony Murphy believes it will allow service users to remain involved in their communities.

Clare Gardaí are warning that as the evenings get darker, it's those who are most vulnerable that are in the greatest danger on the roads. With the clocks having gone back this morning, less light can be expected in the evenings going forward. 153 have been killed on the roads nationwide so far this year which is ten more than at this stage in 2023. Head of the Roads Policing Unit of the Clare-Tipperary Garda Division, Superintendent Eddie Golden, say with plenty of Halloween-related events happening in the next few days, drivers must keep an eye out for children in particular.

Fr Gerry Kenny presents this Beyond Belief which includeds an interview with Pat the director of the Samaritans in Ennis who talks about their work in.

Stephen Fletcher leads our Sunday Prayer for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the 5th Sunday before Advent. The Gospel reading is Mark 10: 46-52 the story of blind Bartimaeus.

Clare's IFA Chair says the average income for farmers must be above the industrial wage to solve the sector's recruitment and retention crisis. It comes as the Department of Agriculture is set to approve a new commission on generational renewal in order to combat the rising proportion of farmers approaching retirement age. Agriculture currently contributes over €1bn to Clare's economy and supports over 12,000 jobs. Feakle farmer Stephen Walsh says the future of this county's food production is on the line.

Ennis retailers will have to be on their toes in order to score top prize in a unique Christmas initiative returning this year. Clare County Council has confirmed the return of it's Christmas train and window dressing competition for the festive period, as part of a €50,000 grant for five projects aiming to boost footfall in the town. These will include artisan markets, a new sustainable Christmas Tree and new Christmas lights which will be officially switched on, the eve of Thursday November 28th. Ennis Muncipal District Senior Engineer Seán Lenihan is confident it will be a major success.

On this podcast: Former Clare star Andrew Fahy joins Clare FM's Derrick Lynch to look ahead to Monday's rescheduled TUS Clare SHC final between Feakle and Sixmilebridge