Clare Fm - Podcasts

There are calls being made for the local authority to advocate for the Government to provide better supports for small businesses within the hospitality sector. Ennis Fianna Fáil Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua put forward a motion at this month's meeting of Clare County Council, calling for them “to ask the Minister to urgently review the current supports available for small hospitality businesses throughout County Clare.” To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by co-owner of Moher Hill Farm, Martin Canavan and Fianna Fáil Cllr, Antoinette Baker Bashua. Photo (c) ElenaK78 via Canva.com

On Thursday's Morning Focus, Alan welcomed Kieran McMahon onto the show for the Fitness and Wellness slot. Kieran is an online personal trainer and is also the founder of KM Fitness and the Be A Better Man online coaching mentorship. This week, Kieran gave advice on how to stay fit during winter.

Irish Book Week is looming large on the horizon. The event will run from the 19th-26th of October. Now in its 7th year, Irish Book Week is a nationwide celebration of Irish bookshops, Irish books, publishers, writers, illustrators and poets. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by the Chair of the Committee for Bookselling Ireland, Dawn Behan and Author, Folklorist and Historian from Kilkishen, Cathal O’Hagan. Photo (c): terimakasih0 from pixabay via Canva

Tulla Community Centre will be the venue for an important fundraiser this weekend. On Saturday, it will host the charitable initiative, in aid of the local voluntary branch of the MS Society. A host of local musicians and singers are set to perform at the fundraiser. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Regional Community Worker with the MS Society covering Clare, John MacDonald and local musician from Tulla who is the organiser of fundraiser concert, John Hunt. Photo (c): Kawalan Studio from Kawalan Studio via Canva

The Chief Executive of Clare County Council says it appears the Government has "no plan to deal with the long term implications" of contracting Clare's tourist beds for refugee accommodation. The comments came during a discussion during this week's meeting of the county's elected representatives concerning the strategy for returning hotels and other tourism accommodation used to house refugees to the tourist market. Clare County Council's data for this month shows there are 5,418 Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Accommodation currently residing in Clare while as of June of this year, the Ennistymon region has the highest rate of Ukrainian refugees of any local electoral area in the country at over 12%. Clare County Council Chief Executive Pat Dowling doesn't believe the Government understands the negative impacts taking tourist beds out of the tourism market is having on this county.

The Health Minister is being urged to provide clarity on efforts to tackle staffing deficits at University Hospital Limerick. Minister Stephen Donnelly has disputed claims that 240 nursing vacancies exist at UHL, even though this was confirmed by former UL Hospitals Group CEO Colette Cowan in a parliamentary question reply in August, which quoted HSE figures. According to the INMO, it currently takes a minimum of six months to fill vacant nursing and midwifery roles. Kilrush Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne believes safe staffing levels are not in place at the region's main hospital.

Ahead of their meeting in the TUS Clare SHC final, Clare FM's Derek Dormer spoke with representatives from Feakle and Sixmilebridge as they prepare for Sunday's showdown in Cusack Park

Businesses and employees across Clare are being urged to be proactive in protecting against cyber security attacks. It follows a recent cyber attack on a west Clare business, which caused over € 1,000 worth of damages. Just last week, St. Tola's Goats Cheese in Ennistymon had its system subject to a cyber attack when attempting to send online invoices. As a result, the company had to install a € 1,500 defence system as a preventative measure against future attacks. However, now that the company has been subject to an initial attack, owner Siobhán Ni Ghairbhith, is fearful this opens up the possibility of further breaches from the same attacker. Shannon Chamber has hosted a seminar with presentations from cyber security firms to inform businesses on best practice to prevent such attacks. Among the key points raised was that cybercrime is now a competing business with industry and it's hoped that future seminars can be hosted to further highlight concerns. CEO Shannon Chamber, Helen Downes believes th

Truagh-Clonlara will be hoping to make it back-to-back Clare Credit Union senior camogie titles this weekend. The south-east Clare side took a step closer to retaining the McMahon Cup, thanks to a hard-fought semi-final win over the side they beat in last year’s final, Scariff-Ogonelloe last weekend. Saturday’s senior camogie final, which throws in at 3:30pm at Dr Daly Park, promises to be an exciting game. To preview the 2024 Clare Credit Union senior camogie final, Alan Morrissey was joined by Truagh Clonlara P.R.O., Caroline Maloney and Inagh Kilnamona Manager, Eugene Foudy. Photo (c): Clare FM

On Wednesday’s Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by Tommy Corbett from Carey Corbett Financial Solutions. This week, Tommy provided Alan and our Morning Focus listeners with advice on pension and the auto enrolment pension scheme.

We all know that a hole-in-one in golf is a rarity...but what if we told you that a Clare man achieved this feat not just once, but twice in the same round! The National Hole-in-One Registry calculates the odds of hitting two aces in the same round as 67 million to one. The lucky Clare man who pulled off this incredible feat is Philip Brigdale. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined in-studio by Clare’s answer to Tiger Woods, Philip Brigdale. Photo (c): Clare FM

Miltown Malbay is getting a new post office! The official opening of the new post office in Milltown Malbay is this Friday, the 18th of October in Jone’s Supervalu. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by John Jones, of Jones’ Supervalu. Photo © An Post

Clare County Council will open a public consultation on November 1st ahead of signing off on its new 5 year local sports plan for 2024 to 2028. The draft framework for the plan has been developed following a survey of 579 people across the county, which revealed some startling findings, including that 40% of people see a lack of local facilities as a barrier to participating in sports and exercise. The plan has ambitious aims though, with 9 strategic priorities including tackling the drop off rate of teenage girls, keeping the ageing population active, increasing participating in disadvantaged areas, growing minority sports and maximising the use of local facilities as multi-sport hubs through sharing arrangements. To find out more, Clare FM's Daragh Dolan attended last night's launch at the Clare Education Centre where he spoke to Ireland Director of Research and Innovation, Benny Cullen, Clare GAA COO Deirdre Murphy, Ennis Cricketer Jidden Johnson, Clare County Council Support Integration Officer Brend

Clare County Council has passed a motion calling on the Government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill. The motion tabled by Shannon Sinn Féin Councillor Donna McGettigan received the backing of the majority of councillors at this week's meeting of the county's elected representatives. The local authority will now write to the Government to request that the legislation, which would prohibit trade with Israel's illegal settlements, be enshrined in law, while it's also been agreed that a Palestinian flag will hang outside Áras Chontae an Chláir for one week. The Mayor of Clare asked members to stand for a minute's silence at the meeting, and Councillor McGettigan says this was a particularly moving display of support.

Ahead of Sunday's TUS Clare IHC final, Clare FM's Derrick Lynch & Derek Dormer spoke with representatives of both Wolfe Tones and Tubber to preview their showdown in Cusack Park

Clare's hospitality providers are warning this county's tourism economy will be flushed down the drain, unless substantial supports are put in place to support the sector. Businesses from across this county and beyond are gathering outside the Dáil this lunchtime, to protest the lack of helpful measures introduced in Budget 2025. According to the Restaurants Association of Ireland, over 580 food let outlets have closed their doors since the introduction of the 13.5% Vat rate last year, while in Clare alone, 18 pubs have closed in the same timeframe. Clare VFI Chair and Owner of O'Deas Pub in Ennis Charlie O'Meara is at Leinster House  and has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that all local businesses need supports to stay afloat.

The lack of student supports in the recent budget has been branded as 'disgraceful' by a student representative. It follows the publication of the Union of Students in Ireland's election manifesto which urges the government to develop a strategic plan to tackle the student accommodation crisis. Although the budget included fee reductions and increases to the SUSI grant, its claimed not enough was done to tackle the issue of homelessness amongst students. Students Union President at the University of Galway, Faye Ní Dhomhnaill, claims that with the lack of assists made available to students, they are having to come to terms with being lower class citizens.

Clare author Marie O’Connell last joined us to chat about her book 'Third Time Lucky'. Marie has been hard at it since then; she has not only written one new book, but two called My Influencers of the Past: Making The Invisible Visible' and 'By the Fireside: Granda's Memories' The Ballina-based writer will be launching them this weekend. To talk more about this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Marie O'Connell. Photo (c): terimakasih0 from pixabay via Canva

In this week’s History in Focus, Alan Morrissey is joined by local historian and author, Colm Liddy to discuss the confederate war. 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.

What sounds like a very interesting event will be taking place in Ennistymon this coming weekend. The Falls Hotel & Spa will host Harp Yoga on Saturday Whether you're a seasoned yogi expert or just looking to unwind, this event is perfect for all levels. The event will be held to mark Lá na Cruite – Harp Day 2024. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by harpist, Aisling Lyons, who will be performing at Lá Na Cruite in Ennistymon. Photo (c): Clare FM