Clare Fm - Podcasts

Coming up on the show, we look ahead to a massive weekend in Clare soccer with both semi final ties down for decision in the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup. There's also a big few days ahead for Clare's hurlers across the minor, senior and U20 grades, with the focus on Sunday's trip to Walsh Park for round two of the Munster championship.

Appointment cancellations at Ennis Hospital rose by almost 75% last year. Figures released to Aontú show there were 281,996 appointments cancelled at hospitals around the country in 2024 which was up by more than 5% on the previous year. University Hospital Limerick saw 5,038 cancellations which was down 47% on 2023 while Ennis Hospital experienced a 74% surge with 1,559 procedures cancelled. Ennistymon-based Midwest Hospital Campaign spokesperson Marie McMahon has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons the figures are "worrying" for people in Clare.

Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 25ú lá de mí Aibreán, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1986 tháinig giall Michelle Hanlon ar ais lena thuismitheoirí tar éis a tharla troid gránghunna I gContae na Mí an oíche roimhe. I 1997 tháinig sé amach go ndúirt daoine go raibh an rialtas ag smaoineamh ar cháin a chur ar morgáiste nua chun stop a chur ar phraghas na tí ag dul suas. I 1980 bhí na sean stiúrthóir de Chipboard LTD I Scariff chun buail leis an rialtas chun thaispeáin go raibh pacáiste acu don todhchaí agus chun cosain post de nach mór 300 duine. I 1986 tháinig an nuacht amach go raibh plean ag Dunnes Stores sa chontae a raibh impleacht ó thaobh costais de do na daoine áitiúla. Sin Blondie le Call Me – an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 1980. Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 2007 I rith an turas a bhí The Rolling Stones ag déanamh dúradh nach raibh George Bush ábalta sínigh isteach chuig svuít in óstán cúig réalta de bharr go raibh sé ag Mick Jagger. Chaith Mick Jag

To preview the sporting fixtures, Alan Morrissey was joined on Friday’s Morning Focus by Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch. Games Previewed: Munster SHC Round-Robin Series: Waterford v Clare (Sunday, Walsh Park, 2pm) Munster MHC Round-Robin Series: Limerick v Clare (Friday, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 7pm) Ennis Carpets Clare Cup Semi-Final: Newmarket Celtic v Fairgreen Celtic (Friday, Frank Healy Park, 7pm)

It is time for the seventeenth episode of our second season of The Village Tour. 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 The Village Tour, Alan Morrissey chats with various people from a particular village or townland in Clare: from locals and business owners to those involved with local sports clubs, community representatives and many more. In our latest episode of The Village Tour, Alan paid a visit to Ogonnelloe.

The Dawn chorus walk is set to take place tomorrow, on the 26th of April, with Ennis Tidy towns. Another will take place in the Burren on the 11th of May. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Ennis Fine Gael Councillor, Cllr Mary Howard and Tom Lynch, from Bird Watch Ireland. Photo(C): ClareFM

On Wednesday’s Morning Focus, we were joined by Cathal Crowe. The Meelick Fianna Fáil TD was refuting reports he called for the reinstatement of Shannon Airport Stopover Rule. The rule, which compelled transatlantic flights to the Republic of Ireland to stop at the Clare airport, was ended in 2008, following the EU-US ‘Open Skies’ agreement. According to the trade publication Travel Extra, Deputy Crowe had recently called for legislation demanding that flights stop at Shannon, in line with the “stopover” rule. This led to the CEO the DAA, Kenny Jacobs describing any resurrection of the rule as “bizarre”. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Owner of Travel Extra, Eoghan Corry.

A huge security operation is underway in Vatican City today ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral tomorrow. At least 200,000 people are expected to attend Saturday’s outdoor service at St Peter's Square. It will draw heads of state and government from around the world, including US President Donald Trump, while President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tanáiste Simon Harris are all expected to attend. President Higgins and his wife Sabina will pay their respects at the Pope's lying in state today. Other world leaders, including Donald Trump, are expected to arrive in Rome this evening. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Fr Brendan Quinlivan and Bishop Fintan Monahan.

An MEP for this region is denying that an invitation sent to the President of the European Commission to come to Clare is a PR exercise. Ireland South Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has written to Ursula von der Leyen inviting her to this county next month to tour the local pharmaceutical and medical technology sector. The aim of the tour, according to Ní Mhurchú, would be to demonstrate the role that this county plays in Europe's "life sciences economy". She says it's her duty to represent workers who may feel their future is uncertain at present.

A Clare special needs assistant is calling for assessments of needs for children to be expedited. Education Minister Helen McEntee has announced that as of September of this year, SNAs will be redeployed to schools where vacancies exist instead of being made redundant in the event that the number of roles allocated to their school changes. The Fórsa union has described the initiative as "seismic" for the 23,000 SNAs working at national and secondary schools nationwide. Tubber native Liz O'Donoghue says schools are under immense pressure to provide SNAs to children awaiting assessments.

For the sixteenth episode of the village tour, Alan Morrissey paid a visit to Liscannor. 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. Photo (c): Clare FM

Ruth O’Neill is originally from just outside Waterford City but in her teens, moved with her family to South Kilkenny. After finishing secondary school she worked in Germany as an au pair and learned to speak the language fluently while on her return to Ireland, she studied marketing and languages in Dublin. It wasn’t long however before Ruth was back travelling again, spending several years working overseas including in the Middle East during the second Gulf War. When she finally returned to Ireland to settle, Ruth established her business, Charm Bee, in Labasheeda on the Shannon Estuary. Before that, it was mostly in the aviation sector she worked.

The gang at Corofin Dramatic Society are no doubt cock-a-hoop after qualifying for the All-Ireland Drama Festival Finals! The finals take place in Athlone on the 11th of May. They will be preparing for the big occasion with a performance of Catch The Weir in Corofin on this weekend. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined in-studio by the Chairperson of Corofin Dramatic Society, Maura Clancy, and lighting designer, Noirin Lynch. Photo (c): Clare FM

The Clare Garden Festival is coming this weekend! It takes place on Sunday, April 27th from 11am-5pm at Ennis Showgrounds. Over 75 Garden, Plant, Craft & Food stalls from all over Ireland join the popular festival every year on the last Sunday in April with stallholders coming from all over Ireland. The festival offers a great series of Garden Expert talks from an accessible stage and has much to offer and discover for young and old. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Master Organic Gardener, Jim Cronin, Chairman of Clare Agricultural Show society, Joe Lillis, and Festival manager and founder, Carmen Cronin. Photo (c): Clare Garden Festival

B. Molloy Master Butchers has received a 5-Star Award in this year’s Easter Lamb Display Competition. It’s great recognition for the Roslevan-based butchers. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined in-studio by Derek Molloy, of B. Molloy Master Butchers.

Ennis is the place to be from today, when Consairtín 2025 gets underway from April 24th to 27th. The annual celebration of the concertina in the world of traditional Irish music attracts hundreds of visitors to the town to attend classes, workshops, lectures, recitals, concerts and informal sessions. To learn more about this, Alan Morrissey was joined in-studio by Tim Collins, Anna Howard and Kate Howard.

Clare Fianna Fáil TD, Cathal Crowe has strongly shut down suggestions that the Government is seeking to introduce water charges and has hit-out at ‘disingenuous’ social media comments relating to water charges from Shannon Sinn Fein TD, Donna McGettigan. A Sinn Féin Bill on Water Services was debated in the Dáil earlier and was defeated following a vote. On social media in recent days, Deputy McGettigan accused Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents of allowing water charges to be introduced following the vote. However, Deputy Crowe has hit out at the accusation. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Fianna Fáil TD, Cathal Crowe, and Sinn Féin TD, Donna McGettigan.

The Shannon Airport Group has revealed details of the two remarkable charities it will fundraise for in 2025. The charities, selected by The Shannon Airport Group employees, are Clare Crusaders and Little Blue Heroes. Alan Morrissey was speaking about this with Vanessa McTigue, who is chair of the Shannon Airport Group Charity Committee & head of Business Development & Leasing at the group. Photo (c): Shannon Airport Group

Three students from Colaiste Muire in Ennis will represent Clare at the National Student Enterprise Awards. The awards will take place on the 8th of May. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined in-studio by Amy Killeen, Aoife Keane and Roisin Hogan from Colaiste Muire. Photo (c): Clare FM

There are plans for a new medical centre which will see three North Clare medical practices amalgamate have been given a clean bill of health. The project, which will involve the redevelopment of an existing guest and dwelling house on the Lahinch Road in Ennistymon, will enable more complex procedures, treatments, and more besides. It's claimed 10 patients will be able to be treated at a time with 10 more able to be accommodated in the waiting room. To tell us more about it, Alan Morrissey was joined by Michael Kelleher who is a GP. Photo (c) studioroman via canva.com