Clare Fm - Podcasts

This year’s Tour de Burren will take centre stage this coming weekend. The annual event will start and finish in the village of Barefield this Saturday. A variety of fantastic charitable initiatives will benefit from the cycle. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by John Maloney who is a member of Burren Cycling Club and former Mayor of Ennis, Ann Norton. Picture (c): Tour De Burren via Facebook

Thirteen primary schools in Clare have been recognised for their participation in science, technology, engineering and maths. The thirteen schools have each been awarded the SFI – or Science Foundation Ireland - Curious Minds Award 2024. It's a great achievement for these schools. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by teacher Judy Mescall and students, Rebecca McNamara and Mattew Gouws from Parteen National School. Alan was also joined by teacher Elaine Ryan and students, Donal O’Brien and Jack Kennedy from S N Baile an Droichid. Picture (c): www.sfi.ie

The Clare Chair of the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association insists farmers in this county will be put out of business following the approval of the EU Nature Restoration Law. The controversial law will require all member states to take measures to restore nature on 20% of their lands by 2030. According to the EU, 81% of its protected habitats are in poor health and the policy will be crucial to reviving land and sea ecosystems. Clare ICMSA Chair and O'Callaghan's Mills farmer Martin McMahon says if farmers have less land to farm on though, livelihoods will be decimated.

A Clare Senator insists immobilisers need to be considered in cars to ensure drivers and all passengers are wearing seatbelts. It follows a new survey from the RSA which found the number of front seat passengers wearing safety belts on Irish roads has fallen by 5% in the last year. The results also showed that one in five backseat passengers admitted to not using their seatbelt for a journey within the last 30 days. Mountshannon Fianna Fáil Senator and Oireachtas Transport Committee Member Timmy Dooley says any casual and careless behaviour on the road can be devastating.

Clare Minor Hurling Coach Damien O'Halloran After All Ireland Semi Final Loss

Concern has been raised that oral care patients in Clare are waiting for treatment in extreme pain due to a severe dentist shortage. New HSE figures show just 12 dentists in this county are offering services to medical card holders under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme. According to a parliamentary question submitted by Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlavan though, just 8 dentists in Clare participated in the scheme between January and May. Sinn Féin Councilor and Cathaoirleach of the Shannon Municipal District Donna McGettigan has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan, the most vulnerable people are impacted the most.

It's expected the reduction in Clare's hotel beds contracted to the state for Asylum Seeker accommodation will not immediately free up visitor spaces. The latest Fáilte Ireland report, shows that 25% of this county's hotel beds were hosting either Ukrainian refugees or International Protection Applicants at the end of May. Although its a drop of 8% from last year, Clare has still has by far the highest proportion of contracted hotel beds nationwide. Vice Chair of the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum and Owner of Durty Nellys in Bunratty Maurice Walsh is hopeful some full establishments will come back into use for visitors soon.

On Monday’s Morning Focus, Alan Morrisssey was joined by Tom Stewart from Keane’s Garden Centre in Kilcolgan. This week, Tom gave listeners advice on midsummer flowering shrubs. If you have a question for Tom, contact the show on 0818 400 964 or send a text or Whatsapp to 086 1800 964.

It is time to bring you another wonderful tale, which means it is time for another edition of Seanchaí Corner. Seanchaí Corner sees the renowned author, storyteller, lecturer, and broadcaster Eddie Lenihan regaling us with a memorable story from his extensive collection of old Irish tales and fables. In our latest installment of Seanchaí Corner, Eddie Lenihan brings us a strange tale of The Corpse-Eating Eel.

75 Ukrainian refugees living in Phoenix House in the Shannon Town Centre will be relocated to Lisdoonvarna later this month. The residents were informed of this decision in a letter issued to them last Monday and unless they find housing in the intervening period, 60 will be placed in the Imperial Hotel while the remaining 15 will go into the Burren Castle Hotel next Monday June 24th. In a statement to Clare FM, the Department of Integration claims the decision is "part of the Government's policy of reducing its accommodation portfolio", and those fleeing the war in Ukraine who are availing of emergency accommodation are "regularly encouraged to make their own independent arrangements for accommodation". Clare FM's Seán Lyons visited the residents of Phoenix House to see how the decision will affect them, and started by speaking to Tetyana who is a single mother living in the complex.

To begin the first show of the week, we returned to the issue of illegal dumping. This time, our focus switched to Meelick, where illegal dumping appears to have been an issue for some time. To find out more about the extent of the problem in Meelick, Alan Morrissey was joined by Fianna Fáil Councillor Rachel Hartigan. Photo (c) Facebook, Cllr Rachel Hartigan

Run by Conor Bourke, the Gentian Press in Lisdoonvarna is home to a large collection of printing presses from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It will also be the venue for an art workshop aimed at children. PressPlay Kids Art will take place at the Gentian Press next month from the 8th-12th. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Eanna Byrt and Josie O' Connor, the co-host's of PressPlay Kids Art Workshop. Photo (c) Facebook, Josie O'Connor

The Clare-based Chair of Culture Ireland's Expert Advisory Committee expects a new grant to provide improved working conditions for many artists. Arts Minister Catherine Martin has announced a €6 million pilot scheme enabling local authorities to increase the provision of artist workspaces nationwide. A capital grant up to a maximum value of €150,000 is available to Clare County Council while a select number of local authorities can apply for grants of up to €300,000. Ogonnelloe resident and Director of the Lime Tree Theatre, Louise Donlon, believes giving artists comfortable surroundings in which to work is crucial.

Clare Manager Mark Fitzgerald After Loss To Donegal

Clare Manager Brian O'Connell After All Ireland MHC Semi Final Loss

On this week's episode of Atlantic Tales with Pat Flynn, we’ll hear about sustainability and biodiversity and the issue of climate change. We’ll meet some people working hard in their communities to protect their environment.

A Clare Councillor Elect is calling for smart technology to be employed to reduce the number of unnecessary spoiled votes. It comes just over a week after voters cast their ballots in this county's local elections in which 571 invalid votes were recorded across Ennis, Ennistymon, Kilrush, Killaloe and Shannon. It's understood that in some cases, votes were invalidated as ballot papers had not been punched appropriately, despite voters marking their preferences clearly. Newmarket-On-Fergus Fianna Fáil Councillor Elect David Griffin says it shouldn't happen in this day and age.

A Clare opposition TD claims children in this county are missing important milestones due to growing up in unsuitable homeless accommodation. The latest homeless figures indicate 79 people are currently availing of emergency accommodation provided by Clare County Council - 38 of which are classed as dependents. Children's charity Barnardos has recently warned the Government that the 4,206 children classed as homeless in Ireland are at risk of stunted development. Kilrush Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne believes a homeless shelter is no place for a child to live and flourish.

Fr Brendan Quinlivan leads or Sunday Prayer for today the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Stephen Fletcher presents this week's Beyond Belief which begins with a coffee and chat with Fr Gerry Kenny as they discus election blues and sporting highlights. There is also an interview with Mulugeta Dejenu the Regional Programmes Coordinator for Tearfund Ireland in Ethiopia who explains how the charity is building thriving communities through women’s economic empowerment, and teaching climate resilient farming methods. They are doing this by setting up Self Help Groups SHGs which enable people to become self sufficient and no longer dependent on aid. You can find out more at ⁠www.tearfund.ie Stephen also features some music recorded at a concert in St Columba's church in Ennis by the University of Michigan Women's Glee Club Choir and talks to the Co Conductors of the choir Benjamin Gaughran and Katherine Rohwer about the choir. There is also reaction from the Musical Director and Organist at St Columba's Nigel Bridge.