Clare Fm - Podcasts

Kilkee Civic Trust’s latest talk will take place tomorrow (Wednesday, 16th July). The talk is titled “West Clare Wildlife- Stories Behind the Pictures”. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by John Glynn and John Williams, Chairman Kilkee Civic Trust.

New legislation could mean 'honest belief' of consent to sex is no longer a defence in rape cases. Government is considering the proposal to modify consent laws and has received the backing of the Law Reform Commission. Currently, an accused person can defend themselves by testifying they honestly believed their accuser had consented, even if the belief is not reasonable or rational. Dr Cliona Sadlier, Executive Director of Rape Crisis Ireland, says the defence of consent would remain. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Siobhan O’Leary, Executive Director of Rape Crisis Midwest. PHOTO CREDIT: Eugene Zvonkov from Getty Images

Fresh calls are being made for investment in housing as businesses expand. The latest survey from the France Ireland Chamber of Commerce reveals 73 per cent of Franco-Irish firms see growth potential, but are frustrated over housing shortages and delayed infrastructure. The Chamber’s survey shows skills shortages and geopolitical uncertainty also pose a challenge. Meanwhile, analysis of the power network shows that half the country’s electricity substations have little or no capacity to connect new housing or other developments. The concern over capacity follows the news that 80 families have been left waiting months to move into their new homes in Portlaoise, Co Laois, with many now facing eviction from rental properties and loss of mortgage approval. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by, Joe Cooney, Bodyke Fine Gael TD and Mark Nolan, Shannon Chamber President.

The Oakhill Players are gearing up for their second summer of Pint-Sized Plays. The group will take six small plays to a variety of locations around West Clare, starting later this week. To learn more more about Oakhill Players’ summer of Pint-Sized Plays, Alan Morrissey was joined by Veronica Keating.

A two-day event focusing on the preservation and cultural significance of dry-stone walling in the Burren will take place at the Common Knowledge Centre in Kilfenora this coming weekend (19th-20th July). Co-hosted by Clare County Council, Common Knowledge, the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, the North Clare Communities Group and the Burrenbeo Trust, “Dry Stone Walls of the Burren”, follows the recent inclusion of Irish Dry Stone Walling on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. For more on this Alan Morrissey was joined by Dr, Eamon Doyle, Geologist with the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark.

Willie Clancy Week took centre stage in Miltown Malbay recently. This year’s Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy is believed to have been the busiest Willie Week yet, with hordes of people coming to the West Clare town for the music and craic. To get a fuller picture of just how successful the week was, and what it means to local businesses and what it says about the health of traditional Irish music, Alan Morrissey was joined by Harry Hughes, Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy Administrator and Tony Cogan, Cogan’s Bar and Restaurant in Miltown Malbay.

It's claimed the confidence and wellbeing of Clare children is severely suffering due to lengthy waits for dental services. It comes as the local authority is set to write to the Health Minister demanding a review of public orthodontic care in the MidWest. It's understood that efforts by the HSE to fill a public orthodontist vacancy in Clare are ongoing and that as a result, many children are waiting two to four years for operations. HSE Regional Health Forum West member and Shannonbanks Sinn Féin Councillor James Ryan believes the National Treatment Purchase Fund should be used to tackle the backlog.

Fewer than 30 new-build social homes were delivered in Clare in the first three months of the year. Figures from the Department of Housing show Clare County Council completed 17 social homes in the first quarter of 2025 which accounts for just 10% of its target of 164 for the year. Factoring in other elements such as the 10 units built by approved housing bodies across the period, the county had a social housing delivery figure of 59 from January to March. Douglas Hurley of DNG O'Sullivan Hurley Estate Agents says the local authority drastically needs to ramp up its efforts.

The more than 100 pub closures in Clare in the past two decades are being attributed to changing attitudes to nightlife and socialising. A new report from the Drinks Industry Group has revealed that 108 pubs have ceased trading here in the last 20 years, accounting for almost 30% of the number operating in the county in 2005. Clare has the 10th highest closure rate nationwide according to the figures, and the Drinks Industry Group is forecasting a further 1,000 closures nationwide within the next decade. Martin Baker of the Burren Inn in Tubber has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons there's no evidence the Government is genuinely listening to the asks of publicans.

On Monday’s Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by Tom Stewart from Keane’s Garden Centre in Kilcolgan. This week, Tom gave listeners advice on how to keep your garden thriving in hot weather. If you have a question for Tom, contact the show on 0818 400 964 or send a text or WhatsApp to 086 1800 964.

On Monday's Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by Douglas Reddan, Movement Artist, Choreographer, and Director from Quin, and Leah Moore, award winning filmmaker. Douglas, a movement artist, choreographer and director from Quin, and Leah, who is an award-winning filmmaker, have come together to work on a short film. The film, entitled Pull Hard, which was shot entirely in Co. Clare, will show at Glór.

An event with the purpose of exploring environmental concerns through drama will take place in Ennis. Maria Assumpta Hall will be the venue for the free event, which is aimed at young adults. It will run over three consecutive days this weekend (Friday, 18th – Sunday, 20th July). To find out more about this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Lisa Joyce, Organiser and Co-Host. PHOTO CREDIT: Clare PPN

A Clare intern was among the select few who were part of the Bar of Ireland’s first ever Internship Programme. Lee Mac Cuinneagain from Ennis was one of four interns from four universities across the country who participated in the two-week initiative. Lee is studying Bachelors of Law (Law Plus) (LLB) at the University of Limerick. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Lee Mac Cuinneagain.

Primary and secondary school students are looking at plenty of disruption, with over 2,000 secretaries and caretakers preparing for an indefinite strike once the summer break is over. Fórsa, which represents more than 2,300 school secretaries working in primary and secondary schools, as well as 500 school caretakers, told the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth the mandate for indefinite strike action comes after the union’s efforts to secure access for school secretaries to the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. Fórsa’s Head of Education Andy Pike said school secretaries and caretakers remain excluded from the scheme, despite being on the Department of Education’s centralized payroll since 2023. There are concerns that the strike, which is due to get underway on the 28th of August, could affect schools’ opening hours. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Bernie Dillon, Secretary at St Senan’s Primary School in Kilrush and Rena McGrath, Vice-chairperson and Treasurer of Fór

A new cup will be presented to the winners of this year’s Clare intermediate hurling championship. It's being donated in memory of a former player with O'Callaghans Mills and Bodyke. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by representatives from both clubs, Pat O'Brien, from O’Callaghan’s Mills and Sean O’Halloran, Bodyke GAA.

The final countdown is on for entries to Ireland’s Greenest Places 2025 with only days remaining for people to submit their nominations. The initiative which has been launched by The Irish Times, in association with Electric Ireland, will see each nominated place judged on specific criteria including its beneficial environmental impact, level of ongoing collective engagement by the community and evidence of behavioural change by people. The closing date of July 19th is fast approaching, with no nominations as of now having been received from Clare. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Mary Minihan, Chair of the Judging Panel Ireland’s Greenest Places 2025 and Irish Times Features Editor.

Members of the Cabinet have defended the refusal of travel visas for Palestinian children due to take part in a GAA tour of Ireland, which was to include a visit to Clare. 47 participants – including 33 children and 14 sports officials were to travel from the West Bank, before they were refused visas by the Immigration Service. The aim of the two-week tour was to foster friendship, solidarity and sporting connection through the GAA. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said any decisions on the visas had to be made in accordance with the law. Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris defended the decision in the Dáil, saying there were “legitimate checks in relation to child protection” involved, even though the tour body from the West Bank says it has repeatedly sent documentation and been ignored. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Éamonn Meehan, Clare based chairperson of Sadaka, The Ireland Palestine Alliance. Dept of Justice Statement: Each visa application is decided on i

The Transport Minister insists he won't allow Dublin Airport to grow at the expense of Shannon. The Dublin facility recorded its busiest ever June last month with a total of 3.5 million passengers passing through its gates. Shannon meanwhile has seen a 7% increase in passenger numbers from January to June compared to the same period in 2024. Speaking in the Seanad, Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien says while Dublin requires considerable investment to accommodate rising numbers, Shannon won't be left behind.

Road closures will be in effect in south-east Clare for four months of this year to facilitate a major infrastructural project. Clare County Council has revealed its intention to implement closures along Knockalisheen Road during the construction of the €31 million Coonagh to Knockalisheen Distributor Road. The section of the road between Brennan's Cross and Hartigan's Villas will be closed from August 11th to September 15th while Brennan's Cross to the Moyross Avenue junction won't be accessible from September 15th to December 15th. Local access will be maintained for the duration of the works, and Ardnacrusha Fianna Fáil Councillor Rachel Hartigan believes it'll be short-term pain for long-term again.

It's being argued the road leading up to a Clare school currently undergoing renovations is "too narrow" to accommodate the amount of traffic travelling on it. With construction underway on a major extension onto Knockanean National School, Ennis Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Daly is calling for funding to be sought to facilitate the widening of the road leading up to it. Ennis Municipal District says it understands representatives from Knockanean National School and the Department of Education recently tried to acquire the necessary lands for road widening and "failed in their efforts". Councillor Daly insists the upgrade of the school and road should go hand-in-hand.