Clare Fm - Podcasts

People are being urged to take necessary precautions when entering the water in Clare this bank holiday weekend. Kilrush RNLI is reminding the public that checking weather and sea conditions is a critical first step before any coastal or water-based activity. Swimmers are encouraged to wear a brightly-coloured swim cap and use a tow float to increase visibility. Kilrush RNLI Helm and Lifeboat Press Officer Charlie Glynn highlights the importance of acclimatising slowly to prevent cold water shock.

Extensions have been approved for two Clare schools under the latest round of a government programme. Clarecastle National School and St Caimin's in Shannon have both received the green light to expand their facilities under the Additional Accommodation Scheme. According to the Department of Education, over €155m has been invested in upgrading Clare schools since 2020. Cratloe Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat O'Gorman says the works will be extremely beneficial to the locality.

Coming up on a very busy show We look ahead to Clare's mammoth trip to Antrim in the National Hurling League, and also preview St Flannan's TUS Dr Harty Cup showdown with St Joseph's Nenagh Clare's footballers are hoping to put their first points on the board in the National Football League, and the St Joseph's Spanish Point ladies footballers are looking to create more history in the Munster Senior A final. We will get details of this weekends opening round games of the Ennis Carpets Clare Cup and also look ahead to the Clare contenders heading to the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel

Ailbhe Reddy is an Irish indie folk singer-songwriter from Dublin living in London. An artist who finds strength in sensitivity and embraces the full power of a moment. Ailbhe Reddy has a talent for crafting intensely moving alt-folk tunes. On her debut album Personal History, the Irish artist blurs the boundaries between personal and universal experiences to strike emotional chords with her relatable lyricism and uniquely tender vocals. ‘That Girl’ follows the album's previously released singles ‘So Quickly, Baby’ and ‘Align’. Ailbhe's album Kiss Big unfolds as a breakup record - but not the tidy, acoustic kind. It lives in the messy middle: the disorienting period when the life you built with someone collapses, and you’re left trying to figure out who you are on your own. Written between Dublin, London, New York and the American Midwest, Kiss Big traces the cycle of love, loss, and renewal. It’s raw and wry: the sound of coming apart and gluing yourself back together.

Throughout February, ALONE will be holding recruitment sessions in libraries across Clare, as the organisation continues its vital work supporting older people to age at home. Morning Focus’s Lily Collins has been speaking with Aileen O’Reilly, Head of Research, Advocacy and Policy at ALONE, about the growing need for volunteers and the challenges facing older people, including housing shortages. Photo (c) ALONE Ireland Facebook

Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch joined Daragh Dolan in studio to look ahead to a busy weekend of sporting action. Games Previewed: TÚS Dr. Harty Cup Final: St Flannan’s College v Nenagh CBS (Saturday, Zimmer Biomet Pairc Chíosóg, 1pm) Senior A Ladies Football Schools Final: St. Joseph’s Secondary School Spanish Point v Loretto Secondary School Clonmel (Saturday, Banteer, Co. Cork, 1:30pm) National Hurling League Division 1B, Round 2: Clare v Antrim (Sunday, Ruairi Óg Gaelic Athletic Club, Cushendall, 1pm) National Football League Division 3, Round 2: Clare v Westmeath (Sunday, Zimmer Biomet Pairc Chíosóg, 2pm)

Gardaí in Clare say they're coming across more and more people scrolling, checking apps and using social media on their phones while driving. An Garda Síochána commenced its enhanced Road Safety and Traffic Enforcement campaign for the St Brigid's Bank Holiday weekend on Thursday morning, with checkpoints and enforcement activity continuing until 7am on Tuesday. Nearly 24,500 fixed charge notices for holding a mobile phone while driving were issued last year which was up 30% on 2022. Superintendent with the Clare-Tipperary Garda Division Eddie Golden has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons distracted driving has become a leading cause of serious collisions.

Ennistymon is getting ready to welcome the return of spring with the Imbolg Festival, a celebration of St Brigid, community, and tradition, running from January 31st to February 2nd. To tell us more about what’s planned, Daragh Dolan was joined by Aoibheann Boyle and Louise O’Connor on Friday's Morning Focus. Photo (c) Visit Clare Facebook

Jam Fest 2026 is taking over Hassett’s Bar in Barefield from Friday the 30th of January to Sunday the 1st of February. Jam Fest is all about bringing communities together through music. To find out more, Daragh Dolan spoke with the co-founder of Jamfest & Let's Jam, Caroline Slattery. Photo (c) Hassetts Le Chéile Facebook

A Minnesota-based man with strong links to County Clare claims people in the state have "had enough" of the aggressive immigration enforcement operation taking place in the region. Tom Frawley, who grew up near Foynes in West Limerick and whose mother is from Feakle, moved to the Twin Cites over 20 years ago where he now runs a small business and is married with three children. In 2005, he was a founding member of the Twin Cities Robert Emmets Hurling and Camogie Club which now boasts 90 members and acts as a social hub for Irish expats in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. He's been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons Irish people who are living legally in the state are afraid to ring home for fear of being detained or deported. Photo (c) Feverpitched Getty Images Pro via Canva

This February, people across the country are stepping up to support Women’s Aid by taking on the Walk 80K in February Challenge. One of them is Edel English from Corofin, who’s walking 80 kilometres over the month to raise funds and awareness for women living with domestic abuse. Edel joined Daragh Dolan in-studio on Friday's Morning Focus.

A new National Safety Camera Strategy is being developed to crack down on dangerous driving, with more roadside cameras planned to target speeding, red-light running and bus-lane abuse. As calls grow to extend this enforcement beyond cities and into rural areas — including for average speed cameras on the M18 and N18 in Clare — Cratloe Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat O’Gorman spoke with Daragh Dolan on Friday's Morning Focus to share why he believes this approach is essential for improving road safety. Photo (c) Pat Flynn

The long-neglected N67 and N68 roads in West Clare are back in the spotlight this week. June Dillon, Aontú’s Clare representative, says responsibility for fixing these key routes lies firmly with Clare County Council — and that it’s time for action, not excuses. On Friday's Morning Focus, Daragh Dolan spoke with June and Cyril Feeney, Senior Engineer, Transportation, Mobility , Health and Safety. Photo (c) Google Maps

Clare County Council says it remains in positive and active discussions with landowners along the Cliffs of Moher walking trail, with a view to reopening the entire route. Contractors are currently carrying out remedial works on the northern section of the trail, which has been partially closed since Summer 2024 following two fatal incidents. The local authority has now taken over management of the trail in a caretaker capacity from the Clare Local Development Company as negotiations with local stakeholders continue along the southern trail aswell. Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Shane Talty is hopeful an agreement will be reached soon.

The Clare Leader Forum says disabled people here feel "angry", "upset" and "let down" after the Government voted against the introduction of a winter payment. A motion tabled by the Social Democrats this week sought to bring in a once-off €400 payment to assist people with disabilities in covering costs associated with the winter months. The motion was defeated by 81 to 66 votes. Ennistymon-based Clare Leader Forum co-founder Anne-Marie Flanagan believes it shows a disregard for people in desperate need of support.

Many of us dream about financial freedom, but what does it really mean to live without the stress of money? We’ll be exploring practical ideas and everyday strategies for creating that kind of financial peace with best-selling author, Eoin McGee. Drawing on his experience as a financial planner, Eoin explores practical ways to make choices that align with our values and create a future where work doesn’t define our peace of mind. His book, How to Achieve Financial Freedom, touches on these ideas... Alan Morrissey had a chat with Eoin on Thursday's Morning Focus. Photo (c) Easons

Last year on the back of a sports club losing a member due to their mental health, Meghan Corrigan set up a service called Off the Pitch. Off The Pitch helps clubs provide access to anonymous counselling services for their members. The Clare GAA Health & Wellbeing Committee continues to do important work in this area. On Thursday's Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by 'Off The Pitch' founder, Meghan Corrigan and joint chairperson of the Clare GAA health and wellbeing committee, John Conroy. Photo (c) Mental health text from wooden blocks by Piotrekswat from Getty Images via Canva.

Two thirds of consumers think tipping has become less voluntary. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has issued guidance on the use of tipping machines in cafes, bars and restaurants, as research also shows a fifth of people have also paid an unexpected service charge. The guidance includes making sure payment terminals let customers easily avoid gratuity. The body says mandatory service charges need to be properly advertised and voluntary ones should never go on the bill automatically. On Thursday's edition of Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey spoke with Andrew Flood, of An Beag Café in Kilrush and Robbie McCauley, of Homestead Cottage in Doolin. Photo (c) Africa Images via Canva

A planning application is expected to be submitted for the first section of the West Clare Railway Greenway this year. According to the Department of Transport, Clare County Council will seek permission to construct the Kilrush to Kilkee section of the route after June. The overall 115km route will also connect Ennis, Miltown Malbay, Lahinch and Ennistymon. Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that following many false dawns, progress is needed as soon as possible.

A new book is challenging the very foundations of our relationship with technology and power. Writer and campaigner Gerry McGovern has just released “99th Day: A Warning About Technology,” a forensic examination of Big Tech, environmental collapse, and the culture driving both. To tell us more, Gerry joined Alan Morrissey on Thursday's Morning Focus. Photo (c) Keep Tulla Untouched