Clare Fm - Podcasts

There was a time when DJ Carey didn’t need a surname. The Kilkenny hurling legend, famed for his dazzling skill and easy charm, was one of Ireland’s most beloved sportsmen. But behind the glory, rumours swirled whispers that would one day reveal a shocking truth. Two decades after his glory days, Carey stands accused of faking cancer to con money from friends and fans who once idolised him. Journalist Eimear Ní Bhraonáin spoke with Alan Morrissey about the rise and fall of former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey. Photo (c) Irish Academic Press

It's claimed specfic policies targeting the rental markey need to be implimented by the Government in order to combat rising monthly rents in Clare. It comes as the latest Daft.ie quarterly report shows the price of newly leasing a three-bed home has risen to more than €1,600 a month, while the average cost of renting a room in Clare has also increased to €609 monthly. Meanwhile, Cabinet has this morning signed off on its new housing plan, which aims to deliver 300,000 homes by 2030 and will also include plans to invest €2.5 billion in the Land Development Agency. Economist at Trinity College Dublin and author of the Daft.ie report Ronan Lyons has been telling Clare FM's Darragh O'Grady that it's unlikely capacity can increase quick enough to deliver on those targets.

Shannon Airport is hailing Ryanair's route and aircraft expansion as a major endorsement of the Clare base. It comes as the budget airline has confirmed it will operate four new routes on Shannon's Summer schedule, namely Madrid, Rome, Warsaw and Poznan, which is a service available from the MidWest for the very first time. Additionally, frequency will be increased on routes to Manchester, Alicante, Barcelona-Reus, Malta and Lanzarote. Shannon Airport Director Niall Kearns has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that both multinational businesses and passengers had expressed demand for more connectivity.

As RSV season peaks, parents are being warned to watch for early symptoms of the virus. According to the HSE, RSV symptoms often begin with what appears to be a common cold. RSV infects most children by age two and is a leading cause of respiratory infections in infants. To find out what signs to look out for, Alan Morrissey was joined Máire Finn, GP at Ennis Centric Health on Wednesday's Morning Focus. Photo (c) Photo (c) by Kaspars Grinvalds via Canva

Gardaí and the family of Eoin Joy are appealing for information on his whereabouts. Eoin is described as being about five foot ten in height, of medium build, with brown hair and blue eyes. When last seen, he was wearing a beige fleece, mid-blue jeans, and dark trainers with a white stripe. It’s believed Eoin may have travelled to County Clare, and both Gardaí and his family are deeply concerned for his well-being. Sally-Ann Barrett spoke to Eoin's sister Dee Dalton on Morning Focus. Anyone with information on Eoin’s whereabouts is asked to contact Henry Street Garda Station on (061) 212400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

County Clare has celebrated a fourth year in a row of success at the annual IPB Pride of Place Awards, held on November 7th at the Strand Hotel in Limerick. Obair Newmarket-on-Fergus beat off competition from across the island of Ireland to be named joint winner of the Creative Community category in recognition of its leadership in local development and promotion of social inclusion, education, and environmental sustainability. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined in studio by Kathy Coleman, Pride of Place Coordinator at Clare County Council and Eimear Murphy, Service Coordinator at Obair Newmarket-on-Fergus.

The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) is urging Government to introduce an emergency winter payment for people with disabilities, following deep disappointment that Budget 2026 once again failed to deliver a permanent Cost of Disability Payment. Without targeted support this winter, thousands of people with disabilities will face increased hardship, isolation, and impossible choices between heating and eating. To discuss this in detail, Alan Morrissey was joined by Anne-Marie Flanagan, Clare Disability Rights Activist with Clare Leader Forum and Niamh O’Callaghan, a Shannon resident disabled due to a car crash and now bearing the costs of rehab. Image (c) Irish Wheelchair Association

A €424,000 paint scheme has been announced for businesses affected by Public Realm Works in Ennis. With the €11.5m street scape enhancement of the town to conclude imminently after over 2 years of traffic and mobility disruption, the paint grant will aim to subsidise shopfront design and makeovers for local retailers. 406 businesses in the town are understood to be eligible and can receive up to €1,000 in funding. Ennis Municipal District Senior Engineer Paddy Tiernan believes it will bring major benefits.

Clare blood donors are being urged to make a life saving donation as Ireland's universal blood supply is eight days below the desired rate. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is holding blood donation clinics today and tomorrow in Kilrush Community School from 5pm until 8:20pm both days. Supplies of O Negative blood are being sought, with just over two days of stock remaining nationwide, however donations of all blood types will be accepted. Broadford-based Irish Blood Transfusion Service Donor Recruitment Executive Alex O'Connor, says ideally hospitals would want 10 days supply of each blood type.

The newly inaugurated Uachtaráin na hÉireann could be making a visit to Clare very soon. It comes as plans to host a civic reception for President Catherine Connolly have already been set in motion. Catherine Connolly has officially received her seal of office this lunchtime and is now forever more in the history books as the tenth President of Ireland and the third female to hold the position. At her inauguration ceremony at Dublin Castle, President Connolly read the Declaration As Gaeilge, after prayers and reflections were offered by 11 groups, including the Catholic Church, Church of Ireland, Presbyterians and both the Jewish and Islamic communities. Speaking at the event, Connolly says she will be a President for all. Closer to home, Clare County Council has formally congratulated the newest permanent resident of Áras An Uachtaráin and will send an official letter in due course, but one elected representative is wishing to go a step further. Clarecastle Sinn Féin Councillor Tommy Guilfoyle has writ

Clare's County Dog Warden claims extra vigilance is required to combat bird flu, given the high numbers of foreign birds migrating to Ireland for the winter. It follows the confirmation of another case amongst a turkey flock in Clontibret in Co.Monaghan, despite a nationwide Poultry Housing Order came into effect yesterday morning. Over 50 different species of wild birds are expected to arrive in the country as part of winter migration patterns. County Dog Warden, Frankie Coote believes, however, the spread of the influenza has the potential to be stopped before it gets out of hand.

It’s time for another episode of our newest feature on Morning Focus, Traditional Greats. Traditional Greats is presented and produced by Therese McInerney. This captivating 26-part series celebrates the enduring legacy of traditional Irish music in our county. Each episode pays tribute to a legendary Clare musician who has passed on, but whose influence continues to inspire generations. Therese speaks with musicians from across the county, exploring how these iconic figures shaped their musical journeys and contributed to Clare’s unique cultural heritage. Throughout the series, the timeless sounds of these greats are brought vividly to life, weaving their legacy into the very fabric of Clare’s musical identity. Listeners will enjoy a rich and heartfelt journey through the melodies, stories, and traditions that define our county’s proud musical history. In the latest episode of Traditional Greats, Therese pays tribute to Michael Mahony, with the help of Joe O’Connor.

Fergal O’Keeffe, Creator, Travel Tales with Fergal Podcast and Ennis native was back on Tuesday's Morning Focus with Sally-Ann Barrett to chat to us on unusual places to stay in Ireland such as Trinity College, Ballygarry Estate and many more. Photo (c) Travel Tales With Fergal

Ger O’Donnell, hailed as one of Ireland’s finest folk singers and multi-instrumentalists, will be bringing his talents to Lahinch later this week. The Cratloe man will play in Kenny’s Bar in Lahinch on Thursday the 13th November. He spoke with Sally-Ann Barrett and performed his new song 'Prove A Man'. Photo (c) Kenny's Bar Facebook

Mary Crawford has been elected as the first female Chair of Fianna Fáil’s Clare branch The Inagh woman’s appointment comes amid rising frustration over Micheal Martin’s leadership of Fianna Fáil, in the wake of the Presidential election... Mary was live in-studio with presenter Sally-Ann Barrett on Tuesday's Morning Focus.

What is the impact of organ donation and how can that message be transmitted to the wider public? That’s just one of the questions facing healthcare professionals, donor families, and transplant recipients who recently gathered for the 2025 National Organ Donation Conference in Galway. The theme for the conference was “Conversations That Matter”. At the event John Burns, the former Deputy Principal of Rice College gave a talk on donor family experience. His younger brother benefitted from two liver transplants, while his older brother was an organ donor. John joined Sally-Ann Barrett on Tuesday's Morning Focus to share more on this.

A pop-up shop aimed at supporting sustainability will come to Miltown Malbay this coming weekend. The event will take place at Miltown Malbay Community Centre on Saturday, the 15th of November from 10am-5pm, and will feature over 32 stands selling pre-loved Womens, Mens and Childrens clothes and accessories. For more on this, Sally-Ann Barrett was spoke with two of the organisers, Fiona Whyte and Emer McCarthy.

The Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan has announced Government approval for the drafting of legislation which will allow for information sharing between The Gardai and schools in relation to violence in the home. The aim is to strengthen protection for children impacted by violence by creating awareness around the situation and support for school children. To discuss this further, Sally-Ann Barrett was joined by Clare Haven Manager of Services Siobhán O’Connor and Assistant Principal at CBS Primary Ennis Colm Daveron. Photo (c) JasonDoiy from Getty Images Signature via Canva

The trial of four gardaí and a retired Superintendent, charged as part of a major corruption investigation, is due to begin today, Tuesday 11th November. Between the five, they face a total of 42 charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice over fixed charge penalty points notices. The charges cover various dates from the 9th of October, 2016, to the 6th of September, 2019 in locations in the Mid West region. Sandra Quinn, Senior Court Reporter with the Limerick Leader & Limerick Live joined Sally-Ann Barrett on Morning Focus to discuss this further. Photo (c) Ekaterina Bolovtsova from Pexels via Canva

Clare County Council has formally congratulated Catherine Connolly ahead of her inauguration as the 10th Uachtaráin na hEireann today. Connolly will officially become the third female President of Ireland in a special ceremony at Dublin Castle this afternoon. It will be another Presidency retaining strong Clare links to Áras an Uachtaráin, with her husband Brian McEnery hailing from Ennis. Michael D Higgins, meanwhile, received a standing ovation in the council chamber after his term in office concluded last night. A past pupil of Ballycar National School and St Flannan's College alumnus, Higgin's was honoured with a civic reception in 2012, before becoming a Freeman of Ennis a year later. Maghera Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Hayes says he was an incredible ambassador for the county.