Clare Fm - Podcasts

Gordon took up the post as Chief Executive of the local authority in May, having been officially ratified the previous month. To find out how he has been getting on in the role, Alan Morrissey was joined by Gordon Daly, CEO, Clare County Council.

A Clare charity has been making a huge difference thousands of miles from home. The Ray of Sunshine Foundation has transformed the lives of disadvantaged children in Kenya through schools, rescue centres, and health projects — all powered by Irish volunteers and generosity. This week, our own Colum McGrath is in Africa for the very first time to see that work up close. You can support the Ray of Sunshine charity here: www.gofundme.com/f/building-hope-…-ray-of-sunshine. Photo (c) Ray of Sunshine Foundation

Today is International FASD, or Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day. The annual awareness day aims to raise awareness of the condition and to support those trying to conceive or already pregnant The ninth day of the ninth month of the year was chosen for the annual awareness day, to represent the 9 months of pregnancy. FASD Ireland, who are headquartered in Ennis, are holding an awareness event in the Buttermarket today. They are also marking the day by publishing their year-long research with the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Tristan Casson Rennie, CEO of Ennis-based FASD Ireland.

This year’s Blacksmith and Craft Festival is looming large on the horizon. The event will take place at the Market Place in Ennis, from Saturday 13th to Sunday 14th. To find out more Alan Morrissey was joined by Guy Urbin, organiser of the Blacksmith and Craft Festival La Petite Galerie in Ennis.

Both parties’ TDs gathered yesterday to discuss their main priorities ahead of the start of the new Dáil term on the 17th of September. Fine Gael is meeting in Mullingar, where budget priorities and the strategy for the Presidential election will be up for discussion. Tánaiste and party leader Simon Harris arrives to his party's meeting under the cloud of a further threat against his family - with his home having been thoroughly searched by gardaí. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin has come together in Dun Laoghaire. Party leader Mary Lou McDonald has as described it as the final chance for her parliamentary party to have a say on their Presidential plans, although she has ruled herself out of the race for the Áras. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Joe Cooney, Bodyke Fine Gael TD and Donna McGettigan, Shannon Sinn Féin TD. ©Oireachtas.ie

The first Clare County Council meeting of the new term has been adjourned in memory of a late former elected representative. Cooraclare's Bill Chambers served on the local authority from 1985 until his retirement in 2023, before he passed away peacefully last month. Proposed adjournments in honour of the late Ennistymon firefighter Joe Crosse and Margaret Burke; mother of Whitegate Fine Gael Councillor Pat Burke were also carried. Chair of the Fianna Fáil Group in Clare County Council, Councillor Pat Hayes says Bill was an example to everyone.

Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 8ú lá de mí Mheán Fómhair, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1976 bhí na Gardaí ag fiosrú tine sa halla pobail I gCorcaigh le níos mó ná 50 míle punt de dhamáiste déanta. I 1983 bhí 12 stáisiúin gin ESB chun dúnadh timpeall an tír.. I 1983 dúradh gur shiúil Garda nach raibh ar dualgas isteach chuig áit agus beir madra air agus níor scaoil sé leis. Chuaigh sé chuig an úinéir agus dúirt an t-úinéir gur ardaigh sé a cos chuig an madra. I 1997 bhí Dúlainn níos fearr agus bhí níos mó daoine ag dul ann nuair a tharla rásaíocht chapall sa bhaile. Sin ABBA le Dancing Queen – an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 1976. Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 1957 tháinig Reet Petite ó Jackie Wilson amach don chéad uair ach chuaigh sé chuig uimhir a haon sa Bhreatain 29 bhliain tar éis. I 1973 chuaigh Marvin Gaye chuig uimhir a haon lena hamhrán Lets Get It On agus d'fhan sé ann ar feadh dhá seachtain. Agus ar deireadh breithlá daoine cáiliúla ar an lá seo

10% of pupils in Clare primary schools are in oversized classes. New figures published by the Department of Education show average class sizes in schools have hit their lowest level in more than 25 years, with the average class size now 22.2 pupils, down from 22.5 in the 2023/2024 school year. The biggest class size in this county is at Gaelschoil Michil Ciosóg in Ennis, which had 37 pupils in one classroom, while Parteen and Tulla National Schools each have 96 children learning in classes of over 30 pupils. The reduction in numbers nationally is a result of almost 18 thousand fewer children in first level education and Chair of the Oireachtas Education and Youth Committee, Meelick Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that the way in which transient pupils such as travellers and refugees are counted is posing complications.

Kilrush RNLI is hailing the outcome of a search operation in the Shannon Estuary as an "outstanding result". The West Clare lifeboat station was one of a number of agencies involved in the search yesterday which commenced shortly after 9am when a person was reported "overboard" from the Killimer to Tarbert ferry. After being spotted by the crew of the Rescue 117 helicopter shortly before 11am, the man was brought to University Hospital Limerick where he's being treated for "severe hypothermia" and is understood to be recovering well. Kilrush RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Charlie Glynn has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons it was an extremely successful operation and credit is due to all bodies involved.

"Wordsmith – Part 1" explores the life and work of one of the greatest literary voices of our time, Edna O’Brien. Produced by Clare FM's Programme Director & Head of Operations, Padraic Flaherty. Email: pf@clare.fm

To review the sporting fixtures, Alan Morrisey was joined on Monday’s Morning Focus by Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch and Tommy Guilfoyle. Games reviewed: TUS Clare SHC Quarter-Finals: Ballyea 2-13 Clonlara 0-16 (Saturday, Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg) Kilmaley 1-21 Sixmilebridge 1-8 (Saturday, Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg) Clooney Quin 1-20 Feakle 1-11 (Sunday, Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg) Éire Óg 3-21 Inagh-Kilnamona 1-17 (Sunday, Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg) TUS Clare SHC Relegation Semi-Final: Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-19 St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield 2-15 (Saturday, Tulla) Corofin 0-13 Scariff 3-20 (Sunday, Tulla)

The sister of Clare rugby legend Anthony Foley will be among the speakers at an upcoming event for families affected by a sudden cardiac death or living with an inherited cardiac condition. The Friends of CRY is taking place in Barberstown Castle Hotel, Straffan, Co Kildare this Saturday (13th September from 9.30am to 3.30pm). The free event is organised by CRY – which stands for Cardiac Risk in the Young – Ireland the national charity supporting patients and families who have lost someone to sudden cardiac death. Orla Foley, creator of the charity initiative ‘Orla’s Wild Ways’ that celebrates the life and legacy of her late-brother, Munster rugby great Anthony Foley, will speak at the event. To discuss this further Alan Morrissey was joined by Orla Foley, sister of Clare rugby legend Anthony Foley. Photo (c) CRY Ireland via Facebook

On Monday’s Morning Focus, it was time again for our Arts Slot with County Art’s Officer Siobhán Mulcahy. Siobhán provided our listeners with all the details of this week’s live events for entertainment lovers in Banner County.

A Clare charity has been making a huge difference thousands of miles from home. The Ray of Sunshine Foundation has transformed the lives of disadvantaged children in Kenya through schools, rescue centres, and health projects — all powered by Irish volunteers and generosity. This week, our own Colum McGrath is in Africa for the very first time to see that work up close. You can support the Ray of Sunshine charity here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-hope-clare-to-kenya-with-ray-of-sunshine. Photo (c) Ray of Sunshine

The Mid-West Simon Community’s Annual Fundraising Ball will take on Saturday, the 11th of October. Limerick Strand Hotel will be the venue for the event. For the second year in a row, the Ball will focus on raising funds for the Mid West Simon Social Grocery, a pioneering project designed to combat food poverty in Limerick City. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined on Monday's Morning Focus by the CEO Mid-West Simon Community, Niall Garvey.

Alan Morrissey was joined on Monday's Morning Focus by Margarita Urdenko. Margarita, who hails from Ukraine, has swapped international tankers for Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, where she now helps passengers sail to the Aran Islands and cruise beneath the Cliffs of Moher as a deck officer with Doolin Ferry. The Odessa native is the only female crew member at Doolin Ferry, and she’s carving out her own unique path in Ireland’s maritime world. As Ireland’s school leavers consider their next steps, one woman on the Wild Atlantic Way is showing that the sea holds more opportunities than many might imagine.

Schools across the country will today try and tackle the backlog of work that built up as a result of the strike action by school secretaries and caretakers that lasted for over a week. The striking workers had been picketing schools, demanding access to public sector pensions and other entitlements. The Minister for Education Helen McEntee welcomed Forsa's agreement to suspend strike action last Friday night, to allow for talks at the Workplace relations commission. The Union representing school secretaries and caretakers says the key element of the agreement is a Government commitment to negotiate comparable pension entitlements for their members. Alan Morrissey was joined by Rena McGrath, Vice-Chair of Fórsa School Secretaries Branch on the Clare/Galway border and Bernie Dillon, who’s been Secretary at St Senan’s Primary School in Kilrush for over twenty years.

Clare County Council will aim to deliver 9,850 social homes over the next decade. It follows a review of the National Planning Framework, which has identified the need for 985 new units to be delivered here annually until 2035. As it stands over 2,800 households are on this county's approved social housing list. Clonlara Independent Councillor and Planning Consultant Michael Begley says the plans will hinge on the availability of serviced sites.

A new report suggests Ennis has had the worst air quality in the country so far this year. Data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows the daily limit for particulate matter in the air has been breached on seven occasions in the county town this year which is more than anywhere else nationwide. Particulate matter is made up of solid particles and liquid droplets which are harmful to human health and largely created by the burning of solid fuel. Mayor of Ennis, Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard, is calling for a clampdown on the selling of smoky coal.

It's claimed Clare's contractors and landowners have been the subject of harassment for cutting dangerous hedgerows outside the official season. It comes as the Department of Nature, Heritage, and Biodiversity has responded to Clare County Council's request for roadside hedges to be exempted from the Wildlife Act. Minister Christoper O'Sullivan's office stated that while this would require a legislation change, there are lawful exemptions under both the wildlife and road safety acts where hedgerows can be trimmed on public health or safety grounds. Kilmurry Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan O'Callaghan says it's a vital provision.