Clare FM

Confidence is being expressed that Clare's housing supply will increase this year. New figures from the Residential Tenancies Board shows the average rent for new tenancies in this county was €1,333 in the first quarter of 2026, a 19% annual increase and the highest jump anywhere in the country. So far this year, construction has commenced on 373 new homes in Clare, more than double the activity f...

Alan Morrissey was joined by Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch to chat about the weekend’s sporting fixtures. ~ TUS Clare Senior Football Championship ~ - Corofin v St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield (Friday, Clarecastle, 7:30pm)  - The last remaining spot in the quarter finals of the TUS senior football championship will be filled this evening. - Last year’s beaten finalists Doora Barefield go up against the 20...

The Walker Cup is expected to attract around 8,000 fans to Lahinch each day this weekend, with Gardaí warning motorists to expect significant traffic and delays.    Temporary traffic stops and holds will be in place on the Liscannor Road, while additional parking arrangements have been put in place around the town.     Alan Morrissey was joined by Ennis-based Community Policing Sergeant Dominic Re...

Music, culture and grassroots venues are at the heart of a new programme of live events coming to Pot Duggans in Ennistymon this autumn.  Cois Abhann 2026 will feature nine nights of live bands, trad, folk, songwriting and electronic music from October 2nd to November 14th, with artists from Clare and across the country.   To tell us more about this year’s line-up, and the importance of supporting...

The Clare Association Dublin is celebrating 45 years of its annual awards, recognising Clare people who have made an outstanding contribution in their professions, communities and beyond.   This year’s recipients include Dr John Hillery, Tony Griffin and the inaugural Clare Young Person of the Year, Mark Sheedy, while two special posthumous Legacy Awards will honour Joe Vaughan and Dermot Hayes.  ...

Ennis Taekwon-Do has been part of the local community for 37 years, helping generations of children and adults build confidence, discipline and resilience.   The club has also benefited from the Tesco Community Fund, which has helped members with competition costs and fundraising for international events.    Joining Alan Morrissey was Ennis Taekwon-Do's Aodha Marrinan, a 5th Degree Black Belt and...

Brazilian beef imports into the EU have been suspended after concerns over compliance with European rules on antibiotics in livestock.     Irish farm leaders are welcoming the move, saying it could protect consumers while creating an important opportunity for Irish beef farmers.    Joining Alan Morrissey to discuss what it means for the sector were former ICSA General Secretary and Cratloe farmer...

Lindsey Power, from Ennis, has been left facing homelessness after a no-fault eviction.     With emergency accommodation at capacity, Lindsey turned to the public for help raising funds for a campervan to provide a safe place to stay while she waits for permanent accommodation.     After an extraordinary response, she has now found a van.    Alan Morrissey caught up with Lindsey earlier, to tell u...

Shannon Airport says the return of direct connectivity with Canda will provide a huge business and tourism boost to the Midwest region. Between June 10th and October 3rd next year, Air Canda will run three non-stop flights a week between Shannon and Toronto Pearson International Airport. The service will be operated through their newest aircraft model, the Airbus A321XLR, and will be the first dir...

A North Clare family business is embracing the unique and rare opportunity of hosting both teams competing in a prestigious international golf tournament this weekend. Vaughan's Lodge Hotel in Lahinch is accommodating both Team USA and Team Great Britain and Ireland for the 51st Walker Cup. Up to 16,000 people are expected to flock to the seaside town between now and Sunday to witness the world's...

Direct connectivity between Shannon and Toronto is being restored for the first time in eight years, following the announcement of a new seasonal service. Air Canada will operate three direct flights a week from June next year, providing the only non-stop service from Shannon Airport to Canada. From Toronto, passengers can then connect to more than 150 destinations across Canada, the US, Mexico an...

Poetry and music come together this Saturday as the Clare Poetry Collective, in association with Poetry Ireland and Clare County Council, hosts its latest lunchtime Guest Readings and Open Mic event.  The event will feature guest poet Jessie Lendennie, poet and Managing Director of Salmon Publishing, and a founding member of Galway’s Cúirt International Literature Festival. There’ll also be music...

It's hoped the best possible outcomes can be secured for employees of Daktronics in Ennistymon. It comes as the American multinational has entered redundancy talks with its workforce at the North Clare plant. Founded by John Neville in 1979, Data Display employed up to 150 people in the Deerpark Industrial Estate at its peak. When the business was acquired by Daktronics in 2014, a condition of the...

University Concert Hall in Limerick has launched a new campaign called Open Doors, with a very simple but important aim – to ensure that every child across Limerick and the wider Mid-West has the opportunity to experience the magic of live performance.  The initiative will help tackle some of the barriers that can prevent children from attending the theatre, including financial hardship, transport...

New research has highlighted the continuing decline in the number of pubs across Ireland, with one in four having closed their doors since 2005.     Here in Clare, the county has lost seven pubs in the past year alone, and there are now around 30% fewer pubs than there were two decades ago.  The report points to rising costs, high excise duties and changing consumer habits among the challenges fac...

If the thought of speaking in public makes you nervous, or you’d simply like to become a more confident communicator, Ennis Toastmasters could be worth a look.  The club is about to begin its 53rd season, with the first meeting taking place next Tuesday evening (September 8th, at 7.30pm) in the Maria Assumpta Parish Hall on Station Road. There’s a new meeting time this season, but the same welcomi...

Music lovers in East Clare are in for a special evening this Saturday, as acclaimed pianist, vocalist and composer Maja Elliott joins Italian flautist and multi-instrumentalist Marco Giaccaria for a unique house concert in Tuamgraney.  The performance at Karima’s House Concert will blend classical music, jazz, improvisation, world music and original compositions, with special guests including voca...

If you’ve been thinking about going back to education, learning a new skill, changing career or taking the next step towards a degree, there are plenty of opportunities available locally this autumn.  The College of FET Ennis Campus is currently enrolling for a wide range of full-time and part-time courses, with QQI qualifications from Level 3 to Level 6 across areas including nursing, childcare,...

It’s our monthly look at what’s happening across Clare Libraries, and this month there are two very different topics to explore.  Niamh O’Donovan spoke about the little library bags, while Emer chatted about National Public Libraries Open Day on 26 September – ‘Take a Closer Look’. Alan heard from both of them about what’s available and how the public can get involved. Photo (c) Clare FM

Households are facing fresh financial pressures, with oil, food and electricity costs continuing to rise, while mortgage-holders are also watching closely as another European Central Bank interest-rate increase is expected.  The ongoing conflict involving the US and Iran and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz are adding further uncertainty, with concerns that higher energy prices could feed in...

Thursday was the WCI-Clare Open Day, taking place from 11am to 7pm at Clon Road Business Park in Ennis. Women’s Collective Ireland – Clare supports women across the county through community development, training, workshops and events, creating opportunities for women to connect, learn and have their voices heard.  The team has had a very busy year, from heritage walks and climate workshops to thei...

On Thursday's Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey heard from a Clare man whose story is one of addiction, survival and, ultimately, hope.  Darragh O’Loughlin from Shannon spent 25 years struggling with substance addiction, beginning with solvent misuse as a teenager and later progressing to heroin. At 38, he survived a major overdose, an experience that could have ended his life.  After several attempts...

Ireland’s student accommodation crisis continues to deepen, with thousands of students struggling to find somewhere affordable to live as the new college year begins.   Students’ unions say the situation is getting worse, with rising rents and a shortage of purpose-built accommodation leaving many students facing difficult choices about their education.  Meanwhile, Clare's opposition TD claims acc...

Clare's opposition TD claims access to third level education is at risk of becoming a 'two tiered system' due to the accommodation crisis. It comes in the wake of Students at the University of Galway staging a sleep out in protest against the lack of legislation around digs accommodation. Meanwhile, the latest figures show the average yearly rent for students in Limerick and Galway was above €16,0...

The HSE is being urged to row back on plans that would restrict community paramedic hours in Clare. A group of ten new Community Paramedics are due to become operational across this county, Limerick and Kerry. It's understood, however, that their hours will be daytime only and will not include any overnight or 24/7 cover. Clare-based Paramedic and MidWest representative on the Irish Ambulance Repr...