Clare FM

After more than five years serving the people of Kilkee, Holly’s Café is preparing to close its doors for the final time this September. The café, which opened in March 2021 during the Covid-19 restrictions, quickly became a popular spot for locals and visitors alike. To discuss the difficult decision to step away from hospitality, the memories and friendships made along the way, co-owner of Holly...

Ireland has one of the lowest levels of CCTV use in Europe, but that’s set to change, with Garda security cameras expected to increase significantly in the coming years. Here in Clare, there have also been calls for greater use of CCTV to tackle anti-social behaviour and persistent illegal dumping. So, is Ireland too cautious when it comes to CCTV, or are concerns around privacy and GDPR justified...

There have been 43 incidents of wrong way driving on the motorway connecting Clare to Limerick and Galway in the last seven years. New figures from Transport Infrastructure Ireland show there have already been eight cases of people driving in the wrong direction on the M18/N18 since January, with 2026 on track to be the worst year on record. According to TII, there's been 62 incidents across the c...

A Clare TD says there's precedent to suggest the HSE will decide to reimburse the cost of Friedrich's Ataxia treatment. The HSE will announce today whether they will fund Skyclarys for those living with the condition. Treatment for the 200 people living with FA in Ireland will cost €130m over the course of the next five years. Meelick Fianna Fáil TD, Cathal Crowe, says a similar decision was taken...

Coming up on the show, we will be reflecting on a dramatic final weekend of group action in the TUS Clare senior hurling championship as small margins proved vital in formulating the final eight left standing in the race for the Canon Hamilton The knockout series in the Clare ladies senior and intermediate football championships were also completed, and a few other bits also

With traditional circuses facing growing challenges, from changing public attitudes to rising costs and increased regulation, many are asking whether the circus is becoming a thing of the past. Despite the significant challenges facing the industry, he argues that Clare audiences have a genuine appetite for the arts and that the magic of a live circus performance continues to bring people together...

Judy Beck from Clonroad Garden Centre, Ennis was back on Monday’s Morning Focus to answer all your gardening queries. This week, Judy focused on plants for banks. If you have any questions for Judy, contact the show on 0818 400 964 or send a text or WhatsApp to 086 1800 964. Logo (c) Clonroad Garden Centre, Ennis

A unique new exhibition is opening in Miltown Malbay today, putting the creativity and imagination of local children at the centre of a conversation about nature and ecology. The Wonder Window, created by Cracking Light Productions, has been developed with children aged seven to ten following a week-long creative art camp exploring West Clare’s natural environment. The free exhibition runs until A...

This week marks 15 years of Sixmilebridge Mart, an important hub for the local farming community and a place that has become part of the fabric of the village. To mark the anniversary, a special Mass will be held at the mart on Thursday evening, celebrated by Fr Harry Bohan, who was a leading voice in the campaign to bring the mart back to Sixmilebridge. To reflect on the campaign, the importance...

Merck Moderna's success with a personalised cancer vaccine designed to keep melanoma at bay opens a new avenue of treatment that doctors hope will work against many types of tumours. Unlike chemotherapy, which kills both healthy and cancerous cells, or immunotherapy, which revs up ‌the immune system, personalised cancer vaccines train the immune system to specifically target mutations found only o...

It's claimed rental rule changes introduced this year are having a disproportionate effect on Clare's rental market. Daft.ie's latest report, covering April to June, shows the average price of renting a home this county is now €1,872 per month. It marks an increase of over 22% in the last year. Report author and economist Ronan Lyons has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan it's one of the biggest...

Mary Donovan is one of four survivors who took part in a 52-day hunger strike in Dublin last year, calling for services and supports for survivors of Ireland’s industrial and reformatory schools. Nine months on, Mary says many of the commitments made following the hunger strike have still not been delivered. She’s now helping to organise a meeting for survivors across Clare, Limerick and Tipperary...

Lisdoonvarna’s famous Matchmaking Festival returns for September, with live music, dancing, speed dating and, of course, the chance to find love. This year also sees the reopening of the historic Hydro Hotel for the first time since 2019. One person who knows all about the festival’s matchmaking magic is Mary Timby from Colorado, who travelled to Lisdoonvarna after seeing it featured on Schitt’s C...

The Government has confirmed that the planned increases in petrol and diesel excise duty due in September and October will not now go ahead, following growing pressure over rising fuel costs. The move will be welcomed by motorists and businesses, but questions remain about what happens later in the year. To react to this news, Alan Morrissey was joined by Ennis haulier and Deputy Vice President of...

Clare Animal Welfare is launching a subsidised spay and neuter campaign for September, aimed at helping Clare pet owners who may be struggling with the cost of neutering their dogs and cats. The scheme offers significantly reduced fixed fees, with participating vets across the county. To explain how the scheme works and why responsible pet ownership is so important, Stiofán MacGabhann, Director an...

Lahinch’s water quality is once again under scrutiny, with local campaigners raising concerns about pollution following heavy rainfall and the delays involved in conventional water testing. One of those campaigning for better monitoring is Lexi Keating, whose young daughter became seriously ill with E. coli after swimming locally in 2018. Lexi is now carrying out independent real-time water testin...

A Clare healthcare campaigner says more needs to be done to retain university graduates following a large increase in the number of available college healthcare places. 612 additional places will be available each year going forward, with UL and University of Galway to benefit from an extra allocation. Once fully rolled out it’s estimated 2,600 additional students will be enrolled in healthcare pr...

Stephen Fletcher presents our Sunday Prayer for today the 23rd August 2026, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time and the 12th Sunday after Trinity. Susan Rice read the Gospel and the music is When Morning Guild the Sky by St Paul's Cathedral Choir and O Worship the King sung by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band.

The village of Doonbeg will have a new decorative feature showcasing local legends and scenes for the Irish Open. The mural titled 'Pieces of Doonbeg' will be located on Boland's Corner on Main Street. Doonbeg Tidy Towns received permission to erect the mural subject to two conditions. Chairperson Jenny Drysdale is confident it will be a big hit for the open.

The Clare based Deputy Vice President of the Irish Road Haulage Association says common sense has prevailed amid the Government's decision to extend excise duty cuts. The planned phased introduction of the tax has been suspended until at least budget day on October 6th. In a statement, the Taoiseach's Department says " it will continue to be agile" in relation to future supports and that "nothing...

Coming up on the show, we will look ahead to a dramatic final round of games in the TUS Clare senior hurling championship and St Senan's Kilkee are the focus of this weeks More Than A Club episode

Conor Kiernan is an Irish singer songwriter from Meath whose energetic folk sound draws influence from artists such as Mumford & Sons, James Bay and Sam Fender. After leaving a career in teaching, Conor pursued music full time and now performs as keyboard player with Kingfishr while continuing to build his own solo career. His songs combine soaring choruses, acoustic energy and honest storytelling...

Clare's leaving certificate results are set to be broadly positive with a number of students securing 7 H1s in their final exams. 1,563 students in this county sat the Leaving Cert Exam this year, with a further 79 completing the Leaving Cert Applied. The impacts of grade deflation have been seen more prominently this year with post marking adjustments increasing just 35% of all results compared t...

Alan Morrissey was joined by Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch to chat about the weekend’s sporting fixtures. ~ TUS Senior Hurling Championship ~  Group 1:  - Ballyea v St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield (Saturday, Newmarket-on-Fergus, 5pm)  - Inagh-Kilnamona v Clonlara (Saturday, Ennis, 5pm)  Group 2:  - Éire Óg v Broadford (Sunday, Shannon, 1pm)  - Crusheen v Scariff (Sunday, Tulla, 1pm)  Group 3:  - Clooney Q...

A peace picnic called “Kites Not Flights” is taking place at Doughmore Beach in Doonbeg next Sunday, with organisers inviting people to bring picnics, kites and flags and show solidarity with the people of Gaza.     The event is also raising funds for Neart Nūr and comes just weeks before US President Donald Trump is expected to visit Doonbeg.     Joining Alan Morrissey earlier to discuss the even...