Former Irish Navy Captain Marie Gleeson On Her New Book

Public Appeal For Memories, Photographs And Stories As 80th Anniversary Scariff Show Heritage Project Begins

This year marks a major milestone for one of East Clare’s best-loved community events as Scariff Agricultural Show celebrates its 80th anniversary.  To mark the occasion, a new Heritage Council-funded project is underway to document and preserve the rich history of the Show, and organisers are now appealing to the public for photographs, programmes, memorabilia and personal memories that tell the story of the event since its beginnings in 1944.   The Eight Decades of the Scariff Show: Oral and Community Heritage Project will create a permanent digital archive, capturing the experiences of volunteers, exhibitors, farmers and families who have helped shape the Show over the past eight decades.  Joining Alan Morrissey this morning to tell him more about the project, the public appeal and why preserving these stories is so important are Dr Tomás Mac Conmara of Mac Conmara Heritage Consulting, along with Scariff Show Committee members Paddy Doyle and John Blake. Photo (c) Clare FM

Former Irish Navy Captain Marie Gleeson On Her New Book

Former Irish Navy Captain Marie Gleeson has built a remarkable career spanning leadership at sea, major naval operations, and deeply personal challenges that have shaped her life and outlook. Originally from Tipperary but with strong connections to Clare, Marie has now turned her experiences into a powerful new book, Be Like the Sea: Life, Learnings and Leadership from an Irish Navy Captain. The book takes readers from her early days as a naval cadet through to high-stakes operations, including a major drugs seizure off the Irish coast, while also reflecting on personal tragedy and resilience. Marie joined Alan Morrissey to talk about her journey, her leadership lessons, and the story behind the book. Photo (c) Frank McGrath via The Irish Independent

Clare Man Walking Across Iceland To Raise Money For Irish Dogs For The Disabled

Imagine setting out alone to walk almost 500 kilometres across some of the most remote and challenging terrain in Europe. That's exactly what Clare man Dermot Cosgrove is doing right now as he treks across Iceland from Húsavík in the north to Vík on the south coast, a journey expected to take 21 days. Originally from Ennis and now living in Kilkee, Dermot is undertaking the challenge to raise funds for Irish Dogs for the Disabled, a charity that provides specially trained assistance dogs free of charge to children and adults with physical disabilities. A former member of the French Foreign Legion and no stranger to adventure, Dermot joined Alan Morrissey from Iceland to tell us about the journey so far and the cause driving him forward. Photo (c) via The Clare Herald

Sarah McInerney Wins An Post Primary Schools Handwriting Competition

A Clare primary school student has become the latest winner of the An Post Primary schools handwriting competition. The competition celebrates the incredible creativity, care and imagination of young writers across Ireland. This year’s theme, “Making Better Happen in our communities,” inspired thousands of pupils to reflect on kindness, connection and the role they can play in shaping the world around them. The overall winner was Sarah McInerney from  Doora NS, here in County Clare and earlier Alan Morrissey spoke with Sarah along with Mags O'Reilly competition organiser and Brand Communications and sponsorship manager with An Post. Image (c) yipengge from Getty Images Signature via Canva

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) Awareness Week, 01–07 June 2026

This week marks International HS Awareness Week, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS, a painful long-term inflammatory skin condition that affects more than 74,000 people in Ireland. Despite its prevalence, HS remains largely misunderstood, with many sufferers facing years of symptoms before receiving a diagnosis. One person working to change that is Parteen native Barry McGrath, who lives with the condition himself and is Chairperson of HS Ireland. Barry joined Alan Morrissey to share his personal experience, discuss the challenges faced by those living with HS, and highlight the importance of greater awareness and support. Image (c) Nordic Bioscience