County Clare is set to take centre stage in 2027 after being chosen as the Regional Hub for the Bealtaine Festival, Ireland's national celebration of arts and ageing.  

It's the first time in more than three decades that the festival's flagship programme will be hosted outside Dublin, bringing a national spotlight to Ennis and Clare's vibrant creative community.  

The festival will feature performances, exhibitions, community events and a new music commission for a Clare-based artist aged 50 and over.  

Joining Alan Morrissey to tell us more about what this exciting announcement means for Clare and for Bealtaine was Bridget Deevy, Assistant Arts Programme Manager with the Bealtaine Festival. 

Photo (c) Bealtaine Festival

Reaching out for help can often be the hardest step, but one charity is hoping to make that first step a little easier.  

Ana Liffey, which provides low-threshold support for people affected by addiction, homelessness, mental health challenges and other social harms, has launched a new 'One First Step' campaign along with a freephone number to make its services more accessible.  

The organisation also has a strong presence across the Mid West, including here in County Clare, where its outreach teams support some of the county's most vulnerable people.

 

Joining Alan Morrissey earlier to tell us more was the CEO of Ana Liffey, Dawn Russell.

Image (c) Ana Liffey Drug Project

Electronic music could soon have a new home in Ennis.   

Local event promoter Eric Moore is exploring the idea of launching a regular night dedicated to house, techno, disco, breaks and other electronic music styles, creating what he hopes will be a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for music lovers.  

The idea has already generated plenty of interest online, with many people saying they'd love to see something like this happening locally.  

Eric joined Alan Morrissey to tell us more about the idea, the response so far, and his vision for the future of electronic music in Ennis.

Photo (c) Aleksandr Korchagin via Canva

Motorists are waking up to another jump in fuel prices, with diesel expected to rise by up to 10 cent a litre and petrol by around 2 cent, following renewed tensions in the Middle East. 

The Government insists it can't keep cutting excise duty every time global oil prices spike, while retailers say they're being unfairly blamed for increases they claim originate further up the supply chain.  

So, who's responsible, and what, if anything, can Government do to ease the pressure? 

Joining Alan Morrissey to discuss this were Martin McMahon, O'Callaghan's Mills farmer, and Eugene Drennan, Ennis-based Irish Road Haulage Association Deputy Vice President.

Photo (c) Engin Akyurt from Pexels via Canva

There's confusion over the number of new ambulances coming to Clare. At a meeting of Midwest Oireachtas members in March of this year, the National Ambulance Service stated five ambulances and 27 highly-trained staff would be coming to the county. Speaking in the Seanad however, Minister of State Frank Feighan now says three new vehicles will be added to the region, with these to be located in Ennistymon, Kilrush and Nenagh. Responding to Ennistymon Senator Martin Conway, the Fine Gael Minister of State hasn't clarified if this is in addition to the previously-announced allocation.

A Clare national school is set to expand its facility following accommodation difficulties. It comes as Ballynacally National School has received Departmental approval for a new classroom. According to the Department of Education, there were 52 students enrolled in the school at the start of the year. Clare Fianna Fáil TD and Oireachtas Education Committee Chair Cathal Crowe is hopeful it will be functional in time for the new term.

Fr Brendan Quinlivan leads our Sunday Prayer for today, Sunday 12th July 2026 the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

On this week’s programme Fr Brendan QuinlivanI speaks with Fr. Richard Gibbons, Rector of Knock Shrine about the upcoming celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Basilica of Our Lady Queen of Ireland and the plans for the National Novena to Our Lady of Knock in August. Artist, Eve Parnell, discusses the depiction of women in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel while Vincentian Michael McCullagh explores the challenge of forgiveness.

A Clare TD has told the Agriculture Minister farmers whose cattle have been affected by bovine tuberculosis "can't live on engagement and reviews with no end date".

Bodyke Fine Gael Deputy Joe Cooney is calling for the bovine TB compensation scheme cap to be increased and for a commitment to a special allocation for compensation under the Common Agricultural Policy in Budget 2027.

The incidence of the disease in Clare has fallen from 4.34% to 4.2% on a 12-month rolling basis as of May of this year.

Addressing Minister Martin Heydon in the Dáil, Deputy Cooney says farmers require concrete measures.

A prominent Clare activist says any engagement with Conor McGregor's upcoming fight is an insult to survivors of rape and sexual violence.

The Dublin native who makes his return to MMA tomorrow morning was found civilly liable for the sexual assault of Nikita Hand in November 2024.

A High Court Jury found that he raped Ms Hand in a Dublin Hotel Room in December 2018.

Clare Leader Forum Co-Founder Ann Marie Flannagan says he shouldn't be glorified in any manner.