The next Celtic Waves Novice Swimming Gala is fast approaching.

Shannon Leisure Centre is the venue for the gala, which will take place on the 24th of May.

The event looks to hold various races for non competitive young swimmers in efforts to enhance their swimming skills and to give them a taste of competitive swimming.

To discuss further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Swimming Coach, Elaine Barry.

Photo (c) Celtic Waves

Today is World IBD Inflammatory Bowel Disease Day.

World IBD Day takes place on the 19th of May each year and unites people worldwide in their fight against Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

There are approximately 40,000 people in Ireland living with inflammatory bowel disease or IBD.

For more on this Alan Morrissey was joined by Sarah O’Connor, a Crusheen native who has been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.

Photo (c): Red Lion Group

Tulla Recycling Centre has been experiencing issues regarding waste disposal.

Rubbish is being thrown onto the ground beside the bins rather than in them, this has been reoccurring 1-2 times a week.

Anger is being expressed over the incorrect disposal of waste at Tulla Recycling Centre by the local community.

To find out more Alan was joined by Tim Humphries of Tulla Tidy Towns and Maghera Fianna Fail Councillor Pat Hayes.

Photo (c) Facebook Tulla Community And News

It's claimed the increased cost of implementing the wastewater treatment schemes in Broadford and Cooraclare is no excuse not to deliver the projects on time. At this month's meeting of Clare County Council, Doonbeg Fianna Fáil councillor, Rita McInerney, requested an update on the current status and progress of the schemes which were announced in December of 2023. In response, Clare County Council says the projects' estimated delivery remains between three and five years, and additional funding at government level should be sought. Councillor McInerney says the projects have been committed to and must be delivered with haste.

It's hoped staffing deficiencies in special education settings in Clare will begin to be addressed following a ministerial visit. As part of his visit to Clare, Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, has met with management of St Anne's School in Ennis. Concerns around the lack of therapists and a general shortfall in staffing levels were highlighted over the course of the extensive meeting. Principal of St Anne's, Rose-Marie Flanagan, says children's needs aren't being met.

Clare manager Peter Keane claims his side's slow start was the reason behind their defeat in Round 1 of the All Ireland Senior Football Championship group stage.

The Banner have still yet to break their duck in the reformed format, with Down leaving Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg with a 3-27 to 1-16 win yesterday.

The result puts Clare on the back foot as they look to progress from the group ahead of a difficult trip to Clones to face Monaghan for their round 2 clash.

Keane says his side never got up to the pitch of the game against their northern opponents.

Avenue United manager David Russell says this year's league success is the sweetest of his tenure as manager.

Avenue sealed their third Clare Premier Division title in the last six years with a dramatic 2-0 final day victory over Bridge United in Roslevan , courtesy of goals from Sean O'Callaghan and Eoghan Thynne.

The Ennis side won 13 consecutive league games to round off the season following shock back to back defeats in late February and early March.

Russell says those results coupled with an exit from the FAI Junior Cup led the entire county to write them off.

On this week’s Atlantic Tales, Pat Flynn takes a trip along the Shannon Estuary Way.

The 207km looped drive connects the people of Clare to the north with Limerick and Kerry to the south. While the route always existed it wasn’t until 2019 that it was marketed as a tourism product by Fáilte Ireland.

A Clare TD insists the privatisation of the higher education system is locking those from low-income families out of opportunities.

Shannon Sinn Féin Deputy Donna McGettigan is calling on the Government to address the funding deficit in the education sector which she says is leading to private companies stepping in.

It's also claimed the lack of funding in higher education means many students are forced to rely on grants and schemes like SUSI.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy McGettigan, who's also her party's spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, says action must be taken.

A Clare social housing estate could lead the way in front garden driveway conversions.

Sinn Féin Councillor Tommy Guilfoyle has proposed a pilot scheme be devised for Church Drive in Clarecastle to allow residents to convert their front gardens into driveways as a means of alleviating on-street traffic congestion.

Responding to the proposal, Ennis Municipal District says the idea is "interesting and innovative" while committing to investigating the viability of such a project.

Councillor Guilfoyle says residents are "suffering" due to the amount of cars on the road.