Coming up on the show, we begin the countdown to championship as we speak to John Conlon just 9 days out from the Banner's huge showdown with Cork.

We look ahead to a busy few days for Clare's minor and U20 hurlers, and we look back on the week that was for the U20 and minor footballers.

The pace of the race for the Clare Premier Division title is also building so we check in with Jim Madden and Alan Troy will be along with Greyhound Focus.

A North Clare business owner who's due to take over the running of his town's post office says he felt it was his duty to save a vital community service.

In October, Councillor Shane Talty tendered his resignation as Postmaster of Lahinch Post Office, citing the expected financial challenges of An Post's decision to transfer mail and sorting services to Ennis.

The office on Main Street will soon close and will relocate to Kennedy's Spar in the coming weeks, once the store completes the necessary refurbishments.

Owner Robert Kennedy has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan he believes government policy is not protecting the interests of rural Ireland.

A Clare TD is calling for a "broad review" of the Hot School Meals Programme amid nutrition, waste and environmental concerns.

The Department of Social Protection has announced that the scheme has been extended to 713 primary schools nationwide, with 32 of these in Clare.

It's also committed to an expert view of the meals' nutritional value, with foods high in saturated fat, sugar and salt to be removed from menus by September.

Meelick Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons he believes the review should examine several aspects of the programme in addition to nutrition.

The Seanad has heard that Clare isn't immune to the "sex for rent" scandal. Efforts are underway to progress a bill that would make it illegal for those letting a property to offer reduced or free accommodation in exchange for sex. Under the proposed legislation, which is now at second stage, landlords found guilty of the offence could face fines of up to €50,000. Labour Senator Laura Harmon says properties in this county have appeared in online listings bearing the hallmarks of a "sex for rent" advertisement.

It is time for the fifteenth episode of our second season of The Village Tour.

With The Village Tour, we here at Morning Focus are aiming to highlight the smaller villages and townlands around the county.

By doing this, we hope to showcase their unique character, while also bringing their diversity and individuality to life for you, the listener.

During each episode of The Village Tour, I chat with various people from a particular village or townland in Clare: from locals and business owners to those involved with local sports clubs, community representatives and many more.

In our latest episode of The Village Tour, Alan paid a visit to Bodyke.

The recent discovery of the fossilised remains of a unique prehistoric shark along the coastline of the Burren will be outlined at the third annual Geopark Academy in County Clare next month (24th May).

To find out more about the discovery,Alan Morissey spoke with Dr. Eamon Doyle from the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark.

Pic (c) Clare County Council

Retiring before 65 is a pipedream for more than 80 per cent of workers.

New research from Royal London Ireland shows most people expect to stop working at 65 or 66, while one in five say it will be 70 before they can afford to retire.

Just 3 per cent expect to be able to retire by the age of 55.

For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined in studio by Quin based Digital Ambassador for Active Retirement Ireland, Eugene Philips.

Pic (c) Pressmaster via Canva

A Shannon company has received Government support aimed at innovative cancer and neonatal treatments.

Gentian Health is part of the consortium behind the LOTUS project which has been awarded €6.4 million.

The funding is part of €17 million in funding announced by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless.

The funding for LOTUS and another project comes under Call 7 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF).

To find out more about this, Alan Morrissey was joined in studio by Gentian Health CEO Aidan McMahon.

Pic (c) https://gentianhealth.com/connected-health/

A Clare MEP has accused the Government of an "act of desperation" in allowing a case involving asylum seekers' human rights go to the European Court Justice. The ECJ's Advocate General has issued an opinion stating that Ireland can't use lack of capacity as an excuse not to house those seeking international protection here. The High Court in Ireland had sought a ruling from the ECJ after two applicants alleged breaches of their rights after being denied housing when seeking asylum in Ireland in 2023. Scariff native, Independent MEP Michael McNamara, saying the Government's resources should be going into speeding up processing times.

A full review of the accessibility features of Ennis Swimming Pool is to be carried out. Fianna Fáil Councillor Antoinette Baker-Bashua has called for the measure, claiming the facility has become "rundown" in recent years. Ennis Municipal District has committed to a "comprehensive review" which it says will "ensure that accessibility standards are upheld" while it will also "identify opportunities for further improvement". Councillor Baker-Bashua says while the facility has a very strong offering, a "facelift" is required to bring it up to modern standards.