Local author and historian Colm Liddy was back in the studio for the final segment of the year. This week, Colm brought us back to Christmas in Clare, 100 years ago.

There's a call for a south Clare town's services and infrastructure to be improved in line with its growing population. Clare County Council has granted planning permission to Datcha Construction Limited for the construction of 79 homes on the Shannon Road in Sixmilebridge. The town's population grew by 8% between 2016 and 2022, and is set to rise further with several housing developments at various stages of construction. Sixmilebridge Fine Gael Councillor John Crowe has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons the town requires significant investment to cater for its new arrivals.

Clare Animal Welfare has had its busiest year on record, with more dogs taken in and rehomed in 2025 than ever before. So far this year, the charity has cared for 275 dogs, continuing a steady rise in demand for its services over recent years. To talk about what’s behind these figures and the work being done on the ground, Alan Morrissey had a chat with Brigid Molloy, volunteer with Clare Animal Welfare.

The County Clare Skills Competition is set to kick off this Thursday, the 18th of December, at Tulla Primary School. The event promises to be an exciting showcase of young talent in football and hurling, aimed at improving standards and encouraging positive involvement at the grassroots level. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Micheál Duffy, Games Development Administrator at Clare GAA. Photo (c) Stephen Barnes Getty Images via Canva

For the final legal advice segment of the year, Sharon Cahir, of Cahir & Co Solicitors, reviewed the year's legal developments, focusing on property, employment, succession, and capacity law.

Christmas can be an especially challenging time for vulnerable women, both in the home and while out socialising. Clare support services are advising those who witness domestic violence to "name it" and address the problematic behaviour. To discuss the realities of domestic violence at this time of year, and to offer advice and support for those affected and for concerned family members, Alan Morrissey is joined by Dr Siobhán O'Connor, Director of Services at Clare Haven and Siobhán O'Leary, Director of Rape Crisis Midwest. Background Image (c) by Kotenko Oleksandr from Kotenko via Canva

Clare County Council is inviting landowners across the county to put forward lands that could be suitable for new housing, as part of efforts to accelerate housing delivery and plan for future growth. A non-statutory public consultation, now open until this Friday, the 19th of December, is seeking proposals for residentially suitable lands in towns and villages — including greenfield, brownfield and regeneration sites — in line with national housing targets. To explain what the council is looking for, who can make a submission, and how this process will help meet Clare’s housing needs, Clare County Council Senior Planner, Helen Quinn joined Alan Morrissey on Morning Focus. Image (c) Clare County Council

Lisdoonvarna Tidy Towns has teamed up with local Transition Year students to help the community better prepare for severe weather and emergencies. Members of Lisdoonvarna Tidy Towns, Brian Dowd and Sharon Donnelly recently spent an afternoon with students from Mary Immaculate, kicking off a new Severe Weather Preparedness Project that will see practical guides created for homes and businesses ahead of future storm seasons. Brian ans Sharon joined Alan Morrissey on Morning Focus to talk about the project, the student involvement, and why community preparedness is so important. Image (c) Lisdoonvara Tidy Towns via Facebook

New figures show a sharp rise in drug-driving cases, with prosecutions up 37% nationally so far this year and a staggering 105% increase in Clare. More than 2,050 people have appeared before district courts for drug driving in the first ten months of 2025 alone — the highest level on record. 39 people before the Clare district court system on drug driving charges during that period. Ireland South Fianna Fáil MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú says these cases are just the tip of the iceberg and is calling for tougher enforcement and expanded roadside drug testing this Christmas. Alan Morrissey was joined by Cynthia Ní Mhurchú to discuss the growing dangers on our roads and what needs to be done to tackle it. Image (c) RSA.ie

The amount of funding for school repair works to be carried out in Clare during the Summer months has dropped by over a million euro since 2020. New figures obtained by Sinn Féin shows this county received just over €336,000 under the programme last year. There were 42 applications for works in Clare last year, but just 9 were approved. Shannon TD and Sinn Féin's Spokesperson on Further and Higher Education Donna McGettigan says it's not good enough.

Over 50 environmental groups and almost 500 individuals has signed an open letter to the Minister for the Environment expressing their opposition to an LNG terminal in Clare. Gas Networks Ireland announced plans last month for a strategic gas emergency reserve at Cahiracon on the Shannon Estuary, with the development expected to create up to 400 jobs during construction and roughly 50 while operational. Futureproof Clare has initiated an open letter to Minister Darragh O'Brien calling for the plans to be abandoned and so far, 55 groups, 491 individuals and nine political representatives have lent their support. Ennis-based Futureproof Clare spokespeson Emanuela Ferrari doesn't believe Ireland's gas supply is as vulnerable as the Government makes out.