*John S Kelly and Tom Hanley.
SCARIFF BAY Community Radio is this week celebrating its tenth birthday and of leading the talk of East Clare.
Not alone has it just grown from a team of six people to a roster which now has over eighty volunteer broadcasters, sound engineers and producers, Scariff Bay’s standing and reputation has also soared over the past decade.
Along the way they’ve broadcast from Bridgetown, Brussels, O’Briensbridge, Broadcasting House which is home of the BBC in London, they’ve won awards for their political coverage and documentaries on the Matchmaking Festival in Lisdoonvarna.
Programmes are now broadcast in three different languages, English, Irish and Ukrainain. Live theatre from musical societies and a radio play festival have been broadcast while SBCR has been embedded in local festivals festivals in Mountshannon, Scariff, Feakle. Tuamgraney and Bodyke.
Amongst its most listened to coverage has been its GAA commentaries and Sportsline programme presented by Leo Doyle and Pat McNamara.
Station manager, Jim Collins remains the driving force of Scariff Bay Community Radio. Though he is retired from teaching, Jim is central to the success of the community radio station. The story of Scariff Bay Community Radio began in a little broom closet inside the GAA hall in Scariff and have graduated to a fit for purpose, fully kitted out studio in the newly renovated Derg Active Alliance Building, where they are still hosted by Scariff GAA.
More listeners are tuning in to Scariff Bay following the addition of a third transmitter in Killaloe. Online they have listeners from all over the world. St Patrick’s Day this year saw the station unveil its new set of wheels for the first time.
Scariff Bay Community Radio is in the final part of the application process for a 10 year licence from Coimisiún na Meán and hopes to be able to broadcast, on FM and online, on Fridays as well as Saturdays and Sundays.
As part of its fundraising efforts, Scariff Bay’s sports department has recently launched a Last Man Standing fundraiser, entries for which can be made HERE and are accepted for the next two weeks.
