More publicity shy than his Scottish cousin, the Kilkee Sea Monster has made only one documented appearance. It was in Oct 1871, when a group of British tourists were down upon the Rocks. A massive creature arose from the water and glared at them. Since then… not a dickie bird!

This graffiti is almost 500 years old & was etched on a wall in the Tower of London by an Irish prisoner. Silken Thomas spent all of 1536 awaiting a death sentence so had time on his hands. Signed THOMAS FITZG, his message to posterity was a stoical one…. ‘AS IT IS: TAKE’

I’m in London today at the spot where the Hanging took place of Silken Thomas in 1537. After his rebellion against English conquest failed, he spent his last weeks of freedom in Clare. After,he together with his 5 uncles, were executed here. Now it’s just a traffic island…

Shannon Lass was a horse from Clare that won the Aintree Grand National in 1902. Two years earlier, she was not rated highly & bought as part of a job lot by an English dealer. The farm where once she grazed is now under asphalt, part of the main runway at Shannon Airport.

Could we have invaded England before England invaded us? Killaloe in 1102 AD was a sliding doors moment when the Irish High King gathered together Norwegian & French allies to plot an invasion of England. Hear all the details on my latest chat on Clare FM. clare.fm/podcasts/morni…

COMING UP | 9AM with Alan Morrissey...

➖Morning Focus visits the Tuamgraney Salvage Yard

➖Colum McGrath will tell us about Ireland's Eurovision entry Bambi Thug

➖Colm Liddy will bring us another slice of fascinating Clare history