Ennis

SHOPS in Ennis are responding to requests from visitors and residents to extend their opening hours and have come together collaboratively to offer Fabulous Fridays for the summer months in Ennis. The launch of Fabulous Fridays will conveniently be in line with the official beginning of Ennis Street Festival this Friday and the duration of the extended opening hours on Fridays has been set from July until December.

SOME disabled members of the Ennis community are unable to use the so-called ‘superloos’ in the county capital, according to one local councillor. While Ennis’ town manager has stated the town council would be “very concerned” if that were the case.

ENNIS was the scene for a record-breaking gathering of people at the weekend, including one little girl aged just 10-months-old. Earlier this year a call went out to people named Clare, Claire or Clair to join together at Ennis Cathedral in a bid to break a world record for the largest gathering of people with the same name. While targets for a European or world record were missed out on, the gathering did break an Irish record and organisers believe they have created a new record for the most people with the same name gathered in a place of the same name.The event was organised by the Clare Volunteer Centre, held in association with The Gathering Clare 2013 and the Ennis Love: Live Music concert. During the official count, 296 people with the same name were recorded, with visitors from all over the world taking part.Sharon Meaney of the Clare Volunteer Centre said, “We were absolutely delighted with the event, …

FINE Gael Councillor Mary Coote Ryan has been elected the last mayor of Ennis before the abolition of Ennis Town Council next year. Councillor Coote Ryan was elected on Tuesday evening, after fellow Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard withdrew her name from the race. Claims were made at the meeting by Fine Gael’s Councillor Johnny Flynn that the outcome of the mayoral election was a foregone conclusion. However, this was rejected, with Councillor Tommy Brennan insisting there was never a power-sharing agreement made by the town council. Councillor Howard, who was proposed by Councillor Flynn and seconded by Councillor Paul O’Shea, withdrew her nomination stating, “The last thing I want is any more division in the chamber”. She went on, “The best honour you can have is to serve the town as mayor and the last thing I want is any trouble”.The election for the role of Deputy Mayor also saw Councillor Howard nominated, with Councillor Frankie Neylon her opponent. …

THE people of Ennis and visitors to the county town will be given a unique opportunity to pick up a piece of free art or crafts as part of this year’s Ennis Street Festival in July, all they need do is look out for the signs. The Art Bomb Project, which is the brainchild of local artist Minnie Keane, is designed to promote a closer relationship between art and the community and during the festival, the town centre will be bombed with signs. There’s no need for anybody to shout “take shelter” – if you find a sign, you get to collect a free art or craft piece from the Art Bomb Project Headquarters. Speaking about the initiative, Minnie said, “It’s a fantastic treasure hunt for the family and a fun way to travel between the many exciting events the Ennis Street Festival has planned this year.” “Signs, shaped like little bombs, will be posted in various locations within the …

TWO action-packed days of the most competitive drifting in Europe are in store for enthusiasts when the Irish Drift Championship rolls into Ennis Mart this Saturday for the third round of the 2013 series.The tight custom-built technical course will push the drivers to their limits, drifting as close to the walls as drivers can go to give a spectacle of car control not seen in any other form of the sport.Saturday will host the amateur and semi-professional drivers, three of whom are from the Banner County. They include Ross Kenny in his newly built Blue Nissan S14, Francis O’Shea from Moyasta, Kilkee, in his newly sponsored WKD, SI5, who is pushing his way up the ranks and is knocking on the door of the professional circuit and Trevor McInerney from O’Callaghan’s Mills in his new Nissan S13 with an RB25 engine from an R33 skyline and a holsett truck turbo.Drifting will commence on Saturday morning at 10am sharp. IDC promotional …

The current draft of the new Ennis and Environs Development Plan for 2014 to 2020 has been adopted by county councillors, despite some strong objections.

TRADERS in O’Connell Street will lose up to €10 million in sales annually if the street is pedestrianised, a businessman has claimed.