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Ennis

St Flannan’s adds extra first year places

THERE has been “huge demand” for first year places at St Flannan’s College in Ennis, with the school confirming that extra places have now been made available. An additional 24 first year places are being offered at the secondary school, principal Fr Ignatius McCormack confirmed this week. In a statement, he said, “Due to the huge demand for first year places at St Flannan’s Killaloe Diocesan College the Patron and Board of Management of St Flannan’s College has revised our intake for this year. “Following a careful review of our teacher allocation and our accommodation provision we are in a position to offer a further 24 places in the first year class, bringing the total number to 240. “These extra places will be allocated in line with our admissions policy which can be viewed on our school website www.stflannanscollege.ie.”

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Air pollution in Ennis at weekend worse than in Beijing

AIR pollution levels in Ennis were higher than in Beijing at the weekend with the EPA’s air quality monitoring station showing a significant spike in pollutants, despite a smoky coal ban being in place in the county capital since 2011. Fears this “very harmful” pollution will result in “significant adverse health impacts” has sparked renewed calls from a former Mayor of Ennis for the establishment of an Ennis Clean Air Strategy. On Sunday evening at 7pm the EPA recorded a sharp rise in the levels of particulate matter associated with the burning of solid fuels, almost ten times higher than the EPA’s daily limit. Particulate matter (PM) are minute particles of dust, soot and smoke and the daily limit for PM10 is 50 ug/m3. PM10 of 485.38ug/m3 and PM2.5 of 467.58ug/m3 was recorded in Ennis on Sunday along with sulphar dioxide measuring 67.22ug/m3. On the same day, China’s capital city experienced moderate to good levels of air pollution. Councillor Johnny Flynn …

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Contrasting views expressed on Ennis pedestrianisation

THE chair of an Ennis retailers group has warned against “blanket pedestrianisation” of the county capital’s town centre saying it would lead to “commercial apartheid”. John O’Connor of Retailers of Ennis was reacting to the release of a survey by Clare County Council this week which showed more than 70% of respondents would like to see some form of pedestrianisation in Ennis ‘immediately’. (See Clare Champion story here) He believes compromise is needed if there are any future plans to make Ennis’ streets car-free. He insists it would need to be carefully planned out, with the needs of business owners and those who need to access those businesses taken into consideration along with increasing parking. Mr O’Connor fears that full pedestrianisation of the town centre would drive people out to the peripheries resulting in a “business desert” in the town. “We have always maintained if you continue with blanket pedestrianisation you reach a situation where you have, in essence, commercial …

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Visiting restrictions at Ennis hospital over Covid outbreak

VISITING restrictions have been introduced at Ennis Hospital following an outbreak of Covid-19 on one of its wards. As a precautionary measure, visiting is not currently permitted on the Burren Ward. This decision is being reviewed on a daily basis. Visits to other areas of the hospital continue as normal. A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said, “We regret any inconvenience these restrictions cause for patients on the Burren Ward and for their loved ones. “An outbreak control team has convened, and hospital management has decided that it is necessary to impose the measures in the interests of patient safety and keeping essential services open for all patients. “We wish to reassure patients and their loved ones that all appropriate infection control precautions are being followed to minimise the risk of spreading infection among staff and patients within our health facilities, and also within the wider community.” The only exceptions to the visiting restrictions on the Burren Ward are: – …

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Organiser of Ashling vigil ‘overwhelmed’ with public response

THE organiser of last Saturday’s walk and run in Ennis to honour of the memory of murdered teacher Ashling Murphy has said he was “overwhelmed” with the response. Around 1,000 people gathered at the Fair Green to walk and run at 4pm in memory of Ashling, culminating in a poignant candle lit vigil with music and minute’s silence. Supported by The Clare Champion, the event was initiated by John Condon, who hopes the tragedy of Ashling’s killing will not be in vain by resulting in more being done to address violence against women. “Will this be the tipping point where we say enough is enough? There have been some brutal killings, some right here in Clare, and at some stage there has to be a tipping point, hopefully this might be it. However, addressing this is a monumental task, it’s education at home, education at school, educating of young men on how to respect women, it has to do with …

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Council urged to weed out roundabout problem

EFFORTS being made by a group of volunteers to maintain the Ballymaley roundabout are in the weeds, with the local authority been urged to step in and help. Mayor of Ennis Councillor Ann Norton urged at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that the council look after the maintenance and grass cutting at the roundabout following representations from a number of people. Tommy Scott, Senior Executive Technician, responded, “The top of the roundabout is maintained as a Biodiversity meadow. The crop will now be cut and removed. Grass cutting has finished for the season and will recommence in April. “The grass cutting on the Ballymaley roundabout is carried out in a similar manner to the roundabouts on the N85 where the grass is permitted to grow and become a wild flower meadow in line with good biodiversity practices. This is part of the Tidy Town’s biodiversity programme.” Councillor Norton thanked Mr Scott for the response, stating that she appreciates …

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Residents fear ‘vermin’ nesting in biodiversity habitat

RESIDENTS living in an Ennis housing estate fear “vermin” are nesting in a river bank which has been left as a habitat for biodiversity. Calls for vegetation, trees and bushes along the riverbank at Lenabeg to be cut back were made on behalf of the residents by Councillor Mary Howard at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. “It is currently badly overgrown and the residents fear vermin are nesting there plus this area is being used to dump rubbish,” she said. Responding to the motion, Tommy Scott, Senior Executive Technician, stated, “The riverbank is left to look after itself and provide a natural boundary to the river edge. It provides a habitat for all sorts of biodiversity and wildlife and is fenced off from the development. “A river walk was built along this area as part of the development. It forms a fitting natural finish along the interface between the development and the River Fergus.” He continued, “This area …

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Large majority favours pedestrianisation in Ennis town centre

A LARGE majority of respondents to an extensive Clare County Council survey has indicated it would like to see some form of pedestrianisation in Ennis immediately. A total of 1,796 completed surveys were received and overall, 71.2% of all respondents stated they would like to see some form of pedestrianisation ‘immediately’; 20.3% in the ‘medium/long term dependent on provision of new infrastructure/service’ and 8.5% indicated ‘no-never’. The result was much closer between business owners surveyed, 54 of whom completed the poll. Some 38.9% favoured introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 24.1% in the medium to long term, 37% selected No/Never. Of the 204 respondents over 65 years of age, 67.6% favoured the introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 21.1% in the medium to long term, 11.3% selected No/Never. There were 102 respondents declared as ‘having mobility issues’ of whom 47.1% favoured introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 21.6% in the medium to long term, 31.4% selected No/Never. Of those who indicated they would like to see …

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