Car Tourismo Banner
Home » Regional » Ennis (page 79)

Ennis

Ennis in new urban renewal funding scheme

Ennis has been selected as one of 17 Irish towns and cities eligible to benefit under a new urban renewal funding scheme. The Clare County Capital has been named among the locations included under the Designated Urban Centres Grants Scheme 2014 – 2020, announced by Government in July, which will enable investments in Irish urban centres to the order of €80 million for the period 2014-2020. The Scheme will involve European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding of approximately €40 million and matching funding from the relevant local authorities. “Ennis has in recent years been rejuvenated, particularly the wider town centre area thanks to ongoing investment from Clare County Council with the support of the local business community. With projects such as the West Clare Greenway and proposed redevelopment of the Market area, it is clear there is a solid commitment to making Ennis an attractive and vibrant location to live and work in, as well as visit,” commented Senator Tony …

Read More »

Scholarship on the menu for Oonagh

McDonald’s Ennis employee, Oonagh Wallace is one of just 15 employees of the fast food chain nationwide to be awarded a college scholarship. The student of International Law at University College Cork was presented with her scholarship by the Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English, TD, at an event in Dublin. The function was also attended by her parents and Kieran McDermott, owner operator of McDonald’s Ennis. The McDonald’s Scholarship Programme is an initiative which celebrates the hard work and dedication of McDonald’s employees, who are completing college and further education studies. Speaking at the awards, Minister English, TD, commentated: “Smart companies invest in their staff as the return on investment will lead to a better workforce and more satisfied customers. I would urge other companies in Ireland to look to McDonald’s and celebrate staff commitment by investing in their education.” Each winning employee receives €1,000 towards their education costs. Winners in the past have used the scholarship …

Read More »

Scouting about in Ennis

AN appeal has gone out to anyone interested in becoming an adult leader with the Ennis Scout Group to get involved and “help keep the scouting experience alive in Ennis”. More and more children want to join the group and a lack of leaders has meant that they are not able to take everyone who wishes to join. The Ennis Scout Group begins the new year, after their summer break, on the week of September 14. According to Nicky Moloney, group leader, “The problem with the success the group in Ennis is having is that more kids are wishing to join the group, which they think is brilliant. But, at the moment, the group is not able to take everyone who wishes to join, as they are lacking in adult leadership, both male and female. “At the moment, they are stretched very thin with leaders to cater for the kids they have right now, with some leaders double-jobbing and covering …

Read More »

Remembering the skiffe and showband era

LOOKING at an old photograph from the 1950s and reminiscing about the skiffle group that he formed with his three childhood friends, Tony Mulvey’s eyes sparkle as he recalls the memories. Tony says the photograph of the group, called the Drifters, was taken by his late brother, Frankie, a priest based in Cardiff since 1959, who died in August last year. “The picture was taken in the laneway between myself and Tom Quinn’s house at Clonroad, Ennis in 1957, I’d say,” he says. “Skiffle was in vogue at the time and there were a few skiffle groups in Ennis.” Tony says a skiffle group had a steel washboard that was used for the rhythm section and a tea-chest that was converted into a bass. “There were a number of skiffle groups in Ennis there at that time around the ’57, ’58 period and there were a lot of skiffle competitions going on,” Tony recalls. “It was kind of the start …

Read More »

Howard throws hat into the ring

ENNIS Councillor Mary Howard has joined the race to receive the Fine Gael nomination at the party’s convention to decide its general election candidates, saying, “I’ve proved myself”. The councillor joins sitting TDs Joe Carey and Pat Breen and Senators Tony Mulcahy and Martin Conway in seeking the party’s nomination on September 11. Speaking to The Clare Champion, Councillor Howard said the decision to seek nomination is something that she has been thinking over for some time. “I’ve been mulling it over in my mind, I love what I do and I see my future within Fine Gael. I absolutely love my job within Clare County Council but I thought now is the time to put my hat in the ring. “I believe that I’ve proved myself over the last six years. I’ve worked hard and I have been very involved in my community. A lot of people have asked me would I go forward and when you hear that …

Read More »

Architectural award for Bindon Street

THE historic Georgian architecture of Bindon Street in Ennis has been honoured by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH), under the administration of the department, has named Bindon Street in Ennis its Building of the Month for August. According to Risteard Ua Cróinín, architectural conservation officer, Clare County Council, “Of the tens of thousands of historic buildings on the records of The Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, it is a great honour for Ennis to have Bindon Street chosen as The Building of the Month. This street has long been recognised as one of the finest late-Georgian streets in Ireland, due to its formal design, based on rigid principles, pristine lines, architectural detailing and the use of local materials. “It acknowledges the care taken by individual owners and occupiers to maintain their buildings to high conservation standards and justifies the decision of Clare County Council and former Ennis Town Councils …

Read More »

The history of the Halfway House

HISTORY will come alive in The Halfway this week, when a very special recording will take place. Peadar White, whose family have lived on the Clare Road for generations, will be detailing a verbal history of both the Clare Road and The Halfway on this Friday night. He will be recorded, ensuring that the many stories of those who lived and worked in the area over the years will not be forgotten by future generations. Fittingly, the recording will take place at The Halfway and those visiting the venue at 8pm will get a chance to hear the historical stories firsthand. “The whole idea for this came about when I was on walkabouts and I saw signs up saying such and such a pub was so old, and another pub was another age. I said to Frank, my brother, who owns The Halfway, how old is this place? And he said, you do the history and we will find out,” …

Read More »

Homeless family sleeps in car

AN Ennis father has told of how his family spent Tuesday night sleeping in their car, after being made homeless. John Sweeney and his family have refused an offer by Clare County Council of a house in Kilrush, resulting in a refusal of welfare assistance for emergency accommodation. However, Mr Sweeney claims that the accommodation offer was refused out of fear, alleging he was threatened in Kilrush. He said the family, including seven children ranging in age from 12 years to five weeks, would “be walking into danger” if they moved back to Kilrush and he is appealing for the council to house them in Ennis. When contacted by The Clare Champion with Mr Sweeney’s claims, a spokesperson for Clare County Council stated the local authority does not comment on individual cases. The Department of Social Protection also responded that they do not comment on individual cases. “We didn’t take the house on the grounds of protecting me and my …

Read More »