Ennis

ENNIS employer Ecolect Technical Services Limited has won a prestigious award at the 2022 Generation Apprenticeship Employer of the Year Awards, taking home a ‘pioneering micro-employer’ award at the ceremony. Seven businesses from around the country have been crowned Generation Apprenticeship Employers of the Year by Simon Harris TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in an awards ceremony which took place on Thursday, December 8th, 2022 in the Morrison Hotel, Dublin. Commenting on their award win, the Ecolect Technical Services Ltd Team, based on the Tulla Road, said, “Absolutely thrilled to be nominated for the award. Our apprentices are the future of our company and are key to its further growth and expansion” Founded in 2001, Ecolect Technical Services Limited are a leading provider of innovative mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering solutions. It provides services to customers across sectors including Data Centres, Life Sciences, Industrial, Commercial, Substations and Renewables and operate across Ireland, the UK …

THE road from Clareabbey to Barrack Street in Clarecastle has been described as “resembling a patchwork quilt” by local Councillor Paul Murphy. A meeting of the Ennis Municipal District has confirmed that an application for funding to resurface the road has been submitted to Transport Infrastructure Ireland with plans for works to take place next year. Councillor Murphy had called for the road resurfacing, including the junction with Old Road/Church Drive, to be “carried out as soon as possible”. Paddy Tiernan, A/Senior Executive Engineer, responded, “An application for funding has been submitted to the TII under the Former National Roads Scheme. It is envisaged this road will be re-surfaced in Q2 2023.” Councillor Murphy described the response as “pretty positive, and I’m hoping it will come forward early summer and late spring. The road resembles a patchwork quilt at this stage with plenty of dips and hollows.” Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy supported the motion, adding it was “wonderful” to see …

A PARK and ride scheme for Ennis could be the solution to traffic problems in the town centre a local councillor has insisted. However while the local authority has said it is continuing to “explore the possibility” of acquiring land for parking, a source of funding would be needed. Councillor Pat Daly, speaking at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, urged the council to look at purchasing or leasing land close to the town for use as a pilot scheme for a park and ride centre. He said he has “never seen Ennis as bad for traffic” adding there are “bottlenecks every day of the week”. He suggested a site on the Tulla Road would be suitable for the introduction of a pilot scheme. “A pilot scheme is something that should be looked at where people could park their car and go and do their shopping. This would take cars out of the town centre.” Leonore O’Neill, Senior Executive …

THERE was plenty of fun and games at Scoil Chríost Rí recently, and all thanks to some enterprising students. The SCR Christmas Arcade was held last week in the Scoil Chríost Rí hall organised by fifth class students who created the business idea in an effort to raise funds for charity. The school hall was decorated from head-to-toe by artwork created by the students who designed the fundraiser as part of their very own mini-company. Every child had an important job to do from game co-ordinating, security, welcoming duties, ticket distribution, advertising and photography. There were lots of games to be enjoyed over the two days. All games were designed and assembled by the students. There were games called Present Golf, Pin the Nose, Ping Pong Tree, Guess the Jar, Grinch Toss, Antler Throw and many more. After the SCR Christmas Arcade, the fifth class hosted a ‘Teacher Vs Student Challenge’. Every class attended the event to watch teachers and students …

WHEN Maria Molloy sent out an SOS for some help with the Lions Club ‘Message in a Bottle’ there was no need for The Police! Karen Kelleher, Clare County Commissioner, stepped up and worked closely with 1st and 4th Clare Venturers(Ennis) to encourage a collaboration between them and the Ennis Lions Club project leader to prepare packages for the forthcoming Message in a Bottle Launch 2023. In return the young adults will have earned a community badge. Maria was effusive in her thanks to the young adults who made up over 500 packs for Ennis Lions Club declaring “They were really super from start to finish of this project”. Message in a Bottle is a simple idea promoted by Lions Club of Ireland. It encourages people to keep their basic personal and medical details in a common place, where, in cases of emergency, the attending service teams can easily access them. The information required is very basic but can be …

TEENAGERS racially abused and spat at a woman while she was walking in Ennis in an act which has been described as “unacceptable” by a local councillor. Details of the incident were relayed at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where Councillor Johnny Flynn highlighted the woman’s ordeal. He outlined that the woman is from Georgia but now living in Ennis and wishes to remain anonymous. “She never experienced a racial incident until she came to Ennis,” he said pointing out that the county capital has recently been named ‘Ireland’s Friendliest Place’. “A group of young teenagers racially abused her and ran up and spat at her, she was very upset,” he said. “It is not acceptable for a woman to not feel safe within our town, that level of behaviour is not acceptable.” He added he would be raising the matter at an upcoming meeting of the Joint Policing Committee. His comments came as Councillor Mary Howard …

AIR pollution in Ennis has been described as “dangerously high” with levels of particulate matter associated with burning solid fuels more than seven times higher than Shanghai in recent days. Community group Better Ennis are among those voicing concerns about the “health hazard Ennis residents and visitors are exposed to”, while during one evening a UCC professor took to social media urging Ennis residents not to go outside. Green Party Senator Roísín Garvey says, “People are afraid to go for a walk in the evening because of the quality of the air.” Ennis Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn is seeking a report on air quality in Ennis from Clare County Council to be included in the monthly management report, and is reiterating calls for an Ennis Clean Air Strategy. “Short term poor air quality events or spikes have very significant adverse health impacts, they result in significant  spikes in hospital admissions for up to two days after such events,” he stated. A …

“VIGOROUSLY” growing flower beds along an Ennis cycling route are sowing the seeds of discontent among local residents experiencing difficulty accessing and leaving their homes, a meeting of councillors has heard. Planting carried out as part of efforts to improve cycling facilities in the St Flannan’s area has strongly grown during the summer with the Ennis Municipal District acknowledging this can “hinder” sight-lines. A review of the planting of these flower beds is now set to be carried out, the local authority has confirmed. Traffic calming and cycle lane infrastructure was introduced along the route linking St Flannan’s to the Kilrush Road in 2019. Councillor Johnny Flynn urged the Ennis Municipal District at a recent meeting to “carry out alterations to the cycling infrastructure installed along by St Flannans to the Kilrush road in order to improve access in and out of houses particularly those affected by flower beds constructed in that scheme.” Householders living in the area are being …