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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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,” …

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 …

SUPPORTERS of the ISPCA retaining control of the Clare County Pound will hold a peaceful protest on Saturday in O’Connell Square, Ennis, at 11am. This follows last Saturday’s event, in which organisers say between 100 and 200 people came out to back their campaign. Protesters marched carrying placards and chanting slogans supporting the ISPCA and dog warden, Frankie Coote. An online petition calling for the pound to remain in the hands of the ISPCA has received 1,500 signatures so far, with further signatures being gathered on paper at the protests. The protests have been organised by the group Protecting Pound Dogs in Ennis County Clare. The county pound has been run by the ISPCA, with Frankie Coote as dog warden, for decades. The running of the pound has now been put out to tender, with protesters fearing that it will be removed from the ISPCA. Clare County Council insist that no decision has been made on the contract. A spokesperson …

CLARE County Council is barking up the wrong tree if they take the operation of the county’s dog pound away from the ISPCA, animal welfare groups have warned. The county pound, located at the Gort Road Industrial Estate in Ennis, is currently being run by the ISPCA, with Frankie Coote as dog warden. However Clare County Council has put the operation of the pound out to tender. In just 24 hours, an online petition organised by the group Protecting Pound Dogs in Ennis County Clare has gained 1,000 signatures, with that figure continuing to grow. The petition is calling for the pound to remain in the hands of the ISPCA. Cork-based company Four Seasons Promotions Ltd, trading as ACS, is understood to be in the running for the tender to operate the county pound. However, Clare County Council insists that no decision has been made on the contract. A spokesperson for the council stated, “The tendering process has not yet …