Regional

THE team from Aillwee Burren Experience had cause for celebration at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Dublin Airport which hosted the 2022 Irish Hospitality Awards recently. They scooped not one but two awards on the night as Orlagh Redmond, Dave Merrins and Sam O’Connor ably represented Aillwee. They proudly returned home to The Burren as overall Winners of the Family Venue of the Year award and Highly Commended in the Outdoor Venue of the Year category. Nuala Mulqueeney, Managing Director of the family run Aillwee Burren Experience said: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition which represents our visitors’ continued enjoyment of what we offer across our Aillwee site for nearly 50 years. All our experiences, under and overground are delivered by our wonderful, skilled team and these awards are testament to their welcome and inclusion of our visitors to Aillwee”  “These awards are extra special this year as we showcase our newly, exquisitely lit and uniquely immersive Cave Tour, rebuilt …

ENNIS students are urging the public to help them become a ‘Secret Santa’ to those most in need in Clare. Transition Year students at Ennis Community College and Gaelcholáiste an Chláir joined forces with the St Vincent de Paul and next week they will be taking over the Vincent’s Charity Shop in Ennis. This is just one of a variety of actions the students are taking to support the St Vincent de Paul, with a clothing and food drive and a no-uniform day also planned. On Thursday, December 1 the Ennis teenagers will take on the entire running of the charity shop from 9am until 9pm, doing everything from manning the tills to managing the floor. And for those hoping to pick up some bargains ahead of the festive season, there are plans for a flash sale with up to 50% off items teacher Martina McNamara reveals. Ms McNamara explains that the theme of this year’s annual fundraising campaign by …

ENNIS has once again attained the coveted Purple Flag award. After a gap during COVID-19 years, when night life everywhere was interrupted, Ennis Purple Flag Committee re-convened last autumn to apply for Purple Flag accreditation once more.  Following a full, in-person assessment conducted during the hours of 5pm to 5am, by national and international assessors, Ennis was awarded a Purple Flag to fly proudly, plus a certificate of award, at a recent national ceremony held in Cork.  Purple Flag certification recognises the work done by a multi-sector Purple Flag Committee, to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of Ennis town centre Evening and Night-time Economy. Areas awarded the Purple Flag are recognised for providing a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and well-being of visitors and residents.   Other towns and cities in Ireland to renew Purple Flag accreditation this year include Dublin city centre, Cork, Waterford and Sligo, with many more towns …

DERMOTT Petty’s hugely popular play about the Rineen Ambush and its aftermath returns, by popular demand, to Miltown Malbay next Saturday night, November 26. After a sell-out performance in Miltown in October, Dermott and The Ballycartoon Players have been invited back to West Clare with Two Days in September.  Doolin-based playwright Dermott weaves the story, of the events of September 22 and 23, 1920, in film and theatre form. The drama and traces the ambushing of a British Army convoy by the Mid-Clare Brigade of the IRA. It follows the aftermath of revenge and the sacking, looting and burning of the villages of Ennistymon, Lahinch and Miltown Malbay by the Black and Tans.  “West Clare in 1920 was recovering from a land war, famines, World War 1 and Spanish influenza,” said Dermott. “While a beautiful part of the world it had a troubled past, a proud people and a yearning for change. While Ireland had many revolutions, the War of …

ENNIS Players are going on tour. Due to popular demand and having performed a completely sold out Supper-theatre run in The Old Ground Hotel, Ennis Players have announced a very special performance of ‘One-Acts on Tour’ in North Clare this weekend. The Players will perform two one-act plays in Hotel Doolin on Sunday, November 27. Speaking about the event, Mary Curley, Chairperson, said, “We in Ennis Players are delighted with the return of our very popular one-act season, as we have missed our audiences for the past two years, and look forward to welcoming the people of Clare and further afield to our performances.” The Players will take to the stage performing Elysium Nevada by Barry McKinley and Trapped by Barry Woods. Set in a retirement village in the sweltering Nevada desert, Elysium Nevada by Barry McKinley tells of two residents reflections on life, youth and how they got there. They are joined by a mysteriously silent woman whose presence adds …

DISABLED parking spaces removed and replaced with Age Friendly parking in Ennis’ Cabey’s Lane will be relocated to the Lower Market area of the town, Clare County Council has confirmed. The Clare Champion was contacted by concerned members of the public who questioned why the disabled parking spaces were transformed into ‘Age Friendly’ spaces, fearing that the disabled spaces had been taken away for good. Can you help us out @ClareCoCo & let us know where those 2 ♿🅿️bays were moved to from Caby's Lane in Ennis? Same 2 spots are now repainted as "Age-Friendly". We had heard changes were made but assumed it meant relocation & not a very different type of relabelling? 🤷🏻‍♂️❓ pic.twitter.com/LRoyO0d9gE — The Struggle Is Wheel (@struggleiswheel) November 21, 2022 A council spokesperson has explained that the space available at Cabey’s Lane did not meet the current design standards for disabled parking. New disabled parking bays are to be installed in the Lower Market area …

DEER are causing “extreme danger” on roads across East Clare, a meeting of Killaloe district councillor has been told.  The matter was raised by Councillor Pat Hayes who said there had been a number of collisions in recent weeks and that deer were creating “a high risk” for all road users. “Anyone living on the mountain edges knows that is a continuous and major issue that has now exploded,” the Caher man said. “I’ve heard from several people who’ve told me they’ve had deer running against them when they’re out on the road. This is a real road safety issue right across the region. “The Slieve Aughtys are a haven for deer and they have now moved down into the valleys. Many farmers have 20 to 30 deers on their land when they go out in the morning. We are all now owners of a huge deer population and there’s extreme danger when they move out onto the roads.” Councillor …

CONCERN among residents of Doora about pedestrian safety in the village has led to calls for a new footpath to be built between two key local amenities. The Ennis Municipal District has confirmed that an application is to be submitted to the National Transport Authority for the development of a footpath from Doora Church to Doora School. Councillor Paul Murphy raised the issue at a recent meeting of the local authority, urging that Clare County Council to seek Active Travel funding for the project. He outlined that Doora has a big population including many school-going children, insisting, “It’s important that road safety for pedestrians is prioritised”. Ian Chaplin, acting senior executive engineer responded, “The Ennis Municipal District will seek to have an application submitted to the NTA for footpath project from Doora Church to Doora School when the next funding cycle is announced for the NTA for 2023. It would also be essential that the proposal is in line with …