Regional

AN Ennis cafe is serving up something different in a bid to showcase local artists and boost the county capital’s night time economy. Sweet n Green Café have come on board with a new scheme aimed at promoting evening events and as part of this will be hosting a series of art exhibitions featuring the talent of Clare’s artists. The government launched the ‘Night Time Economy Support Scheme (NTESS) 2022’ last June and Ennis Chamber encouraged members in the hospitality sector to apply. The initiative set out to support the promotion of live events/arts on days other than weekend nights and scheduled early in the evening, before 9pm. Sweet n Green Café was one of the businesses to follow through committing to host a minimum of four events.  They decided to host four art exhibitions to raise awareness of the extraordinary artist talent within the county and to support local artists. This month sees the plan roll into action with …

ENNIS councillors have voiced concerns over plans for the largest ever private housing scheme in the county capital, with fears it could lead to “social problems”. Glenveagh Homes has lodged plans for a €65-million 289-home scheme at Ballymacaula direct to An Bord Pleanala under the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme. However, at this week’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District councillors highlighted a number of concerns about the plans, including that the density of the development is too high. The meeting was told that the council’s planning department is preparing a report for An Bord Pleanala on the proposal, and that councillors views were being sought. If given the green light the development will include 125 three-bed townhouses, 74 3/4-bed semi-detached homes, 66 two-bed townhouses, 12 two-bed duplex and 12 one-bed maisonettes. There are also plans for a 60 place creche and 488 car parking spaces. Speaking at the meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Councillor Pat Daly acknowledged that …

FIVE decades of bringing music to the communities of Doora-Barefield will be celebrated this Friday with a very special event. The 50th anniversary of the local branch of Comhaltas will be commemorated with a concert featuring some of the branch’s well known members. Also, a book recalling the history of the Doora – Barefield branch will be launched at Fahy Hall, Roslevan to mark the momentous anniversary. National President of Comhaltas Eamon O hAirgain will be in attendance on the night. Mary O’Halloran, who was one of the founding members of the branch and is still involved to this day, told The Champion they are expecting the anniversary celebrations to be a good night with plenty of music to enjoy. She added that the committee members have been working hard to prepare for the event and are looking forward to sharing some memories of the branch through the years, while also looking ahead to its future. As well as current members of …

A BOOK on Mike Kelly, the aviation enthusiast who provided the model aircraft in the Shannon Airport Aviation Gallery has been officially launched. The launch was at the airport, just beside the area where the amazing collection of more than 1,500 die-cast model aircraft he provided are on display. Mr Kelly comes to Shannon several times a week to tend to the collection and at Monday’s launch Shannon Group CEO Mary Considine said, “Mike’s love of the collection is infectious and his personal touch really adds to the visitor experience in our airport.  “He is generous with his time in maintaining and curating it. His wonderful storytelling has engaged many a passenger. Nearly every day passengers tell us how much they have enjoyed the display and for this we are most grateful. I would like to congratulate Mike, author Kieran Beville and publisher Dominic Taylor and wish them every success with the book.” The publication is called Pulling Back The …

LANDOWNERS in upland areas of East Clare have raised concerns about a drop in payments for the protection of habitats for the endangered Hen Harrier.  Large tracts of North East Clare form part of the Slieve Aughty Special Protection Area (SPA) and farmers are incentivised to use methods that protect these ground-nesting birds, who live on bogs and marginal lands.  The Hen Harrier Project is managed from Oranmore and, according to Caher-based Councillor Pat Hayes, has been working very well. He said, however, that landowners in the scheme are now facing reduced payments, which could, in turn, make participation and conservation measures less attractive. “Up to now, the scheme has been somewhat independent of the Department of Agriculture,” Councillor Hayes said. “Farmers in the GLAS Scheme also got a top up for working with the Hen Harrier Project. Now, it looks like this will all be mainstreamed under the new ACRES [Agri-Climate Rural Environment] Scheme, through the Department of Agriculture. …

IN a first for Ireland, Ennis is to host a brand new festival this month celebrating the ‘Fantastic’ genre of film including horror, fantasy and Sci-Fi. Just in time for Hallowe’en the Ennis International Fantastic Film Festival (EIFF) will take place on the weekend of October 28 to 30 with host of events planned and high profile special guests from the world of Fantastic film making. Amongst the star names attached to the launch festival are Ennis natives and film industry luminaries, actress Simone Kirby, who stars in the upcoming third and final season of HBO/BBC adaptation of Philip Pullman’s fantasy novel ‘His Dark Materials’, and award-winning screenwriter/actor Mark O’Halloran – both of whom are jurors on EIFF’s inaugural awards panel. The ‘Fantastic’ genre has seen a huge rise in popularity in the dynamic Film Festival scene in north America over the past decade, a trend now being echoed across Europe. Ennis is proud to be the first location in …

HOPES are high that a new car park for Scariff will go through the planning process before the end of the year.  Pressure has been growing on public representatives to progress the issue, as the business community, shoppers and other stakeholders continue to voice concern over the lack of local parking. The matter was raised once again at a meeting Killaloe Municipal District, when Councillor Joe Cooney sought an update. Members had previously been told that efforts to accelerate progress had been made, after the car park element was separated out of a bigger project which will also see the development of a multi-service centre and improvements to the town centre. At the September meeting, Councillor Cooney asked district officials where matters currently stand.  Senior Executive Officer (SEO) Morgan Lahiffe assured members that work is ongoing. “We have now engaged with all stakeholders, councillors, Scariff Community Council and Scariff Town Team,” he said. “The acquisition of land has been agreed. …

A NEW direction in design undertaken by Clare County Council to create a beautiful public realm space at a Shannon cemetery has been praised. The extension to Illaunmanagh burial ground in Shannon was officially opened by Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Tony O’Brien. The Council undertook a different approach to the design and layout of the extension moving away from the traditional dense grid layout. The new space, Councillor O’Brien observed, combines an homage to the nature, geography, heritage, and the people of Shannon The newly opened extension allows bereaved families to reflect in the comfort of nature and the Shannon Estuary. Councillor O’Brien, said, “Our graveyards are so important to us all here in County Clare. This project has taken many influences from scores of historic graveyards across Clare, where those who built this county now rest. “I know this place will be a fitting resting place for those we lose in the coming decade, and a place of …