Tag Archives: clare

ENNIS’ Marie Molony has been named as Clare Older People’s Volunteer of the Year winner for 2022. Around 150 people attended an event in the Woodstock Hotel in Ennis during Positive Ageing Week, to celebrate with the 13 people nominated for the award. The function was hosted by the Clare Older People’s Council and supported by Clare County Council. The 13 nominees from all over Clare had been invited to bring a few supporters with them, and they did! Marie was a very popular choice, winning the award based on her contribution to the Alzheimer Society, Eire Óg GAA Club and St Joseph’s Apostolic Society. She received an engraved glass trophy and a one-for-all voucher from Leonard Cleary, Deputy Chief Executive, Clare County Council. Opening the event, Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor Ann Norton, spoke of the importance of voluntary work to local communities and of how such work contributes to the resolution of challenges faced by those …

THE Australian Ambassador to Ireland His Excellency Mr Gary Gray will visit Ennis this week, giving a talk on Tuesday, October 11 at the Old Ground Hotel. The event, organised by the Clare Labour Party, will be held at 7.30pm in the Ennis hotel. The special guest is an experienced Australian Labour Party member having served in the Bob Hawke and Paul Keating Governments, going on to become a minister. He also worked in the energy sector in Western Australia. Denis Vaughan, chair of the Clare Labour Party says all are welcome to attend this Tuesday’s talk. “In 1985 it was calculated that a third of all Australians were of Irish extraction and coincided with the first Irish state visit to Australia by President Paddy Hillery. This met with widespread acclaim including front page coverage in all the major newspapers and TV coverage. “Australia and Ireland have many cultural and sporting links. You only have to mention Ned Kelly and …

A DECISION to rename an Ennis laneway ‘Shepherd’s Lane’ following a ballot of local residents has been described as “positive news” by the Mayor of Ennis Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy, as well as being welcomed by other members of the Ennis Municipal District. As previously reported in The Clare Champion the residents of St Flannan’s Terrace had called for a proper name to be given to a back lane which had been known locally as ‘The Laneway’ and ‘The Car Road’. A residents’ association was formed earlier this year and a ballot of all 46 houses in the area was undertaken to determine a suitable name for the site. The results of the ballot saw Shepherd’s Lane come out as the favourite by the majority of the people who responded to the survey. Prior to 1912 the site on which the houses were built was known as the Shepherd’s Field. This month’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District was told …

ENNIS is in the running to be named Ireland’s Friendliest Place for 2022. The people of Clare, and further afield, are being urged to show some love for Ennis by voting for the town to take the coveted overall title at this year’s Retail Excellence Awards. The county capital has made it to the top five, with Ennis now vying against Ashbourne, Carrick-on-Shannon, Monaghan and Moynalty to be named Ireland’s Friendliest Place. Voting for the awards will be accepted between now and October 17 at https://strawpoll.com/polls/YVyP2px1kgN. The winners of the awards will be named at a gala event in the Galmont, Dublin on November 12. A spokesperson for Retail Excellence has urged the public to have their say on which place should take the title. “Five of Ireland’s best and brightest towns have been nominated for our prestigious Friendliest Place award, but who deserves it most? We want to hear from residents and tourists alike all across the country. “Get …

RESEARCH shows connecting is one of the simple things you can do as part of your daily life to protect your mental health the Ennis Mental Health Association have highlighted ahead of Mental Health Week. With this in mind the local association are hosting a Connect Café in Ennis this Monday at 10.30am in glór, as well as encouraging people to host their own cafe, among many other free events organised to mark Mental Health Week running from October 10 to 15. “The goal of Mental Health Ireland’s ‘Connect Café’ concept is to open conversations, strengthening the connection with ourselves, with others and with our communities. We encourage you to organise a Connect Café event in your own workplace, home, or community,” said a spokesperson for the local organisation. “To help you to do this, you will find a free downloadable toolkit & additional resources at www.worldmentalhealthmonth-mhi.ie. Alternatively, we invite you to join Ennis Mental Health Association for conversation and …

A MEMORIAL site dedicated to Clare’s war dead has been damaged and littered in recent days with one “disgusted” local councillor describing those behind it as “cowards”. One of four stone benches which have been installed at Clare’s World War 1 memorial in the Clare Peace Park near glór has had a piece broken off in recent days. Rubbish left in the area has also become “an ongoing issue” according to Dr Keir McNamara of the Clare Peace Park Committee. Efforts are now being made to repair the damage to the stone bench ahead of the annual remembrance service for those who lost their lives in World War 1 this November. Fortunately the glass memorial itself was not harmed. Councillor Mary Howard, a member of the Clare Peace Park committee, hit out at those behind the damage at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District this week saying she felt “disgusted when this happened”. She continued by describing the culprit …

AFTER 18 years of helping the homeless in Ennis and throughout Clare Josie O’Brien has revealed that this will be her last year cooking Christmas dinner for the county’s most vulnerable. Over the years Josie has invited people to her home for Christmas and Easter dinner, as well as preparing food to be delivered to people in need. Covid-19 meant that the dinners at her home were stopped, but Josie and her team continued to supply hampers and meals. However, the 69-year-old says this Christmas will be her last time taking on the mammoth endeavour, telling us she is “burned out” from years of campaigning, fundraising and supporting those living on the streets as well as others in difficulty. Josie is hopeful that someone else may step in to help keep the annual Christmas dinner going, saying she feels the homeless situation is “getting worse” however she has done all that she can at this stage. “I’m doing this for …

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 …