Tag Archives: Ennis

FAMILY Carers Ireland’s new Clare Support Centre on the Gort Road in Ennis has been officially opened offering a boost to carers in the county. The centre, located within Block B of the Clare Technology Park, will offer services to fam­ily carers across Clare including information and advocacy regarding their rights and entitlements; training and workshops; support in accessing respite; group meetings and social events to help combat isolation; advice on care planning and crisis support. The centre was officially launched on Monday by Clare Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe. Through its national network of carer support centres and National Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24, Family Carers Ireland supports the 500,000+ people in Ireland who provide care for loved ones such as children or adults with additional needs, physical or intellectual disabilities, frail older people, those with palliative care needs or those living with chronic illnesses, mental ill-health, or addiction. David O’Connor, Family Carers Ireland Carer Supports Manager in Clare …

WORLD Refugee Day is being celebrated in Ennis this weekend with Clare Immigrant Support Centre organising a gathering to celebrate the day this Sunday, June 19, in Ennis’ Fair Green at 5.30pm. Orla Ní Éilí of the Clare Immigrant Support Centre explains World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. She explains that Sunday’s event is an opportunity to celebrate refugees in our community. “It celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding of refugees life circumstances and to recognize the resilience involved in rebuilding their lives.” World Refugee Day has been marked in Ennis since 1998 with Ms Ní Éilísaying Clare Immigrant Support Centre “is privileged to have a unique role in supporting and working with and for refugees in Clare”. This year, the focus …

ENNIS remains in the top ten of Ireland’s cleanest towns and cities. The latest survey by Irish Business Against Litter shows Ennis retaining its Cleaner than European Norms status, falling from third to ninth in the ranking of 40 towns and cities. A sharp fall in the number of litter blackspots across the country has brought an improvement in cities in particular, PPE litter is on the decrease, but the prevalence of coffee cups on our streets warrants action such as a levy, says IBAL. 2022 marks the 20th year of the IBAL litter surveys. The An Taisce report for Ennis stated, “Another very strong performance by Ennis with seven out of ten sites surveyed getting the top litter grade and no heavily littered sites.  All approach routes were top ranking, creating a positive first impression of the town.  This high standard was present at other sites, including Westpoint Retail Park, O’Connell Street and Ennis Recycle Facility – the latter was particularly …

OBJECTORS to plans for the construction of a new housing development in an historic Ennis area designated an Opportunity Site in the County Development Plan have insisted they don’t want it to become an “opportunity lost”. Two separate appeals by residents against the proposal have now been lodged with An Bord Pleanala following the granting of permission by Clare County Council to Eko Integrated Services Ltd for the ‘Buttermarket Development’ of 37 residential units and a cafe with digital working hub at the Drumbiggle Road, Buttermarket Street and Simm’s Lane. The site is in an Architectural Conservation Area of Ennis. An appeal has been lodged by Mary Burke and Pat Conboy who have purchased and are renovating a property on Carmody Street. In a previous submission to the council during the initial planning application, they argued that the proposed density of the development “will entirely destroy the fabric of this neighbourhood.” And a separate appeal, lodged by local Stephen Loftus …

A WINDOW of opportunity for creativity at St Joseph’s Hospital was created as part of the recently held National Arts in Nursing Homes Day. Clare based artist Rachel Macmanus visited the Ennis hospital and painted an artwork inspired by the stained glass windows of St Joseph’s church to the delight of residents. The project was one of a number of nationwide events for National Arts in Nursing Homes Day, held as part of Age & Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival. Rachel, who has been a part of other creative projects at the hospital pre-Covid 19, tells us she was happy to be able to return to St Joseph’s. Drawing upon the stained glass windows of St Joseph’s Church as inspiration, Rachel painted her own version of the windows directly onto the windows of the hospital’s Sun Room, a congregational gathering space for the residents of the hospital. “The windows of St Joseph’s Church are very beautiful and tranquil and my idea was to bring some of …

NEITHER the Ennis nor Shannon areas currently meet the required criteria for them to be designated Rent Pressure Zones, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has told the Dáil. Clare TD Cathal Crowe asked the Minister if he would consider a rollout of rent pressure zones to include centres such as the two Clare towns. Explaining how areas are deemed Rental Pressure Zones, the Minister outlined the specific criteria to achieve the designation. Firstly, if the information relating to the area, as determined by reference to the Residential Tenancies Board Rent Index quarterly report, shows that the annual rate of increase in the average rent for that area is more than 7% in each of at least four of the six quarters preceding the period immediately prior to the date of the Housing Agency’s proposal. Secondly, the average rent for the area in the last quarter, as determined by reference to the information used to compile each RTB Rent Index quarterly report, …

LOCAL retailers Joe Greensmith and Anne Keyes are inviting people to support the Tour de Mace static cycle in-store in order to raise funds for their charity partner, Down Syndrome Ireland. The event will take place on May 28 and 29 from 10am to 5pm at the store on the Lahinch Road. This store is one of many Mace outlets involved in running this rewarding charity event throughout summer 2022. The retailer is hosting a unique in-store static cycle event whereby customers can donate 15 minutes to 1 hour of their time to cycle and contribute much needed funds to Down Syndrome Ireland. Customers and staff can sign up beforehand by calling into the store to select their cycling time slot or else they can sign up on the day. They are encouraging customers who aren’t participating to come along and join in on the celebrations and donate funds towards Down Syndrome Ireland. Each Tour de MACE makes a real …

PRESIDENT of Ireland Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina will visit Ennis this Saturday where they will pay tribute to all those behind the county capital’s success in being named Ireland’s Tidiest Town in 2021. The couple will attend a ceremony at President Higgins’ former secondary school of St Flannan’s College and during the visit he will unveil a plaque marking Ennis’ win in the national competition. Ennis Tidy Towns’ chairman Cormac McCarthy tells us that the local committee are “over the moon” to be hosting the president and his wife. He reveals that the ceremony will be particularly focused on the important role that the local community had in securing the win for Ennis. “It’s going to be a wonderful event and we have had great support in the organisation from St Flannan’s College, where the president went to secondary school, as well as getting logistical support from the Ennis Municipal District which is very appreciated.” Ennis Tidy …