Tag Archives: Ennis

THE organiser of last Saturday’s walk and run in Ennis to honour of the memory of murdered teacher Ashling Murphy has said he was “overwhelmed” with the response. Around 1,000 people gathered at the Fair Green to walk and run at 4pm in memory of Ashling, culminating in a poignant candle lit vigil with music and minute’s silence. Supported by The Clare Champion, the event was initiated by John Condon, who hopes the tragedy of Ashling’s killing will not be in vain by resulting in more being done to address violence against women. “Will this be the tipping point where we say enough is enough? There have been some brutal killings, some right here in Clare, and at some stage there has to be a tipping point, hopefully this might be it. However, addressing this is a monumental task, it’s education at home, education at school, educating of young men on how to respect women, it has to do with …

Munster Senior B Post-Primary School Camogie Championship Final Coláiste Muire, Ennis v St Mary’s, Nenagh (Tipperary) @ Caherlohan, Thursday 7pm (Joe Mulcahy, Limerick) COLÁISTE Muire Camogie Captain Tierna Hegarty is determined to make it third time lucky when it comes to facing Tipperary opposition in a Munster Final this Thursday evening, reports Eoin Brennan. Having already suffered defeat with the Ennis school in the Munster Junior C version against Cashel Community School in 2019 before an even more agonising reverse for her club Inagh-Kilnamona against Drom & Inch in the delayed 2020 provincial senior club decider only two months ago, the Leaving Cert student is eager to redress the balance when leading her side out for a Munster Senior B Final showdown against St Mary’s Nenagh in Caherlohan tomorrow (Thursday) at 7pm. “Luck wasn’t on our side in those finals but hopefully this one can provide a good start to the year and that we can keep on going. “It’s a …

RESIDENTS living in an Ennis housing estate fear “vermin” are nesting in a river bank which has been left as a habitat for biodiversity. Calls for vegetation, trees and bushes along the riverbank at Lenabeg to be cut back were made on behalf of the residents by Councillor Mary Howard at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. “It is currently badly overgrown and the residents fear vermin are nesting there plus this area is being used to dump rubbish,” she said. Responding to the motion, Tommy Scott, Senior Executive Technician, stated, “The riverbank is left to look after itself and provide a natural boundary to the river edge. It provides a habitat for all sorts of biodiversity and wildlife and is fenced off from the development. “A river walk was built along this area as part of the development. It forms a fitting natural finish along the interface between the development and the River Fergus.” He continued, “This area …

A LARGE majority of respondents to an extensive Clare County Council survey has indicated it would like to see some form of pedestrianisation in Ennis immediately. A total of 1,796 completed surveys were received and overall, 71.2% of all respondents stated they would like to see some form of pedestrianisation ‘immediately’; 20.3% in the ‘medium/long term dependent on provision of new infrastructure/service’ and 8.5% indicated ‘no-never’. The result was much closer between business owners surveyed, 54 of whom completed the poll. Some 38.9% favoured introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 24.1% in the medium to long term, 37% selected No/Never. Of the 204 respondents over 65 years of age, 67.6% favoured the introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 21.1% in the medium to long term, 11.3% selected No/Never. There were 102 respondents declared as ‘having mobility issues’ of whom 47.1% favoured introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 21.6% in the medium to long term, 31.4% selected No/Never. Of those who indicated they would like to see …

THE provision of an Ennis town bus service “is a priority” for the National Transport Authority (NTA), with route selection currently being finalised. An update on the progress of plans on the long awaited bus service for the county capital were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. Deputy Mayor of Ennis Councillor Paul Murphy had sought the details, saying, “we need to have a local bus service for Ennis”. Leonore O’Neill, Senior Executive Officer, responded, “The Ennis Municipal District are in ongoing communication with the NTA Public Transport Service Planning Team who are responsible for the planning and design of the Town Bus Service in Ennis. The NTA are currently finalising route selection. Implementation is dependent on budgets being available to support the operational cost of providing the service.” Director of service Carmel Kirby told the meeting that discussions with the NTA are “at an advanced stage” with routes being finalised throughout the town. “The Ennis …

LIDL Ireland have unveiled plans for a new store in Ennis which the supermarket giant say will create 30 local jobs, along with up to 100 more during construction. A planning application for the new store and mixed-use development, which if given the go-ahead will include 20 residential apartments, a café and two commercial units, has been lodged with Clare County Council. The new development, at the junction of the Clare Road (R458) and Toberteascain Road, will involve an investment of over €20 million from Lidl Ireland. Commenting on the application for a second Lidl store in Ennis, Lidl’s property executive and Clare native Dervla Nash said, “This is an exciting new development for Ennis that will offer the local community a new enhanced, modern shopping experience promising market-leading prices as well as housing and additional amenities. Our existing store in Ennis has a loyal customer network and we have worked closely with the local authority, planners and architects to ensure that this development will contribute positively to …

THE former Our Lady’s Hospital in Ennis is set come under new ownership, with confirmation the development site is sale agreed. Ennis councillors are now urging that the historic site be re-zoned, and parts of the property de-listed as a protected structure, in a bid to realise its full development potential. Selling agent DNG O’Sullivan Hurley have confirmed the property is sale agreed and is currently going through the legal process, though they would not reveal the name of the prospective buyer. Calling for its rezoning and delisting, Councillor Pat Daly told the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that the former hospital has been a “hindrance” to any kind of development at the key site on the Gort Road. He recalled previous plans, including a hotel and private hospital, did not come to fruition at what he described as “a prime site in the town of Ennis”. He urged the municipal district, with the support of his fellow …

TRIBUTES have been paid to the late Margaret Neylon following her passing at the weekend. The popular Ennis woman who lived at Gallows Hill was known to many for her dedication to the local community through her work with Ennis Tidy Towns, Ennis Community Employment Scheme, Ennis Chamber and Ennis Phoenix Twinning Board to name but a few. She will be laid to rest this Tuesday following funeral mass at Ennis Cathedral. Ennis Chamber CEO Margaret O’Brien has described the late Mrs Neylon as “irreplaceable”. “Margaret Neylon had a razor sharp intellect, and that sharp mind stayed with her throughout her hard fought battle with illness. “When she took on a task, you could expect nothing short of perfection as the end result. In my lifetime I have never worked with a more diligent, dedicated person. She was one of a rare kind,” she said. Cormac McCarthy, chairman of Ennis Tidy Towns said, “As an original founding member of Ennis …