Tag Archives: Ennis

A NEW path is “urgently” needed for the safety of the public at the entrance to the Clonroad Business Park, according to a local councillor. However, while the Ennis Municipal District has said it recognises the need, a funding application to the National Transport Authority for the works has been unsuccessful. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Councillor Tom O’Callaghan said that the path is vital due to the high numbers of pedestrians entering and exiting the business park describing it as an “extremely busy stretch”. He pointed out the site is home to an adult education campus, Enable Ireland and other businesses. He added, “I believe a new roundabout is justified because of increased traffic from Dunnes, glór, Clonroad road plus the Clonroad business park and now a new library. This is a very busy juncture that certainly requires a traffic management review in my opinion.” He voiced concerns that the location is “not very …

ENNIS town centre has been suggested as the focus of a government pilot project aimed at bringing buildings back into residential use. Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara, who presented the proposal to the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dáil Éireann this week, said that many business premises which once had families living over them now lie empty over ground level for a variety of reasons including particularly building regulations and insurance costs. Addressing the Taoiseach in the Dáil, Deputy McNamara said, “Ennis, like other market towns in Clare and like market towns all over the country, has streets full of fine old buildings where there is a retail unit at ground level and in many but not all cases, they are vacant over ground level. A century ago, there were families living in them.” “I don’t underestimate the difficulty of converting those back into residential use. There are regulations, there are issues around financing, but it would offer many benefits not …

IRELAND’S first national hub to support individuals, families and carers living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) launched this week in Ennis. FASD Hub Ireland will provide a compassionate, confidential helpline offering advice, support and signposting. The Hub is run by FASD Ireland, a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Ennis, and is part funded by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland.  FASD is Ireland’s most prevalent neuro-developmental disability, with an estimated 240,000 people across Ireland living with the condition. Ireland has the third highest prevalence globally, following only South Africa and Croatia*. Despite the significant numbers of people living with the condition in Ireland, there is still no formal diagnosis pathway for people who think they may have FASD, and very little supports for people who live with the condition. Welcoming the launch of the Hub, Minister of State for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte TD, said, “As the Minister for Disability, I am delighted to support the launch of the FASD Hub. We need …

A YOUNG female cyclist was hit by a car and dragged into the middle of a roundabout during a hit and run in Ennis last week. The Clare Roads Policing Unit are investigating the incident that occurred on Wednesday, March between 5.25pm and 5.40pm at the Dunnes / Friars Walk roundabout. The woman was cycling on the roundabout near glór when she was hit by the car which failed to stop at the scene. Luckily she was not seriously injured. Gardaí are now seeking witnesses to the hit and run or those who may have camera footage to contact them. Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks outlined that, “A young lady was cycling her bike on the roundabout and was struck by a vehicle that was coming from the Temple Gate side.  She was dragged into the middle of the roundabout and the vehicle left in the direction of Dunnes Stores towards Station Road.” Giving a description of the vehicle, …

CLARE Museum in Ennis is seeking donations of artefacts to expand its collections and to achieve greater representation of the lives of people in Clare for future generations to enjoy. Clare Museum’s Collection Policy is designed to help the museum achieve its mission through focused collecting. It also recognises the collection as the museum’s greatest resource, underpinning exhibitions and educational activities. According to Curator John Rattiganm, “Clare Museum will collect items that exist in, or can be provenanced to, County Clare. We are particularly interested in items associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, but also items relating to the lives of women and local businesses from days gone by.” Items from more recent decades are also required. “An ongoing survey of museum visitors has highlighted an interest in items from the 1950s to the turn of the century. This is a period many of our visitors remember and would like to tell stories about to their children or grandchildren on a …

AFTER a three year wait the Ennis Players are back in their new show ‘Glorious!’ by Peter Quilter, with rehearsals are well underway for this four night production. Directed by Bernie Harten, this play is based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins. Known as ‘the first lady of the sliding scale’, she warbled and screeched her way through the evening to an audience who mostly fell about with laughter. The play details Florence’s charity recitals, her bizarre recording sessions and an ultimate triumph at Carnegie Hall in this heart-warming comedy. This production features Maeve Plunkett as Florence Foster Jenkins, Jackie Scanlan as her suffering accompanist and John Lillis as St. Clair Byfield, her boyfriend. Patricia Clune plays the sharp-tongued truth-speaking Mrs. Verrinder Gedge, Geraldine Greene is Florence’s non-English speaking Mexican maid while Emer O’Flaherty plays Dorothy, Florence’s close friend. Ricky the loyal but sleeping poodle plays himself! Director Bernie Harten says she is, “thrilled to introduce Ennis audiences …

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a proposed €450 million data centre in Ennis, currently awaiting a decision by An Bord Pleanala, featured on an episode of acclaimed BBC series Panorama this week. On Monday BBC One aired the programme which included filming in several Irish locations relevant to the growth in data centre operations and planning applications in Ireland. The programme questioned the cost of using more data in terms of the increase in emissions and use of water in several countries including the US and Ireland. Ireland already has over 70 data centres in operation which consume more than 13% of national electricity. At least 30 more have been granted planning permission. Filming took place in Dublin as well as Ennis at the 145 acre site where Clare County Council granted permission to Art Data Centres for the development which has faced opposition. The planning decision has been appealed by local groups and residents, and a decision is due from an …

VOLUNTEERS who cleaned up a well known Clare landmark were shocked to discover that just hours later bags of rubbish were dumped again. Clarecastle Tidy Towns volunteers have been striving to keep Clareabbey litter free, however a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard this week that their efforts have been undermined by illegal dumping. Calls are being made by Ennis councillors for the introduction of CCTV in locations where fly-tipping and illegal dumping have become an issue. Councillor Paul Murphy praised the work of the Clarecastle volunteers, saying he believes that CCTV could act as a deterrent against dumping rubbish. The issue of littering was highlighted at the meeting by Councillor Ann Norton who pointed out that illegal dumping “is a crime” which can result in fines or being brought to court. She stressed the importance of ‘no dumping’ signs as a visible reminder and asked for a review of the number of signs on roads, and that the …