Tag Archives: O’Connell Street

THE town of Ennis has lost two well-known retired members of the business community. On Monday, Frances Arthur, nee Cleary, passed away at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Ennis. The great-grandmother was known to many in the county capital through her family’s shop which had been situated on Parnell Street. Funeral mass takes place on Thursday at 11am at Ennis Cathedral with burial afterwards in Ballyea Church Grounds. The wife of the late Paddy, she is survived by her daughters Patricia and Mary, son in law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brother James, sisters Peggy and Nan, sister-in-law , brother-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends Meanwhile, another Ennis resident familiar to many passed away recently. Josephine Carr, nee Clarke, of Barrack Court, Barrack Street and formerly The Derrynane, O’Connell Street, Ennis, was involved in number of family businesses with her late husband, Michael, over the years. Mrs Carr is survived her family, Mary, Noel, Michael, Kyran and Alan; grandchildren, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, relatives …

A PICTURE-perfect look at style through the ages in Clare will form part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of one of Ennis’ best known boutiques. The County Boutique will mark their golden jubilee with a very special exhibition, as part of their Eras of Style celebration later this year. They are hoping that some of their loyal customers who have shopped at the O’Connell Street store over the years will help make it a ‘run-way’ success. The October exhibition will see outfits from different decades, as far back as the 1950s, put on display, along with photographs of the very same ensemble being worn back in the day. Already, the County Boutique have been contacted by a number of customers wishing to include their beloved fashion finds in the exhibition. As an added incentive, there will be a prize for the best outfit from each decade. Gwen Culligan explained, “We wanted to do something to celebrate our 50 years here …

TRAFFIC disruption is set to continue in Ennis with the announcement of plans to close more roads in the heart of the town. Clare County Council has given notice of its intention to close Garraunakilla Lane, Market Place and Old Barrack Street for seven weeks in June and July. The road closure is being proposed to facilitate the Ennis Market Rejuvenation Project and will run from June 7 to July 23. Objections and representations in relation to the proposal can be made to Clare County Council until next Tuesday. As part of the plans, there will be no access into or out of Old Barrack Street from Market Place. Access will instead be via O’Connell Street. It is proposed that the primary access to the entire area during the works will be via Summerhill, which has been made a two-way. A short section between O’Connell Street and the area in front of The Clare Champion will also be made a …

ENNIS businesswoman Mary Kelly, who operates a stationery and card shop on O’Connell Street, was rather surprised last week when a letter posted in Dublin 45 years ago dropped through her letterbox. The letter was addressed to the late Philip Reidy, the former owner of the premises. Along with his wife, Agnes Henchy Reidy, he ran a newsagency business from the building. Mr Reidy passed away in 1977. “The envelope was perfectly intact and the address was written in a nice fountain pen. The postal mark was April 7, 1971,” Mary told The Clare Champion. “I didn’t open it because there is a son of that man living in Celbridge. He said to me ‘open it’ but I said ‘no, no you have to open it’. It felt like it could have been a relic or a ten shilling note,” Mary mused. Celbridge-based Philip Ó Ríada, who is currently abroad, insisted however that Mary open the letter sent to his …

AFTER losing his wife Jackie to cancer in England, Cathal Shanahan moved back to Clare and started to put the pieces back together, living and working in an area he had left decades before. The grief hit him hard and fast after Jackie’s death but, having set up a business in Ennis, lost weight and taken up exercise, he feels he is making a good fist of things again. “She was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had the treatment for that, she had chemotherapy, a lumpectomy and then radiotherapy. That was fine. She had about 10 months then until it came back. When it came back it was only ever going to be palliative, it had spread. She passed away about two and a half years after that. That’s two years ago this August,” he says. Watching his wife dealing with terminal cancer was very difficult. “It was very tough but we were very lucky as well. With Jackie’s work …

AIB has approved €292 million in business credit to Limerick and the Mid-West region in the year to September 2014, the bank’s chief executive, David Duffy announced on this Monday. AIB’s Mid-West operation covers counties Limerick, Clare and Galway. At the launch of the refurbished branch and new self-service lobby on O’Connell Street, Limerick, the chief executive confirmed that loan drawdowns by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Mid-West region were up 24% in the first nine months of 2014 compared with the same period last year. He also said that AIB had invested significantly in its flagship branch at 106, O’Connell Street in the heart of Limerick City. “The figures show we have already approved €292 million for businesses in Limerick and the Mid-West in the year to September, while we have opened 1,163 New Business Start Up accounts so far this year. It is very heartening to see these business start-up accounts opening at the rate of …

Gardaí are on the hunt for two men who broke into Cassidy’s Pharmacy in Ennis in the early hours of Tuesday morning after what has been described by gardai as a “smash and grab” incident. The premises, which is located on O’Connell Street , was targeted at approximately 2am by two men who “using a sledgehammer bashed in the door” of the well known pharmacy. It took the culprits approximately three minutes to break the glass to gain entry and clear shelves of cosmetics products before they were gone again. A senior garda said this was an unusual type of crime in that it was so “daring”, and described it as a “smash and grab” incident as it took so little time to execute. Gardaí believe high value cosmetics were the primary target as these were the only items stolen in the burglary.  The theft was over in a matter of minutes as the items were cleared from shelves onto …

THE recent closure of a number of high profile long established businesses in Ennis has prompted calls for a Government strategy to revitalise rural towns like Ennis. The decision of Leavy Shoes to close its O’Connell Street outlet after 36 years in business  last weekend surprised local retailers and shoppers. Customers with any outstanding gift vouchers and credit notices are being advised to present them at their retail outlets in O’Connell Street and William Street in Limerick City. Moody Cow Milkshakes, Abbey Street, Clowntown tattoo parlour and Charlie Stewart’s pub in Parnell Street,  Ennis have all shut their doors. Efforts by the Clare Champion to obtain a comment from the operators of these premises about the circumstances that led to their business demise proved unsuccessful. A spokesman for Seasons 22 confirmed that while Charlie Stewart’s pub had closed the restaurant would continue to operate upstairs in the premises. Leavy Shoes director, Thomas Leavy confirmed the Ennis retail unit employed one …