Tag Archives: SkyCourt

A PLANNED town it may be but Shannon has never had a proper centre and this week’s meeting of the local municipal district council heard several calls for change. There were also calls for those who had been involved in the Venue project (a proposed civic and arts centre for Shannon) to keep going, despite some recent setbacks. Sinn Féin Councillor Mike McKee put forward a motion that the local county councillors meet with senior officials from the county council’s planning department and other interested parties to agree a strategy for developing a streetscape. At the meeting, he said he had read one very critical comment from a visitor to Clare’s second- largest town. “The first thing you notice about Shannon is that there really isn’t much to the town,” he quoted. “That struck me; I didn’t like to read that,” he added. As a youngster in the North, he said that removal men came to his family’s home to …

WITH the economy apparently thriving, Christmas was quite positive for local retailers. On Wednesday morning as they reopened their doors, several traders told The Clare Champion things had gone well. Although Christmas Eve hadn’t been particularly hectic, busy earlier trading had more than made up for that, said Patrick Bourke. “We had two record days, the Friday and Saturday, December 22 and 23. The busiest days in a long, long time. That helped matters and it was part of the reason why Christmas Eve was back a bit, there was so much spent on the Friday and Saturday.” His store in Kilrush performed well, he said. “Kilrush had a very good Christmas. It came later in Kilrush than it did in Ennis but it turned out well, there is no doubt about that. This year, the emigrant factor wasn’t quite as noticeable as other years. We had the wedding end of it alright, with a lot of people back for …

INTENSE anger at the rejection of an application for planning permission for a new Aldi store was voiced at a public meeting in Shannon this week. At least 70 people attended the meeting in the Oakwood Hotel, many of them furious that local shopping centre SkyCourt had objected to the proposal. There was also a fair share of anger at council planners. Shannon has never had a conventional town centre in the way that virtually ever town in Ireland does and many people living locally want one. The proposed Aldi store would have been across the road from SkyCourt, on the same side as McDonald’s, a fuel station and the Oakwood and there was a feeling that the development would have been at least a step in the right direction. Sinn Féin Councillor Mike McKee organised Tuesday’s meeting, where he strongly argued against a boycott of SkyCourt, saying it would damage local business and employment, when some members of the …

Few people celebrate the summer solstice these days but a special event will take place in Shannon to mark it this occasion. “Shannon Mental Health Association and SkyCourt Shopping Centre are combining to hold a summer solstice event to promote positive mental health. It’ll be in the Food Court at SkyCourt on Monday, June  from 9pm until around 11.30pm. There will be music and entertainment and refreshment. “The idea is to promote good mental health. The solstice has been identified by Mental Health Ireland nationally so the Shannon branch is having this local event. People will be given cards and they can write their wishes for their mental health and well-being on them for the coming year,” Tony McMahon, PRO of the Shannon Mental Health Association, outlined. Tony added, “It’s a social event, a sort of a get-together, a celebration of mental well-being. There won’t be anything therapeutic but there will be information available about Mental Health Ireland.” Speaking about the Shannon …

ALTHOUGH it had a closing down sale lately, Xtra Vision at SkyCourt is not in fact closing. SkyCourt manager Pat Kelly said, “This is a welcome boost for SkyCourt. It would have been a devastating blow to lose Xtra-vision as an anchor tenant. We knew that the Shannon store has always traded well and that’s why the landlord worked closely with the new owners throughout the receivership process to convince them of this fact. “We are delighted that our efforts have been fruitful and look forward to seeing a new vibrancy and exciting developments at the Shannon store, which is now undergoing a refit to recommence trading.” He also said that Senator Tony Mulcahy had campaigned strongly to keep the store open. Welcoming the news, Senator Mulcahy said; “The decision by Xtra-vision to remain at Shannon demonstrates the value of shopping local. Even during the scale-down period, Shannon consumers stuck with a local outlet as opposed to going elsewhere. All …