Tag Archives: Woodstock Hotel

  Clare people have decided by an overwhelming majority to reject proposed amendments in the twin Family and Care referendums. The 39th Family Referendum was rejected by more than a two-to-one majority. The No vote totalled 26,574, 67% while 12, 573 voted Yes, 33%. There was also a decisive rejection of the 40th Care Referendum. The votes cast against the proposal came to 28,979, 74%. In total, 10, 132 voted Yes, 26% giving a No majority of 18,848.   The result is an embarrassing verdict for all the political parties, the Government, and organisations who advocated a Yes vote in the two referendums. There were 90,101 people living in Clare who were entitled to vote, but less than half of them chose to do so. The official turnout in Clare was expected 44% after 39,65o people cast their vote. There were 503 spoilt votes giving a valid poll of 39,147. This result means Clare people have decided to reject eight …

Early indications suggest Clare voters have voted No in the two Referendums on Friday. In total, 98 out of the 177 boxes have been opened in the count centre at Woodstock Hotel, Ennis. The preliminary turnout is expected 45%, which is subject to change once all the votes are counted. Counting staff are currently reconciling the number of votes in every box with the number recorded by the presiding officer to make sure they tally. Staff will start counting all the votes when the reconciling process is completed. It is expected that a final result will be announced after 3pm this afternoon.       Dan Danaher

ENNIS’ Marie Molony has been named as Clare Older People’s Volunteer of the Year winner for 2022. Around 150 people attended an event in the Woodstock Hotel in Ennis during Positive Ageing Week, to celebrate with the 13 people nominated for the award. The function was hosted by the Clare Older People’s Council and supported by Clare County Council. The 13 nominees from all over Clare had been invited to bring a few supporters with them, and they did! Marie was a very popular choice, winning the award based on her contribution to the Alzheimer Society, Eire Óg GAA Club and St Joseph’s Apostolic Society. She received an engraved glass trophy and a one-for-all voucher from Leonard Cleary, Deputy Chief Executive, Clare County Council. Opening the event, Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor Ann Norton, spoke of the importance of voluntary work to local communities and of how such work contributes to the resolution of challenges faced by those …

ENNIS Musical Society members old and new are coming together this April for an evening of song with A Night at the Musicals. The society will be back on April 10 in Hotel Woodstock where they will be performing numbers from musicals of all eras for all ages to enjoy. Expect songs from favourite shows such as Les Miserables, Wicked, Rent, Seussical to name but a few. The concert comes following the postponement of the society’s 2022 show Legally Blonde until next year due to Covid-19. The society were also unable to put on a show in 2021 because of the pandemic, and their 2020 production was cancelled after just two performances. Ennis Musical Society chairperson Rachael Culligan tells us they have had a “terrific response” to the plans for the upcoming concert. “We initially had planned on doing Legally Blonde but with so many members getting Covid, we just felt that we couldn’t manage that scale of rehearsals with …

THE Burren Ecotourism Network was one of the main winners in the Irish Independent’s ‘Reader Travel Awards, taking the green light award for sustainability’. The judges applauded the network for it’s “contribution to sustainable tourism” which they said helped “make Ireland a greener destination and inspirational example”. Made up of 62 tourism enterprises, from cheesemongers to carbon-neutral hotels, the network’s efforts to conserve the area through training, initiatives and a code of sustainable practices was applauded. “The members promote initiatives like community clean-ups and each business gives out Burren Bags — tote bags that can be filled with rubbish found when guests are out exploring,” the judges said. They added that businesses can also adopt hedgerows and undergo biodiversity training, and support the Burren Pine Project, which aims to restore Ireland’s only native pine species, previously believed to have been extinct. Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO of the Burren Ecotourism Network said: “We’re proud of the fact we’ve mobilized the community with …

Ballyvaughan  hotel facing short-term closure due to staff shortages THE Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) should be dramatically scaled back and only paid to employees whose businesses can’t operate, according to a well known hotelier. Woodstock Hotel manager, Sean Lally has called on the government to operate a more targeted PUP support for those who can’t work in view of the chronic staff shortages facing the hospitality and other industries. His appeal coincides with the revelation Gregan’s Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughan, will have to close for ten days in September and five in October, because it hasn’t enough staff to operate its business. Staff shortages in the hospitality sector in the Burren could hamper Autumn bookings, following one of the busiest summers in the region in recent years in terms of Irish visitors. Hotels and self-catering accommodation providers have reported bookings are up on last year, due to a combination of recent fine weather and the desire to holiday at home due …

THE 2017 SuperValu TidyTowns awards for the South West and Mid-West region were presented at the Woodstock Hotel, Ennis on Friday. Minister of State, Pat Breen, and Niall O’Callaghan, community and sponsorship manager with Supervalu, pesented the awards. Also joining the Minister on stage was Siobhan King of Fáilte Ireland. Minister Breen, spoke of the recently announced scheme which will allow Supervalu TidyTowns committees to apply for a grant of between €1,000 and €4,000. He said, “I am delighted with the recently announced grant scheme that Supervalu TidyTowns committees can avail of. “Generations of people in communities have volunteered with TidyTowns to make our country a place we can all be proud of. I have nothing but admiration for the volunteers and this grant scheme is recognition from the Government of the huge contribution made by citizens in their own community. 2018 sees the 60th Anniversary of the Supervalu TidyTowns competition and this grant scheme is just part of the …

FIFTY jobs are to be created at Woodstock Hotel, after the Choice Hotel Group bought the upmarket 67-bed hotel on the Shanaway Road, Ennis, for a reported €1m-plus. The hotel is to re-open on a phased basis, starting in the middle of next month, with the bar, lobby and bedrooms available to guests, while €750,000 in refurbishments are carried out to allow the hotel facilities – including its function/conference room, leisure centre (complete with 15-metre pool), restaurant, meeting rooms and spa – to be fully open for business by the end of September. Regional group general manager, Darragh Brady is currently in Ennis, overseeing the start up and recruitment of around 50 staff for the hotel. “It’s a fantastic hotel and we’re getting great support from local people, who are delighted to see Woodstock Hotel reopening as part of the Choice Hotel Group,” he said. The Choice Hotel Group is the largest four-star operator in Ireland, with over 1,300 rooms …