ENNIS has been named Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre for the fifth time in the 55-year history of the National Tidy Towns  Competition. The result was announced today by Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Phil Hogan, at the 2013 National SuperValu Tidy Towns awards ceremony in Dublin. Ennis, which finished joint third place overall,  beat off stiff competition from other large urban centres such as Kilkenny City. The Clare County capital has previously won the award in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012. Meanwhile, Ennis has won this year’s Mid-West Regional Award and has also retained the Clare County Award for the 15th successive year, while it has received its 13th Gold Medal in as many years. Kilrush was commended in the County Award category.

KILKEE based community radio station, Raidio Corca Baiscinn has been granted funding from the latest round of the of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Sound and Vision Scheme to make a documentary on The Clare Champion, which has been in existence since March 1903. Grants totalling €4.462m have been offered to broadcasters and independent producers to support the production of 102 radio and 17 TV projects. When completed, the funded projects will be broadcast by a range of community, commercial and public service broadcasters across the country. All of the projects being offered funding will explore the themes of Irish culture, heritage and experience. “We are thrilled about this as you can imagine, and I am really looking forward to getting started on it,” Derrick Lynch, Programme Co-ordinator with Raidio Corca Baiscinn, said.

Fáilte Ireland today confirmed Ennis has made the shortlist of ten top towns from across the country selected for their 2013 Tourism Towns Award. The shortlist was announced at the National Tidy Towns Awards in The Helix, Dublin. Ireland’s Top Tourism Town in 2013 will now be selected from this shortlist and announced this November. The shortlisted towns are: Cobh, Cork Drogheda, Louth Ennis, Clare Kenmare, Kerry Kilkenny City. Kilkenny Letterkenny, Donegal Mulranny,  Mayo Murrisk, Mayo Tralee, Kerry Westport, Mayo

Clare County Council has signed a contract with L&M Keating Ltd of Kilmihil, Co Clare, for the provision of a new social housing development at Glór na Srutha, Knockbrack Lower in Clonlara. The 12-unit housing scheme is being constructed as part of the ongoing Clare County Council Social Housing Investment Programme which has in recent years resulted in the delivery of affordable and step-down units in Shannon and social housing units in Miltown Malbay. The Clonlara development features 6 No. 3-bed semi detached two storey units, 4 No. 2-bed semi detached single storey units, and 2 No. single storey cottage style units. The housing scheme is funded by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and is scheduled for completion by August 2014. The project design team is led by Clare County Council’s in-house Architectural Services team with engineering design by Hassett Leyden & Associates and Moloney Fox Consulting, and Tom MacNamara & Partners providing cost management.

The global Clare community and Ennis App users around the world will have to wait another three weeks to view live pictures of the team’s homecoming. Since last week’s decision to broadcast the homecoming live on the Ennis App and on www.ennisapp.ie, locals and the diaspora have taken to social media to spread news of the broadcast around the world. Nashville-based country star and Ennis native, Maura O’Connell, was among those to retweet news of the live broadcast. In the 48 hours prior to throw-in, the 8,000 Ennis App users were also given an exclusive opportunity to send greetings on the live broadcast to their loved ones across the globe. Requests flooded in for the Banner from communities in the USA, Australia, across Europe and Asia. These requests will be held for use in three weeks and in the meantime, the invitation is extended to continue sending in requests to support@ennisapp.ie. Those who wish to send greetings should state their …

Three people were assisted by the Lough Derg RNLI after their 38ft cruiser ran aground in shallow water in Slevoir Bay, close to Terryglass, last Wednesday evening. The lifeboat launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clarke and Jason Freeman on board. The vessel was aground on a rocky shelf, in less than two foot of water, in the bay at the northern end of the lake. The RNLI crew checked the boat for any damage and when satisfied that the boat was not holed, the lifeboat took it off the rocks and towed it into safe water. Then, with a lifeboat crew member still on board, the lifeboat accompanied the cruiser to the public harbour in Terryglass. Deputy launching authority John Kelly said the latest incident underlines the importance of boat users having up to date charts of the lake on board.

By Owen Ryan Speaking after the game John Conlon said the draw wasa bit of a downer, although it was almost a lot worse. “Yeah, it was a big anticlimax coming into the dressing room, one side was saying that we got out of jail and the other that we could have easily won the game,” the big Clonlara man opined, underneath the Hogan stand. He wasn’t too disappointed not to have been on for the full game. “It’s a whole panel, everyone is flying in training. When you’re in the half forward line or at midfield you’re working the whole time and you mightn’t last the 70 minutes.” One of his clubmen got the final score, forcing the draw. Conlon said he wasn’t that surprised that it was the corner back who popped up at the crucial moment. ” He’s a gas man, he’s as confident as hell. He was only saying during the week who hadn’t scored all …

The drama and excitement of the All-Ireland hurling final.