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Breaking News

New car park at former Ennis Boys NS gets green light

THE transformation of the site of the former Ennis Boys National School on the Kilrush Road into a new temporary car park has been given the green light by Clare County Council. City Cinemas Ltd have been granted planning permission to provide 156 parking spaces in the town. The car park will include 12 accessible bays and four electric vehicle parking bays. The development will also include minor alterations to the entrances, signage, pedestrian access and internal footpaths and perimeter fencing. Under a condition of planning permission, all vehicular movements leaving the car park are to be monitored in the first six months of its operation. This comes after concerns were raised by the Roads Office of the local authority that increasing numbers of exiting vehicles turning right onto the R475 may cause a safety hazard. After the six months a report is to be submitted to the planning authority and “thereafter, if deemed necessary, the applicant shall signalise the …

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Ennis Lions auction raises more than €30,000 for Bushypark

MORE than €30,000 has been raised for Bushypark as a result of a fundraising campaign organised by Ennis Lions. When Ennis Lions Club committed to fundraise for the development project at Bushypark a full year ago they sought a project that provided a win for all stakeholders. Led by the success of their colleagues in Galway Lions they chose to undertake the mammoth task of a charity auction to be carried out online and on radio. The principle reason for this choice was that it provided an avenue that gave back to donors as well as providing great value on a broad range of desirable goods to local people. Little did they know their choice would end up being the talk of October 2022 across the county! Project team leader David Goodstein credited this WIN/WIN formula to the huge success of their recent Charity Auction during October which saw them raise a magnificent €30,343 for Bushypark. Back in March the …

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High-speed broadband boost for East Clare blackspots

HIGH speed connectivity, through a country-wide State-backed scheme is due to come on-stream in the Kilkishen area, according to the National Broadband Ireland (NBI) NBI is the company delivering what is described as “the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) on behalf of the Government”. The company has announced that over 3,400 premises in Kilkishen and nearby townlands and villages will be able to order or pre-order broadband on their network “very shortly”. State Intervention Areas, where no other services is available, include 23,000 premises in total in Clare. NBI has promised to deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms, and schools. “As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, County Clare will receive €89m of Government investment under the NBP,” a statement said. “NBI crews have made substantial progress in Clare and premises will soon go live in Kilkishen where 3,400 premises will be able to order …

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‘€15m won’t be enough’ to make most of heritage sites

WHILE Clare County Council is seeking, though not yet receiving, €15 million to take on the Clare-based Shannon Heritage attractions, hotelier Michael Vaughan has warned that even that vast sum may not be enough. “Even if there is an investment of €15 million and it secures the asset, secures the heritage value of these sites, what in terms of a plan will increase the number of people staying in the locality, in Bunratty, in Ennis, in other parts of Clare? “Some councillors have said there would be a multisite ticket people could get for three or four sites, but that would only help the likes of Paddywagon and the coach tours that are in and out in a flash,” said the Lahinch man. He warned that a figure of closer to €20 million would be required to bring the sites up to the required standard and to start promoting them abroad. “I think you could spend €15 million in Bunratty …

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Clare County Council named Local Authority of the Year

Clare County Council has been named Local Authority of the Year 2022 at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards. The Banner county’s local authority was also named overall winner in the ‘Festival of the Year’ and ‘Sustaining the Arts’ award categories. Clare County Council won the overall award for its commitment to serving the community and for raising the area’s profile nationally as a stand-out destination. It was also awarded for the Ennis Mela Festival, which saw over 50 performers from countries worldwide perform alongside local diverse communities from Clare in March. The House! Open Air Aerial Dance Spectacle with Fidget Feet, meanwhile, a dance spectacle that was commissioned by Clare County Council and premiered in Ennis in April won the Sustaining the Arts Award. Five other Clare County Council initiatives were nominated for an Excellence in Local Government Award. Age Friendly Initiative – The accreditation of Ennis as an Age-Friendly town Climate Change – Renewal of site …

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Over €750,000 for Clare to develop two key outdoor amenities

TWO of Clare’s top outdoor amenities will share funding worth €768,204 under the Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors initiative. A sum of €500,000 has been allocated to develop the Cliffs of Moher North Coastal Walk, with another €87,304 going to the Cliffs and Burren Geopark for upgrade works. Meanwhile €180,900 has been allocated to Ballycuggaran/Two Mile Gate in the east of the county for the upgrade of facilities there. Minister Heather Humphreys launched the Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors initiative today, a five-year strategy aimed at developing outdoor recreation nationwide. Deputy Joe Carey said that the funding for the Cliffs of Moher looped walk is particularly significant and he had made a strong case to Rural and Community Development Minister Heather Humphreys in support of an application from Clare County Council for funding under the ORIS scheme. “With the backing of local landowners, the IFA and the Clare Local Development Company, the council is ready to proceed with this project and can meet ten …

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Gardai probe circumstances of caravan fire near Ennis

Gardaí are investigating the circumstances of a fire that destroyed a caravan near Doora on Sunday evening. Emergency services were alerted after at around 4.15pm when it was reported that a caravan was on fire at Kilbreckan near Doora and just off the M18 motorway close to junction 12. Units of the Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Ennis and Shannon stations responded to the call along with Gardaí. On arrival at the scene, fire crews found the caravan was well alight. The fire was brought under control however the caravan was completely destroyed. There was no one injured in the incident. Gardaí are now investigating the cause of the fire. A Garda spokesperson confirmed: “Gardaí and fire services attended a fire in Ennis earlier this afternoon. No injuries have been reported. Enquiries are ongoing.”

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Clare firm Leans into new way of working and saves €150k

A KILLALOE company has scored on the double by winning a Lean Leadership Award that brought extra cash of up to €150,000 into the company over an 18-month period. Thinking Toys was recently presented with an Award of Achievement in recognition of lean leadership at the 2022 Lean Business Ireland Awards. Implementing transformation change with stock management through a new Lean Management Programme to deal with an overstocking issue helped the company reduce their suppliers to 130 and product lines to 4,000, which cut the value of stock it held by 35%. Thinking Toys had grown from employing two people with ten suppliers and 200 products in 2004 to nine employees with 160 suppliers in 2020 across the world and 5,500 product lines. The family business was set up by Michael and Áine Conacur, inspired by their eldest child Ailis, who has Sturge Weber Syndrome and who had major brain surgery when she was two. The frustration and difficulties the …

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