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Fire service cuts emergency response times

“PHENOMENAL effort” on the part of Clare’s fire service was hailed this week, as the Chief Fire Officer revealed that it has significantly cut its average response times to incidents across the county. At a meeting of the council’s Physical Development Strategic Policy Committee, Adrian Kelly outlined how a new operational plan is being drawn up for the service which also has responsibility for building control. The existing Fire and Emergency Operations Plan is to be reviewed, taking account of any legislative changes, and will be presented to the SPC before it goes forward for discussion before the full council. The service which operates out of seven stations, has 75 retained staff in addition to nine senior fire officers, four administrators, two fitters and one station officer. Chief Fire Officer Kelly outlined how response times have improved over the last five years. The average time required to mobilise to fires has failed down to 5.28 minutes. In 2016, it had …

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Clare gardaí probe firebomb attack on house in Ennis

GARDAI in Ennis are investigating the firebombing of a house in the county town in the early hours of Monday morning. It is also believed a firearm was discharged during the incident which occurred at ten past midnight on November 22 when a number of males in a dark vehicle called to a house in Pearse Avenue, Cloughleigh. The glass beside the front door was smashed and glass bottles with flammable liquid were thrown at the house. It is believed that a firearm was discharged. Nobody was physically injured in this incident. The males then left the area and shortly after, a vehicle was located after being set on fire on the Kilrush Road. If anyone witnessed this incident or has any information that would assist in the investigation, gardai are asking them to contact Ennis Garda Station on 6848100.

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Fundraising Christmas Choir returns to Ennis after its Covid-enforced break

A FESTIVE concert with a jam-packed line up of talent from Clare and beyond will raise funds to support the vulnerable this Christmas. For the past few years campaigner Josie O’Brien has organised a concert in glór to raise awareness of homelessness while also raising funds to purchase food hampers for those in need. Last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19, however the ‘Christmas Choir’ concert will return on December 18 of this year. Luka Bloom will feature as special guest alongside plenty more acclaimed talent, including Mike Hanrahan; The Fiddle Case; Eoin O’Neill and Clara Buteler; Sarah Ryan; Anne Rynne; Trevor Hansbury; John Fennell (Sean Nós); Sara Ryan (Sean Nós); Steo Wall: Fay Moloney and the Cork Penny Dinners High Hopes Choir with more guests to be announced. There will also be pre-concert music in the foyer with singer Susanne Murphy accompanied by Fiona Faulkes on piano. Kevyn Murphy is Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Josie told …

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Memorial seating marking 30 years of Ennis Mental Health Association

MEMORIAL seating to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Ennis Mental Association is to be installed in the coming weeks in the Abbey Street Carpark. Details of the plan were unveiled at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, where Councillor Mary Howard also urged the local authority to make it easier for people to commemorate their loved ones with suitable memorials in the town. Councillor Howard outlined that she has been approached by a number of local people who would like to sponsor items such as seats and trees in memory of a loved one who has passed away. “It’s time we took responsibility for this,” she said. She continued, “I know we have a memorial committee, but it can be overly complicated. People want to put in place something to remember their loved ones.” Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Ann Norton a member of the memorial committee stated they are “working to ensure we are …

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‘This is something the whole town achieved’

Ennis Tidy Towns chairman pays tribute to volunteer spirit of diverse set of partners ENNIS cleaned up at this year’s SuperValu Tidy Towns awards taking home the overall title of Ireland’s Tidiest Town 2021. “We are over the moon. This is the first time in 16 years, and only the second time since the competition started that we have brought the prize back to Ennis,” Ennis Tidy Towns chairman Cormac McCarthy told the Clare Champion after the announcement. “This is a testament not only to our volunteers, and we have a wonderful committee, but we very much accepted the award on behalf of the entire town. “Our submission every year is peppered with projects that Ennis Tidy Towns partner with other groups on. Then there is the wonderful landscaping around the town and how clean the streets are kept by the council staff. “We partner with Macra na Feirme, Ennis Sub-Aqua Club, the Brothers of Charity, HSE Dulick centre, schools, …

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Haven hits on winning formula

Thriving Ennis charity shop provides the perfect example of sustainable social enterprise supporting a vital service COVID-19 brought many challenges to the voluntary retail sector, however an Ennis “charity superstore” is not just surviving, it is thriving. Since opening eight years ago in Munster House in the Gort Road Business Park the Clare Haven Horizons Charity Shop has rapidly expanded. It is now made up of seven units including fashion, furniture and homeware sales, a specific donation drop-off point and an upcoming pop-up Christmas shop. According to manager Mairead Mannion the store’s location and business model allowed it to respond to the pandemic in a way that facilitated its growing success. The shop’s expansion hasn’t just been confined to the physical store however, with Clare Haven Horizons Charity Shop making the move online during the pandemic, attracting a brand new set of customers. Its profile also continues to grow not just locally, but nationally. The shop was recently awarded three …

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New World War II memorial to be dedicated at weekend

A NEW memorial which remembers all those from Clare who were involved in World War II is to be dedicated in Ennis this weekend. The memorial at Friars Walk includes the names of 62 people from Clare who died in the Second World War, and includes six women. This will be the first time their contribution has been permanently acknowledged in the county. Also included in the memorial are the names of nine RAF airmen who died in air accidents in Clare and four Irish defence personnel who died in the county while on duty during the war. An addendum of World War I names which have come to light since the memorial to the Great War was unveiled in 2016 in the Peace Park is also included. Construction of the World War II memorial has been delayed since 2020 due to Covid19 restrictions, but the members of the group behind the project in the Clare Peace Park Initiative are …

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Housing director issues assurance on vacant social homes

THE council’s director of housing has issued an assurance that turning around vacant local authority housing is a top priority.  Anne Haugh made her comments following concerns raised by Councillor Pat Burke over two properties in Whitegate that have been vacant for up to 12 months. Councillor Burke told the November meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District that frustration over the delay in getting new tenants in, in the middle of a housing crisis, had prompted him to table the motion.  “We are all aware of the housing crisis,” he said. “It seems the process is so slow if a house can remain vacant for 12 months. I understand that there are energy retrofit schemes and that type of thing undertaken, but 12 months to leave a house vacant when we’re in a housing crisis drove me to put down the motion. This is not particularly anyone’s fault, but I’m wondering if the delay is down to funding or the …

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