Regional

FUNDING allocated to Clare County Council for the transformation of parts of Ennis to facilitate permanent outdoor dining “will add to the already stellar outdoor spaces that have sprung up around the town over the past few months”. That’s according to Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe who has welcomed the allocation of €186,875 to Clare County Council under the government’s Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme. Francis Street, Lower Parnell Street, Abbey Street Car Park and the Temple Gate Plaza are set to benefit from the funding announced under Fáilte Ireland’s Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme. “Businesses across Clare and the country have adapted hugely to deal with the outdoor dining necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Deputy Crowe. “It’s one of the very few positives of this pandemic that we, as a country, are now ramping up the dining options available to ourselves as citizens and also tourists. “The funding allocated to Ennis will add to the already stellar outdoor …

A HISTORY project of exhaustive research and work spanning 17 years will culminate with the launch this Saturday of Tomás Mac Conmara’s seminal book on the Scariff Martyrs. A well-known figure around the county, Tomás, who has done a huge amount of work to record Clare’s oral history, has long been fascinated by the fate of the martyrs and the time they lived in. “Only since the release was confirmed my mother found a photograph taken in April 2004 with Paddy Gleeson. That would have been the very first interview that I did relating specifically to the Scariff Martyrs. “It really makes you think back, I was 23 then and I’m 40 now, there were 17 years of research in different ways. “Obviously you’re not working solely for 17 years on it but for those 17 years you’re observing, taking any opportunity to find more information or to deepen your understanding. That photograph really brought it home that it’s been …

A DECISION on planning permission for the construction of a €1.2 billion data centre campus in Ennis has been put on hold as Clare County Council has sought further information on the development. In an extensive 11-page correspondence with developers Art Data Centres Ltd, Clare County Council have stated, “It is considered that the information submitted with this application is insufficient to enable the planning authority make a complete planning assessment of the proposal.” The authority outlines all documentation submitted with the application has been considered and assessed including the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Natura Impact Statement. “In order to complete the assessment of the direct and indirect effects on the environment of the proposed development the planning authority requires the submission of the further information,” the planning authority said. Before making a decision on the plans further details on the project have been sought by the council under a number of headings including: potential project splitting; drainage, …

CLARE FM is to broadcast a documentary to celebrate the life of Lahinch native Míchéal “Mick” Ryan who was posthumously awarded Humanitarian of the year in December 2020. The documentary, airing Friday at 11am, looks back at Mick’s life from his early years and has been produced by Clare FM’s programme director Padraic Flaherty with support from Mick’s family. Mick dedicated his life to helping others through his work with the United Nations World Food Program. During his life Mick helped the most vulnerable and most in need, and during his career he travelled to Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Liberia, and the world’s largest refugee camp in Myanmar. On March 10, 2019, Mick was travelling from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, when several minutes after take-off the Boeing 737 Max Aircraft crashed killing all people on board. Upon hearing the documentary for the first time Mick’s wife Naoise says “Padraic seamlessly weaves Mick’s story through conversations with people who knew Mick, …

PLANS for a second Aldi store in Ennis have been given the green light by Clare County Council despite opposition from local retailers. The council has granted planning permission, subject to 10 conditions, to Brian Lohan for a change of use from retail warehouse to a discount food store at the Westpoint Retail Park on the Kilrush Road. Assessing the proposal, planners with Clare County Council determined that the existing building “has been underutilised for some time and its redevelopment at this location would be positive and enhance the vibrancy of this particular part of the town”. Aldi have already confirmed their intention to open a new store in the retail park if planning permission was granted for the change of use. According to Aldi this new outlet will create 30 new permanent jobs at the store, and up to 50 construction jobs, with the aim of opening in late 2023. A number of local businesses had voiced concern about …

A POSTMAN got “bull thick” with a garda after he found out he was getting a speeding ticket, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, Garda Darren Lynch said he was operating a speed detection point at Cahercalla More, Kilrush Road, Ennis on January 14, 2021, when he stopped a vehicle driven by Gearoid Noel O’Brien (25). Garda Lynch said the vehicle was detected driving at 82 km per hour in a 60km zone The garda said Mr O’Brien told him he had been “caught here before” and that he was not going to pay any speeding ticket. Garda Lynch said Mr O’Brien then said to him, “Shove it (ticket) up your hole, you fat b*****d”. Mr O’Brien, with an address at Villa Park, Monmore, Kilrush, denied speeding and contested the summons against him. In cross examination, defence solicitor Daragh Hassett put it to Garda Lynch that it appeared that he and his client did not get on too …

ENNIS bus and rail station is being “run into the ground” a county councillor believes. Councillor Mary Howard has criticised both Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann accusing them of neglecting the station and leaving it to become a “sad and lonely place”. Her comments came in the wake of images circulating on social media showing bus times at the station written in marker which was heavily criticised online. When contacted about the timetables, Bus Éireann said that it worked to ensure the timetables were replaced as soon as possible, and confirmed there are no plans to introduce a supervisor to the station. While Iarnród Éireann has insisted that it is “committed to providing a quality service to our customers at Ennis”. Councillor Howard has called for a permanent bus inspector and station master to be installed in Ennis, fearing that there is a risk of future anti-social behaviour at the station. “If you go to any country in the world, …

Roisín Fisher on her joy at getting a home for herself and daughter Laia I was delighted to move into our new home in Inbhear na Sionna. Before moving into this apartment, my daughter Laia and I were in homeless accommodation. For nearly two years we lived in BnB in Ennis. As you can imagine, it’s very difficult to live in just one room with a small child. After that, we moved into the Family Hub in Ennis, which was a big improvement in many ways as I was able to cook for myself and my daughter. There were appliances, a fridge an oven and washing machine. I was able to do a lot more for us as a family, even just being able to wash clothes and prepare a proper meal was an improvement. There were other people in a similar situation to me there too, so even though it was lonely in many ways because I’m not from …