Ennis

YSI Team from Coláiste Muire, Ennis has been named the “Young Social Innovators of the Year 2014”. Their project Beware of IT aims to educate young people about the increasing dangers associated with internet usage. The Ennis students’ project was one of over 400 youth-led social innovation projects undertaken this year in over 200 second level schools and youth organisations throughout Ireland. Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, co-founder, Young Social Innovators and Anne O’Leary, CEO Vodafone Ireland presented the winning team with their award at a ceremony in Dublin following the 13th Young Social Innovators Annual Showcase, which was supported by the Vodafone Ireland Foundation. The prize for the Ennis team inclued €1,500 to develop their project. Runners-up were Mount Mercy College, Model Farm Road, Co. Cork for their project on Sexual Assault Must Come To A Halt. Congratulating the award winners and all the participants in this year’s YSI Social Innovation Programme, Sr Stan said “ Social Innovation champions youth led, …

CIARAN Ennis has laughed his way to a national title. The founder of the locally based Ennis Laughter Dragons was named Irish Laughter Champion in Galway at the weekend. “It felt brilliant to be named the winner, and I will definitely be back next year to defend my title,” he told us. The event was held in aid of Galway charity, Jigsaw, a free and confidential support service for young people, their mental health and wellbeing. Ciaran and Angie Lindenau, lead the Laughter Dragons, a laughter yoga club, every Tuesday at 6pm in the Gaelscoil. The community laughter group meet to explore the benefits of laughter yoga. He explained, “It’s a group where we meet once a week and it’ all about learning to laugh for no reason at all. We use laughter yoga, which comes from India. And we use laughter as an exercise, its one of the most powerful, dynamic exercises. The whole reason why we use laughter …

THE reality of local government reform will hit home in County Clare this Tuesday when Ennis Town Council, Kilkee Town Council and Shannon Town Council meet for the last time. The final meeting of Kilrush Town Council takes place on Thursday night. The meetings will recall the contributions which members of the respective councils made to their local communities over the decades, as well as the improvements which the authorities brought to the towns. The councils will also be able to look back at how the local authorities acted as a springboard to national politics for many members.

THE new Ennis National School will be officially opened next month by Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn. As well as the minister, the official opening on May 16 will also be attended by Bishop Kieran O’Reilly. A series of activities and events have been organised for the day to mark the occasion. Among these will be the publication of a new book exploring the history of Ennis National School. The new state of the art school at Ashline opened its doors to its first pupils back in August. Among the many benefits of the school’s new location is the greater ease of access and increased parking. There was a concerted effort between Ennis Town Council, Clare County Council, An Garda Síochána and the school authorities prior to the school’s opening relating to the Travel Plan. And it is hoped that sustainable travel methods – walking, cycling, ‘walking bus’, car-pooling – will be used by increased numbers of students in keeping …

A GROUP of Ennis students have proved they can talk the talk after making it to the semi-finals of a national competition. The newly formed St Flannan’s College debating team have reached the semis of the Concern Debates, Concern Worldwide’s flagship school’s activity. For the semi-finals the St Flannan’s team will debate Coláiste Bhríde, Carnew, County Wicklow on this Tuesday  in the Irish Chartered Institute of Accountants Building, Pearse Street Dublin. The motion is ‘Confidence that world leaders will take meaningful action on the latest IPCC report is misplaced’ and St Flannan’s will propose the motion. Almost 150 schools initially entered the competition this year. Saint Flannan’s College have triumphed in their previous six rounds and are now down to the four top debating schools in the country. In the group stages, Saint Flannan’s College have beaten Presentation Secondary School, Limerick, Saint Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, and Salesian’s Secondary School Limerick. In the group’s decider, St Flannan’s defeated Laurel Hill …

MUSICIANS and dancers from Rice College in Ennis have made it to the finals of the All Ireland Schools Talent Search. Over 600 entries for this competition have been whittled down to the last ten, and “Riches of Rice” have made the final ten. According to a spokesperson for the school, “It’s a huge achievement in our school and we are extremely excited about this wonderful achievement.” The final takes place in the University of Limerick Concert Hall this Saturday. The twelve students, with their teachers, Ms Hanrahan and Ms Brooks have been diligently practising during the Easter holidays and are greatly looking forward to the final, which will be televised by TV3 and broadcast on Sunday May 4. The only Clare entry in the final, the Riches of Rice team will represent County Clare in true Clare style, with beautiful arrangements of traditional tunes, slip-jig and reel, with sean-nós dancing and soft and hard shoe step dancing. It has …

A NEW service for supporting Clare businesses has become operational in Ennis this week with hopes high that it will “harness innovation, grow businesses and create jobs locally.” The new Clare Local Enterprise Office (LEO) is based at Clare County Council’s headquarters, Áras Contae an Chláir and represents a major restructuring of state support for businesses which was previously delivered by county and city enterprise boards. Combining the resources of the Clare County Enterprise Board and Clare County Council’s business support unit, the Clare LEO is one of 31 LEOs around Ireland that is tasked with delivering services and support to businesses within a framework set by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and overseen by Enterprise Ireland. Mayor of Clare Councillor Joe Arkins said the Clare LEO will act as a “first-stop-shop” for small businesses throughout the county. He added, “I look forward to the newly operational LEO playing a leading role in stimulating enterprise development in Clare. …