Ennis

ENNIS Players are going on tour. Due to popular demand and having performed a completely sold out Supper-theatre run in The Old Ground Hotel, Ennis Players have announced a very special performance of ‘One-Acts on Tour’ in North Clare this weekend. The Players will perform two one-act plays in Hotel Doolin on Sunday, November 27. Speaking about the event, Mary Curley, Chairperson, said, “We in Ennis Players are delighted with the return of our very popular one-act season, as we have missed our audiences for the past two years, and look forward to welcoming the people of Clare and further afield to our performances.” The Players will take to the stage performing Elysium Nevada by Barry McKinley and Trapped by Barry Woods. Set in a retirement village in the sweltering Nevada desert, Elysium Nevada by Barry McKinley tells of two residents reflections on life, youth and how they got there. They are joined by a mysteriously silent woman whose presence adds …

DISABLED parking spaces removed and replaced with Age Friendly parking in Ennis’ Cabey’s Lane will be relocated to the Lower Market area of the town, Clare County Council has confirmed. The Clare Champion was contacted by concerned members of the public who questioned why the disabled parking spaces were transformed into ‘Age Friendly’ spaces, fearing that the disabled spaces had been taken away for good. Can you help us out @ClareCoCo & let us know where those 2 ♿🅿️bays were moved to from Caby's Lane in Ennis? Same 2 spots are now repainted as "Age-Friendly". We had heard changes were made but assumed it meant relocation & not a very different type of relabelling? 🤷🏻‍♂️❓ pic.twitter.com/LRoyO0d9gE — The Struggle Is Wheel (@struggleiswheel) November 21, 2022 A council spokesperson has explained that the space available at Cabey’s Lane did not meet the current design standards for disabled parking. New disabled parking bays are to be installed in the Lower Market area …

CONCERN among residents of Doora about pedestrian safety in the village has led to calls for a new footpath to be built between two key local amenities. The Ennis Municipal District has confirmed that an application is to be submitted to the National Transport Authority for the development of a footpath from Doora Church to Doora School. Councillor Paul Murphy raised the issue at a recent meeting of the local authority, urging that Clare County Council to seek Active Travel funding for the project. He outlined that Doora has a big population including many school-going children, insisting, “It’s important that road safety for pedestrians is prioritised”. Ian Chaplin, acting senior executive engineer responded, “The Ennis Municipal District will seek to have an application submitted to the NTA for footpath project from Doora Church to Doora School when the next funding cycle is announced for the NTA for 2023. It would also be essential that the proposal is in line with …

IF you’re looking for something fun to do during the cold winter months, you certainly won’t be barking up the wrong tree by getting involved with the Ennis Musical Society. Auditions for the society’s newest show Legally Blonde are set to take part this Sunday from 3pm at the Holy Family Hall with would-be singers and actors aged 16 and over encouraged to get involved. However, it isn’t just stars of the two legged variety who will be taking part in the show, with society chairperson Rachael Culligan revealing they will shortly be looking for performers of the four-legged kind. “Once we have cast the human parts we will be seeking dogs to audition for two roles in the show. We want to make sure that the dogs work well with who they are on stage with. “We are going to be looking for one small and one big dog, in the movie there is a Chihuahua, but what it …

ENNIS has once again claimed the title of ‘Ireland’s Friendliest Place’. The county capital scooped the award at the AIBMS Retail Excellence Awards ceremony at the Galmont Hotel last weekend which also saw Clare’s Wild Atlantic Optician win Optician of the Year. Ennis retail stores made a huge impression on the mystery shoppers in July of this year to secure the town a shortlisting for this award, along with Ashbourne and Moynalty in County Meath, Monaghan Town and Carrick-on-Shannon in County Leitrim. This was followed by a public vote which took place in October.   Mayor of Ennis Municipal District, Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy said, “This recognition is testament to all those retailers in the town who are committed to making Ennis a great place to visit and shop. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to vote for Ennis.” She added that this award follows other recent successes for the town with awards …

PLANS for the delivery of a “much needed” local bus service for Ennis town and its environs are driving forward with confirmation the National Transport Authority have “advanced” their design and are due to undertake a route inspection this month. However, former mayor of Ennis Councillor Johnny Flynn, who has been a long time campaigner for the service has criticised the “snail’s pace” of the project and is calling on the county’s Oireachtas members to attend the next meeting of the Ennis Municipal District and push for the service’s delivery. Details of the progress of providing a local bus were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where the service’s importance was emphasised by local councillors. Seeking an update on the service, Councillor Paul Murphy insisted that a local bus service is “vital” for the town of Ennis. “I am requesting a progress update on provision of a much needed local bus service for Ennis Town and …

ENNIS-BASED online company Mama’s Boobie Box was out front and centre on display in last Friday night’s edition on the Late Late Show. The company took part in the Small Business Special, and its prominent position on the show has meant a boost for the two-year-old venture. Founder, Petrina O’Halloran has said, “Since Friday night we have being inundated with messages of goodwill and support for the business”. “We weren’t sure which spot we would get on the show, as there was nearly 100 businesses represented. We are so proud to have Mama’s Boobie Box centre on stage, it definitely lit up on set.” Mama’s Boobie Box offers the practical essentials a new mum needs for breastfeeding all packed in a gift box. Petrina, a native of Galway, now living in Ennis with her family, founded the business back in November 2020, and went live with the website in March 2021. Petrina who held a role in finance in London, …

A STRATEGY aimed at improving the lives of older people in Ennis has helped the county capital win a prestigious national award. The Ennis Age Friendly Town Strategy (2021) has won the ‘Age Friendly Environment’ award at the National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards 2022. The Age Friendly Environment award recognises projects that bring about change in the built physical environment with older people in mind. Simple additions such as adequate public seating, level footpaths and appropriate crossing times at pedestrian crossings all have a huge impact on the ability of older people to be active in their towns and villages.   The Ennis Age Friendly Town Strategy was formulated and implemented by the Ennis Age Friendly Town Team, a group formed by the Age Friendly Programme Manager and led by Ennis Municipal District. The strategy contained actions across a number of areas including improvements in the physical environment, urban policing, social and recreational infrastructure, health and wellbeing and age-friendly …