Ennis

A proposed upgrade of facilities at Ballyalla Lake has been put on hold as a result of the freezing of LEADER funding. However, one local councillor has called on Clare County Council to go ahead and plan for the upgrading “and be ready to go” for the next LEADER programme.

WORK on the €3 million Cuan an Chláir Day Care Centre and housing project officially began this week.

THE County Clare Agricultural Show returns to Ennis’ Showgrounds this month as the annual show celebrates its 109th event. This year promises to be a day of family fun with something for all to enjoy.

  The arrival of five new swallows in a well-known North Clare pub has turned an old proverb completely on its head. “One swallow never made a summer,” is frequently trotted out to indicate that a single instance of something doesn’t indicate a trend. However, visitors who are flocking to see baby swallows near Vaughan’s Bar, Kilfenora are hoping for an entirely different meaning from this proverb. As the sun splits the rocks in North Clare this week, patrons believe the new swallows may be the perfect portent for a sizzling hot summer. And no one can argue that their presence in Kilfenora is a one-off as swallows have pitched up a new home in a nest at a walkway between The Barn and the pub for six years on the trot. Orla Vaughan, who runs the hostel beside the pub, said five baby swallows were hatched in the nest, one flew away on Friday and two on Saturday. Speaking …

The 2013 Gum Litter Taskforce (GLT) campaign swung into action in Ennis town centre at the weekend when members of the local community joined environmental staff from Ennis Town Council to undertake a clean-up of the O’Connell Square area.

A WORLD record attempt will be held in Clarecastle this Friday at 7.30pm. As part of a major Gathering festival in the village, people are being urged to bring their hurley and ball to Clarecastle GAA pitch, where an attempt to set the world record for the most people controlling a sliotar on a hurley will be made.

Ennis has become only the third place in Ireland to introduce a new cashless method of paying for parking. Ennis Town Council have this week launched the ParkMagic system, enabling customers displaying a ParkMagic barcode window sticker in the windscreen of their cars to make parking payments via text message or phonecall.   Traffic wardens use electronic handheld devices to scan the barcode or input vehicle registrations to verify payment status. The system also includes a text messaging option for customers to be notified that their payment is due to expire. The system is already in operation in Limerick City and Cork City. Meanwhile, Ennis Town Council has also announced the introduction of free parking in the town from 5pm each day up to end of December. It is anticipated that the scheme will encourage local businesses to extend their opening hours during the full summer season and encourage greater numbers of people into the town. The initiative comes following …

THE architect behind Limerick’s Milk Market has highlighted Lysaght’s Lane, at Lower Market Street Car Park, as the preferred location for a new Ennis’ Farmer’s Market as part a proposed revamp of the county capital’s market areas.