Ennis

NEW parish offices are to be constructed in Ennis following the granting of planning permission for the development by Ennis Town Council. St Flannan’s (Killaloe) Diocesan Trust had applied for planning permission to demolish part of Maria Assumpta Hall and to build a new parish office with meeting rooms and ancillary facilities. The site of the development is within the cartilage of Ennis Cathedral, a protected structure and adjoining the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) of Ennis Town Centre. During the planning process Risteard UaCróinín, conservation officer for Clare County Council, outlined there was no objection to the proposed development but stated his office should be consulted regarding any proposed alterations to the boundary wall facing Station Road.Commenting on the boundary wall he stated, “By its age, weathered patina, construction technique and materials, it makes a significant contribution to the ACA and complements the masonry of the Cathedral nearby. For the above reasons, this office should be consulted with regard to …

AS if moving to Ecuador to work with some of the country’s poorest people wasn’t enough of a challenge, former Ennis priest Fr John Molloy is now set to run in this year’s Dublin City Marathon. He is now fitting in training alongside his busy work in his parish of Monte Sinai. He is calling on others to join him in taking part in the event, which takes place in the capital on October 29. Fr John is set to head back to Ireland for a short time in September and he told The Clare Champion that he, his sister and many friends will be taking on the marathon to raise funds for the ongoing work in Ecuador. This weekend, he will begin the journey home to Ireland via New York. On Saturday, he will fly to the US city where he will minister and preach in St Paul’s Parish, Yonkers. The following weekend, he will celebrate masses and preach …

ENNIS businesses are being urged to get involved with training that could potential save somebody’s life. The Ennis defibrillator committee has been raising funds to place defibrillators at key locations in Ennis in an effort to provide life saving devices in the town. They are currently calling on businesses to put forward employees for training in the use of the equipment. According to chairman of the committee and Ennis town councillor Paul O’Shea, properly trained volunteers are vital to ensure the equipment is used in the right way.“The committee has so far received donations of over €5,000 from businesses and individuals, which has enabled us to install two defibrillators in O’Connell Square and the Market. The committee is continuing to seek donations as an additional €5,000 is required to install a further two defibrillators in Woodquay and Lower Abbey Street,” he said. The committee is also asking individuals or businesses to contribute to the fund. Those who donate €50 will …

A BAG of flour maybe be useful for many things but can it help preserve history? Well that’s exactly what the Clare Archaeological and Historical Society used, along with the stalwart work of its members, to help with the painstaking transcription of burial monuments at Kilraghtis graveyard, which is in the Doora-Barefield parish.

THE restored Ennis Friary continues to be a massive success, with more than 8,500 visitors welcomed to the attraction since it reopened its doors in June.

A A team of hardy souls will be heading to the base camp of Mount Everest in October to raise funds for a number of charities FOR most people taking on climbing in the Alps would be enough for one lifetime. But Ennis’ Tony ‘Locky’ O’Loughlin and a group of other adventurous climbers are set to take on the ultimate challenge by heading to Everest Base Camp in October. Money raised from the climb will go towards Foundation Nepal, Cahercalla Community Hospice and LauraLynn House. Tony has been using very different mountains to Everest to help raise funds for the charities.During training for the gruelling climb, Tony has been taking photographs of scenes from all around Clare, Kerry and Mayo that he has been selling to raise funds for the charity climb.Tony, well known to people in the town from Brogan’s Bar, will doing on the charity climb alongside Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald and adventurer Pat Falvey. Also taking on …

A DECISION on plans for a €60 million private hospital in Ennis has been put on hold by the planning authority, which is now seeking additional information about the project from the developers.Ennis Town Council were due to make a decision last week on the planning application submitted by Duesbury Limited for the development of the hospital on the site of the former Our Lady’s Psychiatric Hospital.The planned development on the Gort Road would consist of the construction of a four-storey healthcare facility over a basement building linked to the existing 19th century protected structure.However, the authority has deemed the information submitted with the application “insufficient” to make a complete planning assessment of the proposal.According to the request for further information, the planning authority has “no objection in principle” to the proposed reuse and development of the existing brown-field site incorporating the protected structure. However, it goes on to state, “There are some concerns with regard to the incorporation of …

PLANS to extend a national school in the town have received the go-ahead by Ennis Town Council with the school being asked to pay €25,0000 in a special development contribution.Gaelscoil Mhichíl Cíosóg, Glenina, Gort Road, have been granted planning permission to provide an extension to the school containing four classrooms and a boiler house extension. Permission was also granted for other alterations. The development is to be sited to the east of the existing school building and is the first phase of a planned larger development that will see the school extend to 16 classrooms. There are currently 278 pupils enrolled in the school and it is proposed this will increase from 304 in September 2012 to 484 in September 2018. During the planning process, it was outlined that the school has been oversubscribed “for over six years”.The planning authority received a submission from the Glenina Residents’ Association as part of the planning process. The submission noted they had no …