Ennis

Tim Forde, former manager of Seaworld in Lahinch, jumped at an opportunity that presented itself 13 months ago in Ennis. Through an offer from Clare County Council, he took over as manager of Ennis Leisure Centre, Lees Road Sports and Amenity Park and Tim Smyth Park Playground. In short, every sport and recreational facility in Ennis.

A 40-year-old Kilmaley man is hoping to leap into the history books as he attempts to set the fastest time ever for an underwater dive from Crab Island to Doolin. Christy Healy is taking on the 10km challenge in aid of the Share a Dream Foundation, which he encountered when his son, Stephen got sick last year.“It is revolving around him, really. The reason we are doing this is because we were introduced to Share a Dream through him,” the Ennis resident said.In March 2010, Christy’s son was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphoid tissue, which devastated Christy, his wife Trish and Stephen. During his time in hospital, Stephen was visited by Christy’s cousin Jonathan Mangan, a volunteer with Share A Dream Foundation. Jonathan was working on the design of the Dream Machine with Shay Kinsella and with his keen eye, Stephen contributed lots of ideas for both the exterior and interior of the project. “The staff …

PROPOSALS for the historic Ennis Friary, including the purchasing of adjoining lands to provide coach parking and opening up the venue for wider use, are set to be examined by Minister Brian Hayes, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works.The minister visited Ennis last week to examine the flood-alleviation works being carried out in the town. He met with members of Ennis Chamber of Commerce and Ennis Development Forum and they discussed the potential of the Friary in generating tourism. The OPW is currently overseeing a major conservation project of the Friary and during the visit the minister indicated that the attraction will be reopened in April 2012. The minister outlined that the department is working on proposals that would allow local organisations work with the OPW in improving the tourism potential in their area and he invited interested parties to make submissions and be a part of the scheme.Ennis councillor and member of the …

Ennis Farmers’ Market will celebrate its seventh anniversary on Friday, July 29 and plans are already in place to make it a memorable occasion. Held every Friday in the car park in Upper Market Street from 8.30am to 2pm, Ennis Farmers’ Market encompasses 22 stalls featuring an array of local produce.Next Friday, in addition to the regular fare on offer, including fresh vegetables, plants, flowers, eggs, baked goods, preserves and jams, local cheeses, organic meat, herbal remedies and home made chocolate, there will also be a series of demonstrations.At 11am, stallholder Liz Griffith will show the public how to make butter the old-fashioned way, using a churn, while at 12 noon, renowned herbalist Vivienne Campbell will demonstrate how to make Meadowsweet Cordial (as seen on RTÉ’s Corrigan Cooks Naturally). Vivienne will also include a talk on the therapeutic properties of Meadowsweet.Other events planned throughout the morning include children’s entertainment and a hazel-weaving demonstration. There will also be a display of …

ENNIS Chamber and Ennis Development Forum are to take planning and legal advice in relation to the proposed variation to the Ennis and Environs Development Plan.Members of both Ennis Chamber and the Ennis Development have stated they are seeking the advice as they expressed “grave concern” at reports that members of Ennis Town Council have supported out-of-town development, which the business community believe will be to the detriment of the town.Last week, councillors at a meeting to discuss the proposed variation of the Ennis and Environs Development Plan suggested that a development site on the Limerick Road and Clonroadmore be a suitable location for a district centre scheme or large foodstore, subject to assessment of retail impact. This area is currently the subject of a planning application for a 7,000m2 retail development by Michael Lynch Ltd. Speaking in relation to the proposed out-of-town development, president of Ennis Chamber, John Dillane said, “Ennis Chamber actively supports the encouragement of new business …

PLANS to extend the burial ground at Templemaley have been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanála. Fr Jerry Carey of Doora-Barefield Parish has welcomed the board’s decision to grant permission to the extension of the graveyard, which is close to capacity, saying, “We are very thrilled that the process has been seen through the end and we have procured this permission. This is a growing area and this extension will be needed for the future.”The site of the proposed development is located directly east of Templemaley Graveyard comprising .230 hectares of a greenfield site. It is envisaged that the extension will allow for 96 burial plots.The Department of the Environment appealed to An Bord Pleanála the decision of Clare County Council to grant permission to the extension. The application was made by a voluntary group in the growing Doora-Barefield Parish, with Fr Jerry Carey making the application. The permission was granted in February by Clare County Council, subject to …

ILLEGAL dumping and the burning out of vehicles at Ballybeg Woods has led to calls for the installation of CCTV cameras at the adjacent car park. At a recent meeting of Ennis East Electoral Area Councillors, Councillor Pat Daly requested Clare County Council to install the cameras in a bid to stamp out the anti-social behaviour.Robert Burns, executive engineer for the environment section of Clare County Council informed the meeting that the area had been subject to a “significant level of illegal waste activity” in the first half of 2009.However, the waste enforcement section, in conjunction with the Ennis Area office, implemented a number of measures at that time to counteract this illegal waste activity, including: removal of waste illegally dumped in the area; erection of ‘No Dumping’ and CCTV warning signs; use of CCTV surveillance over a three to four-week period and increased frequency of environmental patrols by the warden covering the area.From reviewing the council’s own complaints system …

FR Hugh McKenna OFM, Guardian in Ennis Friary, has been elected leader of the Irish Province of Franciscan Friars. Fr McKenna will move to Dublin in August to take up his new post after he was elected the Minister Provincial at a meeting of 90 friars for their provincial chapter in Gormanstown, County Meath recently. Speaking to The Clare Champion about his new appointment, Fr McKenna said, “It’s a great honour and a privilege for me”.The 49-year-old was educated in the Franciscan College, Gormanston and entered the order in 1979, making his First Profession the following year. Ordained to the priesthood in 1989, he has served in a variety of ministries, including as formation director in St Isidore’s College, Rome. Fr McKenna follows in the footsteps of his predecessor Minister Provincial Fr Caoimhín Ó Laoide, also a former Guardian of Ennis Friary.Fr McKenna, a native of Foxrock in Dublin, has been living in Ennis for the past three years. And …