Ennis

Clare Youth Service are holding a weekend of events to encourage young people to take care of their mental health, to get involved, get active, spend time with friends, share their opinions and get creative. Activities, which will run from Friday, April 29, to Sunday, May 1, at Carmody Street, Ennis are free to all young people aged 15-18 years. The programme will begin on Friday at 3pm with a soccer showdown, Young People v CYS Staff, followed from 6pm-8pm by an art workshopAn ice cream party from 2pm will get Saturday’s proceedings underway. A dance workshop will begin at 3pm and an hour later attention will switch to tribal drumming. The film It’s a Kind of Funny Story will be screened at the centre at 7pm.Sunday’s programme includes smoothies at 2pm, yoga from 3pm and the film Despicable Me at 4pm.In addition to the activities, youth information officers will be available throughout the weekend with information on healthy lifestyle, …

ENNIS’ town manager Ger Dollard has opposed calls to enclose the newly opened Tim Smythe Park playground behind a 6ft tall fence, saying he does not want to create a “prison-type environment”.

FIFTY local-authority housing tenants, who have lived in their homes for more than 10 years, have been identified by Ennis Town Council as being suitable to avail of a “golden opportunity” to buy their own homes.

HAVING spent years without Icarus looking down over Ennis’ market, The Clare Champion can, for the first time, reveal images of the new sculpture which is set to find its home on the market roundabout.

COUNCILLOR James Breen has described how he had “a few near misses” on the Cahercalla Road when out canvassing.

THE new playground at the Tim Smyth Park is “causing havoc day and night” according to residents in Lifford, who have called for the area to be enclosed by a 6ft fence in a bid to deter anti-social behaviour.

ENNIS Town Councillor Mary Howard has declared war on those who are responsible for the illegal dumping of rubbish in the town.

A programme designed to rehabilitate criminal offenders, the first of its kind in the country, has been designed by an Ennis-based psychotherapist.Johanna Treacy has designed RIOTS, (Reintegrating Offenders to Society) and the programme has led to her being shortlisted to take part in the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland bootcamp.This week, she will be vying for a place on this year’s Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Social Impact Programme, with a total fund of €500,000 up for grabs.The Social Impact Programme sought applications from individuals developing new, big ideas to address the social and environmental challenges we face in Ireland.Johanna explained that the idea for RIOTS came to her when she studied mediation and conflict intervention in Maynooth.“I always had an interest in people and behaviour, since I’m qualified as a career counsellor, clinical hypnotherapist, life coach and psychotherapist. While studying for the MA, I became very interested in the fact that the conventional methods to criminal justice were undeniably insufficient. The most recent …