Ennis

ENNIS has been pipped by a single point for the overall title of Ireland’s Tidiest Town 2016. With a total of 326 points, up five from last year, Ennis won the Tidiest Large Urban Centre title, but the award for the Tidiest Large Town and the overall title of Ireland’s Tidiest Town was won by Skerries in County Dublin with 327 points, an improvement of six points on last year’s. Birdhill, County Tipperary, claimed the award of Ireland’s Tidiest Village, while Listowel, County Kerry, received the award for Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town for the second year. A total of 859 towns and villages throughout the country entered this year’s SuperValu National TidyTowns competition. The awards were announced today (Monday) at The Helix in Dublin. On the second visit to Clare capital town, the adjudicators remarked,”Ennis is a thriving, bustling town with an energy which comes from being open and welcoming. It was a real pleasure for this adjudicator to spend …

THE son of an Ennis man murdered in the United States earlier this month will be laid to rest this weekend. Joseph ‘Trevor’ Dilger is the son Lyda Wells Dilger and PJ Dilger, who moved to Kentucky a number of years ago from Hermitage in Ennis. The remains of the 24 year old Kentucky National Guardsman were discovered in the back seat of a burned out vehicle in Lexington, Kentucky on September 4. The discovery was made by firefighters and the coroner’s office ruled the death a homicide with the cause of death yet to be released. A number of arrests and charges have since been made in connection with the death. Following his death, friends of Mr Dilger held a vigil in his honour in Lexington. He has been described as a man who “was proud to serve his country and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He always had a smile on his face and a funny story …

A total of €4.71 million in funding for the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme has been approved by the Office of Public Works. The money will be made available to Clare County Council when it addresses some technical aspects of the scheme. The scheme will involve extensive flood alleviation work to the St Flannan’s and Ballybeg streams in the Clonroadmore, Ballybeg and Clareabbey areas of Ennis and Clarecastle. “There are some residual matters that require further consideration by the council and its consultants prior to implementation of the scheme. The offer of funding has been made on the basis that the council addresses and satisfies itself in relation to these matters prior to entering into any binding contractual commitments,” explained Clare TD, Joe Carey. Responding to a parliamentary question from Deputy Carey last month, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohue acknowledged that discussions relating to technical aspects of the scheme had impacted on progress but he expected that the OPW would …

Clare County Council has opened a Book of Condolence at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis in memory of the victims of last night’s attack in Nice, France. Councillor Bill Chambers, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council said, “On behalf of Clare County Council and the people of Clare, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the friends and families of the victims of this attack.” “I wish the people of France strength as they seek to overcome yet another senseless attack but I am confident that the abiding principals of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité will never be diminished by those who oppose them,” he said. Ennis is twinned with the southern French town of Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet, which is located west of Nice on the Mediterranean coast. Mayor of Ennis Councillor Ann Norton said, “On behalf of my colleagues in the Municipal District of Ennis, I wish to extend our sympathy and support to the people of Saint-Paul de Fenouillet …

A man in his 60’s has been rescued from the River Fergus. Gardaí were alerted around 9.30 last night after a man got into difficulty close to the bridge on the N85 ring-road near Clareabbey in Clarecastle.. Three units of the Ennis Fire Service, including a specialist Swift Water Rescue Team, were sent to the scene, while the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard was also alerted, but was later stood down. Members of An Garda Síochána located the man beneath the bridge and attempted to reach him by wading into the water before fire service personnel brought him to safety. The man was transferred into the care of the ambulance service.

With Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2016 in Ennis only a matter of weeks away, The Clare Champion has produced a car sticker to highlight the county’s rich traditional music heritage. “The Banner – home of traditional music”, is the catchphrase on the must-have car sticker, available free with this week’s Clare Champion on Thursday. Displaying this car stick will be an endorsement of your pride in the Fleadh returning to Clare after a long wait.

AN Bord Pleanála has rejected plans for a Barack Obama-style motorway plaza just outside Clarecastle. Earlier this year, Supermac’s Owner Pat McDonagh was granted planning permission by Clare County Council for a rest stop and drive thru on the Limerick – Gort motorway but the decision has been overturned on appeal.Supermac’s has a very successful plaza at Moneygall in County Offaly and another near the M6 at Loughrea. The planning permission in respect of the Clarecastle project was appealed by service stop rival, Applegreen, which has its own plans for a service area, 8km south of the Supermacs site. Later, however, Applegreen and Claureen Service Station withdrew their appeals and local man, Shane Brigdale was the only remaining opposition. The rejection of the plan represents a blow to the prospects of up to 100 jobs during the operation phase and up to 80 jobs during the construction phase. The appeal board refused planning on three grounds, including that it would …

Ennis insects are living it up with five-star treatment in a “bug hotel”, thanks to the efforts of local national-school children. Up to 200 students and 20 teachers in the Holy Family Junior School have created a hotel for insects, as part of the school’s bid for a fifth Green Flag. Creepy crawlies have what can only be described as luxury accommodation in a timber house, made from recyclable wooden pallets, under the direction of teacher, Triona Waters. Measuring approximately six-feet high by two-feet wide, the insect house is full of leaves and old pots to provide an ideal home for a variety of bugs. This environmentally-friendly initiative is one of the main planks of a project, which aims to teach young children, from the ages of four to eight, more about biodiversity and the wonders of nature. Teacher, Fiona Power explains that this latest project started last September and will continue up to June 2017. Because the children involved …