Ennis

PARANORMAL investigators have captured an eerie image of what they believe is the spirit of a child at a window of the former Our Lady’s Hospital in Ennis. Paranormal Supernatural Investigations Ireland visited the site of the old Ennis Asylum last week where the took hundreds of photographs as well as video footage and voice recordings from outside. Among the images taken is the picture of a window with what they claim is a small child’s face in the bottom right corner. Richard Morrison, of Paranormal Supernatural Investigations Ireland insists, “I believe that building is very, very active paranormally without a doubt. Places like that are going to hold a lot of negative energy and that stonework is going to contain all that sadness.” The photograph was initially posted to social media by the group at the weekend without comment on what it could be, other than “a very interesting picture taken by ourselves at Ennis Asylum” and some of the history …

THE ordination of Croatian native Antun Pasalic into the priesthood at the weekend was described as a “unique joy” by Bishop Fintan Monahan. Antun’s parents, Marko and Anđa, and his family, travelled from Croatia to be present at his ordination on Sunday in Ennis’ Cathedral of St Peter and Paul. Following his ordination, Fr Antun celebrated his First Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral on Monday evening. In his homily at the ordination Bishop Monahan recalled how in 2016 he did the pilgrim climb of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo and Antun was on the climb with him that day. “Little did I think then that we would share the Pilgrim Path as colleagues in the Diocese of Killaloe. It is a unique joy for me to ordain him today and it is an immense joy too for the priests, religious and people of the diocese. May we continue together on the pilgrim path of Antun’s divine call to priesthood …

Vitalograph is set to invest €10 million as it expands its operations and creates 100 new jobs in Clare and and another 100 in Limerick over the next two years. As revealed in the Clare Champion last week, the company is to spread its investment over two centres in the Mid-West. The company is opening new sites at Engine Innovate Building, Limerick and the Clare Technology Park, Ennis to accommodate the high value new jobs that will support the rapid growth of its global clinical trials and healthcare business. A significant investment is also being made in its existing manufacturing plant in Ennis as Vitalograph brings the production of its consumables from Asia to Ireland to achieve efficiencies of scale, increase the stability in their supply line and reduce the overall carbon footprint of these essential medical accessories. With a base in Ennis since 1974, Vitalograph is a global leader in respiratory diagnostics, developing and manufacturing innovative medical diagnostical devices …

MOTORISTS have been seen driving on a pedestrianised area of Ennis’ Parnell Street in the evening, prompting calls for barriers to be put in place. Councillor Mark Nestor highlighted the concerns of local businesses located on the town centre street at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. He stated, “There are businesses operating in the pedestrianised section of Parnell Street after 6pm but over the last number of weeks there has been an issue of cars driving up the street when they shouldn’t.” He requested that Ennis Municipal District erect temporary barriers at the end of the pedestrianised section of Parnell Street, to stop traffic coming up the street. The motion was seconded by Councillor Pat Daly. Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer, “The contractor is awaiting for ESB connections to the retractable bollard to be completed and then the bollards can be commissioned. “The Ennis Municipal District will arrange temporary traffic management to obstruct errant drivers from entering from …

Antun Pasalic will be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Killaloe by Bishop Fintan Monahan in the Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul in Ennis this Sunday, April 24, (Divine Mercy Sunday), at 3pm. Antun is a native of Zagreb, Croatia. He first came to Ireland when he was 18 years old and worked for some time in the Cistercian Abbey in Roscrea. He began his studies for the priesthood in St. Patrick’s College Maynooth in 2015. Ordained as a deacon in September 2021, he has been ministering in the Ennis Parish and Abbey Pastoral Area since then. During his time of formation Antun has ministered in Ennis, Nenagh and at Knock Shrine. Antun’s parents, Marko and Anđa, and his family, will travel from Croatia to be present at his ordination on Sunday. Mr Davor Vidis, the Croatian Ambassador to Ireland will also be in attendance. Fr. Antun will celebrate his First Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral …

EXPENDITURE on the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme increased dramatically from about €6 million to €14.4 million a new report has revealed. An examination of the considerable additional expenditure was outlined in the Statutory Audit Report to Clare County Council for December 31, 2020 at the April meeting of the local authority. This was due to emergency work that was necessary during the project and the urgent installation of a sheet pile wall along the full length of the originally proposed earthen embankment to protect 120 homes, numerous commercial properties and community buildings as such as St Flannan’s College. The original contract award for the earthen embankment was €5.1 million, while design emergency work required following the slippages cost €1.8 million. The cost of sheet pile design defence was €8.5 million, while the credit provision for the original works not completed was €1 million. The total revised cost of the contract was €14.4 million. After negotiating on a revised tender …

Planning permission has been granted for a pet crematorium in Ennis – despite objections from a sole mystery objector living 141 miles away. An Bord Pleanala has now cleared the way for Ennis couple, Aimee and Danny Keller to build their pet crematorium at a unit at Gort Road Business Park in Ennis. However, the project has been delayed by four months after an appeal was lodged against the Clare County Council grant of permission last November by a ‘Don Weldon’ from Navan, Co Meath. In a response to the appeal by planning consultants for the Kellers, P Coleman & Associates raised questions with An Bord Pleanala if ‘Don Weldon’ is a real person. The address provided by ‘Don Weldon’ is a numbered house at Ros na Ri, Commons Rd, Navan, Co Meath. A desk top legal investigation carried out for Aimee and Danny Keller on the person purporting to be Don Weldon determined that the numbered Ros na Ri …

WHEN Ennis held its first Relay for Life event on 23 June 2018, the committee was “blown away” by the community support. Since 2018, the generosity continued helping Relay for Life Ennis raise over €100,000 for the Irish Cancer Society through two live events and two virtual events. County Clare will get another chance to show their support this year as Relay for Life Ennis returns on June 18 and 19 at Tim Smythe Park.  Auriol Considine, Relay for Life Ennis chairperson comments, “We never imagined this event would be an instant success and this is down to the support we have received from the community. “Our main aim was to create an event where we could come together united against cancer to celebrate life, remember loved ones lost to the disease, and fight back against cancer by raising awareness. The fact that our team participants have raised that much money to support cancer patients and their families is amazing!” …