Ennis

IF farmers can be fined because people illegally dump on their property, then the operators of Ennis’ bus and train station should have to pay up for any litter found on its grounds, believes Ennis’ deputy mayor. Councillor Paul Murphy was speaking in the wake of the recent Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) litter league results, which saw the station come in for criticism by the adjudicators despite a strong showing in other parts of the county capital. “If an innocent farmer can get a fine for having rubbish dumped on his land or ditch, can we not issue the landowners of the station with a fine? That would soften their cough,” he said. The final survey of 2021 by business group IBAL showed Ennis retaining third spot in the ranking of 40 towns and cities. However, of all the areas surveyed by An Taisce the station ranked the lowest with a B grade. The adjudicators report stated, “The main litter …

AN Ennis secondary school has featured in the top three feeder girls’ schools for third level progression in the country. Coláiste Muire, a non fee paying school, features in the top four of all schools in the recently released Irish Times feeder school tables. The school recorded a 115% progression rate to third level in the list which included the total number of college registrations from schools including those who completed their Leaving Certificate prior to 2021. A total of 138 students at the Coláiste sat their Leaving Certificate in 2021, while the total number of Coláiste students to accept a CAO place in that year was 159. According to the statistics, NUIG was the most popular third level institution for Coláiste students with 37 enrolled there last year. The second most popular college was UL with 31 students enrolled. Students were also accepted to UCD, TCD, DCU, St Angela’s, Queens’ University Belfast, TU Dublin, Galway – Mayo IT, IT …

AFTER 40 years working as an optician in the heart of Ennis, Louise Brogan is retiring. December 31 marked her last day of opening the premises just off O’Connell Street, but she is still doing a little bit of work before concluding. “We closed on the 31st, the last day of last year. Now we’re here for last minute things, people might need to collect prescriptions or whatever, so we’re here by arrangement for the next week or two,” she said on Tuesday. While the business was there since the 1930s, Louise arrived some 40 years ago. “Bernie Maurer and Dr Eileen Kennedy Maurer were here and I came to work for them and when they retired I kept going. It was a lovely business from the point of view of meeting people. “You might only meet them only once a year or once every two years, but you’d develop a friendship with them over the years. That was a …

TESCO has been granted planning permission for the development of a click and collect facility at its Ennis store, writes Owen Ryan. The development comprises a 50 square metre canopy in its car park for the purpose of providing two click and collect spaces. A letter accompanying the application says, “The development will consist of the construction of a sheltered canopy area (c 50sqm) with two parking bays in the existing Tesco car park at the above mentioned location. “The proposed canopy area will be used for ‘Click and Collect’ purposes to serve the Tesco store and to meet customer demands. The proposal also includes ancillary signage and a pedestrian crossing to facilitate safe pedestrian movements within the car park and all associated site development works.” Outlining the benefits, the document said, “The provision of dedicated spaces within the customer car parking area for ‘Click and Collect’ services is made in response to changing customer habits. “Tesco currently operates a …

A STALWART of the Clare athletics scene received a congratulatory phone call from Olympic hero Kellie Harrington after receiving a national award for his work. Ennis Track AC’s Gerry Hayes recently received a SPAR Ireland Mentor Award for his unselfish hard work with the club. The president of the club was one of 10 people to receive this award as each winner scooped €1,000 for their club. The phone call from Harrington came after Hayes expressed his hope some of the young talent coming through can represent the club and their country at an Olympic Games. “I was overjoyed when I got the news. I never expected it. I do what I love. I’ve done volunteer work all my life and all my family have volunteered too so it is unexpected. It’s a huge honour.” He states his love of athletics was something he possessed from an early age. “I have a love of sport especially athletics. I found running …

THE transformation of a former town dump in Ennis into a “little haven” for the community was praised as calls were made on the local authority to carry out regular maintenance in the area. The “overgrown” walking trails at Fr McNamara Park were raised at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District by Councillor Mary Howard. She stated that she regularly receives representations from the public regarding the amenity. “Is it possible to put a regular programme of maintenance in place as it gets very overgrown and the weeds and briars have become trip hazards,” she asked. Anthony Considine, executive engineer, replied, “Similar to 2020, maintainence works continue to take place to the walking trails around Fr. McNamara park. These works took place in mid November 2021 and again were completed outside of the bird nesting season which runs from March 1 to August 31 each year.” Councillor Howard stated that there is “a little haven out there, but it …

THE proud record of Ennis in presenting a clean and tidy face to the country was maintained with another high placing in the IBAL rankings. The final survey of 2021 by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) shows Ennis retaining third spot in the ranking of 40 towns and cities. According to the study, nationwide litter levels have risen slightly, with cities faring particularly badly. PPE litter was found to be at its highest level since the pandemic began. Naas finished top ahead of Portlaoise and Ennis to record its first win in the annual rankings. There was a slight fall in the number of clean towns nationwide, to 22. The An Taisce report for Ennis stated: “It is only fitting that the 2021 Tidy Town winner should score so well in the IBAL litter league. “It is particularly encouraging that a site which had been seriously littered over the last number of IBAL surveys was now deemed top-ranking …

DISCUSSIONS are underway with a view to installing a filter light for those travelling from the Limerick Road to Old Gaol Road in Ennis, the local authority have confirmed. Councillor Pat Daly highlighted the need for the light at the monthly meeting of the council at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where he urged the council, “to install a filter right arrow on the traffic lights at the Clare Road, adjacent to the tyre centre, to accommodate traffic coming from the Limerick Road side who presently are finding it very difficult to turn right in the Gaol Road.” Ian Chaplin, Executive Engineer, responded, “The Ennis Municipal District recently installed two hatch boxes at this junction to assist access from Clare Road Tyres and the hatch box at the Captain Macs Cross side of the junction should assist the traffic flow as buses will not be obstructed when turning left out of Old Goal Road. The Ennis MD …