Ennis

TEACHERS and staff at St Flannan’s College have voiced opposition to plans for the development of a €25 million 100-bed community nursing unit on land used as playing grounds by the Ennis secondary school. According to a statement issued by the staff of St Flannan’s the proposal “will have a seriously negative impact” on the student population. “The green field site in St Flannan’s College is the last remaining site of its kind in Ennis. Urban sprawl is taking up much more of our green spaces each year. Once this land is built upon it will be gone forever,” it states. The teachers and staff have detailed reasons for their opposition to the plans including that during the academic year many teams of various sports regularly train on the pitches. “With so many students on the fields at any one time all our field space is utilised, including much of the space that is suggested for development under the proposed …

THE Drehidnagower Bridge in Ennis has been described as “lethal” as fresh calls have been made for a separate footbridge and footpath to be built to protect the safety of pedestrians. Councillor Mary Howard said she felt like a “scratched record” as she “once again” asked for funding to be sourced for the works at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. Responding to the motion Conor McDonagh, Executive Engineer, Road Design, said, “Transportation consultants have been appointed under this Active Travel scheme to carry out a transportation assessment, which includes a feasibility and option selection report to examine pedestrian / cyclist permeability over the Drehidnagower bridge. “They are currently undertaking necessary surveys on-site and preparing a suitable Multi Criteria Analysis under which all viable options will be assessed to determine the most appropriate solution. “When the emerging preferred option has been established, it will be necessary to apply to the NTA for further funding and seek approval to progress …

A DETAILED design and locations for bus stops as part of plans to develop an Ennis town bus service is expected to be completed by the National Transport Authority within the first nine months of this year. The establishment of the bus service has been described as “crucial” by Councillor Johnny Flynn who, at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, urged that preparations begin immediately to ensure infrastructure is in place to support the service. Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer, stated that the provision of the service “has been a priority for all involved in the delivery of services for the former Ennis Town Council-Clare County Council Ennis Area and Ennis Municipal District Council.” And he said the council will assist the NTA in the “timely completion” of required infrastructure designs and installation. Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Flynn welcomed the news that the NTA plan to have a two route Ennis bus service in operation by early …

ENNIS councillors from across the political divide came together this week to support a call by Ennis Mayor Fianna Fáil’s Clare Colleran Molloy for maintenance and clean up works to the DeValera monument. While the town’s deputy mayor, Fine Gael’s Mary Howard who represented the council at a recent commemoration at the monument, has quipped a statue of Michael Collins could be added to the site near the courthouse. Speaking at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Councillor Colleran Molloy described the monument as “kind of sad looking” as she urged that the bronze statue of the former president be examined for maintenance and cleaning. She said that any works needed should be undertaken “as soon as possible”. Councillor Howard described the monument as “an integral part of our public realm” recalling how when she went to school the statue’s glasses regularly went missing. “It’s important we embrace our history and not be exclusive” she said adding with a …

THE “poor condition” of both sides of the road adjacent to Hermitage’s Grotto was highlighted at a meeting of Ennis councillors, with a senior engineer suggesting a thin surface overlay may provide a solution for residents. The condition of the road was raised by Councillor Pat Daly at the Ennis Municipal District meeting. “The road is seriously in need of upgrading, it has not been done in many, many years.” Paddy Tiernan, Acting Senior Executive Engineer informed the meeting that the Ennis Municipal District will put forward this road for inclusion in the Schedule of Municipal Works for 2023. “Subject to inclusion and associated funding this road will be upgraded in 2023.” Councillor Daly welcomed the response, saying the grotto is “a hugely popular area in the middle of the ‘Tage.” Seconding the motion, Councillor Mary Howard said an upgrade is “long overdue”. The road is made of concrete, with Councillor Howard saying there are a lot of older residents …

ENNIS’ Abbey Street must not be left to become “a ghost street”, left behind as other streets in the county town benefit from upgrades. That’s according to Councillor Johnny Flynn who has called on the Ennis Municipal District to carry out a feasibility study on improvement works for the thoroughfare. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the local authority Councillor Flynn pointed to public realm upgrades completed in Parnell Street and planned for O’Connell Street and Barrack Street with a combined cost of €20 million. He urged that the feasibility study for similar works on Abbey Street be carried out “in order to apply for Part 8 Planning to enable the lodging an application to Government for Urban Renewable & Development Fund (URDF)   funding under what would be a third phase of the Ennis Town Centre Public Realm Regeneration.” However, while the local authority executive insisted including Abbey Street in future regeneration projects “is a priority”, Leonore O’Neill senior …

ENNIS residents’ concerns over “haphazard development” and vacant homes at St Flannan’s Terrace have prompted calls for ‘Development and Design Guidelines’ to be drawn up for the area. A newly-formed residents association of St Flannan’s Terrace have made the request for the area which was built in the early 1900s and has been designated Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) under the Clare County Development Plan. Councillor Johnny Flynn at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District urged his fellow councillors to support the residents in their call for guidelines to be drawn up under relevant planning legislation. “The procedure for such guidelines is laid out in Section 84 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) together with advice on public consultation, enforcement etc,” he pointed out. The terrace constitutes 46 houses, six of which are unoccupied. “They are quite concerned about haphazard development occurring and some vacancy,” he said. He continued that because the terrace is an ACA design guidelines …

THE “great endeavours” of world champion athlete ‘Honest’ John Purcell should be honoured in a more visible way, as the existing plaque at John O’Sullivan Lees Road is “not noticed”, says Mayor of Ennis Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy. A request for a more prominent memorial to the Ballymaley world record holder, following representations from the Purcell family, is now to be made to the Memorial Committee of Clare County Council. Councillor Colleran Molloy told a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that members of the Purcell family had been in contact about the need for a new memorial. The track at John O’Suillivan Lees Road is dedicated to world champion ‘Honest’ John Purcell who reigned as world champion and world record holder for long jump, and for hop, step and jump in the 1880s.  John Purcell was born in Ballymaley in 1860 and died in San Francisco in 1904.   Councillor Colleran Molloy outlined that the existing dedication marker is a …