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Ennis

Man charged over major cash seizure in Clare’s county town

GARDAÍ have arrested and charged a man in relation to the seizure of almost €37,000 in cash in Ennis on May 4. As part of an ongoing operation targeting criminal activity in the county, Gardaí from the Clare Divisional Drugs Unit stopped a car on the Drumbiggle Road, Ennis, at around 8.30pm. Gardaí carried out a search of the vehicle and discovered nearly €37,000 in cash that was wrapped in cling film. A man, aged in his late teens, was arrested at the scene and brought to Ennis Garda Station where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. He has since been charged and is due to appear before Ennis District Court this evening.

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Claire’s passion for African dance earns her international acclaim

ENNIS woman Claire O’Meara describes herself as “just a girl who fell in love with a dance and a culture”, and that love has now brought her to international acclaim. Claire is a Kizomba dance instructor, and she has just been named as the Kizomba ambassador for Ireland, joining an elite group of performers and instructors promoting the dance globally through festivals and international workshops. Claire has been dancing Afro-Latin for over 20 years after living for 10 years in Florida. She stumbled across Kizomba at a salsa dance club in Limerick and was instantly hooked. Kizomba is a dance which is native to Angola in West Africa. It is a new genre of music hailing from the late ‘70s early ‘80s influenced by Semba music and Zouk from Carribean French Antilles. Claire specialises in Angolan culture and the roots of the dance which has become a global phenomenon and is danced in all corners of the world. It is …

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Update sought on Clarecastle/Ballyalla link

THE recent announcement of €200,000 funding for a walking and cycling route linking Ennis to Clarecastle has been described as “very positive”, with more funding being sought by the local authority for future projects. Once complete it is intended that people will be able to access the route at Clareabbey, bringing them to the Quin Road. In light of the funding, Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy, at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, sought an update on efforts to create a greenway/blueway from Ballyalla to Clarecastle. Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer, responded, “The Ennis Municipal District has submitted the “Connecting and Co-creating Ennis” project to the NTA for Active Travel Funding in 2021 with the intention of phasing the works over a number of years. “Some the elements of works identified in the project, will require the completion of the Mobility Plan for Ennis to show the justification for the proposed higher cost works. “The EarthRoute “Banks of the Fergus …

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Estate with 30kph zone is being abused as ‘rat run’

A RESIDENTIAL area of Ennis which had been a pilot location for 30kph speed limit zones is being used as a rat run with “unbelievable” speed. Increasing traffic has lead to local fears of potential accidents in Castlewood Park and residents are seeking the erection of speed ramps at the entrance and exit to their estate. Councillor Mark Nestor highlighted the issue at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where senior executive engineer Eamonn O’Dea confirmed a review will be carried out while also stressing the need for driver behaviour change. “Residents are very much concerned that the area is being used as a rat run to get from one estate to a main shopping area of the town quickly,” said Councillor Nestor. He added that the level of on-street parking is adding to the danger. “A lot of residents there don’t have their own driveway and there are quite a lot of children living in the area. “What …

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Pleas to get Summerhill works going

SUMMERHILL locals are “beginning to lose their patience” with traffic detours introduced as part of Ennis’ temporary Covid-19 mobility plan. Calls have now been made for planned road improvements at Summerhill to be expedited due to the “inconvenience” residents have endured. A meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard the job is part of this year’s road works programme, and is dependent on completion dates of improvements to a section of the Parnell Street Public Realm and the Temporary Covid-19 Ennis Town Centre Mobility Management Plan. Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Paul Murphy raised the issue welcoming the inclusion of Summerhill in the roadworks programme and urging that they take place “in as timely a manner as possible”. Seconding the motion, Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy stated, “We are all in agreement that these works should be prioritised. These people have been very patient.” Summerhill residents have “put up enough with traffic going up and down,” said Councillor Pat Daly: “I realise …

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Victor’s victory in USI contest

AN Ennis man has been elected to a key position within the Union of Students in Ireland. Victor O’Loughlin is the next vice president for the Border Midlands and Western Region of the USI. Due to the ongoing public health restrictions, USI Congress was held via Zoom with delegates voting online for the 2021-2022 executive team and numerous policies and motions. Congress was also streamed live on Facebook so students could watch the action as it happened. The 22-year-old is no stranger to student politics, having been elected as president of the student union of GMIT last year. He has been an active member in the student movement since 2016, involved in gathering students for protests, registering them to vote and of course, standing for election. He spent two years as a class rep before his election in 2018 as deputy president for education with GMIT’s student union, and his election as president in 2020. With this year’s USI election …

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WATCH: Court videos fail to derail €18.5k award to Clare man

A JUDGE has praised an Ennis personal fitness trainer for posting workout videos of himself on Facebook and Instagram shortly after sustaining injuries when a taxi driver drove at him, writes Gordon Deegan. At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Brian O’Callaghan stated that it is to Kris Flynn’s credit and not to his debit that he was out promoting himself online so soon after a traffic incident in the Aldi car park in Ennis on June 11 2017. Judge O’Callaghan made his comments before awarding €18,500 in general damages to Mr Flynn (36) of Cappahard, Ennis for the back, neck and shoulder injuries sustained and an additional €1,720 for medical and physio expenses. An investigator employed by the taxi-driver, Michael Maher’s insurers played a showreel of Mr Flynn working out at a gym lifting various weights to the court. Two were posted the same day of the incident and counsel for Mr Maher’s insurers, Donal O’Rourke BL stated that the videos …

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Ennis wastewater project shortlisted for prestigious Water Industry Award

AN Ennis project delivered by Irish Water in partnership with Clare County Council has been shortlisted as a finalist for the prestigious Water Industry Awards, which celebrate excellence across the water sector in Ireland and Britain. The optimisation work and improvements to the treatment process undertaken at Ennis North Wastewater Treatment Plant made the final shortlist in the ‘Asset Optimisation Initiative of the Year’ category. Teams from Irish Water and Clare County Council worked closely together to deliver this project which resulted in significant improvements in the performance and sustainability of the plant, serving a population of 25,000. As a result of this work, the energy consumed at the plant was reduced by 53%, or the equivalent of 789,000 kiloWatt hours per annum. Noise issues at the plant were also addressed, while its overall capacity was increased. The Ennis project is one of six Irish Water projects to be shortlisted for an award. Niall Gleeson, Managing Director of Irish Water, …

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