Ennis

A FINAL appeal for memories of the Turnpike has been made by Flan Hehir from McNamara Park, who has been working in recent months on compiling a new book exploring the history of the area. Flan’s new publication will explore the history of the old and new Turnpike area. The book is being produced in conjunction with Clare Roots Society. Last year, the partnership, in conjunction with the residents of McNamara Park, produced a booklet to mark the 50th anniversary of the first replacement houses to the Old Turnpike. Flan has been carrying out research over the last 18 months, travelling the town and country, collecting memories and photographs of the houses and tales of former residents. While his extensive research has uncovered many interesting stories, he is urging anyone with any information they feel could be useful in the book to contact him. “The current appeal is for contributions of photographs, documents, invoices and memorabilia of all kinds associated …

It was an emotional evening for members of the Greer family from Ennis at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney recently. In winning the Munster B Snooker Championship, the Ennis team captured the Pauline Greer Memorial Cup, a trophy presented in memory of Arthur Greer Senior’s wife. Adding to the excitement on the night was the fact that the outcome came down to the final frame in the final match, with Arthur Greer Senior at the table for the Ennis team. Ennis and the Century club from Limerick City were tied at two games each at the time. In the final match, Arthur Greer Senior lost the first game in the best-of-three contest. He won the second on the black ball, before going on to romp home by more than 60 points in the deciding frame, sending the players and supporters into wild celebration as their journey ended with the winning of the trophy named after Pauline. It was a very …

The CEO of healthcare recruitment company TTM, which has announced 500 new jobs over the next five years, has committed to continue pushing for job creation in the region. Brian Crowley has confirmed that all of the new jobs announced will be Irish based, with 75 of those set to be created in Clare. The company currently employ 80 staff at its headquarters in Ballymaley and there are plans to expand the workforce at the site. There will also be jobs created in the resilience care sector of the company, providing outreach, respite and residential services for children and adults with disabilities and home-based services for people with complex medical needs. There are currently 20 people working in this sector in the county. Following this week’s jobs announcement, Mr Crowley told The Clare Champion, “I am extremely proud to be a Clare man. When we are sitting at the boardroom table and looking at where our expansion is directed, I …

Clare County Council environment section has organised a series of workshops in Ennis, Scariff and Miltown Malbay to assist community groups with the Sustainable Waste & Resource Management category of the national SuperValu Tidy Towns competition. While the workshops have been developed to assist Tidy Towns groups, Clare County Council is also encouraging individuals, business, schools and community groups to attend and learn how to become involved in local environmental awareness projects or initiatives within their community. The upcoming workshops, which are supported through the Department of Environment’s Local Agenda 21 Fund, the EPA Local Authority Prevention Network and the Southern Region Waste Management Office, are free of charge. The first themed workshops – entitled ‘Tidy Towns: Promoting a more Sustainable Community’ – will take place at McNamaras Bar in Scariff from 11.00am to 12.30pm on January; Whitestrand Lifesaving Training Centre in Miltown Malbay from 11.00am to 12.30pm on January 27 and Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis from 7.00pm …

THE Ambassador of Poland to Ireland has expressed his “sincere gratitude” to the people of Ennis for the “support, compassion and generosity” shown to Marek Skiba, the 51-year-old man who was found dead on Christmas Day and was buried this week. The funeral of Polish native Mr Skiba, who had experienced homelessness, took place in Ennis Cathedral on Monday, just days after local campaigner for the homeless Josie O’Brien made an appeal for help with the funeral expenses. Ennis undertaker Cyril Cusack stepped in to offer his services for free, with comedian Brendan O’Carroll later promising to cover the costs. As well as Mr Skiba’s friends, many local people who did not know him but were touched by his story attended the funeral. Musicians and singers offered to perform for free and flowers were donated for the service. Clare County Council provided a burial plot for the deceased. Ryszard Sarkowicz, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to …

  Clare County Councillor, Mary Howard has been officially declared as the third Fine Gael (FG) candidate to contest the forthcoming General Election in the county. Last week, speculation was rife that Councillor Howard would be added by the Fine Gael National Executive Council to the party ticket in Clare at the weekend and has proved to be correct. The former Ennis Town Councillor stated it is a “huge honour” to be asked and also to be considered capable of being part of the local FG team. Despite her late entry into the race, she is looking forward to working with her running mates outgoing FG deputies Pat Breen and Joe Carey to maximise the party’s vote in Clare. “I love my job and my county and I would really love to take it to the next level. I have a proven track record of a strong work ethic and I am a team player thus I would love for …

Clare County Council has formally asked Grant Thornton, the receivers of the unfinished development at Cois Fhorgais in Clarecastle village, to furnish their plans for the site. The development, which is known locally as Devine’s Field, has been in a state of disrepair for several years. Local Fine Gael Deputy Joe Carey has been advised by the council’s planning department that they recently carried out an inspection of the unfinished development at Cois Fhorgais, Clarecastle and had written to the receivers, Grant Thornton, with reference to the long-term resolution of the site and current issues therein which require immediate attention. “As you are aware, the above site is listed on the Register of Unfinished Housing Developments and it is noted that little or no recent works have been carried out on the site to rectify the situation. There is currently a live extension of planning permission on the site, which will expire in April 2016. Consequently, the planning authority has requested the …

The search for missing Ennis law student, Michael Bugler has been called off after a body was recovered from the sea near Ardfry Point in Oranmore this afternoon. Gardaí say an unidentified body was spotted about 20 metres from shore by a search party looking for the missing man. Twenty year old Michael Bugler, an NUI Galway student, had not been seen since Friday, December 18 in the Quay Street area of the city. Since his disappearance, gardaí and hundreds of people have been engaged in daily searches in the Galway area for the missing student. In a post of Facebook later that evening, Michael sister Laura said the family are “relieved to finally have Michael home”. She added, “On behalf of myself, my family and Michael’s friends I’d like to thank you all for your help and support over the last three weeks. Thankfully we are so relieved to finally have Michael home today”.