Regional

FOR many years, Clare Youth Service has been using the ‘Natural Highs’ approach to promote positive mental health and self-esteem through exercise and outdoor activity. Now, the Drugs Education and Prevention Project (DEPP) at CYS has teamed up with Ezra Zane Fitness to provide beginner calisthenics programmes for young people in Ennis. An integral part of the DEPP is to promote healthier lifestyle choices and provide young people with the opportunity to engage in physical exercise. Calisthenics is a form of bodyweight resistance training that focuses on strength, balance and flexibility and it is the most recent addition to the activities on offer at CYS. A new programme will start on October 21 and Eve Wood Hennessy of Clare Youth Service is encouraging young people to give it a try. “Ezra will works closely with a group of young people and youth workers, teaching them the basics of calisthenics,” said Eve. “Throughout the programme, the group will practice fundamental movement …

THE first post-lockdown survey by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) shows Ennis again in third position in the ranking of 40 areas nationwide. While the majority of surveyed towns have cleaned up over the past 12 months, litter in the country’s main cities has worsened to levels not seen in ten years. Portlaoise emerged as cleanest town. The study found no fall-off in PPE litter across the country. The An Taisce report for Ennis stated, “Another excellent showing for Ennis, cementing its position among the cleanest towns in the country. There were no heavily littered sites. Woohoo… Ranking THIRD NATIONALLY in the @IrishLitter IBAL survey. Well done to all our volunteers and @ClareCoCo staff 👍🚮♻️@GreenerClare @SuperValuIRL @TidyTownsIre @mrstidytowns @ClareEcho @RTENationwide https://t.co/mFZ9MsqNnB — Ennis Tidy Towns (@EnnisTidyTowns) October 18, 2021 There was plenty of repaving of the town centre sites (e.g., Parnell Street, see below), including many of the laneways off the main shopping streets – these laneways looked great. Despite …

PLANS to improve the accessibility of Ennis’ town centre, including upgrading disabled parking spaces, have been approved by the Ennis Municipal District. The proposals involve works at Friary Carpark, Abbey Street Carpark and Lower Market Street. Discussions had been held at the design stage with the local branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association whose views were taken on board. According to Barry Conway, executive engineer, “The progression of this scheme will be of great benefit to the local community and visitors to the town and will make the area safe in terms of accessibility and safety of travel.” Details of the plans were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, with councillors giving their backing to the proposals. The works involve: upgrading of disabled parking spaces to meet current standards; adjustment to footways; provision of kerbing and dropped kerbs; provision of uncontrolled pedestrian crossing; provision of all associated signage and road markings, and associated drainage and ancillary …

STATE-OF-THE ART new facilities are to come on stream at Raheen Community Hospital by the middle of next year, according to Clare’s Independent TD. Scariff’s Deputy Michael McNamara told The Champion he has received confirmation from the Health Service Executive (HSE) that the proposed new build ward extension at the Tuamgraney facility will be fully operational during the second quarter of 2022. “The first phase of the works commenced in March and involved the relocation of the existing plant and boiler house which was sited on the footprint of the new build,” he said. “The HSE has informed me that these works have been completed and that work on the 420m2 extension to the new build is underway.” The additional unit will involve a number of new long-stay facilities. “The project includes the provision of seven long-stay replacement beds as part of an extension which will reduce the density of beds in the long stay wards and address deficiencies identified …

AN historic area of Ennis with the highest vacancy rate in the town “risks further decline” unless regeneration action is taken, a meeting of the local authority has been warned. Calls have been made on the Ennis Municipal District by Councillors Johnny Flynn, Ann Norton and Clare Colleran Molloy to “urgently” develop an action plan for Chapel Lane. Speaking at the monthly meeting of the local authority Councillor Flynn suggested that Chapel Lane could be redeveloped to facilitate artists to live and work in the area, spearheading further regeneration of the town. “With the public realm upgrade of Parnell Street and the 29 lanes and bow-ways I believe that developing a regeneration of Chapel Lane to, for example assist artists and crafters working and living in the lane, could be a blueprint for regeneration of other areas of the historic town centre,” he said. Recalling the history of the lane he outlined that the Historic Town Atlas of Ennis map …

A NORTH Clare hotel has scooped a top prize in the Good Hotel Guide 2022, and been recognised for excellence in promoting walking holidays. Sheedy’s Hotel in Lisdoonvarna has been awarded the ‘Editor’s Choice award for Walking Breaks’. It is the second time the hotel has received the award in the past two years. Sheedy’s is boutique four star hotel in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark owned by John and Martina Sheedy. It is the only hotel in Ireland to receive the award for its two night walking break. Martina Sheedy who travelled to London to pick up the award on Monday said, “This award means so much to us, especially this year, with all the challenges we have faced due to the impact of the pandemic.” “We are delighted that we have won the award twice now; the first time was in 2020 and now again for 2022. What makes it even more special for …

AN award winning Ennis restaurant has announced it is closing its doors for good. The owners of the Rowan Tree Cafe Bar on Harmony Row confirmed they have made the “difficult decision” to cease trading as of Monday of this week. According to a social media post the decision to close was made “due to increasing and unsustainable operational costs”. “We would like to thank all our loyal guests and customers for their valued custom over the years and most importantly thanks to our fantastic employees many of whom have been with us since the beginning, for their loyalty and dedicated hard work, we will miss the interactions with you all on a daily basis but we feel now is the right time to end this chapter,” stated Brian and Marianne O’Neill. They have urged anybody with a gift voucher to contact them by email at info@rowantreecafebar.ie before Friday.

THE family of the late Tim Smythe has described the development of a new dressing room building at the Ennis park which bears his name as “amazing”. On Tuesday the new development, costing in the region of €500,000, was officially launched by the local authority at Tim Smythe Park. Michael Smythe, son of the late athlete and politician, told The Clare Champion he believes his father would have been thrilled at what has been done in his name. “It is absolutely amazing. He was never a person that sought out thanks or praise, but he would absolutely have been happy with this. “The dressing rooms are just a fantastic addition to what has already been done here. I remember when I used to come here to play with Lifford, this is just so amazing to see.” Michael, now based in the US, added that his father would have been particularly delighted with the park’s running track. “That was his love …