Regional

CONCERN has been aired by a local councillor about incidents of anti-social behaviour in Ennis, writes Dan Danaher. Councillor Mary Howard expressed concern at a recent Joint Policing Committee about boy racers operating near Shiels’ Garage following a number of complaints from people who are working early in the morning. “Cars are being revved up in the car park and a lot of noise is being made with handbrake turns. Some people want to sleep at night but they can’t because boy racers are gathering at night time,” she said. She also raised concern about a complaint from a woman who was trying to park near Ennis Cathedral but was intimidated by drunk people in the vicinity of the parking ticket machine. This prompted the woman to return to her car and drive away to find another parking spot in the town. “These people are picking awkward spots to hang around in Ennis. People are frightened when they come upon …

COUNCILLOR Johnny Flynn has called on the developers of a proposed €1.2 billion Ennis data centre to make substantial changes to their plans for the development, writes Dan Danaher. A significant number of objections have already been made to Clare County Council in relation to the planning application lodged by Art Data Centres Ltd. An objection to the plan made by Future Proof Clare includes the signatures of 250 people, the majority of which the organisation say were gathered within seven hours in Ennis’ town centre. Concerns have been raised about the planned development by politicians, individuals and groups with Future Proof Clare, Extinction Rebellion Clare and the Clare Environment Network joining forces in their opposition to the proposal. Friends of the Irish Environment, Environmental Trust Ireland and Green Party MEP Ciarán Cuffe are also among those who have lodged submissions. In a comprehensive submission to the local planning authority, Councillor Flynn outlined he is in favour of the development …

ANTUN Pasalic, seminarian in Ennis Parish, who is a native of Croatia, has been ordained a Deacon in the Cathedral of SS Peter & Paul Ennis. The ordaining prelate was Bishop Fintan Monahan, Bishop of Killaloe who said, “Today is a happy day and we rejoice in great delight on this occasion of the ordination of Antun as Deacon, another great milestone on his pathway to priesthood to serve in the Diocese of Killaloe. Antun was joined by his brother and his family in the Cathedral, and by his parents, brothers, and sisters, online from their home in Croatia. His Excellency, Dr Davor Vidishe, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia in Ireland and Fr Yosep, chaplain to the Croatian community in Ireland also attended. The newly ordained Deacon will continue to minister in the Abbey Pastoral Area and reside in Ennis parish. Speaking during the celebration, Bishop Monahan welcomed those who had gathered in person and those joining the ceremony …

CYCLISTS across the Mid-West have been invited on a picturesque tour through towns and villages in East Clare to help raise funds for a community group, writes Dan Danaher. The seventh annual Tour Through East Clare cycle will take place on Saturday, September 25, to raise badly needed funds for Kilkishen Development Association (KDA). All routes will start and finish at the Kilkishen Cultural Centre and cyclists can choose between 100km or 50km routes. The 100km route travels via Sixmilebridge, Broadford, Bodyke, Scarriff and into Mountshannon for a food stop. From Mountshannon, the cycle continues to Scarriff, Feakle, Glendree and on to Tulla before returning to Kilkishen. The 50km route travels via Sixmilebridge, Broadford, Bodyke and returns via Tulla. The cycle is organised by the Kilkishen Development Association, and all funds raised from this cycle will support the Kilkishen Cultural Centre. Secretary and treasurer of the Kilishen Cultural Centre, Olivia King recalled the former protestant church hosted exercise classes, yoga, …

CHRISTMAS came early to the streets of Ennis when filming for a new Hallmark movie took to Abbey Street. Familiar buildings on the thoroughfare were decked out in festive flair for the filming of the movie starring Mean Girls’ Lacey Chabert alongside Irish actor Stuart Townsend. Details of the movie have yet to be released but it is understood that the working title is ‘Christmas at Castle Hart’. Earlier this year West Coast Casting, who do casting calls for productions in the West of Ireland sought extras for the film shooting in various locations in Clare and Limerick. The call specifically looked for men and women aged 50 and up to take part in a ballroom scene with other roles including hotel staff, diners, villagers and pub patrons. Filming has also been done in the Old Ground Hotel while Bunratty, Dromoland and Kinvara are also said to be among the locations for the shoot. As well as the major stars, …

FUNDING allocated to Clare County Council for the transformation of parts of Ennis to facilitate permanent outdoor dining “will add to the already stellar outdoor spaces that have sprung up around the town over the past few months”. That’s according to Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe who has welcomed the allocation of €186,875 to Clare County Council under the government’s Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme. Francis Street, Lower Parnell Street, Abbey Street Car Park and the Temple Gate Plaza are set to benefit from the funding announced under Fáilte Ireland’s Outdoor Dining Enhancement Scheme. “Businesses across Clare and the country have adapted hugely to deal with the outdoor dining necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Deputy Crowe. “It’s one of the very few positives of this pandemic that we, as a country, are now ramping up the dining options available to ourselves as citizens and also tourists. “The funding allocated to Ennis will add to the already stellar outdoor …

A HISTORY project of exhaustive research and work spanning 17 years will culminate with the launch this Saturday of Tomás Mac Conmara’s seminal book on the Scariff Martyrs. A well-known figure around the county, Tomás, who has done a huge amount of work to record Clare’s oral history, has long been fascinated by the fate of the martyrs and the time they lived in. “Only since the release was confirmed my mother found a photograph taken in April 2004 with Paddy Gleeson. That would have been the very first interview that I did relating specifically to the Scariff Martyrs. “It really makes you think back, I was 23 then and I’m 40 now, there were 17 years of research in different ways. “Obviously you’re not working solely for 17 years on it but for those 17 years you’re observing, taking any opportunity to find more information or to deepen your understanding. That photograph really brought it home that it’s been …

A DECISION on planning permission for the construction of a €1.2 billion data centre campus in Ennis has been put on hold as Clare County Council has sought further information on the development. In an extensive 11-page correspondence with developers Art Data Centres Ltd, Clare County Council have stated, “It is considered that the information submitted with this application is insufficient to enable the planning authority make a complete planning assessment of the proposal.” The authority outlines all documentation submitted with the application has been considered and assessed including the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Natura Impact Statement. “In order to complete the assessment of the direct and indirect effects on the environment of the proposed development the planning authority requires the submission of the further information,” the planning authority said. Before making a decision on the plans further details on the project have been sought by the council under a number of headings including: potential project splitting; drainage, …