Regional

A SHORT film co-produced by two Ennis companies and shot in Feakle is set to go from the Banner to Hollywood, having wowed the international film festival scene. The film, The Long Night Followed, has just won an award for Best Short Narrative at the TOFF International Film Festival based in New York and has been selected for the Miami Independent Film Festival and Los Angeles CineFest. Preparations are also being made for the film to be shown at an upcoming festival in Berlin. Lead actor Zeb Moore was also nominated for Best Actor at the 12 Months Film Festival in Romania. Hopes are high that local film lovers will get a chance to see the film, with efforts being made to have it screened at the upcoming Richard Harris International Film Festival. Co-produced by Scorpion Films and Black Umbrella Productions, the film was written and directed by Bill Bradshaw. Bill said the team have been very surprised by the …

A PROPOSAL that all the trees at Tullyglass Hill be taken out in one fell swoop didn’t get much of a welcome at this week’s Shannon Municipal District meeting. The two members from the town, Sinn Féin’s Mike McKee and independent Gerry Flynn, were particularly against it, claiming that the job at Tullyvarraga Hill some years ago has meant that local people will oppose it. The meeting also heard a proposal for increasing the amount of open space at the town park by creating room by removing older trees, many of them behind the existing town hall. This was largely welcomed by the members. Speaking about this dimension, consultant Nicholas De Jong said the idea of the park works is to meet the recreational needs of the town going into the future and that the existing park area is restructured. He said many of the trees had been damaged last year, others have reached maturity and work is required. He …

THE vice-principal of St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart said the school is “absolutely delighted” that one of its students was among the highest achievers nationwide in the Junior Cert. Sixteen-year-old Ciara Kenny secured 12 As and Deirdre Convey said while the school is very pleased for Ciara, it is very happy with the results “across the board”. Ms Convey said Ciara is an “excellent student”, who excels both in academic and extra-curricular subjects. “Ciara was a winner in the Féile na hInse competition and she participates in the girls’ basketball team,” Ms Convey said. “She was also a member of the Green Schools Committee, which won two green flags last year and she took part in the young environmentalist competition last year and was one of the group who got to the Mansion House.” Ms Convey said overall the students in the Kildysart-based school did very well and were supported in their endeavours by the “committed and dedicated” staff …

MANY of the buildings in Shannon Free Zone were built decades ago and are in poor shape but with €21 million to be invested in the next 24 months and more to follow, Shannon Group says it will soon be far more suited to the needs of 21st Century industry. Demolition work on some of the old stock begun this week and Shannon Group says the project will significantly strengthen the hand of development agencies in attracting major investment. The agency says the €21m first phase of the redevelopment will take place over the next two years and will support more than 250 construction-related jobs, including the redevelopment of a 12 acre site. As part of the initial phase, two projects have been planned at a combined cost of in excess of €10 million. These include a 40,000ft² Grade A office block and a 30,000ft² advance technology manufacturing unit. Work on the 12 acre site commenced with the demolition of …

Active Ennis is giving local people the chance to trial the world’s first Alterg anti-gravity treadmill this Friday in the town centre. This piece of life-changing technology was engineered by NASA and as well as the fun of feeling what it’s like to walk on the moon it has the serious ability to get people moving again much sooner after illness or injury. Users step into the treadmill, the sealed chamber inflates around their waist and fills with air. Therapists can then select a percentage of bodyweight to take off the patient by adjusting the air pressure, allowing them to move without the burden of gravity on their lower limbs. John Carey, Duty Gym Manager at Active Ennis, the only facility in the county with an anti-gravity treadmill said: “We have been using our treadmill on a wide range of patients who have all experienced a quicker recovery time. The treadmill enables us to get our patients moving a lot …

Shannon Chamber is pulling out all the stops to ensure its members and their business colleagues face into the autumn with health and fitness firmly ensconced in their minds. As part of Chamber Week 2015, which takes place from September 14 – 18, the Chamber has invited fitness expert, radio and TV broadcaster, author and columnist, Karl Henry, to make a presentation at Shannon Airport on Thursday, September 17. The event, which is sponsored by Shannon Airport and GECAS, commences at 6pm in the Transit Lounge at the airport. Encouraging the business community to attend this event, Shannon Chamber’schief executive Helen Downes said, “A lot of people dread the onset of autumn and its association with long, dark nights, and a fear of becoming a couch potato through lack of exercise. Karl Henry is one Ireland’s most recognised and leading personal trainers.  We felt he would be the ideal person to speak to our members and a general business audience …

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher has successfully retained its Geopark designation for a further period following a reassessment and revalidation by the UNESCO supported Global Geopark Network. The designation is subject to review every four years and an assessment was  conducted by Dr. Klaus George from Germany and Dr. Margaret Wood from Wales in June. The announcement was made at the 13th European Geoparks Conference 2015 in Rokua Geopark, Finland. 18 Geoparks were up for revalidation with 16 receiving green cards, including the Burren and Cliffs of Moher. Global Geopark status was first awarded to the Burren together with the Cliffs of Moher in 2011 for their outstanding geological and cultural heritage and has resulted in the region joining a global network of over 100 Geoparks worldwide. The Geopark is managed by Clare County Council and receives support and funding from the Geological Survey of Ireland and Failte Ireland. “Clare County Council has been working in the Burren since …

Ennis has been selected as one of 17 Irish towns and cities eligible to benefit under a new urban renewal funding scheme. The Clare County Capital has been named among the locations included under the Designated Urban Centres Grants Scheme 2014 – 2020, announced by Government in July, which will enable investments in Irish urban centres to the order of €80 million for the period 2014-2020. The Scheme will involve European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding of approximately €40 million and matching funding from the relevant local authorities. “Ennis has in recent years been rejuvenated, particularly the wider town centre area thanks to ongoing investment from Clare County Council with the support of the local business community. With projects such as the West Clare Greenway and proposed redevelopment of the Market area, it is clear there is a solid commitment to making Ennis an attractive and vibrant location to live and work in, as well as visit,” commented Senator Tony …