Regional

  ENNIS has been successful in its bid to become the first town in Ireland to achieve the coveted Purple Flag. Ennis, alongside Dublin’s Creative Quarter and Dame District, received the prestigious international accolade this week. Ennis’ flag is now flying high on O’Connell Square after being raised at a ceremony on Monday evening. It is now hoped that achieving the Purple Flag, recognising safe and well-managed night-time economies, will lead to a boost in tourism to the town. At the flag raising, Mayor of Ennis Peter Considine, congratulated all involved in bringing the Purple Flag to the town. “This just goes to show you what collaborating with various agencies can do. This award complements Ennis’ growing reputation as an attractive location to visit, work and live in and is the result of a unique collaborative approach to promoting the town by the local business community, Ennis Town Council, Shannon Development and Án Garda Siochána. “The Purple Flag will help …

DAN Worrall, regarded as the leading expert on the social history of the Anglo-German concertina worldwide, will present a lecture on the origins of Anglo-German concertina playing this Friday evening.

A LOCAL representative in South Galway is calling for greater security measures at the public health centre in Gort, following an alleged incident at the facility last week.

THERE are 351 applicants on the housing waiting list who have expressed a preference for Shannon and at least one has been on the list for the last 14 years.

Work on Blake’s Corner will not go ahead until 2015 at the earliest, according to a North Clare councillor. Councillor Richard Nagle made the comment after the council said no pedestrian crossing would be provided at the bridge in Ennistymon until the issue at the corner was resolved.

A FEW years after successfully campaigning to preserve their traditional weekend mass, the community close to St Vincent de Paul Church at Oatfield are faced with another battle – the need to raise €50,000 to keep a roof over their heads.

Staff and volunteers of the East Clare Community Co-op put themselves through a “baptism of mud” as they journeyed to Hell and Back in aid of the locally based counselling service.

ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour in private housing estates needs to be punished by taking away rent supplements, according to a local councillor.