FOOTBALL and hurling fans going to the All-Ireland qualifiers double-header in Cusack Park on Saturday evening will get a flavour of the annual Ennis Street Festival, while crowning a great weekend in the town will be the Clare County Show in the Showgrounds on Sunday.
There will be a number of road closures on Saturday as Superintendent Brendan McDonagh explained. “We would ask people to avoid the town centre if they’re going by car, as the streets will be closed from Saturday lunchtime until 6pm.
“We would ask people who are going to the matches to arrive early and to watch where they’re parking, not to block entries or park near roundabouts.”
The streets will become a hub for children and adults to explore their artistic side and experience many different events over the weekend, with children’s workshops, poetry, theatre, visual arts, comedy, art exhibitions, street entertainment, music and dance.
Thousands are also expected to attend the Clare County Show, which opens at 9.30am and features horse and cattle showing, with up to €3,000 available in the All-Ireland Yearling, Colt or Gelding Showing Class.
“We would expect to have about 100 horses and around 75 cattle in the showing sections, good entries under the present economic climate and more than 300 entries in the showjumping section,” said Joe Lillis, chairman of Clare Agricultural Show Society.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.