The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
THE Mayor of Ennis said the announcement that the county capital is Ireland’s Cleanest Town is “testament to the year-round effort” by volunteers, Ennis Tidy Towns Committee, Clare County Council and the business community.
Councillor Paul Murphy said, “Ennis is a vibrant tourism town and a popular shopping destination, which benefits greatly from the collective efforts of residents, visitors, the local authority, businesses and voluntary groups to keeping the streets and public spaces free of litter. The greatest example of this work was seen during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann when the streets were kept clean, as more than 400,000 people visited the town,” he said.
He added that the recent naming of Ennis as a Coach Friendly Destination and as winner of the Retail Excellence Ireland Friendliest Place Award is “a vote of confidence in the partnership approach adopted by Clare County Council, Ennis Chamber and the local community to developing and promoting the Clare county capital”.
Meanwhile Minister of State Pat Breen said, “It was a proud moment for me as a Clare man to hear our county town named as Ireland’s cleanest at the Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) awards this morning. The town is looking magnificent and this IBAL award, following so closely on Ennis being named Ireland’s Tidiest Large Town is a testament to the fact,” he said.
“I would like to pay tribute to local businesses, Ennis Tidy Towns and Clare County Council for working to achieve such a high standard of cleanliness in the town and surrounding areas. It is also a reflection of the pride the people of Ennis and, indeed Clare, have in their living environment.
“The effort the people and businesses of Ennis made in painting, cleaning and generally putting our best foot forward in the run-up to Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2016 and 2017 had a huge effect, not only on the success of the Fleadh, but also on this great result.”
Deputy Joe Carey has also praised those who helped bring the award to Ennis saying, “Congratulations to everybody involved – Ennis Tidy Towns, Clare County Council, the residents’ associations and business community – for their efforts over many, many years. This award is well deserved and it has been hard fought for”.
