Santa’s sleigh ride through streets of Ennis

SLEIGH bells rang through the streets of Ennis this week after local traders were called upon by Santa Claus to help save Christmas.
Mayor of Ennis Michael Guilfoyle got a very worried phone call from the North Pole asking for his help and the help of the people of Ennis this Christmas as some of his elves had fallen ill.
As a result, the whole town has got behind Santa and as his sleigh passed through the streets on Wednesday night, the jolliness came back to Santa’s face as he collected presents from each shop along the way.
Santa’s good cheer spread throughout the town and has inspired Ennis Development Forum and Ennis Chamber to launch a shop local campaign to encourage people to spend their money in their own area to sustain jobs.
Their campaign will firstly comprise a very creative viral video clip for Ennis, which will include Christmas music and messages, along with shop-local slogans and information on how easy Ennis is to access via the motorway from any part of Ireland. It will also feature the partnership with Ennis Town Council in promoting the town as a place to shop through parking incentives coming up to Christmas.
Once completed, the video will be put on YouTube and linked with social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter via the Ennis Jobs and the Ennis Gold Facebook pages, as well as the Ennis Chamber Twitter account and LinkedIn account.
The second element of the campaign will see the establishment of Ennis Street Radio for a period prior to Christmas to continue the message of the shop local campaign.
To help Santa this week, businesses from various parts of Ennis put their presents into Santa’s sack and the contents of these will be given away through the Ennis Street Radio, thereby rewarding those shopping in Ennis and supporting local jobs.
The street radio, presented by Ger Sweeney, will broadcast from Salthouse Lane for 80 hours from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, December 10 and at the same times every day from Saturday, December 17 to Saturday, December 24. It will also operate this Friday from 3pm, as the town’s Christmas lights are switched on at 5pm.

Ennis Street Radio will have speakers positioned all over Ennis town centre for shoppers to listen to Christmas and upbeat music to get them in the spirit of shopping to enjoy a unique Christmas experience.
There will also be broadcasts giving regular updates on events happening around the town. Local organisations and community groups can also use the service. Shoppers will be given an opportunity to become part of it through email, social networks and chatting with roving reporters.
The campaign is funded through a public private partnership involving Ennis Town Council, Ennis Chamber, Ennis Development Forum, O’Connell Street Traders and trader representatives from Parnell Street, The Market, Station Road, Abbey Street, Francis Street, as well as the Quin Road Business Park.