Tag Archives: Ballybeg

A lack of co-operation from landowners is “jeapordising” a scheme aimed at improving the Ballybeg area, a meeting of Ennis councillors has been told. The local authority has secured part 8 planning permission and funding of €150,000 from the National Transport Authority under a Low-Cost Safety Scheme for the continuation of footpath construction at Radharc na hInse, Ballybeg. The scheme requires co-operation from landowners, and not all have given their agreement to date, the Ennis Municipal District meeting heard. Acting senior executive engineer Paddy Tiernan told a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that the council are engaging with the relevant party and will continue to do so. However, he added if an agreement cannot be reached then a revised scheme could be necessary which would require another Part 8 application. Details of the status of the scheme were outlined following a request for an update by Councillor Paul Murphy. The councillor also sought information on the installation and turning …

WORK is set to begin on completing an unfinished footpath near the old quarry at Ballybeg later this year, the local authority have confirmed. This is one of a number of improvement works set to take place in the Ballybeg area a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard. Deputy Mayor of Ennis Councillor Paul Murphy told the meeting that finishing the footpath needs to be “prioritised” along with raising other matters relating to Ballybeg. The councillor requested that the path be included in this year’s works programme “and that that any drainage issues impacting on residential dwellings are dealt with. Barry Conway, A/Senior Executive Engineer, informed him that funding has been provided for this section of footpath in the 2022 Active Travel allocation. Work is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2022 he said. The Clarecastle-based councillor also asked that lighting is provided “as soon as possible as the ducting is already in place along most …

A VISION for the transformation of a 50 acre site on the shore of Ballybeg Lough into a community and tourism space, which could potentially include glamping, kayaking and cycling facilities, has been unveiled. A draft strategic plan has been formulated by Clare Clare County Council examining the potential for the future development of lands owned by the local authority at Ballaghafadda West on the Kildysart Road, Clarecastle. Members of the public are being encouraged to have their say on the draft plan with a deadline for submissions of April 5. According to the local authority, the Draft Ballaghafadda Amenity and Recreation Plan “sets out a vision to enhance the site’s natural beauty, enrich its ecological value and to encourage engagement with the landscape, lough and its surroundings”. Under the plan, a network of pathways and boardwalks is proposed to be carefully set within a naturalised woodland, meadow and wetland landscape. Interpretation of the site’s natural and cultural heritage will …

PLANNED public lighting at Ballybeg cannot be installed until after a bat survey is completed due to the presence of the rare creatures at Ballybeg Woods, a council engineer has said. However, Barry Conway, executive engineer has given assurances that the works will go-ahead with the survey needed to determine the programme of installation Details of footpath works in Ballybeg were outlined at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where clarification on a number of issues was sought by Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy. The meeting also heard that speeding traffic is expected to slow down at Ballybeg once the new footpath is put in place. Councillor Colleran Molloy described the commencement of the works as “wonderful for the neighbourhood to see”. Funding granted in 2021 will extend the footpath from the water tower as far as the Radharc na hInse housing development and further funding will be sought to complete the remainder of the path next year. The …

TRAFFIC counts are to be carried out on the Ballybeg Road and details forwarded to the gardaí, the local authority have confirmed, amidst concerns about speeding cars described as “absolutely flying” in the area. Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy, at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, sought an update on actions being taken by the council to address the “ongoing speeding” on the Ballybeg Road. The motion was seconded by Councillor Pat Murphy, who commented “there is an issue with speed there.” Councillor Pat Daly also voiced his support saying, “ Ballybeg is a very popular walking area for older people. There is no doubt there is speeding, I regularly see cars absolutely flying it on the road.” Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer, responding to the motion stated, “The Ennis Municipal District will carry out further traffic counts on the Ballybeg Road and details will be forwarded to An Garda Siochana. The Section 38 traffic calming public consultation process …

STATE-of-the-art signs aimed at reducing speed on the roads can lose their effectiveness if they are used too much, the council’s executive engineer with responsibility for Ennis has warned. Residents of the Ballybeg Road have been urging that speed ramps, and or VMS signs which highlight how fast drivers are travelling, be installed by the council to deter speeding. Eamon O’Dea told a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that if VMS signs are used too often to deter speeding they can become normalised and their effect “significantly reduced”. He was speaking in response to a motion by Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy who highlighted concerns about pedestrian safety in the Ballybeg area. The councillors stated, “There has been a welcome abundance of pedestrians and cyclists along the Ballybeg Road as people take the loop walk along the Kilrush Road and Limerick Road, and locals who walk are complaining about the speeding on the road which I have observed and find …

THE growing popularity of Ballybeg Woods during Covid-19 restrictions has seen motorists park on footpaths, blocking access to those using wheelchairs or pushing buggies, a meeting of the local authority has heard. Mayor of Ennis Councillor Paul Murphy urged the council to install signage at the natural amenity and carry out other improvements in a bid to tackle the problem. Speaking at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Councillor Murphy stated that during Covid-19 times the general public are maximising all of our public spaces and amenities. The councillor requested that creeping ivy and overgrowth in the public car park be tidied up in the short term “in order to maximise the space available for parking”. In addition to this he said that advisory signage should be installed at the Ballybeg Road entrance, requesting patrons to use the carpark to alleviate the problem of cars being parked on footpaths in this area. Repair of damage to a picnic bench …

Killian Hogan has two major ambitions in life: to be a professional rap artist and a marine biologist. These two goals are remarkable considering Killian has a mild general learning disability. The 25-year-old former St Flannan’s College, Ennis student has taken the first steps to realising his musical dream. Residing in Ballybeg, Ennis, Killian loves making the short trip into the Clare Youth Service office, where he is working on his latest rap song – Gatorade. Michael Gavin, who works in the Clare Youth Service music studio in Carmody Street, is helping Killian to produce his first professional rap song using all the latest technical musical equipment at his disposal. Killian plans to release Gatorade online on his YouTube channel, BigRed4Eva channel, Twitter and Facebook pages. He is also on the way to realising his second dream, as he has just been accepted for a place on a level eight course in Applied Fresh Water and Marine Biology in Galway-Mayo …