Tag Archives: clare champion

SAINT Nicholas will pay a visit to Ennis this weekend as part of an interactive theatre production which aims to bring joy to Ukrainian children in Clare. On Sunday, December 18 the Feast of St Nicholas, the Civic Room of the Buttermarket Building in Drumbiggle will be transformed by Ennis drama club “Ptashka” and Clare Local Development Company for their ‘St Nicholas Workshop’ performance. The event will feature workshops, sweets, gifts and, of course, a meeting with your favourite saint Saint Nicholas. The first performance of the Ptashka drama group is the Saint Nicholas holiday. St Nicholas, Sviatyij Mykolai, comes to Ukraine on December 19 in the Orthodox Julian calendar. The night before, December 18 is often called “Magic Night”.  It is seen as a universal children’s festival, when the saint leaves sweets or games for children.  It is also a Ukrainian tradition for children to perform a play in honour of Saint Nicholas. “We believe that it will be a …

A dedicated bus service for the town of Ennis could be operational by late next year or early 2024. That’s according to Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe who raised the issue with Ann Graham, chief executive of the NTA this week at the Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting A service for the town has long been spoken about and work is underway between the NTA and Clare County Council on finalising a route. “I’m delighted to be told by the NTA that a dedicated bus service for Ennis town is just around the corner,” said Deputy Crowe. “I raised this vital service with Ann Graham, chief executive of the NTA, in last evening’s Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting to get the latest update and was assured that the bus service will be up and running as soon as possible. “The hope is that an operator will be procured and it’ll be tendered by the end of next year, with early …

A ONE-girl crusade to help save the planet is taking place in Clare with young Lani Meaney urging people to take action and do their bit to save the environment. 11-year-old Lani has become a regular sight where she lives in Darragh putting up posters in the locality calling on people to think green and clean up after themselves. Recently the Lissycasey national school student wanted to get her message across to a wider audience, so she wrote an article for the Clare Champion. In the article she asked the public to, “Stop Climate Change Before it’s too Late”. She wrote, “Climate Change is happening right now, this second. It’s already starting to get out of hand. Letting Climate Change get worse, would be like destroying someone’s home, and then destroy everyone else’s home in the world. “Earth is everyone’s home and we need to take care of her. When a home is messy we clean it right? Well Earth …

THE personal papers of renowned HIV/AIDS activist and former priest, Fr Bernárd Lynch have been acquired by the National Library of Ireland. Born in Ennis he was ordained to the priesthood in 1971. He dedicated his service to pastoral care and human rights advocacy in the LGBTI+ community in New York and London. He came to prominence during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, when he worked directly with the communities affected by the epidemic, and he successfully campaigned for the introduction of non-discriminatory legislation in New York City. Lynch, who travelled from London to be present at the NLI’s acquisition event, said, “This year marks 40 years since the first AIDS case was diagnosed in Ireland. This anniversary is a time of reflection, allowing us to consider the effects which the epidemic had on the LGBTI+ community, and how – even still – there is a journey to travel before we arrive at a place of non-discrimination and acceptance.  I hope that …

ENNIS is crying out for a town bus and active travel infrastructure, says Clare Green Party Senator Ròisín Garvey. The Inagh-based politician is highlighting traffic congestion while calling on the County Council “to prioritise spending available for active travel funding on better, safer and more cycle lanes, footpaths and pedestrian crossings”. She said, “Even if all cars switched to electric overnight, we would still have the exact same traffic congestion issues. “The only way forward is to focus on reducing car dependency and prioritising active travel infrastructure and a town bus service. “I know from working with children and parents in all the Ennis schools over many years that the will is there to allow children walk and cycle to school, if the proper infrastructure is put in place. “Many of the roads leading into our beautiful town already have the width for such infrastructure and the Department of Transport are offering the funding. “Where there’s a will there’s a …

HOMEWORK clubs started for Ukrainian children in West and North Clare in recent weeks are already proving themselves to be a success, with hopes of expanding the idea to other parts of the county and maybe further afield. The Homework Club Project, established by Clare Local Development company started for Ukrainian children on October 10 in Kilkee, and on October 17 in Ballyvaughan. Lisdoonvarna’s Homework Club is now up and running successfully for the last three weeks and that one is also open to local children in Direct Provision. Project Leader for the three clubs, Ailbhe Crowley of Clare Local Development Company Ailbhe explains how they work. “These are Ukrainian afterschool homework clubs. We already have homework clubs running around Clare in the Deis schools and these were hugely successful, so after the Ukrainian new arrivals had got involved in the summer camps we decided to expand the homework club system.” “The idea has been a great success so far, we began to …

A CLOSE-KNIT group of Ennis students are once again helping to bring some festive cheer to the town while showcasing their impressive stitching skills. Ennis National School’s knitting and crafting club ‘The Crafty Crew’  have taken over the window of Insomnia Cafe in the Ennis Shopping Centre on Francis Street with a dazzling display of knitted and crocheted items. And if you look closely, you might just see some familiar characters in this year’s display which has been created with the theme of ‘ElfFest’ a rock concert for elves. The club, made up of children from third to sixth class, as well as their parents and grandparents have been working hard to complete the display which was unveiled in recent days and will remain in place until New Year’s Day. Over the past three years, Ennis National School has taken over the cafe’s window with a Christmas display and according to teacher Ciara Harding the children always look forward to seeing …

LIDL Ireland has been told by Clare County Council’s planning department that “concerns remain” over its planned €20 million development in Ennis. The supermarket giant has been asked to submit additional information to the Council, which has agreed to extend the ‘further response’ period up to and including December 15, 2022. Lidl is seeking planning permission for the development of a new store and mixed-use development at the junction of the Clare Road (R458) and Toberteascain Road. If given the go-ahead, the development will include 20 residential apartments, a café and two commercial units. According to Lidl, the development will create 30 local jobs along with 100 more during construction if granted planning permission. In September Lidl responded to an initial further information request by the Council seeking clarification on a number of items including issues with the design and massing of buildings, in particular the northern elevation onto the Toberteascain Road. A report compiled by MKO Planning and Environmental Consultants …