Tag Archives: clare champion

VIEWERS tuning into Friday’s return of the Late Late Show to our screens were in for a big surprise when some very familiar faces were beamed to the nation. The popular Ennis Brass Band played a starring role in the opening sequence of the first show of the new season, playing its famous theme tune along with two other bands surrounded by dancers. Grainne Kearney of the Ennis Brass Band told The Champion they were sworn to secrecy about their involvement with the Late Late ahead of the broadcast, and they have been delighted with the reaction to their appearance. The filming was done in Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh GAA club with Grainne saying it was a fantastic experience for the band. Explaining how they got involved she said, “They got in touch and told us they wanted to do something to show that Ireland is up and running, that people are back doing their hobbies and enjoying themselves. I’m not …

AN Ennis councillor has resigned from the company set up to deliver Ennis 2040 objectives having appealed to An Bord Pleanala against controversial plans for a €450 million data centre. Councillor Johnny Flynn made the announcement he was stepping down from the Ennis 2040 (Strategic Development) Designated Activity Company (DAC) at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. The development of a data centre at Toureen plays a central role in the Ennis 2040 plan where it is included among a number of ‘Transformational Projects’ for the county capital. Councillor Flynn told the meeting he did not want to “distract” from the Ennis 2040 DAC’s work after lodging his appeal against the development on the Tulla Road. He outlined that he has been engaged with the planning process for the site for a number of years including making a submission relating to its rezoning in 2019. Last month Art Data Centre Campus in Ennis became the first to be …

THERE may be Men at Work, but its still very much open for business on Ennis’ O’Connell Street with one fashion retailer even putting up a ‘Women at Work’ sign in the shop window. Water infrastructure upgrading works described as “vital” by Irish Water have been taking place as part of a project which involves replacing aged watermains at High Street, Bank Place, O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street. Irish Water say this will “provide a more reliable water supply, reduce high levels of leakage and improve water quality.” Margaret O’Brien, CEO of Ennis Chamber whose offices are based on O’Connell Street says some businesses have been affected by the works more than others, with some suggesting a discount on rates due to the disruption. However, the Chamber believe that in the long term the upgrades “are what’s needed for the good of the town”. “The works are moving at speed and that is good to see. The timing however could …

PLANS to extend an Ennis primary school will lead to an “enhanced” school experience with “better facilities” for the existing staff and students. That’s according to a report lodged with Clare County Council as part of a planning application by the Board of Management of Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg for a two storey extension at the school. If given the go-ahead the school on the Gort Road will see the development of six classrooms, a general purpose hall, two SEN classrooms and two ball courts as well as additional staff car parking and other associated works. A mobility and management report into the proposal has been compiled by P Coleman & Associates on behalf of the applicant and lodged with the planning application. It outlines that the proposed extended school will not create any additional students or trips with no planned increase in students or staff. The existing school has 471 students and 31 staff. “The purpose of the new classroom …

BAREFIELD-native Nell Hensey has been selected as a finalist in the Virgin Media Short Film competition for her film ‘Good Chips’. The script goes back to Dublin 1989, where a family of Vietnamese immigrants struggle to keep their takeaway business afloat, while their 12-year-old daughter Tam finds common ground with a local Irish boy in an unexpected way. Hensey is one of three finalists chosen from a shortlist of 10 talented applicants, who all received an investment of €6,000 to develop their script with a mentor. The judges included award winning director and screenwriter Lenny Abrahamson (What Richard Did, Normal People, and Room), rising Irish actress, writer, and star of hit crime drama, Kin, Clare Dunne; Clinton Liberty who played Kiernan in global hit drama ‘Normal People’ and Linus in drama ‘Holding’; screenwriter and executive producer Ursula Rani Sarma (Delicious and Red Rock) as well as representatives from Virgin Media Television, Screen Ireland, and the Dublin International Film Festival. Speaking …

A LOCAL primary school is set to expand its outdoor facilities for pupils. Barefield National School on the outskirts of Ennis has been given the green light by Clare County Council for plans to develop a 5m hurling practice wall and a school playground facility. The application for planning permission for the development was made by the Board of Management of Barefield National School. The proposed playground will have a total area of 275sqm and will be surrounded by a high green coated fence. In assessing the application, planners with Clare County Council noted that the lands are zoned for ‘community’ development and the site of the hurling wall and play area is within the curtilage off the overall school. With this in mind planners determined that the proposed development would be acceptable in principle. The hurling wall is planned to be constructed within the existing pitch / green area to the east of the school. Planners found “no adverse …

WITH a shared love of photography, members of the Ennis Camera Club have brought their ‘collective vision’ together in a brand new exhibition of works currently on display in the Clare Museum. The exhibition features 25 stunning images in varying styles taken by the club’s members, who range from beginners to experienced photographers, and regularly meet in Power’s Pub, Clarecastle. In an era where images are more likely to be shared online, club chairman Mike Reen tells us members are delighted to be able to showcase their work to the public through this exhibition which runs in Ennis until September 16. “We live almost exclusively in a digital world in terms of photography. It must be that 99% of photographs are now shared digitally through social media and online. We have a sort of standing mantra within the club, ‘A photograph isn’t a photograph until you print it’. “That was something the late Gerry Ryan who founded the club always …

A MOVE is being made to transform the site of the former Ennis Boys National School on the Kilrush Road in Ennis into a new car park, the Clare Champion can reveal. City Cinemas Ltd are set to apply to Clare County Council for planning permission to develop a new temporary surface car park with 156 spaces in the county capital. The planning application will seek a five year permission for the development which will also include 12 accessible bays and four electric vehicle parking bays. The town centre site has been vacant since 2013 when Ennis National School moved to its new school in Ashline. The Kilrush Road site is zoned as mixed use and has been identified as one of a number of Opportunity Sites in the current County Development Plan. The planned development of a new car park for Ennis comes hot on the heels of Clare County Council recently giving the green light to Clare GAA …