Tag Archives: clare champion

A GROUP of residents who have come together to promote Doora village and make the area a better place to live, work and visit are calling for a change in the locality’s status in the draft County Development Plan 2023-2029. The Doora Community Development Group are seeking, under a submission to the County Development Plan review, a change of the status of Noughaval from a ‘Cluster’ to ‘Small Village’ status and that the village be referred to as Doora. Among the issues highlighted by the group in their submission has been motorists speeding through the village, which they say is “now a serious issue for public safety”. A recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard councillors voice their support, pointing out that a change in the zoning could support efforts to reduce speed limits in the locality. Former mayor Councillor Johnny Flynn has made his own submission outlining his support for the residents and stating that Doora village is …

POLISH photographer Beata Rosik who is based in Ennis has been awarded the TONES Studio Residency Award. This award, announced by Clare Arts Office, will provide Beata with access to a shared studio facility at the EASI (Ennis Access to Spaces Initiative) artist studios in Ennis for 12 months, a small production budget and supports needed to progress her work and her career. Arts advisor, Moran Been-noon, will work with Beata to provide the most appropriate support. Beata Rosik originally worked as a primary school teacher for 12 years in her native Poland. Since 2007, she has been living in Ennis. Not long after arriving in Ireland, Beata was diagnosed with cancer. During her treatment and recovery she discovered a passion for photography. Her style developed and, using her life experiences and current affairs for ideas, she found techniques to bring her own signature style of art to her photographs. This style resulted recently in two gold medals in the …

AFTER a two-year hiatus due to Covid restrictions, Darkness Into Light walks will be return at sunrise on Saturday May 7 to locations across Clare. From Sixmilebridge to Kilmihil, Shannon to Ennis, Darkness Into Light, the annual fundraising event organised by Pieta, who provide life-saving support services for those in suicidal distress and who have been bereaved through suicide, is back in the Banner. The event will take place across six venues in Clare, with two swims and four walks planned, beginning in darkness at sunrise and continuing through to dawn to symbolise thee journey from despair to hope. Walks will be held in Sixmilebridge, Kilmihil, Shannon and in Ennis leaving from CBS on the New Road. Also June Curtin will have a special Snamhaí Sasta in Spanish Point and Rosie McMahon will be hosting a swim at Ballyalla Lake in Ennis. Up to 200,000 people gathered around the globe in previous years to walk in solidarity with those experiencing …

A GROUP of Ennis women are certainly on the ball when it comes to pitching in to raise funds for a local charity. Soccer Sisters Ennis, a newly established social soccer team based in the county capital, recently set out on a fundraising climb in aid of Clare Haven Services. Last weekend they took on the challenge of climbing the 12 O’Clock Hills in an event dubbed the ‘Hike for Haven’. So far they have raised over €2,600 for the local charity, with more donations still being accepted. Laura Thompson of Soccer Sisters tells us they have been “blown away” by the level of support they have received in raising funds for Clare Haven. “We see ourselves as very much a community team and we decided that we wanted to do something to mark international women’s day so we thought about helping to raise funds for an organisation that supports local women. “We were so excited to get on board …

LEAKAGE issues are set to be water under the bridge in central Ennis according to Irish Water as the town gets ready for a makeover. With Clare County Council due to progress with the town’s public realm enhancement project, Irish Water is set to commence vital infrastructure upgrades ahead of these improvements. Before all that works gets underway, Irish Water will replace aged watermains at High Street, Bank Place, O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street, with the aim of providing a more reliable water supply, reducing high levels of leakage and improving water quality. The works, being carried out as part of Irish Water’s National Leakage Reduction Programme, involve the replacement of over 680m of aged cast iron watermains with new modern pipes and is a continuation of the works completed on Parnell Street in 2019. The programme to replace the watermains is due to commence in mid-May. The section of works will take place from High Street through O’Connell Square/Bank …

PARANORMAL investigators have captured an eerie image of what they believe is the spirit of a child at a window of the former Our Lady’s Hospital in Ennis. Paranormal Supernatural Investigations Ireland visited the site of the old Ennis Asylum last week where the took hundreds of photographs as well as video footage and voice recordings from outside. Among the images taken is the picture of a window with what they claim is a small child’s face in the bottom right corner. Richard Morrison, of Paranormal Supernatural Investigations Ireland insists, “I believe that building is very, very active paranormally without a doubt. Places like that are going to hold a lot of negative energy and that stonework is going to contain all that sadness.” The photograph was initially posted to social media by the group at the weekend without comment on what it could be, other than “a very interesting picture taken by ourselves at Ennis Asylum” and some of the history …

THE ordination of Croatian native Antun Pasalic into the priesthood at the weekend was described as a “unique joy” by Bishop Fintan Monahan. Antun’s parents, Marko and Anđa, and his family, travelled from Croatia to be present at his ordination on Sunday in Ennis’ Cathedral of St Peter and Paul. Following his ordination, Fr Antun celebrated his First Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral on Monday evening. In his homily at the ordination Bishop Monahan recalled how in 2016 he did the pilgrim climb of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo and Antun was on the climb with him that day. “Little did I think then that we would share the Pilgrim Path as colleagues in the Diocese of Killaloe. It is a unique joy for me to ordain him today and it is an immense joy too for the priests, religious and people of the diocese. May we continue together on the pilgrim path of Antun’s divine call to priesthood …

WHEN Ennis held its first Relay for Life event on 23 June 2018, the committee was “blown away” by the community support. Since 2018, the generosity continued helping Relay for Life Ennis raise over €100,000 for the Irish Cancer Society through two live events and two virtual events. County Clare will get another chance to show their support this year as Relay for Life Ennis returns on June 18 and 19 at Tim Smythe Park.  Auriol Considine, Relay for Life Ennis chairperson comments, “We never imagined this event would be an instant success and this is down to the support we have received from the community. “Our main aim was to create an event where we could come together united against cancer to celebrate life, remember loved ones lost to the disease, and fight back against cancer by raising awareness. The fact that our team participants have raised that much money to support cancer patients and their families is amazing!” …