Tag Archives: clare champion

RESIDENTS living in an Ennis housing estate fear “vermin” are nesting in a river bank which has been left as a habitat for biodiversity. Calls for vegetation, trees and bushes along the riverbank at Lenabeg to be cut back were made on behalf of the residents by Councillor Mary Howard at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. “It is currently badly overgrown and the residents fear vermin are nesting there plus this area is being used to dump rubbish,” she said. Responding to the motion, Tommy Scott, Senior Executive Technician, stated, “The riverbank is left to look after itself and provide a natural boundary to the river edge. It provides a habitat for all sorts of biodiversity and wildlife and is fenced off from the development. “A river walk was built along this area as part of the development. It forms a fitting natural finish along the interface between the development and the River Fergus.” He continued, “This area …

THE provision of an Ennis town bus service “is a priority” for the National Transport Authority (NTA), with route selection currently being finalised. An update on the progress of plans on the long awaited bus service for the county capital were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. Deputy Mayor of Ennis Councillor Paul Murphy had sought the details, saying, “we need to have a local bus service for Ennis”. Leonore O’Neill, Senior Executive Officer, responded, “The Ennis Municipal District are in ongoing communication with the NTA Public Transport Service Planning Team who are responsible for the planning and design of the Town Bus Service in Ennis. The NTA are currently finalising route selection. Implementation is dependent on budgets being available to support the operational cost of providing the service.” Director of service Carmel Kirby told the meeting that discussions with the NTA are “at an advanced stage” with routes being finalised throughout the town. “The Ennis …

LIDL Ireland have unveiled plans for a new store in Ennis which the supermarket giant say will create 30 local jobs, along with up to 100 more during construction. A planning application for the new store and mixed-use development, which if given the go-ahead will include 20 residential apartments, a café and two commercial units, has been lodged with Clare County Council. The new development, at the junction of the Clare Road (R458) and Toberteascain Road, will involve an investment of over €20 million from Lidl Ireland. Commenting on the application for a second Lidl store in Ennis, Lidl’s property executive and Clare native Dervla Nash said, “This is an exciting new development for Ennis that will offer the local community a new enhanced, modern shopping experience promising market-leading prices as well as housing and additional amenities. Our existing store in Ennis has a loyal customer network and we have worked closely with the local authority, planners and architects to ensure that this development will contribute positively to …

TRIBUTES have been paid to the late Margaret Neylon following her passing at the weekend. The popular Ennis woman who lived at Gallows Hill was known to many for her dedication to the local community through her work with Ennis Tidy Towns, Ennis Community Employment Scheme, Ennis Chamber and Ennis Phoenix Twinning Board to name but a few. She will be laid to rest this Tuesday following funeral mass at Ennis Cathedral. Ennis Chamber CEO Margaret O’Brien has described the late Mrs Neylon as “irreplaceable”. “Margaret Neylon had a razor sharp intellect, and that sharp mind stayed with her throughout her hard fought battle with illness. “When she took on a task, you could expect nothing short of perfection as the end result. In my lifetime I have never worked with a more diligent, dedicated person. She was one of a rare kind,” she said. Cormac McCarthy, chairman of Ennis Tidy Towns said, “As an original founding member of Ennis …

AN Ennis secondary school has featured in the top three feeder girls’ schools for third level progression in the country. Coláiste Muire, a non fee paying school, features in the top four of all schools in the recently released Irish Times feeder school tables. The school recorded a 115% progression rate to third level in the list which included the total number of college registrations from schools including those who completed their Leaving Certificate prior to 2021. A total of 138 students at the Coláiste sat their Leaving Certificate in 2021, while the total number of Coláiste students to accept a CAO place in that year was 159. According to the statistics, NUIG was the most popular third level institution for Coláiste students with 37 enrolled there last year. The second most popular college was UL with 31 students enrolled. Students were also accepted to UCD, TCD, DCU, St Angela’s, Queens’ University Belfast, TU Dublin, Galway – Mayo IT, IT …

DISCUSSIONS are underway with a view to installing a filter light for those travelling from the Limerick Road to Old Gaol Road in Ennis, the local authority have confirmed. Councillor Pat Daly highlighted the need for the light at the monthly meeting of the council at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where he urged the council, “to install a filter right arrow on the traffic lights at the Clare Road, adjacent to the tyre centre, to accommodate traffic coming from the Limerick Road side who presently are finding it very difficult to turn right in the Gaol Road.” Ian Chaplin, Executive Engineer, responded, “The Ennis Municipal District recently installed two hatch boxes at this junction to assist access from Clare Road Tyres and the hatch box at the Captain Macs Cross side of the junction should assist the traffic flow as buses will not be obstructed when turning left out of Old Goal Road. The Ennis MD …

SINCE she was born eight months ago little Imogen Brigdale has lit up the lives of her family, and now she has helped to light up the community of Newmarket-on-Fergus. Residents in Newmarket-on-Fergus have been treated to an illuminating Christmas display this holiday season. The lights were recently switched on by Imogen and her parents Jane O’Leary and Alan Brigdale. The tiny tot has proved an inspirational character having repeatedly defied the odds since her post-natal diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The light display is thanks to a collaboration between the Rise Global Foundation and community development organisation, Obair. Located in the Fairgreen near to the village church, the Christmas tree and light display was unveiled at a fun-filled event earlier this month. David McCourt, who is the founder of Rise and the Chairman of National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company responsible for designing, building and operating the new national infrastructure under the National Broadband Plan in partnership with …

HOUSE prices in Clare in the last three months of 2021 were 14% higher than the previous year, latest figures have highlighted. This compares with a rise of 5% seen a year ago. The average price of a home in Clare is now almost €220,000, 84% above its lowest point. National housing prices rose by 7.7% on average during 2021, according to the latest Daft.ie Sales Report. The average price nationwide in the final quarter of 2021 was €290,998, up 0.6% on the third quarter of 2021 and just 21% below the Celtic Tiger peak. While 2020 saw similar rates of inflation across the Irish housing market, significant regional differences emerged during 2021. The smallest increases were in urban areas. In Galway city, prices rose by 1.6% during the year, while in Dublin, prices rose by 3.4%. In Cork city, prices rose by 5.5% while in Limerick and Waterford cities, the increases were 6.4% and 7.5% respectively. But outside the …