Tag Archives: clare county council

ENNIS has been crowned Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre at this year’s national Tidy Towns competition. The county capital scored an impressive 345 points in the competition, just one point behind the overall winners of Ireland’s Tidiest Town, Glaslough in County Monaghan. Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre is just one of a number of awards that have been scooped by the Ennis entry. Among the prestigious awards won by the local committee of volunteers were a gold medal, regional award and the county award. While the Supervalu Schools Award was presented to entries from Ennis National School and Ennis Scouts.

ELECTION counts often provide a few hours’ entertainment for the casual visitor, but they can be hellish for the candidates and those close to them. Last Sunday evening will surely never be forgotten by Gerry Flynn as he was announced as winner three times, but on two occasions recounts were sought, meaning a long and difficult evening for the Miltown native, who has made his home in Shannon and represented the town for many years. While he shook hands with Garret McPhillips after the initial recheck, there was no handshake between the two after the final outcome. Speaking this week, Councillor Flynn said that at that stage he was quite drained by the process. He was clearly irritated by the fact that Mr McPhillips had sought the recount after the recheck, despite the two having shaken hands. “If I shook your hand and congratulated you, I’d mean it. What’s wrong at all now, is there no substance in a handshake?” Councillor …

At its April monthly meeting on Monday (April 8) Clare County Council marked the 120th anniversary of the first ever meeting of the local authority, which took place in the Grand Jury Rooms of Ennis Courthouse on April 22, 1899. The ceremony featured presentations by Pat Dowling (Chief Executive) and Dr John Treacy of Clare County Council on the history of Clare County Council and the origins of the local authority. Mr Treacy is writing a book on the history of local government in Clare which is due for publication in May 2020. The ceremony also featured musical entertainment by piper Blackie O’Connell in memory of the famed Clare piper, Garret Barry. The piper died on the same week that the first elections to Clare County Council were held in April 1899. To mark the 120th anniversary of the first meeting of Clare County Council, the original minutes of the first meeting as well as an original copy of the …

CLARE County Council has opened a Book of Condolence in memory of Laura Brennan, RIP, in the public foyer of Áras Contae an Chláir, Ennis. The Mayor of Clare, Councillor Michael Begley, has invited members of the public to sign the book and join people from all over Ireland and beyond in marking Laura’s legacy as “an inspiring and courageous advocate and ambassador for the HPV Vaccination Programme.” “Many knew Laura for her advocacy work in favour of the HPV Vaccine after receiving a diagnosis of terminal cervical cancer.  To those who knew Laura personally however, it was her courage and her amazing positivity that defined her,” said Mayor Begley. He continued, “When Laura first approached the HSE in 2017, she made it clear that every parent in Ireland who was about to make the decision whether their daughter was to be vaccinated against HPV, would hear her story first.  Laura’s story was most certainly heard when she appeared on …

CLARE County Council has opened a Book of Condolence for the late Michael Ryan of Lahinch, at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis and at the West Clare Municipal District Office in Ennistymon. Mr Ryan, who was Global Deputy Chief Engineer at the United Nations’ World Food Programme, was among the 157 people on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in Addis Ababa on Sunday. Members of the public are being invited to sign the Books of Condolence in Ennis and Ennistymon during opening hours (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday). “On behalf of Clare County Council and the people of Clare, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to Michael’s family and his wide circle of friends and former colleagues,” Mayor of Clare, Michael Begley, said. “

CLARE County Council is to run a series of free public workshops in Ennis, Killaloe, Shannon and Miltown Malbay on controlling Japanese knotweed and other non-native invasive plant species. Led by Clare-based chartered environmentalist and invasive species expert Dr Frances Giaquinto, the practical two-hour workshops will guide members of the public through the steps to effectively control and eradicate non-native invasive plant species from their property. Since it was introduced as an ornamental plant from Japan in the 19th century, Japanese knotweed has spread across the island of Ireland, particularly along watercourses, transport routes and waste grounds where its movement is unrestricted. “The aim of each workshop is to raise awareness, to help the general public to identify Japanese knotweed and other non-native invasive plant species, and to give them advice on what actions to take if they come across knotweed on their own property, or locality”, advised Karen Foley, Environmental Awareness Officer with Clare County Council. The workshops are free …

JUST 20 years of age, Mike Taylor is likely to be the youngest candidate in Clare for the 2019 Local Elections. The Kilkee man may also be the first openly gay man to run for election in Clare. In his final year studying for a BA in Law and Sociology and Politics at NUI Galway, Mr Taylor said he got involved in Fine Gael while still a child. “It goes back to 2011; I was about 12. My mam was involved with some sort of footpath issue or something like that. She called Pat Breen and he got the issue sorted. The election came around and mam was asked to go and canvass. She said ‘I won’t canvass but I know somebody who will’. I dropped some leaflets that day and I’ve been hooked ever since.” Very involved in the campaign for yes votes in the abortion and same sex marriage referendums, he said that he never experienced any real …

THE Active Ennis John O’Sullivan Park, Lees Road is certainly fit for purpose when it comes to accessibility. Three new fitness circuits for walkers and athletes of all abilities have been introduced to the 130-acre woodland at Active Ennis John O’Sullivan Park, Lees Road. The Fartlek Interval Training System features colour-coded posts located throughout the woodland, with each one dictating relevant programmes and exertion level guides. The new system has been delivered with funding of €10,000 received under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme with an additional €10,000 being funded by Clare County Council. Fartlek, a Swedish term meaning “speed play”, is a form of continuous interval or speed training that allows the athlete to run at varying intensity levels over varying distances. Meanwhile, funding has been provided through the Healthy Ireland Fund towards the provision of three all-terrain wheelchairs, two of which are based in Active Ennis John O Sullivan Park, Lees Road and one in Active Kilrush Sports Complex. …