Tag Archives: clare

THE latest lessons at Scoil Chríost Rí in Ennis have been causing quite a splash among its students. Last week saw 90 primary school students take part in a pilot programme introducing them to kayaking. This is just the first step of a project which is hoped to result in establishment of an Outdoor Adventure Hub at the riverside school which will benefit the entire town. Kayak le Chéile was formed earlier this year by primary school teachers, Jó Mag Fhearadhaigh and Conor Healy, with a view to establishing a club in Ennis which would facilitate access to the River Fergus for water sports. The new club began its ambitious programme with a Level 1 training course for staff members with an interest in kayaking. Nevsail Watersports provided tuition and the course was attended by representatives from Gaelscoil Mhichíl Ciosóg, Clare Youth Services, Scoil Chríost Rí and the local community.  With the support of Clare Sports Partnership, a pilot programme …

ENNIS’ success in this year’s Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey along with other recent successes has highlighted the town’s appeal as a place to live, work and visit. That’s according to Mayor of Ennis Councillor Paul Murphy, one of a number who welcomed this week’s announcement that the county capital had achieved the highest cleanliness level in the most recent IBAL nationwide litter survey. Eight out of 10 sites surveyed in the town by An Taisce were awarded the top litter grade with the town found to be “cleaner than European norms”. The first nationwide litter survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) since the Covid-19 crisis shows Ennis to be again ‘Cleaner than European Norms’ climbing to sixth spot in the ranking of 40 towns and cities nationwide. The county capital has bucked the trend with a nationwide dramatic fall in the number of towns and cities deemed to be ‘clean’ in the survey, its lowest …

GARDAÍ in Clare have launched an appeal for the public’s assistance after a man was found lying on a Kilkee street with head injuries. The discovery was made on O’Curry Street by gardaí on routine patrol over the August Bank Holiday weekend. After being taken to University Hospital Limerick scans showed that the man suffered a fracture to the head. Clare Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks has urged anybody with any information to contact gardaí. She outlined, “In the early hours of Saturday, August 1 at 2.40am gardaí on mobile patrol came across a male lying on the footpath on O’Curry Street, Kilkee. This man had sustained lacerations to his head. He was taken to University Hospital Limerick and after a CT scan was carried out it was discovered that the male had suffered a bone fracture to his head. “We are appealing to anyone who may have been in the area of O’Curry Street, Kilkee between 2am and …

ÁRAS Contae an Chláir will light up in the colours of pink and blue for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day this Thursday. Gemma O’Gorman, from Kilmurry McMahon, is raising awareness of the cause and the need for supports for families affected by miscarriage and infant death. Ms O’Gorman said, “In lighting up its headquarters, Clare County Council, in my opinion, is creating a platform for those who wish to acknowledge their loss and show a sense of solidarity with each other and that they are not alone. It may also encourage those who wish to gather and talk.” Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Mary Howard added, “Clare County Council is pleased to support Gemma in raising awareness of the issues around miscarriage and infant death. We will be lighting up Áras Contae an Chláir on October 15 in sympathy with those who have experienced a loss and to mark this important day of remembrance.”

STUDENTS are being encouraged to take a leaf out of the book from one of the county’s most successful festivals. Preparations are already in motion for next year’s Ennis Book Club Festival which is set to take place from March 5 to 7, 2021. Festival director, Dani Gill and the committee are currently working on plans for the 15th festival. Book clubs have always been at the heart of the festival’s programming and this year the festival aims to develop new audiences by setting up the TY Book Club. Ennis Book Club Festival are inviting Transition Year classes from Clare schools to participate in a series of workshops on book clubs with Sarah Moore Fitzgerald. Sarah Moore Fitzgerald is a professor and award winning author based at the University of Limerick. She will host three workshops with TY classes from four schools in November, December and January online. The first workshop will give students tools and techniques to generate sharper …

A “huge opportunity” to boost visitor numbers to Ennis with the plans for a Greenway from the county capital to West Clare has been highlighted by local councillors, with calls being made on landowners to get behind the proposal. Ennis councillors Johnny Flynn, Ann Norton and Pat Daly alongside Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, at a meeting of Clare County Council, sought an update on the likely completion dates for sections of the previously commenced portion of the West Clare Greenway from Ennis to Lahinch. The councillors pointed out that there has been “significant increased Government funding announced for Greenways.” Councillor Flynn outlined that the plans had been proposed back in 2006 as he sought clarification on the progression of the Greenway from Ennis outwards. Councillor Norton stated, “After this length of time why hasn’t our Greenway come about? We hear so much about what others in other counties have to offer.” She continued, “it would be fantastic if we had another …

THE Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has announced that it is planning to transfer the management of hostels including Laurel Lodge in Ennis to other homeless charities with specialist expertise in the sector. The society says that it believes that the move will benefit those who use the services of its hostels as managing homeless hostels is moving beyond the capacity of a volunteer-led organisation such as SVP. As most of the funding for the hostels comes from the state SVP is in discussion with the respective local authorities and the HSE to facilitate the transfer of its services. There are nine hostels involved which between them have almost 300 beds per night for homeless people. In addition to Laurel Lodge in Ennis they are in, Carlow, Cork (2), Limerick, Longford, (2) Waterford and Wexford. Laurel Lodge provides 13 places for homeless men. SVP National Secretary Andy Heffernan says that as a volunteer-led organisation, the SVP structure is …

CBS Primary said goodbye at the beginning of this month to its longest serving member of staff Mary Murphy, described as “a living legend” by those at the Ennis school. Mary spent 42 years in CBS, never having taught or substituted in any other school. She was a teacher, but also a parent, having sent her children to the school also. Graduating from Mary Immaculate College in 1978, she was immediately snapped up by the CBS. She taught every class from senior infants to fourth class, Special Education Teaching and also EAL (English as an Additional Language). According to school principal Dara Glynn in excess of 1,000 students over the years have benefited directly from her “outstanding teaching abilities”. During her time, she worked her way through the ranks of the school including holding the position of deputy principal and indeed principal. Mr Glynn outlined that Mary “excelled at all of those positions, hitting high standards and always leading by …