Tag Archives: clare

By Seamus Hayes Twelve of the All-Ireland final starting line up have been named in the Clare team to take on Tipperary in this Sunday’s Allianz hurling league semi-final at the Gaelic grounds in Limerick (throw in at 4 p.m.) All-Ireland hat trick hero Shane O’Donnell is ruled out with a hamstring injury and he is replace in the full forward line by Cathal McInerney. The line will be completed by McInerney’s Cratloe team mates Conor McGrath and Podge Collins. Elsewhere  Donal Tuohy and Jack Browne are preferred  to Patrick Kelly and Domhnaill O’Donovan as goalkeeper and right corner back respectively. Colm Galvin returns from injury and will fill his regular midfield position where he will team up with team captain Pat Donnellan The team is; Donal Tuohy; Jack Browne, Cian Dillon, Cian McInerney; Brendan Bugler, Conor Ryan, Pat O’Connor; Pat Donnellan (captain) Colm Galvin; John Conlon, Tony Kelly, Colin Ryan; Cathal McInerney, Conor McGrath, Podge Collins. Meanwhile, the Munster minor …

Ennis Friary, the old Franciscan Friary on Abbey Street has now re-opened for the 2014 tourist season. And visitors to the historic site this Easter will have a chance to see the results of recent restoration works of the medieval ‘passion panels’. Last year saw a record number of both locals and foreign tourists visiting the heritage site. And so far this year there has already been an increase in visitor numbers since the Friary opened at the beginning of the month. The Office of Public Works, who manage the site, are encouraging local families as well as visitors to the town to go along during the Easter holidays to witness the ‘passion panels’ These panels were carved for a royal tomb built by the McMahon family in the 1400s and show in exquisite detail various scenes of story of Easter including Christ’s betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection. There has also been renewed local interest in the site due to the …

WHILE there have been strong calls for the development of a third level institute in Ennis, one establishment is already successfully operating a centre in the county capital providing third level education to the county’s mature students. Five years since its establishment the LIT Ennis Learning Centre continues to go from strength to strength. The centre from its campus in the heart of the county capital has been running the Higher Certificate in Business in Business Computing from Limerick Institute of Technology. September 2013 saw the fifth intake of students to the LIT Higher Certificate in Business in Business Computing and LIT Ennis Learning Centre is now recruiting for September 2014. This is a direct entry course and is available to mature students and those obtaining a minimum of 220 points in the Leaving Certificate or a full FETAC level 5 award, with equivalent points. The aim of the LIT Ennis Learning Centre is to widen participation in higher education. …

By Jessica Quinn THE controversial apartment complex in Ennis known as The Fairways has been put on the market for just €75,000, with members of Ennis Town Council urging that the property described as a “blight on the landscape” be bought by the local authority. Last summer the privately owned building near Marian Avenue hit the headlines when it was heavily criticised by council members calling for something to be done with the derelict site that was deemed not fit for human habitation. This week at a meeting of Ennis Town Council, Councillor Brian Meaney requested that a loan be raised to purchase and renovate the apartment complex for the provision of appropriate social housing. He acknowledged that the property is in “very poor condition” however he said that sum of €75,000 for the complex is “paltry”. “It’s well within the ability of Ennis Town Council,” he added. Responding to the motion, town clerk Leonard Cleary stated, “This property is …

A report commissioned by the Doonbeg Coastal Erosion Group has estimated that it will cost €5.31m to carry out the necessary repair work in storm damaged areas in Doonmore (€1.7m) Farrihy (€1.85m) and Cloghaunincy (€1.76m), all of which lie within the west Clare parish. The report was carried out by Fergal Coughlan BE CEng MIEI and has been submitted to Clare County Council outlining the damage caused by the early year storms. The report said that proposed works in Doonmore, where the road surface and a number of houses were badly damaged, will involve the construction of a wall along Killard Road and also the construction of stone revetment to the sea side of same at an approximate cost of  €750,000. Other work deemed necessary in Doonmore is the strengthening of the banks of the Doonbeg River and edge of Killard Road with earth embankments at an estimated cost of €180,000. “These works would also involve the construction of a …

RADIO and television gardening expert, Peter Dowdall certainly didn’t beat around the bush when it came to praising the upcoming Clare Garden Festival. The festival will be held at the Ennis Showgrounds on Sunday, April 27, with a host of gardening experts set to attend. Among them will be Peter, who said, “Even though it is only a very young event, the Clare Garden Festival is establishing itself on the gardening calendar throughout Munster and beyond. I am delighted to be a part of it this year. “The theme of this year’s show, My Beautiful and Edible Garden, is a great choice and while I will be focussing on ornamental gardening, the importance of good garden design and gardening in small spaces, I believe there is always room for some edibles in every garden, delighting the eye and the palate,” he said. The festival will feature talks on edible flowers, borders and hedges, as well as the always popular beginners’ …

THE Labour Party and Sinn Féin have added further candidates to the upcoming local elections. The Labour Party have decided to run a second candidate, Dermot Hayes, in Ennis area. Seamus Ryan was already selected by the party. According to the party, they have been getting a positive response on the canvas and believe there is a good opportunity for two candidates to be elected to Clare County Council. Dermot Hayes comes from Kells, Corofin from a family of 13 children. He attended Ennis Community College and, as a mature student, studied Community Development in Galway and Maynooth Universities. He has lived in Ennis since 1974, is married to Marian and they have two teenage daughters. He worked in Belvedere Carpets, Studio Eyewear and Interton Electronics and more recently in a number of community and voluntary organisations, including The Disabled People of Clare, Clare Supported Employment and People With Disabilities in Ireland. Dermot has been unemployed on three occasions and …

LOCALS are being asked to make a “wheel” effort in supporting the upcoming Cycle Against Suicide, by opening up their homes to 300 participants. The cycle will be making its way through Ennis on Saturday, May 3 and organisers need homestays for the cyclists who have taken on the challenge to raise suicide awareness. Fr Jerry Carey, who is working towards finding places for the participants, along with training to take part in the cycle himself, said he is “absolutely confident” that the generous people of Ennis will answer the call. He explained, “Cycle Against Suicide is a national initiative that was started by Irish entrepreneur, Jim Breen, as a result of his appearance on The Secret Millionaire. The main objective of the cycle is to raise awareness of the considerable help and supports that are available for anyone battling depression, self harm, at risk of suicide or those bereaved by suicide. The cycle is more about promoting awareness than …