Tag Archives: clare

THE Clare economy is in a very strong position and is “providing jobs at a ferocious rate”, according to a leading county council executive. The Council’s Director of Economic Development Liam Conneally told this week’s meeting of Shannon Municipal District Councillors that many of the multinationals with bases in the county are doing particularly well. At the meeting Mr Conneally, giving an update to the members, said despite the pandemic, Foreign Direct Investment in the Mid-West had been “very considerable” between 2019 and 2021. “We are close to reaching full employment,” he added. He said that across the board, in terms of foreign direct investment, indigenous businesses and micro businesses supported by the Council, there is very considerable job creation. Mr Conneally said that sometimes the good work done by agencies of the State is overlooked, while he said the Council has been working very positively with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, while he said that the Clare Local Enterprise …

ENNIS Musical Society members old and new are coming together this April for an evening of song with A Night at the Musicals. The society will be back on April 10 in Hotel Woodstock where they will be performing numbers from musicals of all eras for all ages to enjoy. Expect songs from favourite shows such as Les Miserables, Wicked, Rent, Seussical to name but a few. The concert comes following the postponement of the society’s 2022 show Legally Blonde until next year due to Covid-19. The society were also unable to put on a show in 2021 because of the pandemic, and their 2020 production was cancelled after just two performances. Ennis Musical Society chairperson Rachael Culligan tells us they have had a “terrific response” to the plans for the upcoming concert. “We initially had planned on doing Legally Blonde but with so many members getting Covid, we just felt that we couldn’t manage that scale of rehearsals with …

LESS than a year after receiving formal approval from the Department of Rural and Community Development, the River Fergus walkway is proving one of the most popular recreational amenities in the Ennis area. In fact, the positive public reaction to the paved cycling and walking route from the Quin Road to Clareabbey has prompted a move to extend it to the Quay in Clarecastle where a trailhead development is being planned. Local Fine Gael TD Joe Carey says that proposals for a walking and cycling route linking Clarecastle to Ennis and on to the proposed West Clare Greenway have been under active consideration for several years. “The extensive engineering work on the Ennis South drainage scheme provided the opportunity to develop a walkway alongside the 1.5 kilometre length of the embankment. Because some of the groundwork and infrastructure was already in place, a high standard walkway could be delivered at a very competitive price,” Deputy Carey explained.  “Last March, Rural …

A CLARE woman who had been reported missing last weekend has been found safe and well her family have confirmed. Noelle O’Looney, 43, who had been missing since Saturday, was found on Tuesday with her family thanking members of the public for their assistance in recent days. One family member took to social media to say, “Noelle has been found. She is safe. Thanks to everyone out there for all their help and support over the last few days, it has meant a huge amount to all of us, everything has worked out ok thankfully.”

A MOVING poem written by the residents and staff of a Clare nursing home forms part of a special broadcast released online to coincide with the National Day of Remembrance and Reflection. Carrigoran House has taken part in Reflections, a video released on the Nursing Homes Ireland YouTube channel last week. Over 90 residents and staff from over 20 participating nursing homes including Carrigoran House in Newmarket-on-Fergus feature in the broadcast. Reflections, encompasses song, poetry, readings and reflections from nursing home residents and staff. The poem by the Clare residents and staff recognises the power of our community throughout the pandemic and remembers all that was lost over the last two years. It was written, “In recognition of the commitment and dedication our staff show every day, the understanding and support shown by our families throughout all restrictions and our residents’ resilience and courage in all they had faced.” The poem is accompanied by visual images of life at the …

CONGESTION during peak traffic periods on the Tulla Road and Gort Road areas of Ennis could be significantly eased with the completion of the Ennis North Inner Relief Road, according to Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara. Deputy McNamara has written to Clare County Council urging the Local Authority to revisit the proposal to link the roads, which he said would divert traffic away from the centre of Ennis and the Fair Green area and improve general traffic flow on the northern and eastern sides of the town. “It was originally intended that the Inner Relief Road would link the R458 Gort Road to Oakleigh Wood and The Maples Distributor Road and onwards to the Cappahard and Roslevan Roundabouts on the R352 Tulla Road,” he explained. “However, no progress has been made since 2018 when Phase One of the project, comprising a 520m road link from the Gort Road to the Clare Technology Park, was officially opened.” “While the Council has …

MORE than €2,000 was collected in just one day at an Ennis secondary school as part of their ongoing efforts to raise funds in support of people in Ukraine. A number of teachers and students have organised a committee to discuss a number of fundraising initiatives to help with the Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal, including a non-uniform day which was held last Wednesday. The students showed their support for the Ukrainian people by wearing blue and yellow and contributing generously to the appeal. A video was shown to all classes in the school to create awareness of the humanitarian crisis and to remind the school community to help those who need it most with over €2,000 collected. The money will be donated to a sponsored local lorry fill organised by Eoin Gavin Transport Ukraine Appeal (Bunratty). The money will purchase essential food items from BWG Value Centre (formerly Mangans) and the lorry can be tracked on its journey across Europe. James …

CLARE Arts Office has opened a call for musicians and promoters to submit ideas for live music performances throughout the county in May and June 2022. The third phase of the Local Live Performance Scheme, made possible with the support of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, is now open for applications following on from two previous schemes in 2021. These schemes were part of the Covid-19 response from the Department aimed at supporting the live music sector that was decimated during the pandemic. In Clare, more than 300 musicians, performers and crew were supported by Clare Arts Office through the previous schemes, with over 1,200 days of employment generated for the sector. The scheme, administered by the Arts Office of Clare County Council, saw performances in venues such as St Flannan’s Cathedral in Killaloe and the Teach Cheoil in Kilrush. Traditional music events took place countywide with contemporary music gigs happening from Doolin to Ennistymon. …