Tag Archives: Ennis courthouse

A CLARE barrister, who along with other colleagues at Ennis Courthouse, joined in a series of nationwide protests has said the “ball is in the government’s court” when it comes to finding a resolution to the dispute. Tuesday’s action was the first of three days of withdrawal of services planned for this month with the Ennis Courthouse protest one of 16 taking place nationwide following a recommendation from the Council of The Bar of Ireland last month. This is an escalation on the unprecedented action taken by criminal barristers all over the country on October 3 last, with the campaigners saying they are “seeking an independent, meaningful, time-limited and binding mechanism to determine the fees paid to criminal barristers by the Director of Public Prosecutions and under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Scheme”. They are calling for a reversal of pay cuts introduced under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act (FEMPI) in 2009. According to the Council …

THE month of May will get off to a sweet start in Ennis next Monday (May 2), as Mike Hanrahan and five choirs take to the steps of the Courthouse. At 3pm, the Stockton’s Wing legend will sing alongside Cantare, The Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir, Ballyea choir, Front Line Choir and a new choir, Inis Soul. The event, entitled Bealtaine Voices with Mike Hanrahan is part of a month-long celebration of creativity in older age, and is supported by Clare County Council and Creative Ireland. Songs will include ‘Dreams’, ‘On Days Like These’, ‘May the Road Rise to Meet You’, ‘Clare My Heart My Home’, ‘Celebrate’ and Stocktons Wing classic ‘Beautiful Affair’. More details are available on Bealtaine.ie. Meanwhile, Mike has teamed up with Gavin Glass for to release ‘Spindrift’ – the second song from a series of works created during the past two years called Songs from The Box Room, which will be released in the autumn. With …

A 34-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a woman in Ennis. Patrick Ballard, with an address at Ashford Court, Ennis, appeared at Ennis District Court today (March 24). He is charged with the murder of mother of two, Sharon Bennett (29). Ballard was previously charged with assault causing harm to Ms Bennett in the Market area of Ennis on January 28. That charge was today withdrawn and struck out. The accused was remanded in custody to appear at Gort district court tomorrow. The issue of bail was not raised in court as the district court does not have jurisdiction to deal with a bail application on a murder charge. Sharon Bennett, a native of Wexford, died at University Hospital Limerick on February 10, thirteen days after she was admitted. In court today, detective Garda Noelle Bergin of Ennis Garda Station said she arrested Ballard for the purpose of charge at Ennis Courthouse at 10.29am At 10.30am, the court …

A WOMAN allegedly assaulted in Ennis town centre on Thursday evening remains in an “unconscious state” in hospital, a court has heard. Details of the woman’s condition were outlined at a special sitting of Ennis District Court today (January 30), during the appearance of the man accused of her assault. Patrick Ballard (34), with an address at Ashford Court Hotel, Ennis, is charged with assault causing harm to his then girlfriend Sharon Bennett at Garranakilla, the Market, Ennis, on January 28, 2021. The alleged offence is contrary to Section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person Act. At today’s court sitting, Detective Garda Noelle Bergin of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Mr Ballard. She told the court that in reply to the charge after caution, the accused said, “I’m sorry for what happened.” Solicitor Tara Godfrey was assigned legal aid to represent the accused. Ms Godfrey told the court she was …

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 …

A Limerick man who fled from Ennis Courthouse last week has handed himself into the authorities. Jason Freyne, (22), who had been on the run for six days, turned up at Limerick Prison on Monday evening around 7pm. A gardai manhunt in both counties Clare and Limerick had been underway since he absconded from Ennis Courthouse last Wednesday evening. Freyne, from Carew Park in Limerick, escaped from custody with an 18-year-old at approximately 3.15pm last Wednesday. The two men walked out the back door of the building and made a run for freedom. However, the other man, Keith Garrihy of Beechgrove, Newmarket on Fergus, was arrested by gardai in Clarecastle within hours and brought back to Ennis courthouse for return to Limerick prison. Judge Patrick Durcan heard last week that Freyne sped away at 160km from a pursuing garda in a chase along the M18 motorway in April of this year before being arrested at Moyross.

A garda manhunt is contuning this morning for a prisoner who escaped from Ennis courthouse yesterday afternoon. Jason Freyne, aged 22 from Carew Park in Limerick, remains at large. Gardai believe that Mr Freyne, who had appeared in court after being caught driving a stolen car, may have returned to his home county. A second man, Keith Garrihy of Beechgrove, Newmarket on Fergus, was who had also absconded from the courthouse was apprehended shortly afterwards by gardai in Clarecastle. The pair, who had been brought from Limerick prison, made their escape at 3.15pm from prison staff at Ennis courthouse. Chief Superintendent John Kerin told The Clare Champion that a full investigation is underway and that Clare gardai are working closely with their counterparts in Limerick to find Mr Freyne. “We believe that he may be attempting to return to Limerick and we are liaising with gardai in Limerick as part of this investigation,” he said. He confirmed that a full …