Tag Archives: Ennis

Clare Champion journalist, Jessica Quinn, was the toast of the Local Ireland Media Awards last week, winning the award for the National Lottery Best Community Story of the year. Jessica won the award for her story about Mná ag Gáire, the Ennis women’s community hub, and their work connecting women in the Ennis area. The feature, which is entitled ‘Mná-some place of welcome for all’ was published in The Clare Champion in September of last year. It focussed on the work of the Mná ag Gáire group, including media training for local women, which allowed two friends to connect online for the first time in 50 years. Speaking after winning the award, Jessica said she was delighted to have won and stress the importance of the local media in highlighting community efforts and local stories. She also thanked the Mná ag Gáire group in Ennis for sharing their experiences with her. The National Lottery Best Community Story of the year …

AS part of the investigation into criminal activity in Ennis, Gardaí seized €107,500 of controlled drugs and a firearm with ammunition, following a number of searches in the Beechpark area on Wednesday. The searches were carried out by members attached to Clare Detective Units, Clare Community Engagement and the Western Region ASU. During the course of these searches €87,000 of suspected cocaine, €15,000 of suspected amphetamine, €5000 of suspected xanax (2500 tablets), €500 of suspected heroin and €1800 cash was seized. A firearm and ammunition was also recovered. The drugs and firearm will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for examination. No arrests have been made and Gardai say investigations are ongoing.

It was 2.33pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 15, 1923, and the man everyone had come to see was finally prepared to speak to a crowd that had first embraced him as one of their own just six years previously and would remain faithful to all his causes for another 50 years. He was the ‘Man of Clare’, even though he wasn’t from Clare. Eamon de Valera. The Chief. The East Clare by-election victor of 1917 that kickstarted the revolution once more. The Sinn Féin leader. The former President of the Dáil. The Anti-Treaty leader. The man on the run. On this day, the Feast of the Assumption, the warrant for his arrest because of his leadership of the Anti-Treaty side in the Civil War that had only finished a few months previously, had yet to be served, but this was the day. He was banned from public speaking, but at an election rally called by his Sinn Féin …

A fundraising campaign which was set up to help support the family of an Ennis teenager who died in Slovenia has had an “incredible” response with hundreds of people giving donations. The online fundraiser launched in the wake of the tragic passing of musician Seán Shannon surpassed its initial target of €5,000 within a couple of hours of being set up, and so far more than €21,000 has been donated. 18-year-old Seán, a talented pianist from Connolly Villas in Ennis, was found dead after going missing in Bled last Friday where he was holidaying. His loss has led to an outpouring of grief locally with many tributes being paid to the youngster. Ennis Councillor Mary Howard who set up the fundraising campaign explains that the monies raised will go towards alleviating the “considerable expenditure” the Shannon family are facing following their loss. Any unspent funds will be donated to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust which aims to alleviate the financial hardship …

A CLARE mental health counsellor has been moved to deliver a suicide prevention talk in Ennis after receiving news that a childhood neighbour had died by suicide. Sheila McMahon, who is based in the UK and originally from Newmarket-on-Fergus, said, “I was told it was the second suicide in the village within a week” adding that on the same day she was aware of two others who died by suicide in the county. “This is horrendous really when you sit back and think about it.” The registered mental health counsellor works to help arm people with the skills and tools to help anyone experiencing thoughts of suicide, or suicide intent, as part of her continuing mission to “create positive change” and stop the stigma in the Midlands and wider UK. Sheila even faced a fear recently and challenged herself to learn to ride a motorbike, in an emotional effort to encourage more people to learn to help those at potential …

AN Ennis doctor who helped save the life of a hurling fan after he collapsed in a busy Dublin train station has modestly told us, “I think there was a lot of luck involved and I was in the right place at the right time.” Dr Carly Lewis, who is originally from the Tulla Road in Ennis, sprang into action and performed CPR on the man who is in his 70s after discovering he had no pulse. Fortunately he is now doing well, and following the experience Dr Lewis is appealing to the public to get Basic Life Support training saying, “The more people who are trained, the better the outcomes all round”. Dr Lewis was in the Drumcondra train station with her sister having come from watching Clare play Kilkenny in the All Ireland semi-finals in Croke Park when the emergency situation unfolded. She recalls they were about to get on the train when she noticed a commotion on …

The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science, Simon Harris came to Ennis recently to launch a Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Abuse (DSGBA) Community of Practice. The Community of Practice was developed in collaboration between Haven Horizons and the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS). Speaking at the Haven Horizons Office, Minister Harris said: “This dedicated collaboration between TUS and Haven Horizons and the can-do attitude of both organisations has resulted in remarkable progress in a very short time. Strengthening the engagement and the dialogue between our researchers, community organisations, frontline professionals and wider civil society is critical to achieving our common goal of Zero Tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “Tackling sexual violence and harassment has been and will continue to be a particular policy priority for me and my Department. With the launch of the Third National Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Strategy, I have been very clear that the tertiary education …

THE latest nationwide survey by business group Irish Business Against Litter shows Ennis retaining its position among the five cleanest towns in the country. According to the survey of 40 towns and cities, the great majority of Ireland’s towns are clean, but two-thirds of city areas still littered. The survey presents a snapshot of cleanliness levels across Ireland as the peak summer tourist season commences. In a statement An Taisce, who carry out the surveys for IBAL, commented: “Remarkable consistency from Ennis, with another top 5 position in the IBAL rankings and again free of heavily littered sites. Eight out of the ten sites surveyed were top ranking, among them O’Connell Street (an exceptionally clean main shopping street), Lidl (Gort Road), Clare County Museum and Tim Smythe Park – the latter is an extensive survey area and despite plenty of activity on a very sunny afternoon, it was very much deserving of the top litter grade.” Over 90% of towns …