Tag Archives: Ennis

A 42 year old pedestrian was left in a critical condition following a crash in Ennis last night (Wednesday). The crash happened around 10pm on the Gort Road, at the small roundabout which is close to the Midwestern Regional Hospital Ennis and McDonald’s. Gardaí say that a car approaching from the Gort side struck a car that was stopped on the roundabout. The first car then careered onwards, mounted the pavement and struck the pedestrian. The man was  taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick. His injuries are understood to be life threatening. The occupants of the second car, two females aged in their 60s, were also taken to University Hospital Limerick. Their injuries are no thought to be life threatening. The occupants in one of the cars, two males aged 25 and 19 years, fled the scene on foot. They were followed and apprehended by an off duty garda, before being arrested a short distance away. They were treated for minor …

Work on Route 1 of the Ennis Active Travel Towns on the Quin Road began today (Saturday). The works, being undertaken by M Fitzgibbon Contractors Ltd, on behalf of Clare County Council, will continue for a period of approximately four weeks and will involve the construction of a new cycle lane from the Bruach na hAbhainn housing estate to the Quin Road rail bridge. Two new zebra pedestrian crossing points (close to the entrance to Ennis Mart and between Western Garages and Bruach na hAbhainn housing estate) and four informal crossing points will be introduced on the Quin Road. In addition, junction alterations will take place at the entrance to the Quin Road Industrial Estate to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety, while new public lighting will be installed with landscaping works also to take place on the route. A traffic management plan will be in place for the duration of the works.  A single lane closure controlled by traffic lights …

Gardaí in Ennis investigating the armed robbery of a shop in Ennis last night (Sunday) are now hunting for a man in his early 20s. The incident occurred at around 10.19pm on Sunday, when a man entered Hogans shop at Claureen, on the Lahinch Road brandishing what appeared to be a short firearm. He intimidated the staff and made them hand over the contents of the till before fleeing on foot in the direction of Shanaway Road. The man is described as in his early 20s and was wearing a black leather jacket, gloves and a dark hoodie. At the time of the robbery he had the hood up, and used a white scarf to hide his face. He is also believed to have been wearing dark jeans, dark shoes with a white trim at the bottom of the shoes, and he is understood to have spoken with an Eastern European accent. Anyone who may have seen a man matching …

Facilities at the Active Ennis Leisure Complex are set to undergo a significant upgrade. The swimming pool at the Highfield Road complex will close to the public from this Friday until Monday, October 17 inclusive to facilitate the €192,000 project which includes energy efficiency upgrades, enhanced disabled access, and improvements to the changing room and toilet facilities. The works are funded under the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s ‘Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme’ with Clare County Council contributing 15% of the overall cost. Tim Forde, General Manager of Active Ennis said the works represent the first phase in a series of additions and improvements at Active Ennis facilities. He added, “Over the coming months, the gymnasium at the Leisure Complex will be fully refurbished while a new AstroTurf facility will be developed on the site of the existing one in Active Ennis Sports and Amenity Park Lees Road.” “During the course of current improvement works at the Leisure Complex, …

Clare County Council has confirmed that construction work on two transport infrastructure projects in Ennis will commence in the coming days. Work is set to get underway on Route 2 (Contract 1) of the Ennis Active Travel Town scheme, which will deliver improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists throughout Ennis. The project will provide on-road cycle lanes from just north of Clareabbey Roundabout as far as St Flannan’s College Roundabout, as well as advance stop boxes for cyclists at signals and circulating cycle lanes at roundabouts along the R458 (old Galway/Limerick Road through Ennis) and R352 (from Kellys Korner to Maid of Erin via Newbridge Road). Once completed, the new route will connect to Phase 1 of the West Clare Railway Greenway at Mill Road Ennis, Contract 1 of which was constructed in 2015 and links Woodquay to Active Ennis Sports and Amenity Park, Lees Road. The project timeline is seven to eight weeks. The construction of a roundabout at …

Clare County Council and members of the Clare Garda Division’s Traffic Corp will host a cycle awareness event in Abbey Street Car Park, Ennis, on Saturday, October 8. An articulated truck will be parked on site to highlight the existence of ‘Blind Spots’ around high-sided vehicles. The initiative forms part of Irish Road Safety Week 2016. In Ireland’s urban areas, between 2007 and 2015, 54 Vulnerable Road Users (cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists) were killed in collisions involving trucks. Collisions involving trucks accounted for 20% of urban VRU fatalities. According to Barry Keating, Road Safety Officer for Clare County Council, “Clare County Council is delighted to be joining An Garda Síochána in fully supporting any initiative that makes it safer for our most vulnerable road users.” “Due to their size and design, a truck has significant blind spots that present a danger to vulnerable road users. A driver’s field of vision, within a cab, is limited; the area immediately in front, …

ENNIS has been pipped by a single point for the overall title of Ireland’s Tidiest Town 2016. With a total of 326 points, up five from last year, Ennis won the Tidiest Large Urban Centre title, but the award for the Tidiest Large Town and the overall title of Ireland’s Tidiest Town was won by Skerries in County Dublin with 327 points, an improvement of six points on last year’s. Birdhill, County Tipperary, claimed the award of Ireland’s Tidiest Village, while Listowel, County Kerry, received the award for Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town for the second year. A total of 859 towns and villages throughout the country entered this year’s SuperValu National TidyTowns competition. The awards were announced today (Monday) at The Helix in Dublin. On the second visit to Clare capital town, the adjudicators remarked,”Ennis is a thriving, bustling town with an energy which comes from being open and welcoming. It was a real pleasure for this adjudicator to spend …

Ennis is in the running to be named as Ireland’s friendliest place. The county capital has been shortlisted as one of the top three finalists for the Retail Excellence Ireland Friendliest Place Award 2016. Ennis was nominated for the award by Clare County Council and joins Navan, County Meath and Gorey, County Wexford, as finalists in the annual nationwide competition. Each county and city council across Ireland was invited to enter their city, town or village in the competition. The participating Ennis stores are Willow Boutique, Patrick Bourke’s Menswear, County Boutique, Seoidín Éile, Maddens Furniture and Rochfords Pharmacy. In early August, retail experts undertook ‘mystery shops’ of the participating Ennis businesses where they judged customer service, store appearance externally, internal layout and staff helpfulness. Individual stores that achieve a combined score of 80% or over will be awarded the Retail Excellence Ireland Mark of Excellence to display. Ireland’s Friendliest Place will be named at the Retail Excellence Ireland Ceremony in …