Tag Archives: Ennis

PLANS for a housing development on Catholic Church lands on the outskirts of Ennis may be thwarted by a protected bat species. Killaloe Diocesan Trust has been successful in getting land rezoned for low-density housing at Cahercalla More, Beechpark, despite opposition from the council executive, but the presence of Lesser Horseshoe bats could change matters. Councillors voted to change the recreation zoning to low-density residential in the interest of pedestrian access, movement and safety and also passed a resolution that was incorporated into the Draft Clare County Development Plan 2017 – 2023. This stated that any development has to provide a high-quality design, which sensitively incorporates mature trees on site and provides a buffer to the N85 to protect residential amenities. It was also decided to change the zoning on part of this site from low-density residential to recreation. It has emerged that the Diocesan Trust has been approached by housing developers to acquire some of the proposed residentially-zoned lands …

More than 20 Ennis businesses including hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars, and retail outlets are participating in the Green Fleadh Business Programme. Participants have made a commitment to have good waste management, to conserve water, be energy efficient and keep their patch clean. There is still time to sign up for this programme by registering on the Fleadh website fleadhcheoil.ie/about/green-fleadh . Green Fleadh window / door display stickers and certificate pledge will be provided to all those that register. A free green business consultation or visit is also offered to participating businesses where lots of tips and advice will be provided to reduce energy, waste and water costs. Any queries in relation to this programme please contact Karen Foley, environmental awareness officer at envawareness@clarecoco.ie or telephone 065 68 46 386.

Killian Hogan has two major ambitions in life: to be a professional rap artist and a marine biologist. These two goals are remarkable considering Killian has a mild general learning disability. The 25-year-old former St Flannan’s College, Ennis student has taken the first steps to realising his musical dream. Residing in Ballybeg, Ennis, Killian loves making the short trip into the Clare Youth Service office, where he is working on his latest rap song – Gatorade. Michael Gavin, who works in the Clare Youth Service music studio in Carmody Street, is helping Killian to produce his first professional rap song using all the latest technical musical equipment at his disposal. Killian plans to release Gatorade online on his YouTube channel, BigRed4Eva channel, Twitter and Facebook pages. He is also on the way to realising his second dream, as he has just been accepted for a place on a level eight course in Applied Fresh Water and Marine Biology in Galway-Mayo …

  A derelict building in the centre of Ennis was gutted following a fire on Thursday night. The Clare Fire Service were called to the scene of a fire in the former O’Neill’s Furniture Store in Lower Market Street, Ennis at around 9.41 pm. Three units of the Ennis Fire Brigade and one from Shannon worked to bring the fire under control. It is understood that the blaze started at the rear of the unused premises, which fronts onto Carmody Street and quickly spread to the front part. The road near the building was closed off while the firemen were battling the blaze and traffic was diverted with the assistance of Ennis Gardaí. One person in an adjoining property was evacuated as a result of suffering from what was described by Clare Chief Fire Officer, Adrian Kelly as a small amount of smoke inhalation and treated by ambulance personnel. Having secured and tided up the building, the last fire brigade left …

Recently appointed consultants for the design and delivery of the new county library in Ennis visited Áras Contae an Chláir to meet with representatives of the Municipal District of Ennis and key stakeholders in the flagship project. Clare County Council hosted the meeting which represents the commencement of the stakeholder consultation stage of the project. The process of consultation will continue up to the final design later in 2016. The proposed €8.6m project will see the new library building developed at the site of the existing Glór facility on The Causeway Link providing a new county library for Clare to replace the existing De Valera Library on Harmony Row. Earlier this year, Clare County Council was allocated a €3 million capital grant towards the cost of the proposed project under the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government’s Capital Funding Programme for Public Libraries. An additional €1 million in EU funding was also allocated from the Southern Regional Assembly’s …

The Mirazozo luminarium, a giant art installation featuring caverns for members of the public to explore, will be a colorful focal point on the Ennis landscape during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. The structure, designed by Alan Parkinson of the company Architects of Air, is being brought to Active Ennis Tim Smythe Park by Clare County Council. The structures designed by Alan having been visited by more than two million people in 43 countries around the world at iconic locations such as the Guggenheim in Spain and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Inspired by Islamic architecture and natural geometry, Mirazozo features winding passages of small domes inspired by repeat forms found in the bazaars of Iran. Inside the spaceship-shaped structure is a multi-coloured world of bright luminous green, red and blue stripes of light forming bouncing patterns of colour on the walls of five interlinked domes. Monica Meehan, Community and Tourism, Clare County Council said the 158 ft. by 94 …

A LANDMARK building in the heart of Ennis has come onto the market, with a price tag of €2.25 million. The flagship store in the Carraig Donn Group on O’Connell Square has been put up for sale as a retail investment, with the existing occupier’s lease running until 2026. The tenant is not affected by the sale. Paddy Darmody of selling agents, Sherry FitzGerald McMahon, Ennis, is expecting a lot of interest in the property. “It’s a landmark building, with a tenant who has 38 other shops in the country, with plans to open three more this year and a strong online presence. With a current annual rental income of €155,000, the sale of this property offers the superb opportunity of acquiring a prime, easily managed retail investment, at a time when returns from cash and other investment vehicles are at an all-time low,” he said. Mr Darmody pointed out that the building is situated in a prime location in …

    An Ennis man, who was reported missing for nine days, has been found safe and well on Saturday afternoon. The family of Aaron Lysaght (21)  had  issued an appeal for the public’s assistance in tracing the whereabouts of their son who went missing from Prospect, Coolcullen, County Kilkenny. The last visual sighting of Aaron Lysaght (21) was on July 1 when he was visiting a friend in Midleton, County Cork. All other contact after this date was by phone or text message up until July 14 when he sent his father, Seán a text message via WhatsApp at 7.51 am. Gardaí were trying to establish whether Aaron remained in the Midleton area or whether he travelled back to Castlecomer where he was living with his girlfriend for about three months. His family were hugely relieved when they made contact with him on Saturday afternoon. Seán and his wife, Tina travelled to Cork City from 10am on Saturday morning as part …