Tag Archives: Ennis

Free parking is to be introduced on a trial basis in Ennis and Kilrush, it has been confirmed. Clare County Council has announced two-hour free parking is being made available in Kilrush, while free parking is also being provided in the council’s car parks in Ennis from 2pm each Saturday. Parking charges will continue to apply to on-street car parking in Ennis. The incentives were proposed at Monday’s council meeting where they received the unanimous backing of elected members. Both schemes will operate on a trial period from June 1 to the end of September. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, John Crowe said, “Providing quality access and convenient parking is instrumental in presenting our main towns as attractive and vibrant shopping locations. I welcome the council’s introduction of these incentives, which should now act as an additional stimulus to activity in both Ennis and Kilrush and encourage greater retail activity in the towns.”

THE “unacceptable” temporary closure of a rehabilitation unit at St Joseph’s Geriatric Hospital in Ennis was highlighted in the Dáil on Wednesday by Deputy Michael McNamara. The shutdown of this specialised unit on Friday last was raised by Deputy McNamara, after his initial attempt to secure a discussion under ‘Topical Debates’ last week was not allowed. The facility has a total potential capacity of 142 beds, including 22 that are consultant-led and are utilised for the purpose of rehabilitation for appropriately identified patients’ post acute care – medical or surgical. In a statement issued to The Clare Champion, the HSE stressed, “This is not a closure of the rehabilitation unit but only a temporary measure, for the shortest period of time possible and will not affect the patients receiving their rehabilitation care”. The authority pointed out the 14 patients that were transferred into another ward are still receiving rehabilitation. When Deputy McNamara learned about the closure, he was told there …

THE four Nepalese men who run the Everest Express takeaway in Fitzpatrick’s shop on the Tulla Road in Ennis have been in shock since news of last Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal reached them. Prioprietor Hiralal Gandharba, who has lived in Ireland for 15 years and in Clare for 13 years, says his village was destroyed but that his family, who now live in Kathmandu, are safe. “I heard it around 12 o’clock Irish time on Saturday. A friend sent a message saying that Nepal had an earthquake. When I heard that, I got up from my bed. I had very little sleep because I was trying to talk with my family. Straight away I tried to contact my family but I could not get through. I tried to ring my son and I eventually made contact with him. He said that the family were ok,” Hiralal explained. He is originally from Lamjung in western Nepal. “Two days ago I spoke …

There were considerable tailbacks on the M18 Ennis to Limerick motorway this morning (Tuesday) following a seven-vehicle pile-up. The accident occurred  on the north-bound lane near Manus, Clarecastle during a heavy hailstone shower. Emergency services from Ennis and Shannon attended the scene. There were no fatalities but a number of people were treated for minor injuries. Ennis-bound traffic was diverted on the old road through Clarecastle.

THE 147th annual INTO Congress, held in Ennis last week, had a “positive” outcome for the town’s retail and hospitality sectors, with practically every bed in the town full to accommodate the 850 delegates, their guests and family members for the three-day event. Boutique and clothing retailers in the town, who had enticing offers, reported that the primary school teachers kept their tills ticking over an²²d hotel and guesthouses were full, while cafés and restaurants benefited from the large number of visitors soaking up the spring sunshine and strolling along the medieval lanes and streets. Ennis Chamber interim CEO, Alec Fleming reported that his members were happy with the business generated during the teachers’ conference and described the feedback he had received from chamber members as positive. “The feedback from the INTO delegates and officials was very good. The weather was also exceptional and there were definitely people in shopping in Ennis. Practically all the beds in town were taken …

A 26-year-old man, described by Judge Patrick Durcan as being “highly skilled, highly trained, highly intelligent”, was given two five-month concurrent prison sentences, after pleading to drugs charges. Arthur Steffenberg, with addresses at Dún na Rí, Ennis and Lough Road, The Lough, Cork, claimed he had got involved in the sale of drugs because of the high costs involved in pursuing a Masters in architecture. Last week in the district court, he faced charges of having possession of cannabis herb and ecstasy, as well as two charges of having the drugs for sale or supply, at Ballymaquiggin, Ennis on October 15, 2013. A Latvian national, the defendant was described as “not the usual defendant” that comes before the court. It was also stated that a lecturer of the defendant had been so impressed with him, that he had offered him employment in his firm, while he has provided illustrations for a book that will be published in the near future. …

The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, has formally announced the establishment of the Centre for School Leadership (CSL), which will be headquartered in Ennis. It is being established for an initial pilot period of three years, with an investment of almost €3m over that time. It will be operated on a partnership basis between the Department of Education and Skills, the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD). The CSL is intended to become a centre of excellence for school leaders, and the partnership will have many benefits for the profession in terms of the quality of training programmes, coordination of provision, and increased accessibility. The centre will be headed by a director ,who will be an experienced school principal. He or she will be supported by two other experienced school leaders, one each from the primary and post-primary sectors. The team will be recruited in the coming weeks. The …

Ennis will undergo one of the largest ever community-clean-ups in the history of the town this coming Saturday when businesses, community groups, sports organisations and residents hit the streets to pick up litter. Ennis Tidy Towns Committee, supported by Ennis Chamber of Commerce and Clare County Council, is calling on the people of the town and surrounding areas to show their civic pride by turning up on the day to lend their support to the initiative which is aimed at enhancing the county capital’s chances of becoming Ireland’s Tidiest Town. The weekend clean-up forms part of ‘On The Move To Become Ireland’s Tidiest Town’, a community-wide campaign launched earlier this month to help Ennis achieve national success in the 2015 SuperValu TidyTowns Competition. The clean-up takes place from 11am to 1pm with groups, businesses and individuals interested in taking part asked to gather at 10am in the grounds of Áras Contae an Chláir on the New Road. Groups carrying out …