Tag Archives: Ennis

A COMMEMORATIVE plaque to the late Pat Liddy, acknowledging a lifetime of work for Cois na hAbhna and Comhaltas will be unveiled in Cois na hAbhna this Friday by Dr Labhrás Ó Murchú Ard Stiúrthóir Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. Pat Passed away on Monday, December 21 2020 in the middle of the Covid pandemic and, although his funeral mass at Clooney Church could only be attended by close family members, many made the journey from all over the country to line the roadside in a fitting Guard of Honour to a man whose parting gift to all of us was the legacy of a living tradition that is Cois na hAbhna. From the time he became a member of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in the 1960s Pat was very active. He set up a number of branches throughout County Clare, but it was in set dancing that his true passion could be found. Along with his wife Nora, he ran the hugely …

IF you’re looking for something fun to do during the cold winter months, you certainly won’t be barking up the wrong tree by getting involved with the Ennis Musical Society. Auditions for the society’s newest show Legally Blonde are set to take part this Sunday from 3pm at the Holy Family Hall with would-be singers and actors aged 16 and over encouraged to get involved. However, it isn’t just stars of the two legged variety who will be taking part in the show, with society chairperson Rachael Culligan revealing they will shortly be looking for performers of the four-legged kind. “Once we have cast the human parts we will be seeking dogs to audition for two roles in the show. We want to make sure that the dogs work well with who they are on stage with. “We are going to be looking for one small and one big dog, in the movie there is a Chihuahua, but what it …

ENNIS has once again claimed the title of ‘Ireland’s Friendliest Place’. The county capital scooped the award at the AIBMS Retail Excellence Awards ceremony at the Galmont Hotel last weekend which also saw Clare’s Wild Atlantic Optician win Optician of the Year. Ennis retail stores made a huge impression on the mystery shoppers in July of this year to secure the town a shortlisting for this award, along with Ashbourne and Moynalty in County Meath, Monaghan Town and Carrick-on-Shannon in County Leitrim. This was followed by a public vote which took place in October.   Mayor of Ennis Municipal District, Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy said, “This recognition is testament to all those retailers in the town who are committed to making Ennis a great place to visit and shop. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to vote for Ennis.” She added that this award follows other recent successes for the town with awards …

PLANS for the delivery of a “much needed” local bus service for Ennis town and its environs are driving forward with confirmation the National Transport Authority have “advanced” their design and are due to undertake a route inspection this month. However, former mayor of Ennis Councillor Johnny Flynn, who has been a long time campaigner for the service has criticised the “snail’s pace” of the project and is calling on the county’s Oireachtas members to attend the next meeting of the Ennis Municipal District and push for the service’s delivery. Details of the progress of providing a local bus were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District where the service’s importance was emphasised by local councillors. Seeking an update on the service, Councillor Paul Murphy insisted that a local bus service is “vital” for the town of Ennis. “I am requesting a progress update on provision of a much needed local bus service for Ennis Town and …

PLANS for an extension to an Ennis primary school, to include the first Early Intervention Unit at a mainstream primary school in the town, have been put on hold as an appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala. The appeal to the two-storey extension of Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg has been submitted by a Glenina resident who had previously lodged an objection to the plans with Clare County Council on behalf of a number of residents living in the Gort Road estate. The An Bord Pleanala appeal argues “traffic problems and anti-social behaviour are problems that already exist” in the area and the proposed development will add to this. “Trucks and diggers and building traffic will be in and out of the estate for a period of 18 months. This is a residential area were people work from home and work shift work and are entitled to live in a peaceful atmosphere,” the appeal states. The original objection documentation to …

ENNIS-BASED online company Mama’s Boobie Box was out front and centre on display in last Friday night’s edition on the Late Late Show. The company took part in the Small Business Special, and its prominent position on the show has meant a boost for the two-year-old venture. Founder, Petrina O’Halloran has said, “Since Friday night we have being inundated with messages of goodwill and support for the business”. “We weren’t sure which spot we would get on the show, as there was nearly 100 businesses represented. We are so proud to have Mama’s Boobie Box centre on stage, it definitely lit up on set.” Mama’s Boobie Box offers the practical essentials a new mum needs for breastfeeding all packed in a gift box. Petrina, a native of Galway, now living in Ennis with her family, founded the business back in November 2020, and went live with the website in March 2021. Petrina who held a role in finance in London, …

A STRATEGY aimed at improving the lives of older people in Ennis has helped the county capital win a prestigious national award. The Ennis Age Friendly Town Strategy (2021) has won the ‘Age Friendly Environment’ award at the National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards 2022. The Age Friendly Environment award recognises projects that bring about change in the built physical environment with older people in mind. Simple additions such as adequate public seating, level footpaths and appropriate crossing times at pedestrian crossings all have a huge impact on the ability of older people to be active in their towns and villages.   The Ennis Age Friendly Town Strategy was formulated and implemented by the Ennis Age Friendly Town Team, a group formed by the Age Friendly Programme Manager and led by Ennis Municipal District. The strategy contained actions across a number of areas including improvements in the physical environment, urban policing, social and recreational infrastructure, health and wellbeing and age-friendly …

IT was glamour all the way in Ennis last Saturday as the town staged a day-long fashion and wellness extravaganza to showcase the variety of independent shops the town offers. Organised by Experience Ennis, the jam-packed event certainly put the fun back into the traditional shopping experience.  The day-long event kicked off at 11am with a prosecco brunch in Ennis’s hottest new venue, The Monks’ Society, formerly Cloisters Restaurant.   This was followed by a fashion show where broadcaster Lorraine Keane and stylist Laura Jordan discussed the latest trends and style tips and introduced highlights of the season from over 16 participating Ennis boutiques.   Following the fashion show, visitors went on to enjoy a wide range of events, entertainment and promotions in boutiques across the town.   Such was the buoyancy around the town, retailers reported a 30% increase in sales, and others noted it was the equivalent of Christmas Eve.  The day was wrapped up with a ‘Sex and Wellness’ panel discussion in …