Tag Archives: Ennis

By Jessica Quinn THE controversial apartment complex in Ennis known as The Fairways has been put on the market for just €75,000, with members of Ennis Town Council urging that the property described as a “blight on the landscape” be bought by the local authority. Last summer the privately owned building near Marian Avenue hit the headlines when it was heavily criticised by council members calling for something to be done with the derelict site that was deemed not fit for human habitation. This week at a meeting of Ennis Town Council, Councillor Brian Meaney requested that a loan be raised to purchase and renovate the apartment complex for the provision of appropriate social housing. He acknowledged that the property is in “very poor condition” however he said that sum of €75,000 for the complex is “paltry”. “It’s well within the ability of Ennis Town Council,” he added. Responding to the motion, town clerk Leonard Cleary stated, “This property is …

by Jessica Quinn AN Ennis based group of animal lovers are urging the people of the county to get behind a new awareness and fundraising day that they hope will go on to become an international event. On May 1, Clare will host the first ever ‘MayDay for Animals’. This awareness and fundraising day will see Clare people tying a balloon to their home or place of work to remember animals in need of rescuing, and to celebrate animals rescued. According to organisers, there is a real urgency now to communicate to people the cruel reality of what is going on for some animals in this county and country. In addition to this, they want to encourage people to think before they commit to getting a pet, as it is heart-breaking for a family pet to be suddenly removed from the family home and surrendered to the pound or worse, dumped miles from home. MayDay is about making people more …

by Peter O’Connell THE first staging of the National Concertina Convention (Consairtín) will be held in Ennis this weekend.  The festival directors are concertina player and teacher Tim Collins along with Áine Hensey, who is also very involved in the traditional arts in Clare. “It’s a new music festival on the music landscape of Clare,” Tim said. “It’s about capturing the colossal interest in the instrument, not just in Clare anymore. In the last 20 or 30 years the concertina has become a very popular instrument right across the country and beyond. “Áine Hensey and I felt that the time was right to bring an international festival to Ennis that would capture the interest in the instrument. We have a broad weekend planned including a mixture of teaching and a lot of performances,” he added. The festival will be officially opened by Jurgen Suttner on Friday at 7.30pm in the Old Ground Hotel. “There are lectures as well each day …

ENNIS has been invaded by Vikings. However, this time it is not gold these Vikings were after but knowledge of how to set up Family Learning classes. 24 Norwegians visited Clare Family Learning Project work last week with their ultimate goal to set up Family Learning programmes in their region in Norway similar to what is being done locally in Clare. While here, the group gained valuable ideas through visiting classes in action, meeting parents who have already attended classes, and meeting family learning tutors and the partners that Clare Family Learning Project work with. The visitors from Nedre Eiker Municipality in Norway included 11 adult education teachers, two primary school principals, three kindergarten teachers, the head of all schools and kindergartens in the region, a volunteer co-ordinator, a cultural leader, a pedagogical leader and others interested in the notion of family learning. Principal of the Adult Learning Centre in Nedre Eiker Elizabeth Engeset visited the Clare Family Learning Project …

ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour by groups of young people on the streets of Ennis’ town centre is having a “serious negative economic impact” on the county capital. 75 local businesses have signed a petition calling for a greater garda presence on Ennis’ streets amid concerns that people do not feel secure in the town. Members of the business community this week presented the petition to Ennis’ Joint Policing Committee, which includes members of Ennis Gardai, local elected representatives, local authority officials and community representatives. One business owner described how an elderly lady was sprayed with shaving foam on St Patrick’s day outside of his shop by two young people. Another stated that shoppers and business owners are being intimidated, young people are running in and out of shops and pathways are being blocked off by large groups. According to the business owners, “We consider that the anti-social behavior from underage groups in town are a serious offence to local businesses, local community …

THREE of Ennis’ longest-serving public representatives will not be contesting this May’s local elections. Councillors Tommy Brennan, Peter Considine and Mary Coote Ryan are retiring from politics. Independent Councillor Brennan, a member of Ennis Town Council for 35 years and Clare County Council for 29 years, said he made the decision to bow out as a result of changes to local government. “Our function as councillors has been taken away and it’s pointless. It has completely changed. It started in about 2001 with Better Local Government and then the recent changes by Minister Hogan. It leaves the council with no function whatsoever,” he stated. He said the decision not to stand was not made lightly, particularly given the high level of support from the public over the years. “The people of Ennis have given me great support over the last 30 years and I thank them for that. I look forward to retiring and, if I can be of any …

THE Labour Party and Sinn Féin have added further candidates to the upcoming local elections. The Labour Party have decided to run a second candidate, Dermot Hayes, in Ennis area. Seamus Ryan was already selected by the party. According to the party, they have been getting a positive response on the canvas and believe there is a good opportunity for two candidates to be elected to Clare County Council. Dermot Hayes comes from Kells, Corofin from a family of 13 children. He attended Ennis Community College and, as a mature student, studied Community Development in Galway and Maynooth Universities. He has lived in Ennis since 1974, is married to Marian and they have two teenage daughters. He worked in Belvedere Carpets, Studio Eyewear and Interton Electronics and more recently in a number of community and voluntary organisations, including The Disabled People of Clare, Clare Supported Employment and People With Disabilities in Ireland. Dermot has been unemployed on three occasions and …

LOCALS are being asked to make a “wheel” effort in supporting the upcoming Cycle Against Suicide, by opening up their homes to 300 participants. The cycle will be making its way through Ennis on Saturday, May 3 and organisers need homestays for the cyclists who have taken on the challenge to raise suicide awareness. Fr Jerry Carey, who is working towards finding places for the participants, along with training to take part in the cycle himself, said he is “absolutely confident” that the generous people of Ennis will answer the call. He explained, “Cycle Against Suicide is a national initiative that was started by Irish entrepreneur, Jim Breen, as a result of his appearance on The Secret Millionaire. The main objective of the cycle is to raise awareness of the considerable help and supports that are available for anyone battling depression, self harm, at risk of suicide or those bereaved by suicide. The cycle is more about promoting awareness than …