Tag Archives: Ennis

TEENAGERS will be showcasing and sharing their creativity at a special gathering in Ennis this weekend. ‘A Teenage Gathering’is part of the Local Creative Youth Partnership’s Call & Response Festival and will be held on Saturday, September 17 in glór. Monica Spencer, Creative Youth Partnership Co-ordinator with the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board explained, “It is a social and cultural event taking place over an afternoon where young people can share their creative skills in dance, music, spoken word, make-up, photography, henna tattoo, drawing and food. “This event is presented by the Local Creative Youth Partnership in response to requests from teenagers through consultations throughout Clare in recent years.” A Teenage Gathering is free but participants are asked to bring something to share in the form of a song, poem, drawing technique, some food or any part of their everyday culture that others might like to see or hear. LCYP is now in its third year of running …

WATER quality in parts of Ennis has been described as “deplorable” resulting in illness and malfunctioning appliances for concerned householders. Homes in Ard na Greine, St Michael’s Villas and St Flannan’s Terrace have been affected by “ongoing difficulities” with the quality of their water supply a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard this week. Councillor Paul Murphy highlighted the issue while urging the Ennis Municipal District and Irish Water to facilitate mains rehabilitation and road reinstatement works between Captain Mac’s Junction and Station Cross roundabout. Ian Chaplin, Acting Senior Executive Engineer confirmed that the Ennis Municipal District and Irish Water have been in discussions and a meeting is due to take place to finalise plans for the works. He added that the council is aiming to schedule works for a time that “least inconveniences the public”. According to Councillor Murphy these works were due to be carried out during Christmas of last year. He said that the issue needs …

VIEWERS tuning into Friday’s return of the Late Late Show to our screens were in for a big surprise when some very familiar faces were beamed to the nation. The popular Ennis Brass Band played a starring role in the opening sequence of the first show of the new season, playing its famous theme tune along with two other bands surrounded by dancers. Grainne Kearney of the Ennis Brass Band told The Champion they were sworn to secrecy about their involvement with the Late Late ahead of the broadcast, and they have been delighted with the reaction to their appearance. The filming was done in Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh GAA club with Grainne saying it was a fantastic experience for the band. Explaining how they got involved she said, “They got in touch and told us they wanted to do something to show that Ireland is up and running, that people are back doing their hobbies and enjoying themselves. I’m not …

AN Ennis councillor has resigned from the company set up to deliver Ennis 2040 objectives having appealed to An Bord Pleanala against controversial plans for a €450 million data centre. Councillor Johnny Flynn made the announcement he was stepping down from the Ennis 2040 (Strategic Development) Designated Activity Company (DAC) at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. The development of a data centre at Toureen plays a central role in the Ennis 2040 plan where it is included among a number of ‘Transformational Projects’ for the county capital. Councillor Flynn told the meeting he did not want to “distract” from the Ennis 2040 DAC’s work after lodging his appeal against the development on the Tulla Road. He outlined that he has been engaged with the planning process for the site for a number of years including making a submission relating to its rezoning in 2019. Last month Art Data Centre Campus in Ennis became the first to be …

THERE may be Men at Work, but its still very much open for business on Ennis’ O’Connell Street with one fashion retailer even putting up a ‘Women at Work’ sign in the shop window. Water infrastructure upgrading works described as “vital” by Irish Water have been taking place as part of a project which involves replacing aged watermains at High Street, Bank Place, O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street. Irish Water say this will “provide a more reliable water supply, reduce high levels of leakage and improve water quality.” Margaret O’Brien, CEO of Ennis Chamber whose offices are based on O’Connell Street says some businesses have been affected by the works more than others, with some suggesting a discount on rates due to the disruption. However, the Chamber believe that in the long term the upgrades “are what’s needed for the good of the town”. “The works are moving at speed and that is good to see. The timing however could …

PLANS to extend an Ennis primary school will lead to an “enhanced” school experience with “better facilities” for the existing staff and students. That’s according to a report lodged with Clare County Council as part of a planning application by the Board of Management of Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg for a two storey extension at the school. If given the go-ahead the school on the Gort Road will see the development of six classrooms, a general purpose hall, two SEN classrooms and two ball courts as well as additional staff car parking and other associated works. A mobility and management report into the proposal has been compiled by P Coleman & Associates on behalf of the applicant and lodged with the planning application. It outlines that the proposed extended school will not create any additional students or trips with no planned increase in students or staff. The existing school has 471 students and 31 staff. “The purpose of the new classroom …

WITH a shared love of photography, members of the Ennis Camera Club have brought their ‘collective vision’ together in a brand new exhibition of works currently on display in the Clare Museum. The exhibition features 25 stunning images in varying styles taken by the club’s members, who range from beginners to experienced photographers, and regularly meet in Power’s Pub, Clarecastle. In an era where images are more likely to be shared online, club chairman Mike Reen tells us members are delighted to be able to showcase their work to the public through this exhibition which runs in Ennis until September 16. “We live almost exclusively in a digital world in terms of photography. It must be that 99% of photographs are now shared digitally through social media and online. We have a sort of standing mantra within the club, ‘A photograph isn’t a photograph until you print it’. “That was something the late Gerry Ryan who founded the club always …

A MOVE is being made to transform the site of the former Ennis Boys National School on the Kilrush Road in Ennis into a new car park, the Clare Champion can reveal. City Cinemas Ltd are set to apply to Clare County Council for planning permission to develop a new temporary surface car park with 156 spaces in the county capital. The planning application will seek a five year permission for the development which will also include 12 accessible bays and four electric vehicle parking bays. The town centre site has been vacant since 2013 when Ennis National School moved to its new school in Ashline. The Kilrush Road site is zoned as mixed use and has been identified as one of a number of Opportunity Sites in the current County Development Plan. The planned development of a new car park for Ennis comes hot on the heels of Clare County Council recently giving the green light to Clare GAA …