Tag Archives: Ennis

BUS Éireann has confirmed there are no current plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station. The national transport company was responding to a Dáil Question from Independent TD Michael McNamara. The lack of staff at the station had also been raised recently by Councillor Mary Howard who had expressed fear that the station could become a “hotspot of anti-social behaviour”. “It can be a scary place and we want to ensure that we don’t have those issues in Ennis.” Deputy McNamara had asked the Minister for Transport his plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station “given the very high number of staycations around the county and the lack of services available to them at Ennis bus station.” The Department of Transport referred the question to Bus Éireann which responded, “There are no current plans to allocate staff to the station. “Bus Éireann, is currently working on a nationwide upgrade to all our information displays in stations including Ennis, …

RESIDENTS living at Spancilhill Cross can “almost feel the vibrations of traffic coming at top speed” heading towards Ennis, writes Jessica Quinn. A meeting of Ennis Municipal District councillors heard calls were made for more garda patrols of the route. The Council has agreed to monitor traffic speeds on the R352 and the findings will be reported to An Garda Siochana. The concerns of residents were raised by Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy who sought a review of the cross for low-cost safety scheme design. She outlined the “serious health and safety concerns” with traffic at the Spancilhill Cross and the “ongoing speeding” on this section of the Tulla Road. She recalled a collision had been reported just days before the meeting of councillors. In light of that she suggested a series of measures to address the community’s serious concerns about speeding on this section of road. The councillor stated Ennis Municipal District should coordinate with the Gardaí to patrol this …

ONE of Ireland’s foremost practitioners in the field of psychology will be among the guest speakers during Mental Health Week in Ennis this month. Dr Tony Bates, who founded Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, will be the keynote speaker at one of a number of events in the county town next month. Ennis Mental Health Association has organised a varied programme of events around the town, where it aims to promote and educate on positive mental health and wellness. This year’s Mental Health Week takes place from October 7 to 13. “In bringing you this year’s programme, EMHA is truly delighted to work with such renowned experts in their respective fields,” said a spokesperson for the group. Dr Bates’ appearance is at the final event of the week, on Wednesday, October 13 in the Temple Gate Hotel at 7pm. Dr Bates was head of psychology for 30 years in St James’ hospital, Dublin and established and directed …

LOCAL vets have come out in support of plans for the development of a pet crematorium in Ennis which has been proposed in response to “a lack of this service” within the county and surroundings. The nearest such facility is in Kerry, with the developers of the proposal stating that the associated delay following the loss of a pet “can be very distressing” for owners. An application for planning permission has been lodged with Clare County Council for alterations to be carried out to an existing vacant unit at the Ennis Enterprise Centre in the Gort Road Industrial Estate to allow for the development of a pet crematorium for domestic pets. According to a document lodged with the planning authority on behalf of applicants Aimee and Danny Keller, there is currently no such service in the county, with only five in the Republic of Ireland. “The proposed service will be ideally suited in the mid west where there is significant …

ENNIS National School students are showing that they aren’t ‘knit-wits’ when it comes to getting ahead for Christmas. The school’s ‘Crafty Crew’ knitting club of third to sixth class students are creating knitted squares for their now annual Christmas tree project. For the past three years instead of pine needles have been using knitting needles to made a community Christmas tree. As part of the project hundreds of knitted squares made by the students, their families and friends, are sewn together to create the unique festive decoration. They are now appealing to anybody who would like to get involved by making their very own patch for the tree to donate it to the project. Ciara Harding from Ennis National School explains, “The children at Ennis National School are currently working on knitting squares for their annual Christmas Tree Project. Over the past three years we have combined our work at school with squares from parents ,grandparents and friends of Ennis National School …

GARDAI are appealing for witnesses following a break-in to a business in Ennis in the early hours of Monday morning. Between 3.55am and 4.10am, a business premises located on O’Connell Street, Ennis was broken into. The front door was forced open and entry gained – a number of items were then taken from a glass cabinet. Gardai have asked if anyone was in the area of O’Connell Street during these times and witnessed this break-in or anyone who may have dash cam footage to contact Ennis Garda Station on 065-6848100.

WITNESSES to a hit and run collision near an Ennis school, or those who may have dash cam footage, are being urged to contact gardaí, writes Jessica Quinn. Gardaí in the county town are appealing for witnesses following the hit and run which occurred at 8.01pm on Friday, September 10, at the traffic lights near Colaiste Muire secondary school on Harmony Row. The driver of a black 212 Volkswagen Passat had stopped at a red light with the intention of going straight over Club Bridge. “As the driver waited for the green light a silver or grey car that may have had a 10 or 12 registration impacted the rear of the car it then reversed back towards the entrance gates of Colaiste Muire and drove away in the direction of the Maid of Eireann roundabout, said Sergeant Triona Brooks, Clare Crime Prevention Officer. “If anyone witnessed this collision or anyone who may have dash cam footage, we are asking …

ENNIS Rotary Club is urging the public to make a ‘wheel’ effort in continuing support of a project which is bringing bicycles to school children in Africa. The initiative which sees people donate their unwanted, repairable bikes has already resulted in 157 bicycles shipped from Clare to Gambia. The Rotary Ireland School Bikes Africa project, with the support of Clare County Council, gives members of the public across Clare the opportunity to bring their unwanted bicycles to the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff Beg, Inagh. From there, Rotary Ireland deliver the bicycles to the open prisons at Loughan House, County Cavan, and Shelton Abbey, County Wicklow, where they are refurbished by prisoners. They are then shipped to Africa and distributed to school children, giving them the chance of a better future. Michael Shepherd of Ennis Rotary told The Champion that they have been delighted with the response the project has received locally. He outlined that there is now a …